How do you do it?

Moms who blog - regularly.

How do you find the time to write well thought out, well written, coherent articles multiple times per week? This question applies to stay-at-home moms as well as moms who do paid work outside the home (or from home, as the case may be). I am just struggling to survive the day to day grind, and so my blog languishes.

I have so many ideas of topics I would love to write about. But regardless of whether I'm at home all day, as I was for the past 3 months, or whether I'm splitting my time between the office and home, I just can't seem to find the time and energy to post anything more than 3 lines of brainless fluff once a week, if that. Gone are my feminist rants, analysis of current events, and parenting theory. sigh. Perhaps one day they'll be back, but don't hold your breath too long.

Happy Blogiversary to me!

Today marks one year since I started blogging!

Wow, how this blog has changed over the year, and will likely continue to evolve. It's been a fun learning experience. Sharing my life with you has been at times fun, at times healing, at times rewarding. Here's to another year of improving my writing skills (no small feat for a math/science nerd), enjoying SchmoopyBoy as he grows and develops, and tracking the activity (or lack thereof) of my reproductive system. ;)

Blog Identity Crisis

I should start out by saying that I am a blog junkie. I love reading blogs, I love discovering new blogs, I love finding out what's going on in the lives of people I know and seeing pictures of their little kiddos on their personal blogs. I love discovering new recipes on food blogs. I love finding out about different learning and discipline philosophies on parenting blogs, and getting cloth diapering tips on environmental blogs. You get the picture.

When I started this blog I wasn't 100% sure what I'd be writing about. I was thinking it would be a combination of personal blog to keep my out of town family and friends updated with SchmoopyBaby's latest accomplishments, and a food blog with recipes and pics of what we are eating at chez Schmoopy. The reason for this was simply because those were the types of blogs I was reading at the time I created it.

But for the last month or so I've been going to some blogs that really make me think. People are writing about really meaningful, informative, and important topics. This led me to question what I am doing with this blog. Sometimes I feel like I write about such trivial fluff, which, of course, I do sometimes just because it's fun.

But then I think: Who is actually reading this blog? What does my audience actually want to read about? Who do I want to read this blog? Who is this blog really for? Is it for my immediate family? Is it for other moms - maybe vegetarian, maybe not, maybe WOHM, maybe not? Is it really for me, so I can feel connected to some invisible others when I feel alone in the world, and have someplace to vent other than my husband?

I tend to think that my regular readers are more interested in SchmoopyBaby updates than my opinions on gender-neutral parenting or the role of spirituality in politics. But these are important topics - topics that deserve to be thought about and written about and read about by anyone and everyone. Thus the blog identity crisis.

I'm thinking that I want to expand my range a bit. One of my goals for this year is to start writing about topics that make me think critically and intelligently. My brain needs the exercise, and since virtually all of my other hobbies have gone to the wayside, I need something other than work and the actual day-to-day care of SchmoopyBaby to keep me sane. I recently discovered a Blog Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Lauren of Hobo Mama and Dionna of Code Name: Mama that I might try to participate in. (Although I have a bit of damage with the label "Natural Parenting." What is the opposite, unnatural parenting? And what exactly is unnatural parenting, me nursing a litter of lion cubs? But I digress - that is a topic for another post.)

Don't worry Mom, I'll still post SchmoopyBaby updates and pictures, and I'll still attempt to entertain and amuse with trivial fluff, because I know you are stressed and tired and just want an easy smile. Also, because sometimes it's just fun to be able to laugh at myself and life's silly trivialities from time to time.
:)

What's with SchmoopyBaby?

I know what you're probably thinking. What's up with this "schmoopybaby" thing? On this blog, I will likely refer to my son as Schmoopy, SchmoopyBaby, SchmoopyBoy, or something like that. Why, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. It is my intention to keep this blog public. The great but also scary thing about the web is that you just never know who is lurking where. If you know me then you already know my kid's name and where we live. If you don't know me but think my blatherings are entertaining and want to return again, cool. But that doesn't mean I want the whole world to know what my kid looks like and his name and where he lives. It's about safety and privacy, yo!

By the way, yes I do call him SchmoopyBaby in real life. I'm goofy like that. But you probably already knew that. Besides, sometimes he makes himself SO DARN CUTE I just can't help myself. Yeah, I admit it, I'm one of those moms. You may hurl if if you must. I won't be offended.