This Bronx Baby Has A Second Home...

In my effort to continue navigating through these blog waters, I have made it over to Facebook where this precious blog baby of mine now has a page.

"Oooh, a new way to connect and share," I think. I'm loving it.

And I've even figured out how to put a little Facebook button on this blog so stop on over, say "hello" and share a few words. You can even click the "like" button. You know this Bronx girl would appreciate the love.

Also, and most importantly, if your blog baby has a page, please, let me know. I would love to stop on by as well, as I travel along, on my way to discovering new friends.

Hope to see you soon!

Feels A Little Like High School...An Update

Well, I have to say...I am overwhelmed...with bloggy love and encouragement. I didn't realize my post of two days ago would generate so much feedback. I'm still a bit stunned.


Sorry this not coming to you sooner. Real life got in the way - a sick baby, a sick preschooler, a sick hubby, school projects, etc. I'm sure you can all relate. Life gets in the way. You know it's funny what happens when you get what you wish for. I just wanted to be read by fellow bloggers and to get comments when they do and here I received about 75+ of your gorgeous comments in one day! Now comes finding the time to respond through all the other things that pop up in one's day. There in lies the reality. But it's a cool reality (though a bit stressful in moments) and I can't wait to pop by and visit with you soon.

I have to say a wonderful "thank you" to The Empress...for her gentle heart and her desire to encourage this newbie. She is definitely "cool" people. Also, thanks to all of you who responded for all your lovely comments and advice and for wrapping your virtual arms around me. The advice - So helpful. I'm feeling a bit more equipped now. Have a little game plan going...will be picking your brains for more advice as I continue to navigate through these blog waters...

More importantly, thanks for all your honesty and vulnerability when it came to sharing. I have to say more than ever, I really do feel like I'm part of new-found community. To be able to share like this, and have what I've expressed be understood and not shot down. It's encouraging to know that I am not the only one who can feel this way at times. The empathy means so much - more so than even the advice - which I am taking and will gladly take, by the way. :-))

Like in high school - in rare moments - when I found that group of friends, I had the sense that I belonged - that it was a good fit. Thanks to your comments, I'm feeling this way again - having found a group of new blog friends. I feel we're just clicking which leaves me excited because I get to visit you on your blogs and build on our blog friendship.

Thanks again for stopping by and putting in your 2 cents. This girl appreciates it. And look for me, because I definitely will be popping by to visit with you soon, because as I mentioned two days ago, reading new blogs and making new blog friends just makes me giddy.


I can't wait to come knocking at your "door".

Feels A Little Like High School...

I have to confess: having this blog feels a little like high school all over again.

I'm excited to read new blogs and make new blog friends. I'm amazed that I have a new community of people that I am now in contact with. I love checking out new blogs and seeing the unique, creative designs that bloggers come up with. That gets me giddy because I love good design. I am constantly showing different blogs to my Design Director hubby and pointing out what I like in each (it's a very cool perk to have a graphic designer as a husband).

And yet, there are moments, where like back in high school, I feel left out. On the fringe. I've made some wonderful blog friends, but I still feel like the girl who wants to be a part of the "accepted" cool group but can't find a way to get in. I'm not cool enough to have people read my blog or if they read, comment. I'm not important enough.

I find myself dealing with the temptation of trying to make my blog cooler and more like everyone else's. I find myself wondering if there are some hidden blog rules that I don't know about that I'm breaking - could that be the reason why I'm on the fringes? At least this is the thought that runs through my mind in moments.

I find myself wondering if I should change my blog and essentially and aspects of myself (since my blog reflects my personality) in order to be read more/accepted more/important enough to warrant a comment. Maybe I'm too personal - not universal, enough? (Feel free to add your 2 cents, on this one). Should I focus more on being cooler and more appealing - writing on more popular, provocative topics? Hmmm...maybe. Is that the answer?

Even as I write this, I can think of a couple blog friends who I wish would comment on my blog more often or if at all. When they don't I can't help but wonder if I'm just not important or "cool" enough for them to spend the minute or two to read or even comment. Especially when I see their comments on other people's blogs - you know, the ones that have the over 400+ followers.

