Throwing something up, seeing if it sticks

Here it is, my contractually obligated post to notify you of new written-by-me content at Parenting tomorrow: Disneyland, And Other Things We Do Because We Have Children. And yes, I know it's probably not up there yet, but go back later. You'll be enlightened! Well-informed! Reading this post will make you BETTER LOOKING. Promise. Go make the Parenting editors think I have readers. Thx.

Other than THAT I am feeling a bit speechless these days. I am bored (OH SO BORED) with the usual mommyblogger topics. The things I'd like to be writing about are either 1) against one of my various Blog Policies (which reminds me, I should be writing a new ABOUT PAGE in which I mention my SECOND CHILD, for SHAME) 2) churchy and therefore not anything I can just hammer out, which means I'd have to THINK and/or EDIT, neither of which I am AT ALL interested in doing at the moment (or ever), or 3) things I should save for Important Days like Anniversaries and Father's Day and Culmination of Hot By Thirty Day. So.

I hate to be one of those bloggers who's all "Hey! Ask me questions!" because NARCISSISTIC MUCH? I mean, I already have the BLOG for gosh sakes, I don't need to ask YOU how to write about ME. (I should point out here that I LOVE when other bloggers ask questions though because I? ALWAYS HAVE QUESTIONS.) So I am not asking. Although Lovely Blogless Lurker Shannon emailed me with a couple of very helpful topics, all kid-related, and when I swing back into mommyblogger mode I shall be using her list. Thanks Shannon! And I hope you'll tell me if I assumed wrong about the 'blogless' part.

Instead of YOU asking ME I've decided to ask YOU. Because I find you all exceptionally interesting. And very pretty.

1. Where do you do your blog reading?
2. What's your first bloggy stop?
3. Do your real life friends get the blog thing?
4. What [for lack of a better term] blog genres are you into?
5. What is your Significant Other's opinion of The Blog Thing?

Here are my answers:

1. At my laptop on the dining room table, which is open and available to me pretty much all day. PARENTING FAIL. When I'm going to be out all day I have Google Reader bookmarked on my iPod Touch.
2. Right now I'm very into stalking my Sacramento homies; you can find them here.
3. Sort of. Sometimes. Their attitude is along the lines of Mysterious and Slightly Unsafe Thing Maggie Does So That She's Less Neurotic Around Us, Thank God. Which is fine. Although I am increasing my number of Friends With Blogs (and bloggers who are friends!) which does wonders for one's (okay, just mine) social insecurities.
4. The parenting bloggers OBV, but also a handful of foodies, locals, smartypants Catholics and an artsy/DIY/style blog because sometimes I like to pretend I am those things.
5. I believe the official term is Supportive While Mildly Amused.

Comments

[Lindsay]

Oh this is fun!
1. On the PC at home.
2. Tough question. It varies and the community at MM is my favorite, but outside of this circle I love duwaxloolu and notestoself.us (Kyran Pittman). Do any of you read her?
3. Dear lord no.
4. I like inspirational, stuff I can learn from, happy silly stuff. I am looking for an immigration blog but to no avail thus far (except sort of Kyran Pittman about a decade removed)
5. He's VERY supportive of it as long as no one in real life knows. Ha. But whatever he's all about fantasy sports. Nerd.

[Tracy]

Oh, good, something to do while I wait for my little boy to be able to sleep (yes, it's 1:15 a.m. CST. Yes, he's awake. No, I'm not surprised. It's been a very unusual day here.).

1. On my PC at home, in the living room.
2. Does my feedreader count? I usually start with google reader and see who has posted in my usual reads.
3. Only a couple of "real life" friends read my blog. I am considering starting over with a more public blog, or going through my archives to be absolutely sure I'm happy with sharing everything. I have been careful all along to write as if everyone in real life reads me, but then again... I don't know.
4. I am very eclectic in my reads. some "mommy blogs", some writing blogs, some home decorating/redecorating type blogs, some autism blogs and other special needs sites. And other sites that don't fall into those categories. I read what I like. (I may not know what art is, but I know what I like?)
5. He is totally supportive of my blogging. He knows that I have to write. I write on my blogs, in my journal, on my computer, on scratch paper... I can't help it. I HAVE to write. At least blogging gives me an outlet.

