Saturday, May 13, 2006

Spreadable Love - Now with Canola Oil

I am a voracious reader. In addition to the stack of books next my bed I also have piles of them next to my couch (on both sides), on the ledge around my bathtub, and in the kitchen. There used to be heaps of them on ottomans, up the stairs and on the floor all over my house but then Chicky Baby learned that the more important the book the more satisfying the noise it made when you ripped the pages and I had to put the kibosh to that sorting method.


Who me?


At any one time I will have at least 5 books that I am in the middle of reading. That number was higher a couple of years ago, but then I got pregnant and lost the ability to concentrate on the Picks and Pans section of a People magazine never mind the latest David Sedaris tome. It was devastating to lose the ability to curl up with a good book and a cup of coffee and while away the time before my baby came. And after I became a mother... Well, most of you are parents so you understand the, ahem, time limitations involved when caring for an infant. Its not like I could pick up a book for two minutes, put it down and come back to it later when the baby was asleep (Ha! Asleep!). Oh, but I tried. In those first horrific months of breastfeeding when my ass was parked firmly on my couch because the badger I had given birth to refused to unlatch herself from my beaten and battered nipples I read a few books. Perused was more like it. I would take my trips to Target or Barnes and Noble and buy books with the hopes of being able to find the time to read between feeding, changing, rocking, crying, rinse, lather, repeat. I had all but given up on ever being able to lose myself in the latest New York Times best seller and had resigned myself to a life of Dr. Seuss and Sandra Boynton.

And then I found blogs.

What better medium to do some reading in five minute intervals? Screw those damn message boards and baby how-to books (uh Dr. Sears? Buh-Bye.), I had found myself knee deep in real mother's and father's accounts of their parenting ups and downs. People like me who willingly admitted they had no idea what they were doing but were willing to share what had worked and didn't work for them. I had found Mommy Blogs! And with that the chorus of angels sang a glorious "hallelujah" and I was hopelessly hooked.

The first blog I found was so amazing to me that I spent a week or two going back to the writer's very first post and read from beginning to the most current entry in chronological order. So candid! So witty! I laughed, I cried, I went off in search of others.

While I was ferreting through sites like the Mom Salon and Crazy Hip Blog Mamas I started my own blog. Poorly written as it was in its early conception I quickly found that the more I read of other's writing the better I became as a blog writer, and I want to thank each and every one of you who inspired me to continue on this long and often tumultuous road of Mom Blogging.*

Bear with me, I kinda suck at this.

First and foremost, I want to thank Christina for being the first person to include me on her blogroll in the days when I was all "What in the Sam Hell is a blogroll and why is my blog on it? Is it anything like a jelly roll? Because if it is then I'm all over it." You probably don't realize it, Christina, but because you included me I continued to blog even though I was about to throw in the towel.

Then I found more women whose writing made me awe-struck. Women who I had so many things in common with, or were just so damn likeable, that I just had to know more about them. Women who I could always count on for a kind word or sympathetic ear. Women who made my head spin from reading their posts, but in a good champagne-buzz kind of way. And all my new blog friends whom I am just starting to get to know and look forward to sharing more stories with. And if you're a doggie mama, then you count too!

Oh God, please tell me I didn't miss anyone.

My blogroll (now that I know what one is) is long and distinguished...

Wow, that sounds like something one of my old boyfriends would have said. But its true. At the risk of sounding all mushy and gushy you're the best internet friends a girl could ask for. I wish you all a Happy Mothers Day and many more to come. May your husbands buy you diamonds and all your children be on their best behavior. Or, at the very least, may you find an hour to yourself to write another blog entry. Because I'm hooked, man, and I gotta have my fix.



*Thanks to HBM for coming up with this wonderful idea. We all need a virtual pat on the back from time to time. I hope you don't mind me borrowing your photo caption idea!

32 comments:

Cristina said...

I'm hooked on you too! Thanks for putting me in your line up. I am honored because I really enjoy reading your blog. Happy Mom's Day!

Anonymous said...

lol...Ijust told Cameo that I would pick up the book she was reading as soon as I finished all the other ones I haven't been reading. I love to read but blogging takes up all my free time now.

And every time I chastise myself for being such a loser because of that fact, I have to remind myself that I get so much enjoyment out of it that it must not be SO bad.

And hugs to you, Mrs. Chicky, for your kind words to all of us on your blogroll. Happy Mothers Day!

Anonymous said...

Thank you. I'm flattered. Happy Mother's Day.

(I'm still in sunny California. Hate me yet?)

kittenpie said...

word, Izzy. If you enjoy reading something, it's a good read. Period. Hell with snobbery! It doesn't have to be "literary."

Chicky - I didn't need more blogs to read, honestly, but I kept reading your comments on other people's blogs and just, well, *liked* you, so I decided I could handle one more. Love the name and the reading. Thanks for the lovin'! Happy mom's day.

Mom101 said...

What esteemed company I find myself in. Thank you for including me. Happy mama's day!

joyce said...

Well said! That really makes sense to me, as I used to be a reader... then I donated my brain to four pregnancies, and whatever was left got sucked out of my National Geographic breasts....
Now, I read blogs. Its gratifying, quick, encouraging, relational.

