Still Here.

Y'all.

I'm still here.

One of these days I'll get around to writing some more posts.

Promise.

And if you're still coming by to see what's up....thank you ;-D

11 Years

So apparently, my blog turned 11 years old on September 6.

That's right. I've been doing this blogging thing for 11 years. Interesting.

I used to blog a lot more - but I'm gonna admit that when you spend your day writing for a living, on most nights the last thing I want to do is sit down and blog.

That sounds awful I suppose, but I figure this is my blog and if I don't want to write for a while I can get away with that. What is my blog going to do, fire me? ;)

Anyway...I suppose I'm writing more lately and that's the whole point of my Tuesday Thoughts series - at least I know I'll blog on Tuesdays.

So if you're still coming to the Fishbowl to read what I'm writing...thanks. Here's to another 11 years.

Yes, I'm Still Here.

My mom sent me a private message today via Facebook. On the blog's Facebook page. She wanted to let me know that I haven't blogged since May 2 and she misses my posts.

In reality I HAVE blogged - twice - since May 2. I just haven't published the blog posts. They're currently in a 'holding pattern' until I decide to hit "publish."

Long story short: I'm dealing with some health issues and even though I have blogged about it (still in draft form) - and told a few people what is going on - I'm not quite ready to publish that draft. Sorry. #Vaguebooking again. [Friends: don't freak out....I'm not SICK sick...I'll live].

As it is I have too much shit going on right now to talk about my health.

The girls are done with the school year in TWO FREAKING DAYS.
What the what??!?!

How in the hell is the school year done already? I swear that Olivia JUST started 6th grade. And now in 48 hours I'm going to have a 7th grader and a 4th grader? #HoldMe

Also right now my home office looks like the closet and four suitcases purged themselves all over the floor. We leave next week for a 7-day cruise and EVERYTHING I'M PACKING has taken up residence in my office.

Thankfully the mess is behind my desk so I can ignore it for another few days while catching up with work.

On the upside - summer break means VACATION and more time to blog (haha...excuse me while I laugh out loud at the theory...we all know how wonderful I am about blogging lately).

Anyway...here's to the end of the school year and summer vacations and staying up late and sleeping and ice cream and all that stuff that summer brings with it.

The One Where I Give Lame Excuses for Not Blogging

You know what? It's summer. So I guess that means I'm on summer break from my blog?

No?

OK. In all honesty I think about writing here a lot. Most of it happens just as I'm about to fall asleep and I have these great ideas for a post and then BAM! The "Simply Sleep" pills kick in and I'm out like a light. And then the next morning I have no recollection of any of those great ideas.

It's summer. Which means the kids have been sitting on their butts for weeks eating bon-bons and watching repeats of 'Jessie' on the Disney Channel all day long.

OK. Not really.

Summer has looked a lot like this: leave for OBX vacation on the last day of school, get back a week later, kids start two weeks of summer religion classes (yes, I am THAT Catholic mom) in addition to starting their Friday morning golf lessons, then it's the Fourth of July week and nothing gets done around here, and then Olivia has a week of basketball camp. And now it's July 16 (Happy Birthday to my husband!) and school starts up again in a little more than a month.

The kids have been busy. I've been busy - you know, working and driving them all over town. Anyone who thinks working from home is a piece of cake should try it in the summer when the kids are home EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE MY JOB. A lot. And I LOVE MY KIDS. A lot. But I won't be sad when August 21 comes along and they get on the bus and head to school all day, five days a week.

Speaking of work...I'm coming up on the three year anniversary of when I escaped from hell the grasp of the Green Polyester Trolls and let me tell you how much happier I am. I love what I'm doing now. And that's what matters.

And as we head into the last month of summer ... I need to take some time for myself every day and blog more. I miss my blog. (Although, it is somewhat unlikely that anyone else misses it. Is there anyone out there reading this? Hello?)

Anyway...here's to a wonderful last month of summer break!

It's a Good Thing I Don't Make New Year's Resolutions

You know, it's a damn good thing I don't make resolutions for the new year...you know like "I resolve to blog at least three times a week." 

Because honestly friends I would totally fail.
Every. Single. Year.

I swear I think about blogging all the time. Hell, I even write really awesome posts IN MY HEAD as I'm trying to fall asleep. Because THAT works wonders, don't ya know?

I don't know why I don't write more. I don't have any good excuses. And I know I have enough "material" in my everyday life to write a blog post or two or three each week.

My month so far: I got a flu shot. Then I got sick. The end. 

OK. Not really. There was more going on this month. But I'm focusing on this.

