444th Friday Blog Roundup
I was vacuuming on Wednesday, and I managed to tip over a lamp, shattering it. No one came up to see if I was okay, because… you know… it was only a loud crash and then the sound of spraying glass. No biggie.
I came downstairs and told the twins and their friend what happened, and then set out to clean up the mess. I picked up the big pieces and the rest of the lamp, and dragged it through the room they were all in so I could put it in the garbage outside. In doing so, I cut my foot on some of the glass and commented that I was bleeding, and they dully called out, “sorry that you’re bleeding” as I limped through their scintillating game of ponies.
And then, a half hour later, during dinner — which was late due to the lamp incident — I commented that we’d have to go out to get a lamp that night and the Wolvog said, “whoa, why are we buying a lamp?”
Am I talking to the air molecules?
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Josh ended up picking up the lamp. The man at the store told him it was six feet tall. He assembled it. It definitely wasn’t six feet.
In the middle of the night, I got up to pee, and when I came out of the bathroom, I gasped and jumped backwards. At first I thought there was a very petite and skinny man in our room. Then I thought there was an emaciated dragon. Then I remembered that we had a new lamp. Then I went back to sleep.
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There is still time to join along for the first book of the GRAB(ook) Club. We’re discussing on June 13th. And if you can’t join that one, hop on for one of the later ones in the summer:
- June’s Book: Measure of Love by Melissa Ford (discuss on June 13)
- July’s Book: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (discuss July 18)
- August’s Book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (discuss August 15)
- September’s Book: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (discuss September 12)
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My brother had some fantastic writing advice on his blog this week, and it has nothing to do with what you put down on the page or the amount of times you tweet each week to build your platform. It has everything to do with how you treat other people; not the ones that you think you can get something from, but the ones that you treat well along the way just because. Those usually turn out to be the ones who make the biggest difference in whether you make it out of the slush pile or not.
Frankly, the idea to “remember Joe” is good advice for life in general. Not to focus on some people while ignoring others; since it’s usually the ones that you ignore who turn out to be the most important.
By the way, he’s been on both sides of agenting and editorial, and he takes publishing and writing questions if you have them because he’s nice. In fact, sometimes when you ask me something, I, in turn, check with him.
Plus he gives really really good editing notes. Like he just did for Apart at the Seams. I could not write without him, even though I do remember the Joes.
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Speaking of which, the winner of the Measure of Love e-book giveaway is…
drumroll please…
Dora from My Preconceived Notion. Congratulations! I will be emailing you today.
I will hopefully have another copy to give away soon.
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And now the blogs…
But first, second helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week. In order to read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:
- “Did I Do That?” (MoJo Working)
- “May the Miscarriage Be With You” (Stupid Stork)
Okay, now my choices this week.
River Runs Dry has a post about having it all… except not really. It starts with her desire to be a CEO in the future, and ends with her thought of leaving behind that goal. I love this thought: “it’s a matter of focus. Focusing on what’s needed in the here and now. If that means my career takes a backseat in the coming years so I can focus on other things, then so be it.”
Mine to Command has a post about challenging herself as well as accepting her limitations, which is applicable to so many facets in life. The post happens to be about running, but she brings it around to babymaking by the end. I hope she gets pregnant this cycle because the repetition of that number would make for a good story.
Old Lady and No Baby has a post about the talk she gives her softball team before prom. In years past, she has focused on drugs or alcohol, but this year, the topic was sex and it ran the gamut from pointing out that the pressure has been there for every generation (“Those types of pressures haven’t changed, they have simply become more acceptable. We HAVE been in their shoes and we DO understand how hard it is.”) to her own personal experience with infertility and loss. I sort of wish she traveled the country and gave her talk to all teenagers.
Lastly, My Lady of the Lantern has a post about being kind to herself. I love this part: “But I seem to have developed a habit of looping and repeating the negative experience in my mind till something else comes up. I began taking hurt too personally, and kept it close.” Me too. Oh my G-d, and this: “This family drama is jelly. You can press it and take it to any shape.” Great post.
The roundup to the Roundup: I mostly talk to the air. Not too late to join the online book club. My brother’s great writing advice. The winner of the Measure of Love giveaway. And lots of great posts to read. So what did you find this week? Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between May 17th and May 24th) and not the blog’s main url. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week? Read the original open thread post here.