Yeah, my little guy just said "nite nite" to me. Off to see if he really will fall asleep, or if he just wants to play at it.

[el-e-e]

Excellent questions!
1. I do most of my blog reading in my cube at work! For Shame! If I'm at home, I'm at the kitchen or dining room table.

2. My first bloggy stop is Google Reader. Well, no, scratch that - first stop is my OWN blog to see if I've gotten any comments. Wanna talk narcissistic?! Then Reader, for whomever's posted most recently and falls at the top of the Home page.

3. No. Well, yes, a couple of them. But not my day-to-day real-life friends. (Many of them don't even know I have one. Ooh, secret LIFE!)

4. Mommyblogs, mostly. Catholic ones sometimes. Also, the ones that are wildly funny like GoFugYourself and It's Lovely, I'll Take it!

5. DH is cool with it, now. He didn't get it at first. He reads me and sometimes comments (in teh com box and IRL). I love when I post something mildly controversial or odd, and he comes home from work and immediately raises his eyebrows at me. I always know he read tha' blawg that day. He's considered starting one of his own.

[Jess]

OK. Let's see.

1. On my laptop, which migrates around the house, but is most often accessible from the living room couch.

2. I have a "favorites" folder in Google Reader. You're in it! But actually, I clear through the design blogs I follow first, because they're quick and I don't comment on them so they're easy to check off.

3. A lot of my real-life friends read my blog and talk to me about it. A few of them have their own. So yes, most of them get it.

4. A mix of 20-something blogs, parenting blogs, and interior design blogs.

5. He is super supportive. He thinks it's awesome and reads my blog every day. He even lets me gossip to him about other bloggers. (I KNOW!)

[Christiana]

1. Where do you do your blog reading?
On my laptop on my couch, often in front of the TV. What can I say, I'm a bum.
2. What's your first bloggy stop?
Mighty Maggie, natch. And no, I'm not just kissing up. I really do check you out first every day. My others faves of late are Amanda @The Mom Job and Julia (aka Here be Hippogriffs)
3. Do your real life friends get the blog thing? My face-to-face friends, no - but the friends I've made on the pregnancy message board I am part of YES. They love it when I turn them on to a new one, even when it makes them cry.
4. What [for lack of a better term] blog genres are you into? Mostly Mommy-blogs, but I used to be into a lot of personal finance blogs and some of the self-improvement types.
5. What is your Significant Other's opinion of The Blog Thing? He likes that I have an outlet, he likes that it gives me a sense of socialization even though I'm stuck at home w/ a non-verbal 15 month old, he even likes listening to the snippets I read to him, but I'm not sure he really understands how much I love it, how much I need it. He tries, but what can I say?

Question for Maggie:
What is your personal SAH clothing/make-up/hair choices for a basic day? Do you do your hair and make-up even a little or just ignore it all?

[ashley]

Fun stuff.

I still say THIRD BABY! :)

1. Cubicle. Ahem. Shhhh.

2. Eh, Twitter pretty much dictates - if someone posts a link to a recent blog post on there, I'll look. Other than that, I stalk a few people regularly. :)

3. They're slowly getting it. My family, aside from one of my sisters, doesn't really talk about it.

4. 20-somethings, moms, environmental blogs, and freelancing/business blogs.

5. HATED it at first. Like, I quit a blog because he thought it was so weird that I felt compelled to tell the world how I was feeling. Now he sees relationships and other things coming from my blog and encourages me. It's much better.

[sheila]

1. In our office/guest bedroom on the ridiculous iMac my husband bought last year. I love it!
2. Probably my blog first, and from there I open lots of new tabs for all the blogs in my folder. Conversion Diary, Mom Job, and You are probably my favorites. Oooh... and Smitten Kitchen!
3. Honestly? Most of my real life friends are long distance, and I keep in touch with them via Facebook. They're (mostly) single undergraduates with no children. So... most of them don't know about the blog.

4. I like a handful of Mommyblogs, some Catholic ones, FOOD blogs, and some money-saver types. And food blogs. Did I mention that? Oh... so I did.
5a. He thinks it's okay. And like Christiana's husband, sometimes he enjoys little bits that I share. I think he's just barely starting to understand the whole "virtual water well" concept of it all.
5b. He kinda freaked out about the Blathering... and then decided that I definitely deserve to do something fun on my own. I'm sure he will feel even more like this at the end of July-- I'm going back to work in a few weeks, and HE is going to be staying home!