And yes, I do know those two things (flu shots and getting sick) are NOT connected so please don't start leaving me comments quoting the CDC or Dr. Oz and telling me I'm full of crap for thinking the flu shot can make me sick.

However, I did go to my doctor's office before the New Year to get a flu shot because my mom made me. Yes, I'm almost 41 years old and my mom still has to make me get a flu shot. Because I hate shots. And I hate going to the doctor. But I also hate the idea of getting H1N1, so I went. And got a flu shot.

And three days later I had strep throat. Honest to goodness, I have not been that sick in YEARS. I'm talking at least a decade. The last time I can remember being so sick that I couldn't function as a human was when I had walking pneumonia in 2004. But strep throat really, really sucks. A lot.

A word to the wise: don't get really REALLY sick two days before Snowmageddon and the Polar Vortex are about to hit, because then you have to go to Urgent Care in a snowstorm and that's a joke because they tell you that you don't have strep but "here's an antibiotic anyway just in case you get worse." And then you'll spend three days feeling like DEATH and unable to go to the doctor's office because your entire town is shut down under a LEVEL THREE SNOW EMERGENCY and you'll GET ARRESTED IF YOU DRIVE.

But then it got warm (read: 1 degree above zero) and I made it to the doctor in a LEVEL TWO SNOW EMERGENCY. The doctor gave me antibiotics and they were the ONLY kind she thought I might be able to handle because just about every freaking antibiotic out there wreaks havoc on my body (or causes me to partially rupture my Achilles. No joke).

So...10 days of antibiotics later the strep is gone (whew!) but I'm back at the doctor's today because I'm having an allergic reaction to the antibiotic.

Of course I am. 

Apparently the medicine I was on was a "sulfa"drug (no clue what the hell that means) and my body decided to break out into a rash head to toe. Oh, and I'm sorry if it sounds unpleasant to you, but just imagine how I feel.

Seriously. I'm nearly 41 years old and there isn't ONE SINGLE ANTIBIOTIC that I can handle. Which means if I get sick again, I'm totally screwed. I'm also itchy. And grumpy.

And so....I now get to go to an allergist to determine exactly what the hell is my problem. I spent my entire childhood visiting an allergist (from age 4 until about age 18 when I was deemed "cured" of my seasonal allergies...they lied..I was never cured). And now I get to go back and get tested. Again.

Oh yeah, I'm also on steroids right now. So if I sound 'roid-ragey, I'm sorry. :)

As it is, there are 10 days left in this month. Here's to trying to write at least five blog posts between now and January 31. And no, that is NOT a resolution.

Germs and Good Intentions

So here we are seven days into 2014 and I haven't blogged since Christmas Day.

I had every intention to write a "2013 recap" but clearly that never happened. No real good excuse, unless you count the plague that I'm dealing with right now that includes swollen tonsils, white spots, exhaustion, sore throat, and antibiotics.

Yeah. I think being sick (and trapped INSIDE THE HOUSE for days thanks to -45 wind chills) is a darn good excuse for not blogging.

Plus, honestly...I didn't really feel much like blogging.

However, since I'm still sick, still stuck inside, and should blog about something as we head into the New Year, here's a mini recap of last year. It should be noted that I averaged about 5 blog posts each month in 2013 which is horrible. Someone should take my blogger card away from me.

I suppose my New Year's resolution should be to blog more (because honestly the whole "lose weight" thing isn't going to happen).

So without further ado, my short and sweet 2013 recap.

January was a good month...we took a family cruise to the Western Caribbean and celebrated Olivia's 9th birthday and Emma's 6th birthday. And, I was able to unplug from the Internet for a whole week. Well, except for those days when I purchase onboard Internet access on the ship so I could tweet and post to Facebook. You can't expect me to quit cold turkey.

February. I turned 40. It wasn't so bad. Then the month went downhill.

March brought some weird results with Olivia's food allergies - and retesting resulted. She still has food allergies in case you're wondering. And it was still cold. Which shouldn't come as a shock since I do live in Ohio. Oh, I also went to Florida for a couple of days and I started a new job.

April was rather uneventful. I was writing a lot for the new job (and loving it!) so I didn't blog much. Although I did manage a post in the middle of the month where I rambled on about my new hair color and zombies.

In May I permanently unfriended, deleted, and blocked a few former relatives. And that's all I'm going to say about that. I think it finally warmed up in May too.

June brought about the end of the school year for Olivia and Emma, and we took a day trip to Put-in-Bay. What I wouldn't give for a hot summer day right about now.

As the summer continued, I managed to eek out a whopping FOUR blog posts in July. Slacker much? To recap July - it was hot and that's about it.

In August the girls went back to school (!!) and we had a mouse in the house. Those two things are not related in any way.

