Saturday, May 05, 2007

Items of business - applies to You

Item# 1: Dustbunnies beware

I officially started the spring-cleaning tackle this weekend. Just because the bathroom grout doesn't look any better once the grunge is removed is no reason not to remove it.
I'm finding that I have to tackle Spring Cleaning in shifts though. I can barely clean up messes as fast as Sir O can make them, and Mr Renn has loads of studying to do, so when there's a study break and my boys get to play with each other, I'm off to the races. I must confess, not being able to get it all done in one bite is a difficult adjustment for me. I'm going to be fighting to keep the fire alive and the momentum going until I get another chance to attack.

Item#2: Teeth in general. Particularly new ones.

Sir O is totally miserable 70% of his waking time right now. Mr Renn thinks he can see some maxillary (top) central la-dee-dah's coming in, I'm just about to throw in the towel. For all his teething, Sir O has only 2 teeth that appeared way back in February. (Insert sarcastic gnashing of (tongue-in-cheek) teeth)... Sir O will be teething forever and no teeth will ever actually surface. He'll have nothing to show for it. Luckily he'll have a dad who can make him some nifty baby dentures.

Item#3: Observations about other people, and myself too.

I'm increasingly aware of the human need for positive social reinforcement. In an ideal state we'd all be so secure in our relationships with our eternal spouses and God that we literally wouldn't care what anybody else thought. But I don't honestly know of a single person who has arrived in that particular nirvanic place. To the best of my knowledge, everybody appreciates a nice comment. I'm trying harder to say every nice, or even potentially nice thing that occurs to me. This is hard for me, I'm socially introverted and painfully shy in person. But even if all I can think of to complement is someone's shoes, I'll go ahead and do it. (Hopefully that doesn't make anyone who's shoes have recently been complemented by myself feel that it was less of a complement). And yes, I frequently make a complete dufus of myself tripping over my words when such niceties come out of my mouth sounding much lamer than they did when they were tucked away quietly in my head. People crave positive feedback, I know I do. Which brings me to Item#4

Item# 4 Blog comments, delurking, and does this blog make me look fat?

My little blog gets an average of 54 visitors a day. On a good day I get more than 3 comments. Part of the tragicomedy of blogging is that so much is lost in human interaction when the speaker cannot see how his or her words land on and affect those who hear. A good large chunk of the time I sit down to blog and I hit a big nasty stone wall because I don't actually know who I'm writing to. Ideally I'd just write to myself, since this is the closest thing to a journal that I keep.... but since so many people in my real life read this, that's not really an appropriate possibility. As often as not I end up writing to my teeny tiny handful of cataclysmically fabulous regular commenters. But then a few days, weeks, or months later a casual conversation reveals that my posts were read by people that were nowhere near the front of my mind when I wrote them. At worst this results in a cyber faux-pas, but it always startles me a little.

My point is, that if you are reading this, I want to know. Consider this an invitation to litter this post with graffiti. If you have nothing to say besides "I was here.." I'd love to hear it! If you are a lurker, please introduce yourself! I love new friends! And to be only remotely hypocritical, I lurk a lot myself, but am always pleasantly surprised to find how many people that I lurk actually respond to me when I do leave them a little heartfelt comment at the bottom of their impossibly popular list of 30-70 comments on a post. Lots of love in the world.

P.S. In case you are still wary, I have just randomly selected this tutorial for blog commenting from the slew that answered my Google search. It's really not hard or tricky or intimidating, I promise!

And, because I'm feeling lots of momentum today, I'm going to extend this little mini-manifesto and tell you all to de-lurk elsewhere as well. I've yet to meet a human being who didn't appreciate feeling that someone else was interested enough in them to say something nice. Even people who already have oodles of comments, go ahead and tell them why you bother spending that extra 5 minutes a day or week or month reading about them!

Seriously, now you have to leave me a comment, or I'll be so embarrassed I'll have to take a lengthy hiatus! (Which poses the threat to you of missing Sir Oliver's next teeth, his first trip to a swimming pool, and possibly his first steps.... high stakes).

Okay, the end.



Edited to Add:


I've panicked and decided to resort to bribes. If I can get 10 comments by Monday morning, I will share my favorite cookie recipe for 100-400 ft altitude-dwellers who eat cookies. If you truly blow me out of the water, I will of course have to come up with a better prize than that.

26 comments:

samunwritten said...

I was here.
But I'm pretty sure you knew about me already.

Deena said...

I've been hanging around for a while now. I found you a comment you made on HSF's site back in August when I started this whole blogging thing. I think a lot about the strangeness of reading the thoughts and feelings and seeing family pictures of a total stranger. My husband and real life friends think I'm a little weird for doing it, but I like having all kinds of different friends all over the place--especially since I retired from a professional career and became a stay at home mom. Keeping up on my blog friends keeps me sane. So now you know. You are on my reader. I love how you write, your pictures are awesome, and your sweet baby boy is delicious. How's that for delurking?

Anonymous said...

Well, you have great recipes. I hope I can try one of your favorite recipes!

Anonymous said...

