Flippy - I Rant, You Read
Friday, August 19, 2005
What Does It All Mean?
Don’t start reading if you’re looking for a soul-searching entry. I was just thinking today how weird it is that my blog world is so different from my real world and my message board world. My real world is a bit hermit-like, mostly just being with Leigh-Ann and the pets, with the occasional foray outside our three mile (ha!, you expected “island” to come next) Starbucks comfort zone to see my family. Dinners, baseball games, the other family type events throughout the year. My message board world is a kind of insulated gay world (everyone is g/l, except my sister-in-law and one straight friend), except for the boards that I moderate...and even then, one of those is pretty darned gay too.
My blog world somehow started out in the mommy zone. Until just this moment, I couldn’t for the life of me remember how I got to any of those blogs. But, now, I remember. I was looking at starting a blog and I wanted a template. I ran across The Best of Blog Awards 2004, where I first found dooce, finslippy and Surburban Bliss. It snowballed from there - one blogroll led to another which led to another...and they all had kids. I don’t have kids. I once wanted kids, but when you realize you’re gay at 20, don’t come out really until you’re 28, much of the time for being in a relationship and planning kids is gone. It’s not like I ever oops, got pregnant. If my period was late, I always knew it was just late and that meant that my PMS would last longer. Whoa, I digress. I like kids, but now at 41 and being in pain a lot, I don’t think I’d have the energy for kids. So, yeah, no kids, yet I’m reading all these mom blogs. Weird. And now, I’ve suddenly found myself reading blogs by academics. I went to college, but basically wasted my time and my parents’ money there, and didn’t graduate. I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up. Still don’t. But now, I’m reading blogs by people who go by Doctor This or Doctor That or Soon-To-Be Doctor So & So. I don’t feel less intelligent. Okay, sometimes I do, but I know that some of those academic papers are meant to be over my head. I don’t have to look up any words and my spelling (save typos and such) is as good or better than Doctor Whatzit. Still, it’s like I’m circling outside other people’s worlds. Strange, it is.
I’m not sure what my world would be, but I suppose if sarcastic tv-watching smart people entertain me and happen to have kids or doctorates, maybe it doesn’t matter. Man, this was a wasted blog entry. I’d erase it, but I spit it out of my keyboard, so it may as well stay.
Next entry: Snorting Coconut Snow Previous entry: Thank You, George Appleton of Las Vegas
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If you ever figure this life thing out let me know.
I wouldn’t feel too intimidated by the people with letters behind their names. At one point they were the same dope smokers/drunk frat boys you knew in college.The School of Medicine grew the best pot, the “arts kids” threw the best parties but the School of Law drank and smoked for free because at some point the kids from the other schools would need our help.
Silent Leanne on 08/20 at 03:27 AM -
*snort* art kids didn’t have parties cause they were all introverts.
I think; although i have no idea what i am talking about, you like the mommy’s not because of their kids per se, but because of similar life experiences or goals or habits or chickens. Plus, for me it’s interesting… it’s all interesting doctors, lawyers, flippys!, mommys and turkey killers.
jess on 08/20 at 06:44 PM -
Haha! Silent Leanne is both a mom, and technically speaking, also one o’ them doctors.
Turkey Killer, I think at Silent Leanne’s school, the “art” kids weren’t the hippie cool art kids; they were the academic foo-foo art kids. Although, I respect that they had good parties.
I went to school to play softball. Seriousy, I kept my grades up to maintain my eligibility. Our parties made lesbians.
I should’ve stayed at Cal State Northridge and gotten some degree of sorts. I think my last major was medical sociology. What that was ever going to be, I don’t know. I started as a biology major and decided I didn’t want to take chemistry, so I changed majors.
Jess, do you think I’m enjoying the blogs of people whose goals are to really enjoy tv, pets and tell entertaining stories of their kids?