September was this blog's 8th birthday and of course, I blogged about it. A few days late. I also blogged about why "working from home" is a good thing (despite what some naysayers might think). And then I went on a little rant about spelling and grammar.

October started out on a weird note, as I thought someone had stolen my identity. Turns out they didn't. But then someone did steal a credit card number in a totally unrelated case. Too weird. And then Kevin and I celebrated 11 years of wedded bliss.

In November I had the chance to work as the official "mom shopper correspondent" for the new Gabe's store that opened here in T-town. It was a totally cool experience for me and my little ol' blog. Oh and I also managed to fail Elf of the Shelf as soon as he "returned" to our house.

And just like that we've made it to December. (I told you I didn't blog much last year). But boy oh boy was the last month of the year a doozy. I blogged about The Grinch at The Nutcracker and had my parenting skills called into question by complete strangers (keeping it classy people). Following that post I had to explain the fine art of sarcasm, and I contemplated why I was still participating on Facebook.

And now it's 2014 and so far the New Year has been OK as long as I look past the 30 inches of snow we've had since January 1 and the freezing cold Polar Vortex that is causing the wind chills to go to -45 degree, and the fact that I've been sick for a week. [Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?]

However, this is a new year and I am really going to resolve to blog more. That's probably the only resolution I can manage to keep. Happy New Year!

It's Called Sarcasm.

So here's the thing about blogging. I put my life out here for all the world a few people to see. Quite honestly I don't expect everyone to like what I write and I totally 1000% understand that blogging means I open myself up to the occasional rude/uninformed/ridiculous comment.

You know, like the comment that was left on my 'Nutcracker' post earlier today.

I'm talking about the comment that called Emma "rude" (by the way...she's SIX YEARS OLD) and called me "appalling" because I wrote that I wished I had bronchitis so I could have bothered The Grinch with my never-ending cough.

That's appalling behavior apparently. Because ya know, I WAS TOTALLY SERIOUS about wishing I had acute bronchitis after just recovering from a TWO WEEK BOUT OF IT during which I nearly coughed up both lungs.

Yeah.
It's not appalling. 
It's called SARCASM.

Merriam-Webster defines sarcasm as: "the use of words to mean the opposite of what you really want to say especially in order to insult someone, to show irritation, or to be funny." 

For anyone who might not know me (oh yeah, like the people who leave me comments calling my kid rude)...I am the Queen of Sarcasmville. I rule the kingdom of Sarcasm. I have a PhD in sarcasm studies. And this:

My post yesterday about The Nutcracker and The Grinch was dripping, oozing, drowning in sarcasm. Perhaps things would just be easier if there was a sarcasm font available...then I wouldn't have to spend time writing posts that explain sarcasm to the unknowing public.

Or maybe I'll start a "ratings guide" for my blog posts. You know, "S" for contains sarcasm, "ML" for may contain mature language..things like that. Perhaps that would make it easier for some people to understand. (Better yet: If the post is typed in Comic Sans font, just know it's all sarcasm.)

Just so we're clear....my wish to have bronchitis so I could cough uncontrollably for TWO AND A HALF HOURS (which would have likely landed me in the ER, by the way)...was sarcasm. I wrote it to be funny and to vent my irritation with the moron sitting next to me at The Nutcracker.

Why? Because he annoyed me. He annoyed two entire rows of people at the show. He reported little kids to the usher. And because I can write about anything I damn well want to on my blog.

Yes, I'm a blogger which means I write posts where anyone who wants to can leave a comment and tell me how much I suck at life, how horrible my writing is, how appalling my behavior is in certain well-bred circles, and on and on.

However....I'll make this really simply for anyone who might be having problems understanding. I've said it before and I'll say it again: This is MY blog. I will write about anything I want and I will be as sarcastic as I please and if you can't comprehend the tone inferred in my posts perhaps this isn't the right blog for you. (And I'll let you know when that sarcasm font starts working).

But do not think for a second that the comment box gives you the right to leave negative comments about my kids. Because I can guarantee that if anyone verbally attacks my children, I will put on my Mama Grizzly Pants and defend them publicly if necessary.

And no, that is NOT sarcasm.

The One Where I Get a Little Crazy About Spelling and Grammar

A friend and fellow blogger posted a status on Facebook yesterday noting that she had just read a blog post where the writer had completely (and painfully) misspelled a common phrase.

Personally, I found her status update amusing because my friend gets just as annoyed as I do when it comes to grammar and spelling. (She's one of my former journalism students and the fact that she still speaks to me after I tortured the class with grammar and AP Style tests says a lot).

