30 March 2006

365

today, I am a woman. I mean, today I have been blogging for one year. and this is funny because:

1. up until july of 2004, I was ignorant of all computer ways. I didn't even know how to turn one on. for reals.

2. I teased ward mercilessly when he started his own blog back in november of 2004. dude, are you checking your stats AGAIN? are you listening to me or are you thinking about what you're going to write on your blog tonight? threats were made. empty threats that I could not back up, threats that forced the wardomatic to choose between his blog and his wife. I really didn't understand it. so yes, many words were eaten the day I started my own blog-- many, many words. still eating all the words.

3. I hate the word blog. blog. BLOG. it's a little foghornish, I think. and people tend to associate it with a certain degree of nerdiness, dorkiness. perhaps I have just outed myself as a huge blog dork by even knowing (and recognizing) the date of which I first started blogging, but whatever. there's also a condescending tone people take when they talk about blogs and bloggers-- not unlike the one you hear when pet rocks and mood rings are the subject of conversation. or rubik's cubes or leg warmers or any other kooky pop culture craze that we like to use to identify the decades. for the longest time, I couldn't even bring myself to admit that I had a blog. I would go out of my way to avoid using the word in any sort of conversation or within the context of my writing. I couldn't stand the idea of a word like 'blog' cheapening the deep sense of release I felt each time I posted something. BUT I LOVE BLOGGING. actually, what I really love is the fact that I'm writing again on a regular basis. so all you people out there that love to poo poo all over it, go right ahead. poo away. no one is forcing you to read.

4. I never expected anyone to read. furthermore, I never expected to care. turns out I do. and with that, I challenge all blurkers out there to de-blurk. leave me some words and we will be best friends FOR LIFE. we can braid each other's hair and laugh at all the funny people in the world. all because you took a chance and de-blurked.

lisa, this is not my official 'why we blog' piece, though I do believe it's a beginning. I'm deep in this blogging joint and I'm a little afraid to admit just how much. it deserves more time than I have and there are too many fantastic people to write about and the park is calling out to me and my ansy tribe of kidlets. but just for fun, here's my first post. and I still go back and read this one. and this one. and this one. also, I will be switching it up this year in ways I can't yet reveal.

and something else I've always wanted to get off my chest: it has come to my attention that my exclusive use of lower-case letters comes off as sickeningly cute and collegiate. for all interested (and annoyed) readers, this habit was born out of necessity: I often found myself on the computer while breastfeeding ezra. one hand typed, while the other cradled ezra and it was just easier to leave out most of the caps. the habit stuck and I admit, I've come to dig the aesthetic.

okay, well-- I feel better now.

leave me some words, yo. sounding desperate, I know. but 365 days of blogging will do that to a girl.

48 comments:

  1. For what it's worth, I'm glad you started blogging! I love reading your blog, it is funny and zany...carefree and passionate. You're a great writer.

    :)

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  2. Woman, you ROCK! "blurkers" is an awesome term and I totally get the no caps thing, been there done that, have the stained shirt to prove it. Keep on!
    Who knew the internet could bring together so many kindred spirits in such a cool way not just that "made for tv movie, bad creepy" sort of way...
    Viva la BLOG!

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  3. I look forward to your blog each day. I feel similarly in that the word 'blog' sounds nerdy. My husband and family think I am weird when I talk about other bloggers. They give me a hard time and yet my sisters stopped when I said, "You are giving me a hard time about bloggers when you two can talk about soap opera characters like they are real people? At least I am talking about REAL people!"
    So, yes, I am glad you are hear and I am always eager to eat up every word you write!

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  4. I found your blog via BoingBoing via Ward's blog. Now I subcribe via bloglines.
    I'm one year younger than you and I have a one year old daughter. I love her carefree, shameless enjoyment of life.
    I can relate to a lot of what you write. I like a lot of the pictures. It reminds me of what I like about being a D-A-D.
    One day your kids will love looking at these old school webpages and reading about your thoughts and hopes.
    This blog will provide a rich historical record for your children. My parents never kept journals or logs. It would nice to read what they were thinking and feeling twenty or thirty years ago. Would I see myself in them? I don't know.

