In Search of Myself

Let's Blog.

So Andrea, my soul-sista bestest friend of years and years, asked the following question, responding to my inquiry about her starting a blog:

Okay, as far(r) -- ha ha! -- as the blog thing...I thought you had to be a mom to do a blog.  Am I just being extremely naive?!!

Well yes, hon, you ARE naive. But that's one of the things I LOVE about you.  heh.  (And everyone else, her last name was f*rr, so her comment is pretty damn funny.)

You can have a blog about anything.  It's not just the mommies who blog.  There are blogs about knitting, travel, school, news, politics, literature, shoes, celeb-bashing/obsessing . . . you name it, and someone is blogging about it.  It's just a place to have a presence on the net, a place where you can write whatever the hell you want and connect with other people.

Some people blog just to have an easy format to keep connected to their family.  For some it's just a way to put pics of their kids up.  Some blog to meet other people and form a sense of community.  Some people just have a lot to say and want people to listen to them.  For me, blogging is a lot like scrapbooking -- just one more way to tell your story.  But it's also about staying in touch and having a support system in place -- do you know how great it feels to know that so many people care enough about you to check in every day or two (or ten) and see how you're doing?  That's fucking awesome.

And yeah, I do have a hell of a lot to say.  Sometimes I'm surprised that anyone at all listens -- but I'm so glad they do!

A lot of people who start new blogs want to know why no one is reading them.  We can't read your mind, people!  If you want to be read, I think there are three good ways to achieve this: First, get listed in blog listings in a category you think you fall under.  Second, comment, comment, comment.  When you comment on other people's blogs it makes them interested in you -- they will follow the link and check you out.  If you never comment on other people's blogs, how can you be offended that no one comments on yours?  I'm just sayin'.  Third, don't be boring.  If you have nothing to say, you probably shouldn't blog.  Now don't under-estimate yourself -- the things you have to say are probably more interesting than you think.  And short little stories or thoughts (if that's all you can get out, don't want to write long entries) actually make for good entries.  And if you have long entries, for pete's sake, BREAK THEM UP INTO PARAGRAPHS.  Our eyes need to rest, people.  But blogs aren't for everyone.  If you have a boring blog and YOU as the author enjoy it, then fine.  But don't complain that no one wants to read it.

So no, babe, bloggin isn't just for the mama's.  It's for anyone who has something to say.  And I KNOW that you have things to say, so jump in!!!

P.S. here is a Blog Resources Link List I made for ya, for anyone else interested in jumping in.  It's not a BIG list, but there's a few things there.  If anyone has something to add to the list, just let me know.

P.P.S. Kelly, in my eyes the Blogging Queen, sent me a link to a cool blog entry about blogging.  So if you have a favorite "why I blog" or "how to start a blog" entry, send that link on my way!!!

A shout-out to Shabby Princess

So here is another page I made with the new kits that Shabby Princess has up at the Shabby Shoppe.  I am SO GLAD that she finally took the plunge and is selling her stuff.  I am HAPPY to pay $5 or $6 for a quality digital kit.  I am glad to be able to support her in whatever way I can by buying her stuff -- but I also LOVE that she offers freebies!  That is truly the best way to bring people in and get them hooked on your stuff.  (So everyone else, take note.)  Another reason I ADORE her, is she is so sweet, always answers e-mails, is supportive and encouraging and actually takes an interest in the people who love her product.  AND she has a beatiful, two year-old, brown-eyed/brown haired little boy (which you know will grab my heart anytime!)  Anyway, here's what I did with the new "Splash" kit:

If you have ANY interest whatsoever in digital scrappin' SHE is the place to start!!!

More sisters thoughts.