Some people took offense to her post, arguing that good grammar and perfect spelling weren't that important if one looked at the big picture.

Because, you know, there's more important stuff going on in the world. Like family and friends and pumpkin spice lattes. Who needs proper grammar and good spelling skills? I mean we have spellcheck and autcorrect and who cares if sometimes we type "their" when we really mean "they're"?

I had to use a lot of self control and force myself to NOT leave another comment. What I wanted to post was just one simple "SERIOUSLY?"...but I didn't. Instead, I decided to blog about it. Because that's how I roll.

Here's the thing. I am mildly obsessed with using proper grammar and making sure things are spelled correctly. Am I always right? No. I'm not. Do I make mistakes? Yes. All the time. (If you're really lucky I might have made a mistake in this post and wouldn't that be special?)

I used to be a reporter (and I'm still a writer) and I know the importance of good grammar and spelling. And yes, it makes me absolutely BONKERS when I see your/you're or their/there/they're misused.

When I was a freshman in college I had to take a grammar course before I could take any other courses in the journalism school. The professor for this class was terrifying. We called her Conan the Grammarian. And I absolutely HATED her class.

But I realized the importance of grammar and sentence structure and being able to write coherently so that your readers knew what the hell you were talking about. Everyone who writes - whether you are a newspaper reporter or a blogger - should understand the basic rules of the English language. It isn't complicated. It IS common sense.

Maybe this all sounds harsh, but there is a good reason for my insanity. If you are writing a blog or a newspaper article or a school paper or even something as simple as a Facebook status then good grammar and proper spelling (and a general understanding of common phrases in the English language) are key ingredients in what you are writing. It is important, no matter where your writing is being published.

Perhaps you will call me a grammar and spelling snob, but I'm really OK with that label. (OK. Not okay. OK?) I  am not ashamed to admit that I am probably correcting your grammar in my head. I will also freely admit that when I see Facebook status updates with poor grammar, bad spelling, or bingo words (2U, 4U, B4) I die a little inside.

I once had a former employer tell me that I took grammar and spelling "too seriously." Of course, she was also one of the Green Polyester Trolls so I didn't put much stock into her words. It isn't possible to take grammar and spelling too seriously, especially if you are a writer.

Buy an Associated Press Stylebook.
Use spellcheck.
And read this.
And when you're done reading that, read this.

Heading to BloggyCon2013!

I'm really excited for this weekend - I'm headed to Cedar Point tomorrow for BloggyCon2013! I haven't been to a blogging conference since last year and I really need a weekend of inspiration and networking!

Maybe the best part of this whole weekend - other than the blogging and social media that's going to be happening - my family gets to join me! The kids are so excited to spend a weekend at Cedar Point and I have to admit, I'm rather excited about it too. Even though I had the chance to take the family before (to Disney Social Media Moms), they always stayed home. So it'll be a blast to share the fun with them this time.

I'll be tweeting like crazy all weekend (@TraciLeigh) and if you follow me on Facebook I'll be posting there too. You can watch the hashtag #BloggyCon13 for all fun. And of course, I'll have follow-up posts next week.

Let's Talk About Our Jobs

Today I'm feeling a bit "venty" - not like "venti" from Starbucks, but more like I want to vent about something because I have a bee in my bonnet that won't stop buzzing.

I'd like to talk about jobs. Work. What we do for a living.

When I graduated from college way back when the only email you had was AOL and everyone was on dialup Internet access and "social media" meant an AOL chatroom, I thought "having a job" meant going to an office (or in my case, a newsroom) for 40+ hours a week.

And that's what I did. I took the first job I was offered at a small town newspaper in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania. And I hated it. Let me rephrase that: I loved that I was getting paid to write. I hated where I worked. My boss was the devil's right hand man.

Then, when I was in law school (yeah, I have a law degree too) I thought I wanted to be a lawyer because it would be like Ally McBeal and it would be fun.

And then I realized that was crazy talk.
Plus, I failed the bar exam.
A lot.

So, I started working at an 8-to-5 job as an association executive and I had the chance to use the undergraduate journalism degree, but only because I sort of forced them to let me do communications work. (And because my boss was a sexist pig who didn't think a woman could handle contract negotiations with union construction workers but could totally handle marketing issues).

That 40-hour-a-week gig was not so great. Strike one for the "office job."

In the years since then I've had some other "office" jobs too - like the time I worked as an editor in a marketing department at a university and loved it, or the time I worked as a communications manager for the Green Polyester Trolls and hated every minute of it. (That particular job would count as strike two AND three for "office jobs").

And then last year I started working from home.
As in, my office is AT HOME in our fourth bedroom.
And I am a writer.

