This is the post where I bask in the glory of the Internet and its ability to transmit all the says I say around the globe.
Remember awhile ago when I begged you to further inflate my oft-pregnant ego and “like” the page on Facebook? Remember how you thought to yourself, “Wow, I never thought I’d see Emily get so low as to flat out beg for hits”? And remember how you liked me anyway because you are nice and you know I mean well but just lack any savvy to garner Internet kudos without begging? Yeah, I remember it too. And trust me, it was a proud moment when I got a whole cartload of likes on just one day. It gave me a wicked case of the kumbayas because only the day before I had gotten a particularly mean-spirited comment on an old post that made me feel all kinds of sad emoticons.
Wop-waaaaaa.
During the Day of The Like, I got a comment on the page from a reader in Australia (hi Jari-Ann!!!) that filled me with a happiness roughly on par with seeing a giant unopened package of Double Stuf Oreos on your counter all for you. So yeah, elation. The reader, who (I’m fairly sure) had never left a comment before, told me that she had been following me since C was born and that she always gets excited when she sees a blog update in her inbox. I know! I was so excited to hear this! And I promise I’m not making it up. You can even go and SEE her comment and know that it’s real and not a figment of my imagination.
I have always been aware of the possibility that maybe, just maybe, there are people out there in the other computerboxes who read my things and don’t really comment on them. That’s totally OK by me. Comments are wondrous and right and an angel gets its wings every time you leave them, but they are not everything. Angels do not need to fly and live perfectly beatific lives walking. All I really want is for my words to make you nod along and hopefully see the world in an invigorating new way that complements your own experiences. If you leave a comment, fabulous. If you don’t, that’s OK too. But I want those of you who don’t really interact with me here to know that I appreciate you and I’d like to get to know you. I’d love to know where you live and what makes you tick, not because I am a weirdo who will hunt you down and unload all my baggage on you (which I pretty much already do since I blog), but because I love how reading and writing and sharing makes the world a smaller, cozier place. You may have already noticed I have a raging, hormone-induced infatuation with the Internet. Well, the Internet is all people (except the bots, who I love too anyway because Horse_ebooks.) So that means I have a crush on you.
My parents sometimes took my brother and me to this science and nature museum when we were kids. There was a little exhibit of a fox’s den off the main drag of the museum – nowhere near the giant, shiny pendulum or the taxidermied lions who were rumored to have eaten an entire village in Botswana. You could crawl inside the softly lit cubby hole with brown carpet on the walls and feel safe and small. You could still hear all the tour groups and big kids on field trips outside the hole, but for a moment that tiny spot was yours. It smelled a bit like urine but what did you expect at a kids’ museum?
You all are my fox’s den, minus the pee smell. (This is a major compliment.) I feel safe and full knowing that you care. This Internet is a big black annoying forest where you walk into cobwebs and get them in your mouth and then spin around and spit like a crazy person, disoriented and angry. Somehow, though, we have all managed to find one another without much of a compass, and we have nestled in together in a safe enclave. Even if you’re quiet and don’t leave me a note, just know that the residual heat you leave in our tiny nest keeps me warm and I appreciate you.
Ooooh, Lord, kumbaya.
The Waiting 
Ahhh Emily I always read and nod. But mostly I smile cause your blog makes me happy. You’re pretty chill on Facebook too. Excellent writing AND cute C, what is better than that?
Awww, thanks, Audra. You make me smile too.
Someone’s blogging here, Kumbaya….
I’m not sure that it’s minus the pee smell. I’ve had a lot of water this morning. But it IS so cozy here!
I keep my nest stocked with adult diapers too. It’s how I roll. I am a terrific hostess.
I’m pretty sure some of us still carry the pee smell. We have kids, too. And some of us might have always had the pee smell but our grandmas told us everyone is special and who cares if the other boys don’t want to play kickball with me because I’m a great person and it’s their loss and they won’t get to play with my Ninja Turtles.
I mean—cool post.
It’s totally their loss. My hands smell like ammonia because I just got done throwing C’s diapers in the laundry, so we can play Ninja Turtles together and be gross.
You’re so cute. And, oh, look-ey here…I brought some marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate. How ’bout some s’mores, y’all?
You always bring the yummiest things. Hope you’re feeling a bit better xoxox
Emily, I too dream that people somewhere are reading something I write. And when someone does, it just seems like a magical connection. I will gladly hold hands and sing with you!
