Sunday, November 4, 2007

I'm just a mom ... 200th post!

Oddly enough, my 200th post, which is this one right here, coincides almost perfectly with the fact that I've been a stay-at-home Mama for one year.

Odd because a year ago, I didn't have a blog. A year ago I was mentoring teen mothers while trying to stay afloat as a new mother myself.

A year ago, I didn't know anything about HTML, blogging or social networking and marketing.

One might even say that a year ago -- which was two years after I quit full-time journalism -- I was a little behind the times, technologically speaking, anyway. If it couldn't be done in a Word document, I wasn't doing it.

My life is different because of blogging.

In the past year, I went from writing one blog post a month to one post or more a day. I've mastered the blogosphere enough to build an audience without, I feel, compromising my beliefs as a writer and a mother.

A year ago, I didn't know how to find free gadgets to upload onto a Web page let alone upload a site meter to track where my blog readers live and how much time they spend on my site.

Yet, I've learned all of this as a stay-at-home Mama. I didn't learn it while working 12-hour days covering and writing about homicides, government misuse of power or institutional racism. I didn't learn it while working two years as a program director at a non-profit.

No, I learned it by just being a mom.

Just a mom.

Now, I write this blog, and another one or two, for fun, as well as a third that actually brings a little grocery money into the house. And, the daily writing practice that it's become has helped me become a disciplined freelance writer for various publications, which bring in even more grocery money.

Let's face it: I'm running to the computer to see what people are talking about today, not because I want to write that business article. But, while I'm there ...

Not just that.

I've found purpose in what some mothers might consider the doldrums of motherhood. I can slip into my chair and write about my day -- good or bad, sad or happy, scary or peaceful, and find purpose to really pay attention (Zen) to the happenings in my day.

It helps me get up in the morning. It keeps me up way too late at night. It brings smiles to my face on days I might not have much else to smile about.

Plus, my blog is a place I can brag about my beautiful twin daughters. And since it's hard to do that in my real life, I love that I can show them off all over the world.

I couldn't be more thankful for discovering the blogosphere, and realizing that even I -- who is just a mom -- could be a part of it.

How about you? Has blogging changed your life?




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8 comments:

Shelli said...

I can relate to your post. I am new to blogging, but I'm enjoying it very much. It gives me a much needed creative outlet, and as a stay at home mother, I think that's important. However, I'm offline for a while because my husband accidentally deleted my website files! Ugh. I'm having to recreate every page. But I can't complain too much because he also just bought me a new computer for my birthday. So, once I'm up and running again, I can blog more often!

Shannon said...

I started blogging just to get used to people actually reading something I've written. But, it's opened up such a wonderful world for me--support and laughter and comfort in the fact that I'm not alone in this struggle for the pursuit of happiness thing, even though being a mom of twin toddlers feels like the most isolating job in the universe.
It's funny, but the blogosphere has made me painfully aware of how important friendships are, connections with other beautiful souls that I would have never had the opporunity to meet in the "real" world. It's definitely something I'm grateful for, also.

Scribbit said...

It's amazing how blogging has connected me to other women that I admire and enjoy. I never expected that, though that sounds strange to say it. I guess I'm a bit of a loner normally.

LauraC said...

I never thought about my blog helping me pay attention to both the good and bad, but it does. Not only has my blog helped me in all the ways you beautifully describe, reading old entries makes me realize the natural ebb and flow of good times and bad. A tough phase is followed by a great phase and vice versa.

It's helped me live in the moment and enjoy each day as a special gift.

The special gifts with vomit I could do without though.

InTheFastLane said...

Those girls are so worth bragging about! Blogging has made me more addicted to the internet. It has also rekindled my love of words and writing - although maybe taking up too much time from reading. It also brought be a community that I didn't even know existed.

Carey said...

So true! Even if it is an addiction, blogging with other parents is a great community...all the joys and trials packaged in one...and knowing you are not alone...it keeps me coming back for more.

Mary P Jones (MPJ) said...

Yay, 200th post! Yay, grocery money! (Hey, wait, get me in on that...) ;) I find it hard to believe I've been blogging 7 months -- in many ways I still feel like a newbie and in others, wow, I've come a long way, baby. And so have you!

Lindy said...

Great post - congrats on #200 - wow! I think you're absolutely right - those twins of yours are sooo cute! They deserve to be in a bloggy spotlight : )