Hi. My name is Traci and I'm a writer. 
I work at home and eat cereal for lunch.

And no, I don't mean that I "like to write" and have this blog and therefore I think I'm a writer. I mean my job that pays me a salary is that of a writer. I write at least 25 articles every single week. From home. Hell, check out my LinkedIn profile if you want further proof.

But apparently some people think this means I don't have a "real job" because I'm not going into an office every day so I can sit at a desk for nine hours. That my friends in INSANE. You don't need an office in a building to have a real job. My sister is a (damn fine) hairstylist and she has a real job. She sets her own hours and pays for her "office space" (her booth) and yeah, that's a real job.

My point in all this rambling is this - don't assume that just because someone doesn't work AT an office every day means they don't have a "real" job. In this day and age, you can work from just about anywhere. And yeah, I might joke about my work clothes being yoga pants and I might even work in my pajamas on some days, but I do have a real job.

I am a writer.
And I work from home.
And I love every minute of it.

A Belated Happy Birthday to The Fishbowl

So apparently in my oh-so-busy life (ha!) I failed to remember that Friday was the blog's "birthday."

A blog's birthday...also known as the Blogiversary - is defined by the Urban Dictionary as 'the yearly anniversary of someone's (web) blog.'

The 'birth day' of this blog was September 6, 2005. If you want to go way, way back to my very first post...you can. Right here. My first post happened after I sat glued to the television watching the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

I had been blogging at my "other" blog - which was originally called Toddler Timeouts and was all about life with my then toddler, Olivia. After Emma was born I changed the name to The Olivia and Emma Show. And I haven't blogged over there since 2011. Oh, and I also have a blog called Travels with Kids...which I also haven't take care of since 2011. Although I think that blog might be seeing its resurrection VERY soon. I have lots of travel posts I can add over there.

Anywho....the reason I started The Fishbowl was because I wanted to write. I've always loved writing. I am a writer (at least that's why my LinkedIn profile says). Writing makes me happy. It makes me feel whole. It makes me who I am.

When I started this blog I wasn't writing for anyone but me. Hell, for a while I didn't even tell anyone I had a blog. Then I shared the link with my family. And then I connected with other bloggers. And then Twitter and Facebook happened. And then BOOM. The Fishbowl got its own Facebook page. And well, the rest is history.

OK. Not really. I like to think of this blog as "the little blog that could." I don't have big sponsors, I don't make money off the blog. But every now and then I get to do something really cool, like visit Put-in-Bay or write about a cool event or stay at an awesome vacation home or become part of a great group because of connections I've made thanks to this little ol' blog. I've also met some amazing women because I blog.

For me, it's never been about the numbers or the stats or my page rank. It's not about how many Facebook fans I have or how many people follow me on Twitter.

I write this blog because I love to write. I love sharing stories, and every now and then sharing a great giveaway with my readers. If I get invited to "the" social media event of the year, great. If I don't, it's not the end of the world. I'm not writing this blog with the thought that I'm ever going to be one of the "big blogs." The Fishbowl is just my little window on the world.

I'm heading to a blogging conference next weekend and I'm hoping to come away from it with some valuable knowledge and insight. But in the end, I'm selfish about my blog. I'm still writing for me. I'm writing about what I want to ... not what I think might bring in the most readers. If you're still visiting every now and then to read my ramblings, I thank you.

So, happy blogiversary to The Fishbowl. After 1,162 posts I'm still happy that I started this little blog that could. Here's to another great year.

Going "unplugged" for a week

In a few days I am going to be "unplugged" for an entire week. And honestly, I can't wait.

Shocking, right?

I'm the woman who loves all things social media and is never more than a few feet away from her iPhone. I work in social media. I check my email first thing in the morning ... before coffee. And I check email again, one last time before bed. The other night I had insomnia at 3 a.m. ... and so I was on Twitter.

It feels as if I'm always online...Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Pinterest, blogs. And it's becoming a bit too much.

Lately I have felt CHAINED to my laptop ... in a not-so-good-way. I spend hours every day sitting at this desk, working. And since my work is all about social media, I'm always online. And then when work is done I'm still online. Twitter. Facebook. Pinterest. Email.

Wash.
Rinse.
Repeat.

I try to walk away but somehow I still find myself scanning Pinterest. Or thinking about blogging. Or lurking on Facebook. Or staring at Twitter for no good reason. And it's annoying me. I'm finding myself unfollowing more Pinterest boards than I'm following .. simply because the board bothers me. Or I edit Facebook status updates in my head because the grammar is horrific. Or I yell at Facebook  because someone spelled wrote "gull bladder" instead of "gallbladder." (Yeah. that happened).