Let’s chant together! ;D
Ditto what Audra said. This is the coziest post I’ve ever read (minus the smell of urine) if posts could in fact be cozy. I feel the exact same way, Emily. It never ceases to amaze me how so many like- minded individuals could find each other on the internet. Wouldn’t it have been great if school had been like this, if every person you bumped into was one of our lovely peeps? Imagine how well adjusted and happy our lives would have been… Well, at least we’ve found each other now. I get a little Kumbaya everyday, reading what other people have to say. As much as I pretend to be annoyed by people, I really love them. Shh.. don’t tell anyone. I love you and Cee like crazy!! :D
School would have been near well perfect if we had all gone together! The only problem I could foresee for myself is that if middle school had been easy going, I could have far fewer things to write about ;D Thank you for indulging my kumbaya moment and for being so lovely.
Haha, you’re so cute. And I don’t even mean that in a condescending way, even though it sounds totally condescending, like I’m patting you on the head and saying “Oh, silly Emily….” Not what I’m going for at all.
I wish I had as many memories from my childhood as you do. I feel like I used to. I don’t know when my brain decided to crap out on me.
I embellish a lot of the things I remember. Like, A LOT. But it’s all based on something real(ish). I think we’re all entitled to dress up our memories a little ;D
I don’t nod while I read because that makes it harder to read. And you follow my blog so there’s not much else to tell you. I really do put almost everything on to that crazy thing.
Also, it’s good to know that all the washing and scrubbing I did in the shower this morning got rid of the pee smell. I was worried about that.
I always have a bit of a pee smell about me. I likely will until C is potty trained. Only for these insanely cute kids do we sacrifice our personal odors.
True enough. It’s hard to worry about’s one’s own smell when the wee one takes precedence over…everything.
You are the first blog I followed when I joined WordPress. I’ve always enjoyed reading your posts – and look forward to them. Bring on the fox den, pee smell and all.
That is so cool to know! I still read a couple of the WordPress blogs I followed in my early days. They have proven their mettle. I hope I can do the same for you ;D
So far I’ve been following you a year – I haven’t been on WordPress super long at this point – but you’re one I love to read. So far so good!
Two thumbs up !!
;D
It’s hard to ignore the mean words. People like to wallow in the anonymity and be trolls. Keep smiling!
I will certainly try! Thanks, QuasiMom.
I won’t leave a comment about living in Tucson and visiting your fox den all the time… that pee smell might be me… :)
Meh, we’ll put you in the same corner as C. Y’all can be *cute* together. ;D
I never really thought about this either until I had people in person tell me they read my post (former colleagues, other parents at my kids’ school). Yikes. Now I’m more aware that not everyone who reads my blog is a blogger, and as such, probably has no clue what I’m talking about when I mention WordPress or Freshly Pressed, or other such similar things.
It is crazy! I put something blog-related on my personal FB page recently, and I was surprised to hear a lot of random people commenting about things that I have written here. I never even knew they read my stuff! The lurkers, Carrie, are with us.
I kind of do smell like pee.
Which makes you all the more lovable. But we’ll lure you into the washing machine with a bottle of wine.
The blobfish is my favourite thing about this post. O, and the mentions of kumbaya. O, and your lovely request about getting to know your readers. O, and…. Ok, so all of it! All of it, ok?!
The blobfish is kind of cute, eh? I want to put a wig on him.
Emily, Which museum had the fox den? Just can’t remember that but wish you had told us about the smell.
Your blog is as cozy as a butter bean tent to me. :)
Mom
It was the Cumberland Science Museum, I think. I don’t think I recognized it as urine at the time, but later on things started coming together….
Let’s while away our days together under the butter bean tent. ;)
This is precious. The fox den sounds super cozy. I remember going to the science museum when I was younger and it was so much fun. Ours didn’t have a nature part though :(
I think I would’ve loved the fox den for sure.
Did you ever go to the Field Museum? I LOVED that place. I can’t wait to take C someday! The wall of shoes is my favorite.
I feel like I have but I haven’t been there in forevs. I don’t even remember the shoe wall so that’s super sad. Reason enough to return!
I was more of a Shedd Aquarium type gal. Hah
Awwwwww. That was just lovely.
