I'm editing this to say it's just come to my attention that the link to the post that I'm responding to in this entry is no longer working. You need to read it to understand what I'm talking about, but until it's back up again (let's hope), the gist was that I kind of "sold out" by becoming a "mommyblogger".
I might try to copy it out of my feedreader and link to it from my own blog, but hopefully it will be back up again later in its original form!
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You guys are in trouble with my hip, single, city-dwelling friend, S.
(Yeah, you!)
You can read about it in her post here, but I’m warning you, it ain’t pretty. (Although I did get a good chuckle out of the part where I’m the queen of the mommyblogging minions. Me, with my double negative Technorati rating! Pshaw! S, you have yet to meet the queens.)
I read the post several times. My reactions in the order they occurred:
- Ouch! Have I been insulted?
- Wah?
- Uncomfortable squirming giving way to an all-out cringefestival.
- Whatever happened to my drum set?
- Oh, yeah, I did totally kick that I-talian dude’s ass!
and finally, - Thanks, S, and you rock, but I very, very respectfully disagree.
In fact, my disagreement is so respectful, that it’s kind of shy about guest-starring in this post. I had to bribe it with a spa gift card and fruit basket.
So here I am with my respectful disagreement, bowing deeply while trying not to spill my peace tea, and having something to say . . .
“Mommyblogger” is a four letter word.
I don’t think most women bloggers with children who may or may not star in their blogs really think of themselves as such. We just happen to be some of the lucky few who can talk about our job (the mothering gig) in a personal blog without getting fired. If you could freely talk about all the crazy shit that goes down at XYZ corporation and get words of advice, sympathy, encouragement, or sometimes a plain old “Ohmahgah, I’m ROTFL” for writing about it, wouldn’t you?
As a “mommyblogger” (cringe, shudder, squirm), you can dish all you want about your job without the threat of a pink slip!
That’s all I’m doing. I have a new job, mommydom, and I write about it. If I had sent in my resume for this mothering gig, nobody would have even granted me an interview. And I sure as hell wouldn’t have gotten the job.
Yet here I am.
It’s hard to have children without them leaving an indelible imprint on your corporal and ephemeral person, but it doesn’t change your essence. I may be waiting in the supermarket checkout line with a cartload of Hamburger Helper and reading The National Enquirer, but I’m still flipping off the biddy with the accordion file of coupons whose holding up mah damn queue.
I’m not in that imaginary band that never played a real gig anymore, but I’m still drumming in my head. Loudly! When we’re not jamming to our Lithuanian choir CD, the J-dog, V-meister and I rock out to Massive Attack. It’s all cool, as long as I turn down the volume for the occasional swear words, WHICH I TOTALLY DO.
Would I still kick that sorry dude’s 6’4 ass today? Probably not. I’m a little older. And wiser. The osteoporsosis is starting to take its toll.
It’s nice to be a part of a blogging community. In the short few months that I’ve been blogging, I’ve gotten a lot from the women whose blogs I read and who read mine. Some of them are mothers, some of them are not. Some of them blog a lot about their kids, some not as frequently. I’m glad we all have different types of blogs. It would be a boring internet, indeed, if everyone had my silly old self-deprecating brand of humor.
I’ve met people through this blog whom I never would have known otherwise, and my life is richer for it. (I love you guys!!!!! Group hug! Group hug!)
This business about selling out?
That’s a bunch of bullshit.
S, I want to introduce you to just a smattering of the kick-ass bloggers I read. Read this stuff first, then call them what you will . . .
Boobs, Injuries & Dr. Pepper
Get in the Car!
Where Am I Going and Why Am I in this Handbasket?
I left out about ten thousand. I'll link to you all next time, if I haven't in the past.
And "mommy"bloggers, meet my kick-ass MoFo, smart, funny and really very lovable friend, S. She’ll set you up with some top-of-the line stolen purses if you ask nice.
Peace.
17 comments:
THAT'S RIGHT!! Having children doesn't change your essence. I'm going to forward that comment to a few chioce moms (and dads) who dropped the ball on that one. You, Becky and Vida always did get that, and I hope when it's my turn, I have the presence to do the same.
Your humble bandmate.
Peace out Rimarama!!
Wow. I can't wait to read that post - but even without it, I love your response.
ditto the previous post -- can't wait to read the blog.
I wish I could post about my job -- it would be a hoot, but then I would be fired and not a good mommy since we couldn't afford anything without my job. Oh well. In the meantime I will continue to attempt to find humor in L's quirks because otherwise I would have to run far far away from them.
Well, I read your blog and I don't think of you as a "mommyblogger". (I could cite examples of those whom I do think of that way.. but it would be useless and not very nice. :)
While I don't consider it to be a dirty word, that type of blogging is for a particular demographic of which I am not a part.
Peace,
~Chani
http://thailandgal.blogspot.com
Damn. The link goes nowhere fast.
I love this response, and I'm eager to read the post that inspired it.
Oh, and be sure to tell her that forcing you to blog about blogging is totally uncool. Blogging about blogging is IMHO, totally boring...
you know, I am ambivilent about the idea of being a mommy blogger, but I love what you said about being able to write about our job with no fear of being fired.
Gina, the next time someone disparages me and what I do, I am sending you as my representative!
Would love to see the original posting, but I think I get the drift and you nailed the response, my friend.
- Heidi
Beautifully written
I don't really care if people call me a mommyblogger - maybe I am. But to me, I am a woman who writes about what touches her (in a non-creepy kind of way) - and that happens to be my kid a huge percentage of the time.
I appreciate that you wrote this, hope to read the original post and Go RIMA!
You mentioned a drum set. Were you in a band? I wanna know more! One of my greatest achievements is that I convinced my girls that the Cookie Monster sings Death Metal music. They bob their heads imagining a fuzzy blue muppet, while I relive the glory days of combat boots and midnight gigs. Rock on!
Dude. I would do almost anything for a spa gift certificate and a fruit basket! (okay, I'm lying about the fruit basket part)
But anyway, now I feel tremendous pressure to replace that inane birthday post I have up now, as you mentioned kick assedness...crap.
I hate that whole "ooooh you're a mommyblogger" thing. Its stoopid. We are moms who blog. Sometimes its about our kids, sometimes its about ourselves. We need to come up with a new label...
Good for you! This is a fantastic post - I'm totally going to follow those links...
I came here via your comment on Thailand Chani's "Heaven or Reincarnation" post. The question and comments so fascinated me that I wrote a post about it. I'd love your feedback - you can find it here
Nice to "meet" you. :)
catherine
In my mind, we're all just folks who like to write. Blogging gives us a platform to do just that. We blog about what we know most intimately. Some write about their kids exclusively, most do not.
Thanks for the links to other bloggers. I love realizing that I haven't yet reached the "end of the internet."
Wha? Someone dishing mommybloggers? I wish I could read the link.
Personally, I'd throw unfresh mait at them, grab my boob, yell at them and run.
I am known for my high class defense tactics.
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