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  5. Good job Andrea! My blog anniversary is very close to Josiah's birthday so it often goes unannounced. You are a great writer and it will only improve the more you write. It;s great getting to know you via the blog and hopefully we'll meet in person soon!

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  6. BLURKER. I love you now because of the phrase, though I loved you before because of your the wildly beautiful way you can make me feel like I'm dancing when you write about dance; for your glorious photobooth friday offerings; for the exquisite, breathless, humor-filled way you write about seeing places (Italy, NYC), and for all the wonderful small ways that you inspire me as a mother. You are brilliant and witty and gorgeous and I'm soo so lucky to have blurked my way over to you nearly six months ago. Then I promptly deblurked because everything is just so yummy here.

    So, happy blogaversary! You are one stunning blogger. And yes, BLOG does sound foghornish--what a PERFECT adjective to describe it.

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  7. Congrats on your blogaversary!!! I was so thrilled when I ran across your blog via Wards after both of you were so kind to share the story of your loss with me. You inspire me daily, and make me giggle outloud. You're the coolest mom, the most adoring wife, and you lay it all down in words with a spunky eloquence...to many more years of blogging!

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  8. Delurking! I love your site. You put me back in touch with joy and exuberance, and the pictures of the birthday parties you throw are tremendously inspirational. I danced as a child and teenager, and I love the way you write about movement and your relationship to dance. You remind me to lighten up, have fun, and squeeze the juice out of life. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas and art!

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  9. im a faithful reader of the hula! Keep it up!

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  10. sometimes I will relate a blog read story, a bit of information or a cool blog informed creation as, "I have a friend who..." and I catch myself and amend to, "a blogger I know..." or "I read on a blog I frequent" - either way, I love the community I check in on regularly and my world that has been broadened because of it.

    happy aniversary.

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  11. HAPPY BLOG BIRTHDAY!!!!

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  12. Yay! Happy One Year! It's been a treat to read your words. Okay, and I love the lower case look too, but that might be because i, too, am often nursing while typing. ;

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  13. i check your blog everytime i come home from work, i find myself glued to the monitor everytime i read your post. i love the way you write and the pictures are just simply awesome. thanks for sharing and making my day more pinky pink and heart heart.

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  14. It is great that you have been writing for one year, I think I found your blog last March through the Ward-O-Matic, and have loved it ever since. I get a lot out of reading what you write. It is a testimant that one can have a wonder life, spouse, and children without giving up what makes that person unique and creative. I started my blog, studio109, over a year ago and made it eight months before getting very busy and going through a lot of life changes. Graduating architecture school, getting engaged, starting a new job, getting married, quiting my new job, my wife quiting her new job, starting a new new job and helping my wife find and start a new job can got a little crazy and I had to pull away from the computer for a while. I felt bad when I saw that you linked to my blog (thanks by-the-way) and here I have been, not posting for five months, but I'M BACK and like you, I have some new things instore. I can't wait to see what you come up with, keep it up!!!

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  15. congratulations! i feel you on so many levels~ avoiding the word blog and the lowercase action, altho it's not related to a baby at my bosom, but laziness:) can't wait to keep reading post 365!

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  16. well i'm so glad you started your BLOG because i love it! congratulations on your first year! xo!

    ps- still want to meet up when i go to atlanta?? i'll be there april 7-13. email me so we can make plans? :)

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  17. I love that you started your blog on my girl's birthday! You chose a good day. (=
    I loved reading your other posts...I could identify with the one about Ava and singing songs that she becomes obsessed with. Right now my Ava is trying desperately to sing the words to Summer Lovin' from the Grease soundtrack. I'm not allowed to even crack a smile lest my girl see me and think I might be laughing.
    I'm glad your posting and blogging (I love it too!) and that I found you.

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  18. Isn't blogging amazing? It's way more of a creative outlet than I ever suspected it would be; somehow, my life feels so much more centered, like it has a rational, cohesive, meaningful story line. Not to mention the social connections the Internet enables. Congratulations on your first year of beaming your life story out here into the ether. I love your blog and am very glad I stumbled across it via tickytacky.

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  19. I love blogging and I don't care who knows it. You should get yourself one of those t-shirts that says "I'm blogging this." And keep on blogjammin, lady.