So, um, yeah.
I think I need to unplug.
Walk away.
Put the iPhone down for an entire week.
And regroup.
Refocus.
Relax. 

And I'm sure that when I rejoin the interwebs at the end of this month I'll have some great stories to share. Like the time when I decided to unplug and start twitching two hours after my last tweet. Yeah, stories just like that.

Another week flies by...and happy birthday to The Fishbowl!

Seriously.
I don't mean to neglect this blog.

Somehow I managed to write TWO posts last Friday in the span of an hour and then BAM! An entire week goes by and while I have a lot to say, I never find the time to sit down and blog.

I even forgot to "celebrate" this blog's "blogiversary.".
My little "Fishbowl" turned SEVEN years old yesterday.

Holy crap.
I've been blogging for seven years.
That almost makes me a "real" blogger, right?
(LOL)

I have no good excuse for not writing.
I've been sick all week.
I've tried to work this week - with little success.
I've had physical therapy.
Oh and Monday WAS a holiday.

The kids are both in school now so really I should have a lot more time to write, right?
Yeah. Not so much.
My day goes a little something like this...

Wake up at 6:30, shower, get dressed, pack lunches, get kids ready for school, have first cup of coffee, check email/Twitter/Facebook, stand at bus stop, put kids on bus, come back inside house, check email/Twitter/Facebook again, have second cup of coffee, sign in to work email by 9 a.m., deal with client emails/Twitter/Facebook, check my own email/Twitter/Facebook, check work email again and realize it's 11 a.m. and my clients are all ignoring me, wander downstairs, eat a bowl of cereal for lunch, check The Weather Channel for any impeding hurricanes, head back to upstairs to the office, check work email again and realize west coast clients have finally answered the email I sent them yesterday while east coast clients are still not answering any emails, post client stuff to Twitter/Facebook/Pinterest, check personal email/Twitter/Facebook, send more emails to clients, realize it's 3 p.m and the kids are on their way home, do homework between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m., cook dinner, clean kitchen, help with bath time, check work email one more time because it's ONLY4:30 p.m. on the west coast and I'm sure my client is going to need something RIGHT NOW, put kids to bed at 8 p.m., collapse on couch and think: DAMN. I DIDN'T BLOG AGAIN TODAY.

Yeah.
Somehow I thought working from home would give me more "me" time.
It's a lie.
That doesn't happen.

That laundry I did last weekend?
Yeah.
It's STILL sitting in the laundry basket, waiting to be hung in the closet.
I keep hoping it's going to hang itself on the hangers. So far, no dice.

And honestly, I spend my ENTIRE day staring at my computer for work. So when it's "quitting time"...I step away from the laptop. And well, it's really hard to blog without a computer. (ha).

I need to get back into the swing of things.
Again.
I have a lot to blog about.
Hell, I'm even considering starting another blog where I can let loose all my political ramblings. It would be "safer" than doing it here, believe me.

Anyway....happy blogiversary to The Fishbowl.
And for those of you still coming by to "visit"...thanks for reading. 

This blog is non-negotiable

When I first saw the letter yesterday about the company's [non-negotiable] "prohibition" against any outside journalistic endeavors, including blogs, websites, user groups and forums, I was (1) shocked at the scope of it and (2) really pissed off that it wasn't mentioned during ANY of my interviews. (Because I can guarantee that had it been mentioned, I would have stopped the process right there).

Why?

Why would I give up what seemed to be a good job (on paper at least) because of my blog and some policy?

I'll tell you why.

Because this blog is ME.
It's who I am.
It's what I do.
And I don't need permission to do this. 

This blog is about my life and all the crazy that comes along with it. This blog is seven years worth of hard work and tears and frustration and celebration. It's years of wondering if anyone was actually reading what I wrote and jumping for joy when more than one comment appears on a post. It's years of frustration when writer's block steals my posts and celebration when I actually complete an entire month of posting.

I have worked too hard to build up this blog from something only my parents read to what it is today - a little blog that is slowly growing up and finding a place in the big, bad blogosphere. I might not be the biggest blog on the block, but I've had some really great opportunities come my way because of what I write here. I have worked (and am still working) with some amazing companies because of this blog.

And while it may seem silly to some of you, I am not going to ask permission to continue doing what I have every right to do - be a blogger.

I have always known that I love to blog...it's what makes me happy. But over the last 24 hours I realized just how much I love it. And how much this little 'ol blog means to me. And I'll be damned if anyone is going to tell me what I can or cannot do here. 

That is non-negotiable.

Frustration on Friday

Earlier this week I was doing a little happy dance because I had been offered a job. A really good job that was doing something I love - writing - and working from home (added bonus) and was full time.