[Elizabeth]

1. Wherever around the house on my laptop.
2. Usually amalah
3. No, they think it's weird/funny.
4. hmmm. Don't really care as long as it's well written and not from the point of view of the dog or something. Although I do love me some good crafting/diy/home improvement blogs.
5. He likes my blog, but I think he thinks I'm addicted to the internet.

[Arwen]

1. Mostly on my iPod Touch. If I didn't have it, I'd definitely have to seriously cut down the number of feeds in my Google Reader.

2. I read in my Google Reader, starting with my least-favorites and moving up to my favorites folder. (Jess said it first, but it's true for me too: you're in my Favorites folder!)

3. A few of them do. Most of them not-so-much, because they're busy with their young families and don't realize how awesome Internet community can be.

4. I like blogs where people just write about their lives. Mostly other young mothers like me, although I've been reading many of them since before they were moms. I also like cooking/foodie blogs. And Catholic blogs, although a lot of the parent bloggers I read are Catholic (like you!). Obviously I like Faith & Family!

5. Bryan is very supportive. Writing is good for me and I think he can see that it makes me happy. He wants me to be happy. :)

[Lisa]

1. At our desk in the dining room. We have a PC, so it doesn't move.
2. I always start with you because you are one of the most fun to read. No, I'm not just saying that. Then I go to all those expecting a baby soon (birth or adoption) because I like to be the first to know!
3. They don't really know about it. Most people who know I blog know only about Olivia's photo blog, and they think THAT's what I'm talking about. They do sometimes look at me funny when I say, "Oh, one of my blog friends has a kid who did such and such, and it worked out like this..."
4. Adoption blogs, Mommy blogs, a few political and Catholic blogs.
5. He watches with great interest. Sometimes he calls from work and says, "No post today?" He likes to have something to do on his lunch break. Um, yeah. And occasionally, something will happen and he'll say, "You should definitely blog about this."

[Jen]

1. At my desk in my bedroom, which is between my bed and the baby crib.

2. I read on Google Reader, so either alphabetically if I am in strict reader, or according to most recently posted if I am doing it from iGoogle.

3. What real life friends? We move every two-ish years, so I've stopped making real life friends and just have computer friends. It sounds pathetic, but I went to the zoo today with one of my blog friends. Blog friends are the best because they move with me.

4. Most of my blogs are blogs that I found on other blogs, so blogs like you and Arwen. I started reading TTC/infertility/loss blogs when I started reading blogs, since that is what I was doing, and now most of them have morphed into mommyblogs. (Thank goodness!)

5. Yes, Supportive while Mildly Amused. He will ask me "and how are all your computer friends today?" and he knows a lot of their names and stories. He's delighted that I have blog friends too, since it is his fault that we move all the time and I can't have many real friends.

[Shannon]

Can a non-blogger play too? Yup, I don't have a blog... I would if I could figure out how to make it totally anonymous, but this is challenging b/c husband and I both work for a big university that's in the news a lot (sports esp.). We have a unique (Polish) last name, and husband does sensitive gov't research for said university. Our lives are totally intertwined around big university and the college town that it supports, and to not mention big university (like I'd have to b/c of husband's job)... well, blog would not make any sense! So, no blog. But here are my answers (finally- I get brave enough to comment!):

1. at the office, usually first thing in the morning
2. MightyMaggie! Then notthatyouasked, consumed by love, and any other interesting links in your friends of MM list
3. I don't know, only my husband knows so far
4. Mommy blogs and adoption blogs
5. I think he likes my habit, mostly b/c I often gain cool ideas or confidence in my mommy skills from what I read

[Elsha]

1. On my laptop usually in front of the TV after the baby goes to bed. (She LOVES shutting laptops so it's a no go when she's awake.) Sometimes at work when I need a break from spreadsheets.

2. Google Reader saving favorites for last. I'm also into stalking the escapees these days.

3. Many of my real life friends (and 3 of my 4 siblings) also blog, but they're mostly the "keep in touch with family" type blogs with pictures/stories of kids and that's it. Right now everyone I have linked on my blog are real life friends.