Hubby reminds me from time to time why I started this blog in the first place: as a place to share my thoughts, to chronicle my life, to keep my writing consistent so that my writing can get better. Most importantly, so that I can stay in my element, as a writer, because honestly writing is so much a part of me, like (this is slightly corny) breathing. But really, like breathing. I need to blog or journal of some sort, so that I remain in that element. I need something like this to ground me since the days can be a whirlwind of busyness and distraction with things that are so far from writing.

So why then do I at times find myself getting caught up in wanting to be a part of the blog "in-crowd" if there is such a thing. I wouldn't know. I feel so out of it sometimes - totally naive of the blog world -that I have moments where I think I'm missing something. I mean, I still don't even know how to put links in my posts. Like I would love to give big love with links to their blogs to the blog friends that have been amazing and encouraging to me like Cheryl at Mommypants and Mrs. M. at Mothering Mayhem, Alexandra at Good Day, Regular People, and Lady Jennie at A Lady in France to name a few but I still don't know how to put links in my entries. How do I do that, by the way? What is this girl missing?

So are these the insecurities that come with being a new blogger or is there some truth to the idea of a blog "in-crowd"? Is this part of the reality as I navigate through these blog waters or is this all in my mind? (Feel free to answer, you more experienced bloggers).

In the meantime, like in high school, I'll just keep moving along, interacting and making new friends where I can and spending time with current ones as I battle my insecurities. Letting the excitement of visiting blogs - current and new ones - and checking out their unique designs and wonderful posts be my motivation as well as the satisfaction and fulfillment I get when I write and share one of my own posts.

Because you know, that makes me giddy. And "giddy" trumps "insecurity" any day.

Has anyone felt like this when it comes to blogging? Is there a blog "in-crowd"? How do you cope with the insecurities? Definitely share, this new blogger would love to know...

Hello, This City Girl's Glad to Read You

I read an article this week, thanks to Gigi over at Kludgymom.com, on 10 networking tips for new bloggers and what stood out to me was the bonus tip which suggested you read 2-3 blogs for each follower that you have. That excited me because I'm a reader. As I live and breathe, I also read. Truly. It's why I write book reviews for a national magazine and it's why if I do nothing else in my day besides take care of the kiddos and the hubby and check in on Facebook, reading is definitely what gets done. It even comes before my writing sometimes, I'm almost ashamed to say, and writing is up there on my list of the top three things I'm passionate about.


So seeing this tip, I thought, I can definitely do this and I went about setting a goal. Based on my 11 followers it would mean reading between 22 and 33 blogs per week which equates to about 3 to 4 blogs a day. Something I can actually do while holding my baby, who refuses to be put down for any reason whatsoever, and feel like I'm doing something productive (not that holding the baby isn't, of course). At the same time, I get to enjoy my favorite pasttime. Not to mention getting some adult interaction. Being with my three adorable boys all day limits my conversation to "more cheese crackers?" and "how many stars is Dora holding up now?" I look forward to adult exchanges, via email and blog comments. I think too, what a great way for me to connect with my fellow bloggers, especially since I still feel so green within this new blog world I'm in.


And I get to leave comments on the blogs that move me, another favorite thing to do of mine's.


I'm excited for this goal. Excited to expand my network of blog friends. Excited mostly to meet and get to know new blog friends. The idea of "networking" doesn't move me but meeting and making new friends within the blog community does which will make the networking thing eaiser to bare I suspect.


Even as I write this, I feel that excitement rising through me. I can't wait.


I take out a sticky note and write down my goal. I stick it to a spot on my laptop.


Here I go.


Yes! I look forward to reading (your blogs) and meeting you all.

Cool Blogger Gadget: How To Cook Anything

So as I was browsing through widgets and gadgets, I found this nifty little gadget called "How To Cook Anything". For those of you who are cooking challenged (that would be me), consistently running out of ideas for meals or find yourself in a quandry because you have various ingredients in your pantry but don't what to make out of them (me, again) and you don't have time to go to the store to supplement, here is a quick way to get recipe ideas in the moment with the ingredients that you have on hand. All you need to do is plug in the ingredients that you want to cook with and this gadget will lead you to some mouth watering recipes. At your fingertips.

Nice.

Feel free to use mine's or you can find it through Blogger.com in their gadgets section. If you have a blog through Blogger you will find it on your Dashboard, under "Design". Just click the "Add gadget" box and it is under the section labeled "More gadgets."

Enjoy!