I even told my current job that I was leaving.

UPS delivered my "welcome packet" yesterday for the new job.

And I read a document that stopped me in my tracks.

This company has a policy "prohibiting [my] engagement in outside journalism, editing, writing, and publishing activities...including but not limited to books, magazines, newsletters, websites, blogs, user groups and forums, whether paid or unpaid..."

Hold. The. Phone.

I can't blog anymore if I sign this piece of paper.

Yeah. You read that right. For the duration of my employment with the company I would be prohibited from blogging, online forums, managing blogs, etc., UNLESS they give me permission to do so.

Yes. I said permission. I would have to ask their permission to get their OK to continue my blog after they review it.

I have a real issue with this. I have worked so hard and so long on this blog and to now be faced with the reality that if I take this job they could tell me I can't blog anymore...I just can't even wrap my head around it.

The long and winding road

It's been just about a year since I walked out of the worst job EVER and started the next chapter of my professional life.

What a year it's been.

Quitting that job was still the best decision I've ever made on a professional level. And yet I'm still haunted by what happened to me while I worked there. As much as I have forced myself to move forward and move on....it's sometimes easier said than done.

When I worked for The Bully and her minions I often felt worthless, stupid, and like everything I did in my job was wrong. The green trolls don't ever tell you that you're doing a good job or that your hard work is appreciated. Instead they thrive on telling you how terrible you are, how much you're unliked and how you are a failure.

Trust me when I say working in conditions like that really makes you question your abilities, and your self-confidence wavers. A lot.

Fast-forward to this spring. I started working at a job that is OK and it's making me a little bit of money. So that's always good.

A few weeks ago I wrote something that in my mind was just "meh"...so the response it garnered from my "supervisor" and the managing editor was a bit surprising. The managing editor emailed to tell me that she didn't know how she survived with me and said the item I wrote was the best example she has seen. Ever. They're even going to use it as an example of how that particular job should always be done.

As much as I wanted to just run with that compliment, I questioned it. I wondered why they were acting this way. Why were they heaping praise on me? I didn't do anything that great. It was "just" words on the screen. I wasn't anything special.

As I obsessed over it that night, I realized that if someone in an authority role bullies you enough and makes you feel like you're worthless enough times, you really do start to believe it. I had spent so many months taking abuse from The Bully and her minions that I started to believe what she said.

Because of  that, I have spent that last year questioning my own abilities and doubting my skills. I've wondered why certain organizations would want ME at their events and I've questioned why I'm still blogging. I haven't been blogging as much because I was lacking drive and motivation. I didn't have it in me to write.

And then last week a couple things happened that made me realize that I really AM good at what I do. All it took was a nice compliment from a trusted friend, being told that I'm appreciated for what I do, and having an interviewer tell me that the 25 minutes we spent talking on the phone had made his week. Those things all mixed together made me stop. And think. And realize that the person holding me back was ME. 

I was allowing all those nagging, hurtful words from a year ago still haunt me and keep me from being a the best writer, blogger, editor, and "social media mom" that I could be. I was allowing my fear of failure keep me from doing things that the "old me" wouldn't think twice about doing. I was allowing those negative thoughts to take up residence in my head. I was allowing bullies to win.

And that ends today.

As I head into a final interview for a potential new job - the prospect of which both excites me and terrifies me - I have to remind myself that it's OK to feel uncertain and unsure of the road ahead. I don't know if this potential new job is "The One"...but who cares. I see it as a potential adventure and one that I'm willing to start if they want me.

I need to try something new..without that little voice in my head telling me I'm not good enough or smart enough. Because I know that voice is wrong.

And really, what's the worse that could happen?
I could fail.
That's it.
The very worst thing is I could really suck at this job.
But so what?
If I fail, then I try something else and keep trying until I succeed.
You never know until you try.

Atlanta, here I come!

In two weeks, I'll be boarding a plane headed to Atlanta to spend two days at the "Conversations with Coca-Cola" conference for social media moms.

Holy Toledo.
I'm a social media mom!
And Coca-Cola wants me to hang out with other social media moms and learn more about blogging, branding, social media and the like.

I have to admit, I nearly fell out of my chair when I received the initial "are you interested" email. And when the actual invitation appeared in my inbox...well, I might have let out a "squee!!!!" and then jumped up and down for a few minutes.

Friends, I'm so excited about this opportunity, I can barely put it into words. First, I'm going to Atlanta - a city I've only ever driven through on my way to Florida. Second, it's Coca-Cola people. I mean, seriously. Coca-Cola. 