18 comments
Oh wow! My new space made the Roundup! 🙂
I’m glad you’re not the only one who feels like you’re talking to air. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve mentioned something, usually stupid like what I’m making for dinner or something, and both Owen and Jeff have asked me afterwards: “What’s for dinner tonight?”
Really? REALLY? Clearly I talk to air in my house too.
xoxo
There are only 3 of us in our house, and I often find that I’m the only one who listens to me talking. Even when only 2 of us are in the room.
“Remember Joe” reminds me of the “Rule of 8 & 80” from urban planning. Meaning if you design something, if it works for an 8 year old and an 80 year old it should be appropriate for all. I like that rule as a general rule. Would I say this to an 8 year old, would I do that to an 80 year old. Good rule of thumb.
I’m firmly convinced that I am almost always talking to myself. Between a 14 year old whose stock answer to everything is “ok” and a husband who get distracted by shiny things and Minecraft, I don’t think I’ve had anyone answer a question that they listened to in years. It’s frustrating.
No one ever listens to me. Which I probably why I blog when I do. 😉 And oh, yes, on the way you treat people along the way. Did I ever tell you how the secretaries knew everything?
And by the way … sorry you were bleeding!!
When I teach college lab classes, I’m pretty sure I’m always talking to the air molecules (I love that image). I can describe things in detail, tell students to write it down, give explicit directions, write things on the board and STILL get questions that convince me I’m not speaking out loud when I talk.
I always tell the students to check the board before they get started in the lab. I once wrote “If you a;sldkfj, please come see me before flkijk starts” in huge letters across the board in the front of the lab. After 15 minutes, only two students had come up to me to ask what on earth I meant. When I got everyone’s attention and asked them to look at the board there were suddenly all these confused looks.
Air molecules, I’m telling you. Air molecules.
Sorry about the blood! Also the emaciated dragon (the emaciated ones are the most dangerous, you know — very hungry). Love your brother’s post, would also note that Joe works in many, many other fields in addition to publishing.
Sorry about the lamp and the lack of concern from your family. I think we all get “ignored” sometimes. Ugh. I had to laugh when I read about your midnight encounter with the new lamp as that is totally something I would do.
I have to say that I feel a little bit like I’ve won an Academy Award or something of the like with the shout out in your Friday Blog Roundup. First, thank you so much for taking the time to read my post. Second, thank you so much for recommending it to others! I don’t know that I deserve the recognition, but I feel honored just the same.
Cool! Thanks! I’ve been waiting for time to savor your book instead of just reading it on my phone while commuting. So looking forward to spending time with those characters again.
I loved Amber’s post! I admire the connection she has with the players! How very cool! Kudos, Amber!!
I lived in an apartment where I had a coat tree in the hallway directly across from the bathroom door. Almost daily for the year I lived there I’d see it (sort of since my vision really sucks without my contacts) while getting out of the shower and think it was a person.
Talking to the air? LOL… that’s my life. Two toddlers and a husband make it seem like I talk only to fill the air around my head.
I wanted to offer up a fantastic post for next Friday’s round up. Amber at Life In the Last Frontier http://www.lifeinthelastfrontier.com/2013/05/a-very-special-visit.html about teaching a toddler about his birthmom. Sweet and heart-wrenching.
I loved this post from Mali, analyzing a frustrating conversation with friends: http://nokiddinginnz.blogspot.ca/2013/05/hear-me-thats-all-i-ask.html
I have this unfinished post in my drafts folder entitled “am I this mom?” about me sometimes losing my cool with the kids. So when I came across this post it really resonated with me and I’d like to share it in next week’s roundup: http://www.handsfreemama.com/2013/05/22/the-important-thing-about-yelling/
Thank you, Mel.
Here’s an interesting post I found:
http://www.theblessedbarrenness.co.za/?p=7753
Although it seems funny sounding, but it can drive me nuts if I have really shared something important and it has been lost in an absent minded ‘uh-huh’. Sorry for the bleeding and good to know that Josh was prompt in getting another. (Even though the dragon had been starved) 😉
Here are a few:
http://lavenderluz.com/2013/05/conflicti-online.html
http://esperanzasays.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/my-1000th-post/
http://pailbloggers.com/2013/05/30/guest-post-the-reality-of-breastfeeding/
https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2013/05/not-riding-the-roller-coaster/
http://jjiraffe.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/dealing-with-the-naysayers-in-my-head-and-beyond/
I absolutely love your blog, and wish I could get where you are at some day! Do you mind me asking how to get blog post considered by you to go on your blog round-up? Thanks!