In spite of the urine reference? Thanks ;D
It was the stench of realism.
Spoken as a true father.
Ha!
I’m not going to lie… when I first entered this bloggy blog world, I was a little creeped out by these whole cyber relationships that it had going on. But the more I hang around here, especially here in your den, the more I see the beauty of it all. Reading, writing, and sharing certainly do make me feel rather cozy, even if it seems a little scandalous that I’m getting cozy with people I’ve never had a conversation with. And sorry I don’t comment more — I’m still getting used to being non-stranger strangers with other bloggers… but I am a loyal reader.
It is for sure a little weird at first, I will completely agree with that! I was always nervous that I would say something that would make someone either angry or completely skeeved out. But since this blog started when I got pregnant, pretty much all my modesty went away the instant I posted a birth story, heh heh.
I am glad to have you here! Like I said, absolutely no worries about commenting. I know a lot of bloggers really stress how important it is, but I want this to be a place where we can all chillax. ;D
I don’t have a kid so I generally just read because I love your writing. But I love comments too…so I’m sharing the love with you. So I’m here for the Kumbaya session, emotional baggage in tow. Oh did somebody say S’MORES?!?
YES! S’mores! I’ll provide the s’mores if you provide the booze. Did I just say that? *Inserts foot in mouth.* *Decides s’mores taste better than shoe.* Thank you for reading and commenting, Sarah. Heading over to your blog now ;D
When the world slips you a jeffrey…stroke the furry walls.
Someone needs to put that on a t-shirt.
Someone probably already has.
Damn Spencers!
I love this for a lot of reasons.
A. WEIRD BLOBBY FISH THING!
B. All the blogger love!
C. I feel the same way about my internet people!
I do NOT like that someone put a mean comment on your blog. Why would anyone do that? That’s like kicking the most adorable kitten sitting on the prettiest rainbow. Point me their way. I’ll totally snarl at them. I’m very fearsome.
Internet relationships really are the best. I often wonder what life would be like if I hadn’t randomly decided a couple of years ago to start a blog. Lonelier, that’s for sure. With much less laughter.
1. I KNOW! I love that guy! He reminds me of the Three Stooges.
2. It’s what gets me through the day.
3. I NEED my Internet peeps. It used to make me sad that I don’t have a lot of friends in my town. But for some reason, I feel a real kinship with the people I’ve met online. I’m very blessed to lurk in good corners of the Internets.
Meh, the troll made me feel sad but the amount of love I get elsewhere kind of cancels it out. Plus, I know I could round up a posse and slam the troll if need be.
And BOOM! Just like that the pee smell is back!
I haven’t been around for a while, but not to worry. I have always felt your love. Your bloglove travels through the interwebs like a virus, but a good, nice virus that’s all fluffy and pink. You know what I mean?
HI DAAN! I have missed you! Hope all is well! It’s good to have you back around ;D
Of course you’ve missed me. Everyone always does. :P
How is C doing? and Y? How about U? Or Q?
I totally get this and agree with a full hearted Kumbaya! Frankly, I don’t get very many likes or comments… it does get me down sometimes. Honestly. But, it is always such a thrill when someone new tells me that they have indeed been reading, but are commenting for the first time. It is so fun! I too want to know more, want to get to know them… no doubt, blogging has been an interesting journey on so many levels! :-) (and I love emoticons)
I love emoticons too. I like classic ones so that’s why I had WordPress turn off the capability to turn them into real yellow smileys.
I have no idea how to do anything that technical! Man, it’s taken me forever to figure out how to insert videos… and it took Lisa’s Gripping Life to educate me! Feh.
Really enjoyed reading your post, nodded head several times, and finally thought, be brave, grab that magic talking stick, and speak! New blogger talking here … Started just over a month ago, and was blown away when I got a like on my very first post :)) Haven’t quite figured out yet WHY I want to blog, just that there are so many goofy, oddball, cool, exciting, wonderful things that happen day-to-day that I just want to talk about and wonder at and question and share and … What’s that you say? Oh, my time’s up? But I’ve only just started … ;)
Mothercat! I am sorry I’m just now replying to your comment! You will soon find that real life sometimes gets in the way of blogging. It’s so redonk. Thank you for dropping by! I hope blogging is as good to you as it’s been for me ;D
What the heck is that a picture of?