For two days I am going to have a chance to learn from other bloggers and social media types. I have some details of the conference so I know we'll be hearing from a blogging expert, and participating in a brainstorming session, and we get to see some awesome behind-the-scenes stuff at Coca-Cola. And so much more.

I am so excited about this opportunity and I can't wait to share my Atlanta adventures with all of you!

Disclosure: Coca-Cola is paying for my travel and accommodations for this event. I am not required to blog about the event. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wordless Wednesday...perfect!

So, being that today was "Wordless Wednesday"...it seems fitting that I had no blog post.

I was wordless.

No, nothing has rendered me speechless - that's a difficult task on any given day. It's just that I didn't have anything to say...(shocking, I know). And really, that's not even the whole truth. I have a lot to say, but I think perhaps I have writer's block.

I was thinking about this tonight as I half-watched Ghost Hunters ... I haven't been blogging as much lately and that makes me sad. I feel more like myself when I'm writing and lately, despite all the good things that have been going on in my life, I'm feeling a bit out of sorts. And I can't quite put my finger on it, but I think some (most?) of that stems from my serious lack of writing.

Oh, I "write" things in my head every night as I'm trying to drown out my husband's snoring fall asleep. I write the first chapter of that book that only lives in my head. I write a great blog post about many, many things. I write my Oscar acceptance speech. But then, when I actually sit down at my computer during the day...NOTHING. The well has gone dry. The words are on vacation.

I. Got. Nothin'.

So, I think know what I need to do.
I need to write every day.

When I wrote almost every day during January (for NaBloPoMo), it felt wonderful. I was sleeping better. I was somewhat less stressed (at least in my mind). And the words were always there. Lately it seems almost forced when I sit down to write. Maybe I have too much going on in my head with the new job (waiting for my first project), the new role I have with a congressional campaign, and all the other "stuff" going on with the kids (First Communion, dance recital, end of school year fast approaching).

And as I look at that list I think .... "hmmm, blogging would be great therapy for you."

So here it is...I'm making a renewed commitment (to myself at least) to blog more. It's good for me. It's good for my blog. And well, I'd like to think it's good for you too. (Recommended daily allowance of "The Fishbowl"...four out of five doctors approve). 

April!

So, here we are...April.

Spring has sprung. Sort of.
Easter is right around the corner.
And it's yet another month of NaBloPoMo.

I have to admit, I sort of sucked at last month's challenge.
I think the month of March got away from me, quite frankly.
One day it was March 1 and the next thing I knew it was the end of the month and my blogging was lackluster, at best.

However, I am going to strive to blog more this month.
This month could actually have potential to be a good (great?) 30 days.
I have a second interview tomorrow for a job I really, REALLY want.
And, I'm starting another "adventure" in the political arena (more on that later, maybe).
And...well...it's spring.
So things have to look up, right?

As for the "theme" of this month's NaBloPoMo...POEM...yeah, don't expect to see any poems on this blog. I'm not a poet. And I know it. Maybe, somehow, I'll be able to work the whole "poem" thing into a blog post, but don't count on it.

So anyway....Happy April!
Here's to another great month of blogging. 

Oh hey...look at that...I'm still here

The theme for this month's NaBloPoMo was "Whether"....and well, whether or not you believe this, I really did try to blog more in March. I have no idea what happened and how it's suddenly March 27. I keep crossing the days off the calendar and I must have been ignoring the fact that it's almost April.

Where in the world does the time go?

This has been a crazy month with crazy weather and well...yeah. It's just been crazy.

I have been sick for part of it...of course, because I always get sick after returning home from Walt Disney World. I think it's a ploy on Disney's part to keep me in Orlando. I'm 100% convinced that if I never had to leave Disney (or the Orlando area) I wouldn't get sick. Perhaps I'll test out that theory one of these days if we actually move down there. (Just a dream at this point).

Oh and I'm still looking for a job.
Yeah, don't even try to seem surprised anymore. :)

But I do have good news - I found a job that I really, really want (cue the Spice Girls...ha!). I've had one great interview and am supposed to have another this week. It really would be the PERFECT job for me - doing what I love. I'm excited just by the prospect of it. I'm hoping that very soon I'll be writing a post about getting a dream job.

So then there's the wacky spring weather we had. All that sunshine and warm temps meant I just didn't have any time to blog. I was too busy sitting outside in the sun, playing with the kids, and visiting the zoo. I think those are valid "non-blogging" excuses, don't you?

But, April is right around the corner (ACK!) and I have once again signed up for NaBloPoMo. April's theme is Poem and since I'm anything BUT a poet, I'll have to get really creative with my posts to work "poem" into what I'm writing! Here's to another month of blogging!