I took this picture of Aowyn and Elauna on Saturday, and I also got some new Shabby Princess papers today (she RULES), so here's a page I made this morning:

The bottom is quotes, the journaling beside the picture says: You don't know it now, but you are so blessed to have each other.  A sister is the most wonderful gift a girl can be given.  Always treasure each other, and even though you'll see each other at your worst, always look for the best.  There will be times when you don't even want to talk to each other, but there will be far more times when you need each other's presence more than anyone in the world.  Realize that it's ok to be different, and it's ok to disagree -- but it's also ok to be similar and enjoy the same things.  Watch out for each other, and remember -- you are in this for the long haul.  Enjoy each other, 'cause you're stuck together anyway!

Summer reading.

This summer I'm making an effort to read again.  Something other than blogs and scrapbooking magazines.  Because as fun as those are, I miss the high school and college days when I had nothing better to do than stay up all night reading a good book, and then theoretically being able to talk about it should I come across someone else who has read it.  And I'm certainly not going to stay up all night reading books anymore -- 'cause dude, I'm pretty tired at any given moment -- but I can carve out 20 minutes here and there to read.  Especially since it's summer and we're given a break from new episodes of our favorite TV shows -- yeah, we love those new episodes, but it gets to be stressful, knowing there's a new episode coming on and you either have to watch it or wonder what you missed.  We're not watching much TV these days, unless you count Milo and Otis and Booh Bah.  So first on my list (which I started yesterday) is Anne Lamott's Operating Instructions.  Definitely a book to read twice, or even three times.  I have been laughing at least once on every page.  Sometimes in shock, sometimes in sympathy.  But not funny, ha-ha, it's more funny-deep thoughts-amusing life observations.  It's sad and deep and hilarious, all at the same time.  And her hatred of Republicans just has me rolling.  I love that she's not afraid to come out and just SAY it.

Anyway, the other book I'm reading right now is Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller. I've heard a lot about it from people at my church, and the university has a summer reading group starting today that is reading it, so I decided to jump in.  It will be a good way to meet/hang out with other people at the university and motivation to read and keep up.  I loved my college lit. classes because the whole point was to read and talk about what we read!  It was great.  The downside was that most of the people in my classes were slackers and weren't really at college to LEARN anything, just wanted that degree.  So it ended up being ME wanting to talk about stuff, and the teacher.  There were times the teacher told me before class not to say anything at first because she wanted to see if anyone had actually read the material.  I would MAKE myself not say anything between my comments until at least 3 other people had said something.  I had THAT MUCH to say, and everyone else sat there stupidly.  It made me pretty mad.  But that's neither here nor there.  I think this reading group thing -- with adults who WANT to be there, not students who don't know what it means to learn -- will be fun!

If you've read either book, let me know -- and tell me what you think of them!

My Sister.

For as talkative as I am and as much as I like to write, sometimes I just can't find words for things -- like for how I feel about my sister Sheri.  I mean, you guys all know I think she's awesome and I love hanging out with her . . . but I just couldn't put my finger on how to explain US.  But then it dawned on me.  And here it is:

The journaling says:

Sheri and I are a classic example for nature in the nature vs. nurture argument.  We grew up in different states, different decades, and with different moms, but the genes we both got from dad make us strangely similar. And it’s things that we definitely didn’t get from daddy -- the camera obsession, the overwhelming urge to strike a pose and act silly, the random goofiness that some people just don’t get, the silly and outgoing personality . . . spending time with her makes me feel more normal, like it’s ok that I’m not like my other sisters, and not like other people.  ‘Cause I’m like her.  And I like that.

Surprise! (Father's Day, part 2.)

Sheri and Robert drove up from Atlanta yesterday to surprise my dad for Father's day.  (Here's her account of it.)  You all know how much I adore Sheri (worship the ground she walks on?) so needless to say I was REALLY happy to see them again.  This makes 3 visits so far this year, and one to come next month -- we are working on a personal record!  Anyway, right now I just can't do the visit justice and I don't even want to try . . . too many pictures to go through, and I think today my heart is in scrapbooking instead of writing.  So I'm off to play in PhotoShop.  But we had a blast, Sheri took some freaking AWESOME pics with my dream camera, and I know that she totally made dad's day.  I LOVE YOU, SISTER!!!