4. I don't have a specific genre, but I mostly like blogs where people write about their lives. I do also read some birth/labor and delivery nurse blogs because I love reading birth stories.

5. He's supportive because I like doing it and his family reads it so they can hear about our life without him having to do any work. He would never want one though.

[Angela Noelle]

Haha! I love your responses ;)

1. Where do you do your blog reading? Sitting on the sofa in our den. We're a laptop family and can generally be found in our respective seats clicking away on the keyboard.

2. What's your first bloggy stop?
Google Reader. I generally skim through all of my gossipy/fashion sites, then get to the personal blogs.

3. Do your real life friends get the blog thing?
Some do, some don't. None have ever given me a problem about it, but there's a definite split between those who read and those who know about it and don't.

4. What [for lack of a better term] blog genres are you into?
Hm, well, celebrity gossip because I am fueling the machine. And I guess right now I'm kind of digging other young married couples pre-kids. But obviously I love mommy blogs too, because they are awesome, hilarious, and I can get a baby fix without actually having one!

5. What is your Significant Other's opinion of The Blog Thing?
He reads it--I think he likes getting to see what's going on inside my crazy head since often it's easier for me to write about things than talk about them.

[The Sojourner]

1. Where do you do your blog reading?
On my laptop, which is currently stationed on top of my clothes hamper, because my desk is too covered in junk to use. When I want to use it I sit on the floor with the laptop...um, on my lap.

2. What's your first bloggy stop?
I have maybe 10 or 12 of my many bloggy friends on a feed reader, so usually whichever of them is lowest alphabetically (I update from the bottom up) and has updated since the night before. When it comes to actually typing in the url, then Blog Nerd/Just Jen.

3. Do your real life friends get the blog thing?
Most of them, yes.

4. What [for lack of a better term] blog genres are you into?
Usually mommyblogs (even though I'm not one); a few Catholic philosophical types (because I pretend to be one of those, in a I-wanna-play-with-the-big-kids kind of way).

5. What is your Significant Other's opinion of The Blog Thing?
At one point he had three himself. I think he's down to two now. And he leaves comments on my blogs (notice the plural) with, "Hey, blog more!" Even though he talks to me every day. Yes, we are geeks.

[annie]

1. On my blackberry. And sometimes on the laptop, if I've found something to be comment-worthy.

2. My first stops are always you and Emily. But I've FINALLY added the Sacramento Lovelies to my reader, so I'm excited to meet some new buddies.

3. Not really. But my husband does - mostly because I think he sees what a support they are to me (and to him) to see that what we're going through with our kids is NORMAL and that other families are in the same boat.

4. Mommy and Catholic blogs. My perfect bloggy world combines the two in one easy read.

5. I started my blog at his prompting. I think he was hoping I'd delve more into the Catholic than the Mommy genre, but we're getting there...

[Shelby]

1. In the home office. Or on the laptop on the couch. Or at work. Or on my iPhone.

2. MightyMaggie, and I'm not even kidding! You're always my first stop.

3. I have no blog myself. I must be the last holdout.

4. Mommy blogs, Catholic blogs, and knitting blogs. I too love the Catholic mommy blogs.

5. I talk to him about the blogs I read all the time. He's come to pretty-well recognize everyone's names, but I still have to qualify a little bit - "Emily with the chocolate in her honeymoon bed" or "Maggie in Seattle who would be my BFF if we lived closer".

[Kate P]

I know, I'm way behind on my blog reading, but I figured you might find the answers. . . useful?

1. Used to be the office, especially when I was trying to get my brain started in the morning or was stumped writing legal lingo. . . now it's mostly in my "home office."

2. Usual first bloggy stop is whatever's at the top of my Blogs folder in Favorites. Some weird technical thing happened and I think it's alphabetized now. "Beyond the Pale," currently.

3. Of my friends that I didn't meet through blogs, not really, except for my mom who started reading blogs before I did.

4. Blogs about writing, being Catholic, being single, being around my age, being creative, just plain being sane in a world full of crazies.

5. Not currently applicable, although I am scared about what would happen should I start dating someone and have to deal with this situation! I don't know if I could date someone who had a problem with my blogging or just didn't get it.