A Lesson In Blogging

Before I started this blog I wasn't really sure what I was going to do with it. In truth I had thought about starting one for a while, but only got started after I saw how much fun my husband was having with his.

So I came up with a fairly mundane name, and started writing. A day or two later I decided to try and coax others to join in, hopeful this could evolve into a forum for mothers everywhere. I haven't gotten too many submissions yet, so my postings have been mainly about things in my world: my kids, my job, my husband, my concerns, my sleep issues, and so on.

So OK, that's what blogs are for. And it's been kind of cathartic to have this open forum of my own to use. It's given me a chance to write again, which I miss terribly, and it's given me a place to work out - in writing - some things that have been on my mind.

What I wasn't quite prepared for was just how closely people who know me would start to read it.

My mother in law called to check in on my pinkeye. (Thankfully, it's almost gone and my eye is just about back to normal) My co-workers keep asking how Owen's potty training is going. (not well) And a reporter I deal with regularly apologized profusely for calling me today because she "knows how much I have to deal with."

In a way it's kind of cool. I'm saving time by telling everyone the same story at once. It's also a little strange, and serves as a good reminder of just how unlike a journal a blog really is. Sure I can write what I want to write, but once it's posted it's "out there" for everyone to read.

As a former journalist I've always taken pride in having people read my writing. In fact just moments after I post to this blog I usually ask my husband to come read what I wrote. But in journalism I never wrote about my life, and never risked putting something on paper that would insult, upset or in any way disturb someone I cared about.

So I'm turning on my self-editor. No sordid details about my sex life will be posted here. (sorry folks.) No trash-talking about anyone I know. And now that my mom has bookmarked the site, no sad tales from my childhood either.

Instead I want to use this as a place to work out the many issues I face every day as I work to find a balance between my work life and home life. And don't worry, the potty training stories will continue too.

But I can't do this alone, so I'm asking again: If you're reading this then you're probably either my mother or just like me, and you've got stories to tell and issues to work out as well. So send me an email and I'll post them here.

Working moms - and dads - are a strange breed, but if we stick together and learn from each other's mistakes, I think we'll all be ok... and our kids will someday, hopefully, all be out of diapers for good.