I have enjoyed the website of the Academic Coach - I think even though I’m not working on my dissertation or teaching in a university, her procrastination tips sadly spoke to me. Like right in my procrastinating ear.
on 08/20 at 07:52 PM -
Ooo, I don’t think this was a wasted blog entry. In fact, I enjoyed reading it immensely. You were being real and authentic. I could relate to many things. While I am not a lesbian, I can relate to the knowing myself and being comfortable with who I am in the relationship world a bit later than some. I totally relate to the pms thing! I did graduate from college, but it took me a while to figure things out and even then graduating with an english degree, what was I going to do with that? (I ended up being a technical writer.) I got pregnant at 39 (for the first time ever, and it wasn’t planned, but very welcomed), and had my daughter at 40. She will be two in September and she is perfectly healthy.
You just never know. Maybe one of the things you like about some of the mommy blogs is that they are often so authentic with their feelings. I mean, Melissa bears her soul, her foibles, her insecurites, etc., and we love her all the more for that. It seems when we are real, others are drawn to us instead of away from us. (Except for the narcissists out there.)Thanks for sharing, even when you think it was a waste.
Oh, and as they say in the cheesy woman’s magazines these days, 40 is the new 30.on 08/21 at 09:13 AM -
Hi - I just got here via Joy Unexpected. Great blog! I really enjoyed your 101 things.
Nancy Heiges on 08/22 at 05:33 PM -
Welcome to my blog, where half of us are named Nancy for some odd reason. It’s not like those other blogs where the Jenn, Jen, Jennys rule. Here, it’s all Nancys, all the time.
on 08/22 at 07:55 PM -
Jo - “Nancy” McKeon - was my favorite on, “The Facts of Life.” (although she would still have been my favorite if her name was something else)
on 08/23 at 05:16 AM -
And see, even my middle name is Jo, so it’s connected, huh?
on 08/23 at 09:36 PM -
Trippy stuff sis in law - I LOVED YOUR blog entry - we should all be so honest. I am learning more about you reading your blog and that means a lot to me and I am sure most of people that read your blog. It’s therapeutic - I think. Just put it out there and people feel closer to you. I think being real, honest and open is “Figuring it out.” I think you are pretty cool and wish we could spend more girlie time together. Too much testosterone at my house..... As far as the mommy stuff you like to read—I watch you with the boys and it seems you really enjoy being around them - you are like your brother David (I know you already knew that) - he loves kids especially the little ones. Since he is living with a teenager now he REALLY enjoys the little ones even more. I actually never really thought about having children that much. My career, friends and social stuff always seemed enough for me. And then - oops - at 34 there was Mr. Zac. It never entered my mind not to have him once I knew he was there. He changed my life in oh so many ways
. I love watching him grow into this ---- person I am getting to know. Strange thought, but true. I think I could have not had a child and that would have been OK - but I am glad I did. It’s corny but he completes me as a person. Yes, that crazy, loud, opinionated young man completes me (and exhausts me). Gees, sorry now I am talking about myself - this was about you. I love you and I like you and I think you are one bright and funny lady! Thanks for sharing.
on 08/24 at 09:21 AM -
Bah, I’m not that honest. Okay, I’m honest, but I leave out lots of stuff. The wild drunken parties, the stints in prison, the mob connections, etc.
Yeah, I think hanging out with the boys is cool. They’re all so different, yet still such good kids. Even Mr. Super Turbo Energy.
I really do like little kids. Between six months and maybe four, when they’re learning how to do stuff. I loved when I did the daycare at the gym in Calabasas. So many adorable little ones; especially my two favorites, Jamie and Brian. Jamie is now close to 20. Brian was two, so he’s probably around 21. He was so amazingly coordinated when we played catch that I figured he’d be a great athlete when he grew up. Unfortuately, with the last name of Jones, there’s no way to ever find him.
Talk about yourself all you want. I like comments. You hear that people, I LIKE comments.
on 08/24 at 08:32 PM