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  20. i too blurked over from ward-o-matic, and i'm totally addicted. (i'm not a proper blurker: i commented once on a post containing a picture of ezra in a swing, saying he looked like he had backup singers.) your photos blow my mind and your content never fails to charm me. if you'd care to blurk back at me, i keep a "sickeningly collegiate" journal, which might be hard to read since it generally assumes you know me personally, but i cannot resist the prospect of internet friends.

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  21. my fried my friend this is most certainly a why we blog and i will add it to the list... and i will update it if/when you choose to delete, add, change it etc.

    as a lazy lower case only typer i so so feel you on the no caps thing... and that's just too darn bad for the rest of the world i say!

    happy 365 - you are definitely one of the reasons i love bloggin. for sure!!
    xox

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  22. ok, so i am no longer lurking - but i am going to have to ask you not to braid my hair - i would much prefer just brushing....

    your blog is fantastic - your writing beautiful, and your love of life comes though every time.

    congratulations on your one first year; i am working on a week and you are one of the people that made me think i wanted to be a part of this community...thank you.

    -s

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  23. I hate the word blog too! It took me forever to let myself say it outloud.

    Happy ____iversary! :)

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  24. My husband started his blog first too, but he now teases me mercilessly for my obsession. I'm with you in hating the word 'blog', it just doesn't have a nice sound to it. And I hadn't heard "blurkers" before -- that I DO like -- and I wish everyone who visited my site would leave me a comment too!
    Happy anniversary!

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  25. Andrea! happy blogiversery!! i hate the word 'blog' also...it sounds like a sickly gagging noise an old smoker would make... let's come up with something more pleasent, shall we? ....i got nothing right now, but i'm on it sister!

    I'm soo glad i got to 'meet' you due to you having hula seventy!

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  26. Hey,

    I love your blog and would love love you to braid my hair. I live on the other side of the world to you but I feel a connection same age, young kids and a passion for words.

    Michal

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  27. Happy 1 year to one of the people who made me want to do this whole blog thing in the first place. May there be many more beautiful words, colorful pictures, and profound thoughts.

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  28. i too hate the word blog! i feel weird every time i say it. and i'm a big fan of the no-capitals...another breastfeeding coping mechanism.

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  29. i love that you write in lowercase
    i love that you started blogging and that i know have a new kindred spirit friend in life because of it
    i love that you addressed the annoying naysayers with their upturned noses at blogging
    i love that you hate the word blog too
    i love that you love comments
    i love that you hint of new things to come
    i love hula seventy

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  30. Happy 365th day birthday!!! I've toyed, one more than one occassion, about starting a blog. I still haven't made up my mind. But I do love to read yours, your writing is sincere, funny and thoughtful!

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  31. who was complaining about the lower case type? obviously someone without a child. silly.

    anyhoo! congrats! im so thrilled you decided to do it and now posess such a wonderful outlet and such a great body of work (because, really that is what it is.) hurray for hulaseventy!

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  32. admitted blurker, anonymous only because i don't have my own blog. yet. your writing is something that makes me feel happy, more connected somehow. i look forward to your new posts, get excited when there is one! i also love your pictures. your blog actually makes my life feel better and i appreciate your words so much. yours is one of my favorites! thank you! keep writing!

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  33. I love coming to your blog and reading your stuff! You made me love photobooths again, and that's a grand thing.

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  34. Congrats Andrea! As I've mentioned to you before, I love your words, and zest for life (and pictures, too)!

    Boy, between you, Posie Gets Cozy and yarnstorm, I am JUST on the verge of getting my own little spot carved out on the internet...

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  35. I am totally with you- I love the fact taht I am writing again, taking pictures like a crazy person. Something SO therapudic about it all. and I never in a million years expected the community I have found out here!

    your post are always inspiring- with words and with photographs... thank you for sharing your world with us-
    happy blog-iversary~

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  36. Hello, my name it Teri and I am a blurker. I've been clean about, oh, 30 seconds. ;-) As I am currently looking at 3 fab vintage photobooth photos, I'm itchin' to join the Photobooth Fridays! Thanks so much for your lovely idea.