I am a total lurker and terrible comment leaver. I do appreciate your honesty in opening yourself up for all to read without so much as a little love from the audience.

I would appreciate your cookie recipe, even though I live at the 0' above sea level. They look wonderful!

Cam said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cam said...

gRaFfItI lItEr

Cam said...

Those are probably THEE best looking cookies I have ever seen on the internet. If you baked those cookies AND took that picture, then you have two additional talents of which I was not previously aware.

Melissa said...

Well... I've been lurking for months I must admit. I found your site quite by accident as I clicked on the "NEXT BLOG" link on the Blogger Header while I was on my own blog and There your wonderful blog appeared. You had just given birth to Sir O and as a young mom myself, who was at one time living far from home with my first child and husband I have emphathized with you and all the things you have had to face being a new mom in a new town, away from the familiar.
I have your page bookmarked and like to check in to see how your gorgeous little boy is growing. You are a great writer and I am in awe of some of the home improvement projects/crafty stuff you have done. You take great pictures as well.
So there it is, the cat is out of the bag!

Aubrey said...

I am Sammys bestest friend and faithful collegaue at the ol' police dept. And I admit I read your blog all the time. I was the one who tried your scrumptious chocolate cake recipe (AND your brownie recipe...) and I look forward to the cookie recipe. And Oliver is perfection.

betsey said...

I'm a total lurker, and really enjoy reading about your adventures raising Sir Oliver...keep on posting :)

Anonymous said...

You have very good bribes, I dont' know if I could resist. I mean missing Sir o's first step, and his first time going to the pool. Man o man I would like to see that.
*/Chloe

Deena said...

I would love a baby food post. I got some tools for making...but I don't really know where to start.

Chantele Sedgwick said...

You already know me!!!:)

Anonymous said...

I was here and your cookies look yummy. Sorry I've had your book forever.

tracy m said...

I was here, and I want cookies! I love you Em, and you are one of the first places I check each day. I feel like Sir O is an honorary nephew or something. Bloggy friends are real friends too!

hairyshoefairy said...

Ooh! I want your yummy low altitude cookie recipe! Even now, a couple years after moving here, I still have occasional baking issues with the different altitude. *sigh*

I loved this post. You're one of the bloggers I always spend time reading rather than just skimming over. I love seeing Sir O growing and really enjoy your insight and comments. Love ya, babe!

Vanessa and Rebecca said...

I lurk, I like and I am totally craving a good cookie recipe. I started reading you off of HSF and it's been interesting to read your expereinced in moving to east coast (we did it 3 years ago) Fun stuff. Love your stuff! smiles

Anonymous said...

As usual, you are absolutely right! Thanks for your dedication to family and to keeping the communication lines open. You have an entire fan club at our home and we dearly miss having the three of you closer. Take extra good care of each other --especially while eating those cookies and keep up the good work.
PS--I would love to learn how to make my camera do what yours can do!

Anonymous said...

I just wanted you to know I'm a faithful reader of your blog. I enjoy knowing what's going on in the lives of my family and being in the loop so thanks for keeping me informed!

Katie May said...

We're here! And by the way, we're thrilled to have you come and stay in August and even more thrilled that you'd want to come and help!
Clayton and Katie May

Anonymous said...

i think it was a good post. most of the time i just want to say hang in there and enjoy every moment of oliver while he's still a baby, but i thought that would get old. Now i know. looking forward to that cookie receipe.
Madie

Anonymous said...

Hi Em. I think that that cookie recipe applies to where I live, doesn't it? (you know where I live, it is not far from your old home!) I am just too ignorant to pay attention to smart things like altitude level.
Like many of the above commenters, I check your blog as a daily routine. I have to bribe myself with your blog, though. If I don't get certain routine chores done before I sit down, they will not get done until right before my husband comes home!!! (if even then!)

Anonymous said...

I am here every morning checking your blog. I am so guilty of rarely commenting, and I am sorry. You have such wonderful insights that I never think about. Thanks for making my brain think a little more. I hope that I will see you this summer sometime (if you are coming for a visit). I miss you all!!!

em said...

looks like your bribe did the trick! you know i'm a blog-stalker, and the reason i didn't own up to it sooner was simply because usually i'm socially awkward and didn't quite know how to broach the subject of blog-stalking someone who lives across the quad but i hardly know!

and also, if i owned up to blog-stalking you, would i have to reveal my own painfully boring, superficial blog that rarely gets updated? :) guess so.

anyway, it's been much nicer getting to know you a little better since admitting to lurking. you are a doll and so is sir o!

Anonymous said...

I would like to thank all those who have commented on this recent post. My wife puts a lot of time into "this" our family's blog,(I never post, if you didn't notice, possibly due to time constraints of a graduate student), however...it makes her happy when she knows she is appreciated, by all, not just me and Sir O.
Cheers.

Brittany said...

Em, I'm a little delayed on my response (I've been enjoying the (short lived) time off with my hubby.) You are the reason I started blogging. I love love reading your blog, and it makes me think and gives me so many ideas! And seeing pictures of all the places you have gone makes me want to travel. It is one of my favorite places on the web, and I miss it even when you disappear for only a day or two.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...