Her Bad Mother said...

Blogs aren't literary? Whatchoo talkin' 'bout?

Seriously, some of the best non-fiction and autobiographical (and possibly some fiction, if you take the charges against me as being an unreliable narrator seriously) writing is here, in the blogosphere, and especially in our little corner of it.

I loved y'all mommybloggers first as *writers.* Thanks for reminding me of that, Chicky-Lady

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Mrs. Chicky. I love books. Adore them. COLLECT them. I carted around two boxes of my childhood books before I even had a husband, let alone had agreed to have a baby, because those books meant so much to me. They're on a bookshelf in Tacy's room (because she knows how to treat them now) and I still treasure them.

My blog addiction hasn't supplanted my book addiction, but it has definitely attenuated it. I read almost NO fiction now, because I get enough wonderful stories - TRUE ones - from my wonderful blog friends.

Thank you for being my blog friend. Let me know when it's time to pick up you and Mr. Chicky and Chicky Baby at the Denver airport. I'll be there.

Christina said...

Awww...you just made my day. I had no idea you were about to throw in the towel when I came along. I just remember reading a post about Chicky being sick, along with one of the most adorable pictures of her, and I was hooked on you!

Oh, and blog reading is my high-class reading now. I have a book on my nightstand that I'm still trying to read - I'm 1/3 of the way through it, and it's only taken me 8 months to get that far!

Thank you so much for the kind words, and I hope you have a Happy Mother's Day as well!

The Domesticator said...

WooHoo! I'm hooked on you, too!
Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Mamacita Tina said...

Ran across your blog today, perfect timing I would say! I'm fairly new at the whole blog bit and floundering at times. It's awesome to read about other parents' successes and failures, and most importantly the delights they find in their children. Looking forward to reading more.

Stacy said...

I love this! Thanks for including me and also for turning me on to some new reads. Great, now I have more blogs to read!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I loved, loved, loved this post. So well said. I couldn't figure out how to tackle the topic - but you sure did!

Tori said...

Nice linky blog Chicky Momma...
You rock. I visited everywhere and got some great new places to visit!
And thanks for putting me on your blogroll.
Happy Mammas Day to you....

ms blue said...

I just want to take this opportunity to tell you that you seriously rock. Thanks for the link.

Maybe Chicky Baby is making a collage from all your favourite books for you for Mother's Day. Have a great one!

Blog Antagonist said...

Wow, great post! Can I just copy and paste to my blog? We seem to love many of the same ladies. As you probably know, I started out making fun of blogs. But I quickly realized that there is some incredible writing, sharing, supporting, educating, and most of all laughing to be found in these so-called Mommy blogs. You said everything I would have, and so well. Thank You!

Bridgermama said...

Ah shucks, I'm flattered! I wish I could just cut and paste your post to my blog.

mo-wo said...

I am planning on trying a blog reading/night nursing experiment with #2 since I won't be watching CNN for an hour outside Miss Fancy's room. Do you think it will work?

Your blogroll kicks.. you are sorta great blog lynchpin! I wrote up my testament for HBM today, damn Sophie's Choice I told her. Love to you -- thanks for the love and have a good M's day.

ps.. yeah I know Ezra. But would that make him EZ

petite gourmand said...

read?!...it's taken me 4 months to finish one book!
I'm with you on the blogging though.
fast and fun.
(especially yours)
happy mother's day!

Kristin said...

Thank you for including me in such a wonderful post and in such an awesome list of blogging mommas!

Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

josetteplank.com said...

That photo is TOO adorable!

And yes, dooce, finslippy, amalah...the ones who got me hooked.

And getting hooked on more every day.

MrsFortune said...

Hey, I think my son and your daughter share that disease of not being able to detach from the booby. I thought about reading books while nursing him but ... eh, I'm not so sure it'd work out.

And I'm so glad you found blogging. I love reading what you have to say.

Carolyn S. said...

Aww Happy Mother's Day Mrs. Chicky. You are one of my favorite blogs and one of the few I find time to read daily. I hope you enjoyed your weekend. What a beautiful post.

Please let me know when you attack your next novel, I'm looking for recommendations.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for including me in your hit list, and for helping make 10 minutes out of my day (which I spend reading your very insightful entries), every day, a little better. ;)

Sandra said...

I had this conversation with my husband recently about my new "way" of reading. And yours is at the top of my list, my friend.

Thanks for the love. You are the best!

j.sterling said...

awesome post!!!!!! i love all this love!

Anonymous said...

i understand not having time to read. i don't even know what a book is anymore unless it is targeted to the kidlet sector.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for including me in this awesome list of bloggers.

I'm a fan of yours, too!

Anonymous said...

Sorry I'm so late on this but I'm honored to be listed among such fabulous writers. And so happy you like me b/c damn it, I like you too!

Happy Belated Mother's Day.

Nicole said...

I'm with you!! I used to read books by the arm-full...fiction, non-fiction, memoir...whatever!! Blogs have ruined mr reading career...

Badness Jones said...

I discovered blogs at work when I was pregnant with my second and just wanted to stay off my feet. I finally started my own after a couple false starts. Thanks for providing a little more inspiration!

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