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  37. Another blurker here! I out-ed my pregnancy at work today, so it feels very natural to out myself here at hulaseventy :)

    Being pregnant, I keep hearing/reading how life as I know it is over, I'll never have free time, alone time, sleeping time, etc. I read your blog because it reminds me that life with kids can be wonderful and because I think you are like the best mom, ever, and I hope I can be as fun and cool and free-spirited as you are. Thank you for reminding me of all the joy and magnificence in life! I also danced for 16 years, and what you've written about dancing makes me want to dig out my tights and leotards again...

    --A designer in Beantown

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  38. Happy Anniversary, Mama. YO! You got 9 comments on your first post!! What the--
    You were birthed into blog stardome, man.
    P.S. The word blog seems uncomfortable to me too sometimes. Not for a dork aspect. The total opposite -- EVERYONE has a blog. So, I say Og-blay. Makes me feel incognito, undercover.

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  39. oh hula! happy 365! i am so glad i did find you and your lowercase, hip-hop happy, dancing till your dizzy, incredibly funny, dare i say "blog"! hulaseventy has become my favoritist place to visit; and i look forward to many many more!

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  40. Happy Three Six Five. I'm no Blurker, and after Monday, I hope to be friend! WOO!

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  41. Wow. You sure got a following, dear wife o' mine. I knew you'd get tons of comments on this one. You are like the ish, for reals.

    I love to see that some had come from my blog -- that's what I wanted from the beginning. I knew that others would love to read about your take on things. You have a brilliant way of looking at things -- one of the many many many things I married you for, sweetie. Keep do your thang, girl.

    Happy 365versary! Here's to many more.

    love ya,
    me.

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  42. i remember when i first read here.
    i skipped from illustration friday to ward-o-matic to hulaseventy - there you were with that big ice cream sunday.... i remember thinking omg, there is another girl in america who loves her family, and is happy? i must read on.
    so glad you write. i can't say the "b" word, feels like a throw -up word to me. bbut i'm glad you do it, and thank god you startes PF
    :)

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  43. thank you for sharing you with the rest of us.

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  44. Well, you're just so darn good at it! You gotta' write! I hope your blog goes on, and on, and on...

    I'm enjoying blogging, TOO! Thanks for being someone who encouraged me.

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  45. Well, I have to be honest with you - and I will be totally frank while I'm at it. -just let me finish!-
    I found your blog through Wards after googling art one day. I was a little slow at figuring it out at first but then I soon realized you two were married. I enjoyed Wards blog b/c of the art and the Ava Thursdays, but something kept me coming back to yours. You are consistantly happy and positive - even on bad days. And sometimes I was annoyed at your positivism - 'Is she ever just going to blow a gaskget and let it all fly?' I asked myself. But you never did. And even though I was annoyed sometimes, I kept coming back to your blog to read about your antique photo collection or the latest project you worked on with Ava. And then I realized what it is that you have (and that I didn't). You have taught me a lot about living life to the fullest. You radiate sunshine and happiness and it wears off on people who don't even know you. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I admire you and your outlook on life. I have been making an effort to create my own happiness like you do - and not surprisingly - it worked! I've learned to find the positives in the situation and to embrace my artistic abilities, no matter what others may think, and to get back to my "authentic self" (to use Dr. Phil's line). I just hope that someday when I have kids I can be as "cool" as you. I hope I can be forever youthful, to enjoy my life for what it is, and to try and find the good in any situation. And for that, I thank you.

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  46. Happy anniversary! I'm glad you're doing it. Let us blog with pride.

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  47. hate the word "lurk". first time i read it i felt like i was being accused of wrongefully being in someone's space- "blurk" has a zanier feeling to it. anyway, just found you today. like the colors and shades and playfulness in your home... saw the link to show & tell home tour. first time i've heard someone else speak of breasfeeding and trying to write at the computer. been there. also a dancer. take care, t

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  48. I'm SO glad you commented on your exlusive use lower case letters! I've always wondered about it, and also wondered if you did it consciously, and also if you wondered about it too (that you do it and why). You've done it since your very first entry- I checked.

    Anyway, I've been reading your blog with great interest and this is my first comment. Keep doing what youre doing, its really great.

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