7 Quick Takes about Blogging, Friendship, and Jim Gaffigan

Click the picture above to see all the other fun Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary!!

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This October, after a yearlong hiatus, I decided to give this blogging thing one more try. This month, doubt and frustration began to creep in. I was ready to throw in the towel. For. Good.

And then, a strange thing happened: Momentum.

A comment that made my day.  A Twitter interaction that started out as a pity party and ended up as an ego boost. A few really positive email interactions. More FB engagement than ever before.

And then, this post showed up in my Twitter feed: 8 Practical Motivations to Blog When no one is Reading it.

Message. Received.

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Speaking of Interactions… It's pretty pathetic how excited I was about this particular one:

 (And, oh my goodness, if you don't know who Jim Gaffigan is, you must watch this youtube clip A.S.A. P.)

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If you're a blogger, or a regular follower of blogs, you know that the relationship between bloggers and Facebook has been a little tenuous lately.

Basically, if you don't interact with a blog's Facebook posts- and interact often- Facebook will not show you their posts. Additionally, if a blogger shares a post that contains a link, only about 5% of a blogger's followers will actually see the post.

This is, admittedly, very frustrating.

But…. there is an upside:

I am a true believer in learning styles and I learn by talking- that's how I process information. The more that I interact with blogs that I follow, the more I learn, the more I process, and to top it all off, the more connected I feel. And that's a good thing.

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Since I learn by talking… there are a few books that I'd really love to discuss with you all!

So, starting the first Monday in February, I will be introducing: Monthly Monday Book Club.

Each month I will introduce and give away one copy of the book at the beginning of the month. Then, I  will plan a book club about that book for the following month.

The books will usually, though not always, be non-fiction and related to food/ parenting. They will also usually, if not always, have a memoir feel because, for me, non-fiction without story, just doesn't keep my attention.

I'm still debating how to do this but am considering a Twitter party and a Google Hangout (which is TOTALLY new to me.) I'm also considering a link-up for posts about the book. Have you ever hosted or attended a Google Hangout? What are your thoughts? Other suggestions??

Interested? email me: info(AT)teachinggoodeaters.com and I'll add you to my Monday Book Club mailing list to make sure you don't miss any information about the book club.

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Due to the cold, most of my interactions have been of the online, rather than the "in person," variety. However, today, after one too many two hour delays, I asked a fellow mom to hang out at my house while our 4 year olds were at preschool.

This is not a common occurrence.  My house is not usually fit for company at this time of the morning.

But then, I reminded myself of the wonderful gift a new friend once gave me.

The first time she invited my kids and I for a playdate she said, "I purposely didn't clean up before you came so that you wouldn't feel like you needed to clean before inviting me."

In that moment, I decided that I wanted to be her friend.

I've told this story often, but have yet to really embrace the meaning behind it, until today.

And so, when my friend arrived this morning, I said the exact same words to her.

Friends don't clean up for friends. (Though I did wipe the remains of breakfast from the table and put the sink slop down the disposal lest she think I'm a complete slob.)

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By the way, this post about making mom friends, nailed it.

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I have a favor to ask.

One of the blogs that I interact with on a regular basis is the blog Pretty Hungry. Sadly, the blog's author, Carissa, just lost her father very suddenly.

My heart aches for her.

Truth be told, I'm pretty clueless when it comes to helping someone who's grieving. And yet, there's always that question, "What can I do?"

In this post, she explains why she's still blogging in the midst of facing this personal tragedy.

Since cooking and blogging is her solace right now, why not throw a little sunshine her way by way of her blog??

So, if I can be so bold as to ask,  would you stop by her blog and get to know the sweet person behind it? Then throw a little prayer or some "bloggy love," her way...like or share a post, comment on a post, become a follower.

Thank you!!