I am getting to the point where people in town, who I don’t know, are coming up and saying hi to me.
Or stopping me on the street.
Literally.
About 6 weeks ago I was at a stoplight, on my way to take Number 3 to school, and this woman, who was out for her morning run, started waving at me and motioning for me to roll my window down.
I thought she had mistaken me for someone else.
Number 3 was a little confused… “Mom, who is that lady?”
“I have no idea,” I told him.
But I rolled down the window, and learned it was a reader of the blog.
She knew it was me by my car, which has signs for my husband’s business on it.
So anyway, that was when I realized that my total anonymity no longer existed.
But it was kind of exciting.
Then last week I was at a swim meet.
I went over to say hi to someone, and the person standing next to him, who I don’t know, said, “You’re Not Your Average Mom!”
Okay, now I’m not claiming to be Angelina Jolie…
But let me just say something.
When I started this blog, I had no idea what I was doing. I had no idea where to begin.
But I was eager. And motivated. And excited.
I was also hoping that I’d be able to make a little bit of money.
So I googled “how to make money with a blog.”
And one of the things that came up was this chick named Penelope Trunk.
And I ended up on her blog which had this title to a post stretched across the top: “Reality check. You’re not going to make money from your blog.”
I read that one sentence, and I almost bagged the whole thing.
For about a millisecond.
And then I got pissed.
Who the hell are you, Penelope Trunk?
Oh.
Your website says you’re a career coach.
Way to build me up, Coach.
Now I’m not claiming to be raking in a six digit income from this blog.
But in 7 months, I have been published in this book. And this one.
Toy companies are sending me toys for free.
Movie companies have given me unreleased movies to preview.
I just received a year supply of toothbrushes for my entire family.
People are paying me to put their advertisements on my blog.
I am on an internet tv show called Mother Bloggers.
And this Friday, I’m going to be on Dateline.
And that’s just the beginning.
I’ve got big plans.
So you know what, Penelope Trunk?
Fuck you.
Here’s what I say.
If you want to start a blog, or a business, or a new career, or anything… Well…
GO FOR IT!!!
It’s probably not going to be easy… I have worked my ass off to get to this point.
I have written a post every single day since I started.
Every. Single. Day.
I have written on the weekends.
I have written on my birthday.
And Thanksgiving.
I have written on my phone, after a hurricane, when we had no internet. For 5 days.
I have written the day after surgery, jacked up on painkillers, with my pee bag in tow.
I have written when I was sick.
And hungover.
And even when a little bit drunk..
I can count the days that I have slept past 5 a.m since April on one hand.
But it’s all been worth it.
So if there is something you’ve been wanting to do, do it.
Today.
Don’t wait until Monday.
Or January 1st.
There’s no time like the present.
And if you are doing any googling and the name Penelope Trunk shows up….
Well…
X that shit out.
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*hiding face* – I’m lucky you’re so understanding!
I was keeping you anonymous…you blew your cover 🙂
LOVE your blog!!! You crack me up every time I read it~ Happy to hear that you are having such success with it!!
Your daughter is in my son’s 1st grade class, he came to her birthday party. When I was scrolling through your blog pictures he was looking over my shoulder and when the pic of the “bubble” came up, he was so excited that he knew what it was! 🙂
I thought you were going to say he saw the word penis. Or vagina. Or shit. Or fuck. And that you were never going to read my blog again 😉
This is so weird, that you posted this just now. My husband and I are finally, just today, taking the idea of writing a blog together seriously. I’ve been enjoying your blog for maybe a month or so now and you chose today to write about this subject!
We have both been writing online for over a decade but only with writing for ourselves in mind. Any tips?
I am glad I met you before you had your blog, actually I met your husband at a kid’s birthday party before I met you. I am amazed at how you raise seven kids, teach swimming, volunteered as class mom and all the other stuff that goes along with being a mom. Great job on your blog and all the other stuff you manage to do! 🙂
Dear Susie, First of all I think you are brilliant! And too fucking funny! I have wanted to start writing a blog for years!! One of the biggest reasons I don’t is because my computer skills suck. Plus it looks like the blogs I go to have web sites also. I have no idea how that works I don’t even know how to paste and copy. Pretty pathetic. AND the blogs I have seen are all on being a mom. I have been wanting to write for a few years now. My subject would be on living with severe chronic pain and how I use humor to cope. As a disabled fifty-eight year old for twelve years living on potent pain meds, it’s laugh or open up a vein! I choose to make the most of my life and laugh like I always have. I think I have a lot to say and I know there are many more of us vibrant yet loosing such a huge piece of who we are so young out there. I have everyone in stitches at my monthly pain center appt. always telling me I need to write while we are waiting in the waiting room and I entertain. Your words are encouraging yet with my lack of skills on the computer….. I tried a class. It was way too fast for my drug addled aging brain. Also tried a go at yoiur own pace online course and my family gets too impatient! Any suggestions?
Well, since V shared your website with me, I haven’t stopped laughing my *55 off! I have to thank you! My Mom was hospitalized & in rehab & you helped keep her spirits up. For that alone, I’m grateful! ( we’re neighbors- I was tempted to join you gym challenge, but I’m worried that you will bury me under the smelly workout mats with all of your energy… Drinks with Ms. V is more my speed- lol!) keep writing, you pisseroo!!!
Ha! And thank you so much for the comment… that means a lot. I hope your mom didn’t mind all the foul language… I can’t help it 😀
I think you should reconsider the gym thing… you could sneak some wine into a water bottle… no one would no the difference 😉