UPDATE: Ok, here is the first page I made about yesterday. The pics with Sheri's camera put mine to shame, but these are good enough.  ;o)  Click on this one  <--- to see upclose of the first page.   It needs to be noted that Sheri isn't actually taller than me, but I was barefoot and she was wearing like 3 inch tall sandals.  Diva's have a tendancy to do that sometimes.  ha ha!  ;o)  Click on --> this one to see the 2nd page bigger.

Camera Envy

Ok, so ya know how I keep saying that my dream camera is a Nikon D70?  That I decided months ago that is THE CAMERA FOR ME but that I just can't afford it right now, so I just have to keep on a-dreamin'?  (And stuffing pennies in my piggy bank.)

My sister Sheri called us last week and talked to Lou first, telling him all about her new truck.  Then he passed the phone to me and she said "So Jenny, guess what I bought?"  And I said "A new truck."  Like, duh, Sher.  She said "No, guess what ELSE?"  And she told me she bought a new camera.  "Oh that's great," I said.  "What kind?"  She said "Guess?"  I said "Sheri, tell me you didn't get a D70."  And excitedly, she said "I did!  I have a D70!" 

Had we ever been in school together, this would be like me telling her all about a boy I absolutely love and wish he would love me, too, then her turning around and going to prom with him.  AAUGH.

But the good news is, the pictures she takes with it are freaking amazing, and I know she will take lots of pictures of me and Jake (and her boys, too) and burn me disks of them, so I can be just a little happy for her.  Just as soon as I get past the insane jealousy.

Father's Day, part one

Here's the shirt I got Lou for Father's Day.  I also made him a card, which I think was pretty cool.  And ok, I used the same design for a card for my dad and one for Priscilla to make for her DH, but it's the thought that counts, right?  I didn't have time for three different designs.  I'm lazy that way.

And here's why I probably should have gotten Lou more than a shirt and card.  On Saturday afternoon he put in a flower bed around our mailbox.  We were practically the only ones on our street with nothing cool/pretty/floral around our driveway and mailbox.  (We've lived there for 2 years but Lou has been on midnights the whole time and hasn't had a chance to do it.  He's been on days for a week and a half now.  Getting to sleep like a normal human being!  It's a wonderful thing.)  I haven't had the time/energy/money/ability to do anything like this, but Lou got the idea in his mind, went and got the supplies, and did it all in one afternoon.  He got very dirty and pretty sunburned, but did a great job.  I was VERY impressed!  And now I just have to make sure I don't bump it when I'm pulling in and out of the driveway!  ;o)

New Playground (at church)

Ok, real quick before the weekend, I want to write about our church's new playground. 

We are a small-ish congregation (130 in attendance most Sundays, 200ish members) have had a huge influx of kids in the last two years at my church -- due to pregnancies, adoptions, new members, etc.  It's WONDERFUL, but our church is a little old and hasn't been overly CHILD-centered in the past because we just haven't had an abundance of kiddos.  But we do now and it's so much fun, and we decided the old unsafe playground just had to go.  We wanted to make a statement to the community, neighbors, visitors, but most of all to our CHILDREN that they are important to us as a church.  So we've held fund-raisers and special offerings, and although there's still a ways to go we jumped in and got the equipment.  The kids LOVE it (understandably!!!)  Jake's eyes got so big when we drove past it on the way to church last week (well, two weeks ago now.  We skipped this past week.)  After church I let him play on it and he had SO much fun.  It was hard to get him to leave.  Here's a bigger picture of it:

How to SB a blog entry, Jenny-style

1.  Read an entry written by your bestest friend and realize it's too cute NOT to scrapbook about.

2.  Realize you already have a digital page that will work, it just needs to be tweaked.

3.  Open page in PhotoShop.  Copy and paste text of said entry.

4.  Find picture of bestest friend's ADORABLE daughter that you happened to take the night she said the cute thing in the entry.

5.  Play in Photoshop for a while, and VOILA!!!