Meta Blogging.

A week or so ago I got an email from a reporter at the New York Times. I don't know why but something just seemed 'off' about the whole thing. I didn't think it was real and I had pretty much decided I'd be getting unending heavy breathing phone calls from 'The Reporter'. Which, you know, isn't a bad thing necessarily.

But then yesterday my phone rang while in the bathroom at Target with Max and it was 'The Reporter'. (Taking calls in the bathroom of Target=another strike against going all cell.) I rejected the call through to voice mail and called back 'The Reporter' when I got home and gave Max a television induced lobotomy so I could listen to 'The Reporter' breathing heavily into my ear.

But when I called him back he just wanted to talk about blogging, which I make a point of not doing typically. And still, even after the interview I could believe it was for real, so I Googled 'The Reporter' and then realized he was actually a real person who happens to write for the New York Times and I tried to remember what the hell I said because half of me was thinking, 'Oh sure, now he wants to know why I blog but pretty soon he'll ask me what I'm wearing and start breathing heavily into my ear.'

I worry it may have effected my ability to answer the questions. Don't forget I also have phone phobia and generally sound mildly autistic in person or on the phone.

I read at The Zero Boss that 'The Reporter' mentioned "In my ten years of interviewing, I've never met such a suspicious group of people."

I am only speaking for myself here, but what 'The Reporter' should know about the rampant skepticism regarding his desire for an interview is that, uhm, you're from the New York Times and I'm just writing about lice and selling my son in a yard sale and wanting to dip my children in chocolate and swallow them whole and also about drinking.

So yes, I find it a little unbelievable that someone would want to know about why I'm writing this website. Shocking might be a better word for it.

As an aside, I got an email today and the nice gentleman said, "...you make me not feel like such a boozer for drinking while a parent."

New Tag Line: "Making everyone else feel less alcoholic!"

The interview was really focused on why people blog, why I blog, why I read blogs which, to be honest, makes my head hurt and I realized while talking to him how I don't really have any insight at all about why I blog or why people read blogs or why I enjoy reading them.

I have so much to say about motherhood and about loving my children but hating a lot of the daily work one must do to raise happy healthy and lice free children. I just don't really have a lot to say about blogging.

'The Reporter' asked me why I blog. I said something stupid like, "Duh...I like to tell stories and I ran out of people to tell them to in my real life. Did I just notice you breathing heavily in my ear? I KNEW IT!"

(Not really.)

What I should have said is, "I like to write because I've always been better at writing than talking. Writing allows me to laugh at myself and the hard times and find my way through the darkness. I understand myself more when I write. I write on my website for the same reason some people are writers in the traditional publishing world. I just want people to read what I have to say."

Or I wish I would have said, "Between you and me....BLOGS WILL TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!!!! THE WORLD!!!!!!!"

I'm glad I got that out.

I need inspiration for a new banner. I'm about to let Mr Marketable Skills help me but I'd love to do another banner on my own. My illustrator skills are limited, severely, so I like simple clean designs.

Sometimes I'll see an idea on a website and I'll think 'I can do that!' (or something sort of kind of like that)

What websites inspire you?

Comments

[Karen]

Eric Zorn's Blog at the Chicago Tribune. Yeah it inspires me, especially when he isn't writing about parking space dibs like he is today. Well, you inspire me too but mostly you inspire me to not feel so bad about my desire for a strong drink and 5 minutes of dead silence once in a while. Eric's tends to inspire me in other ways. Of course since I am more inclined to be inspired to drink etc. I click on you FAR more often than Eric.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ericzorn/chi-zornlog.story

[Emily]

You're so gonna hate this answer but really yours totally inspires me and makes me want to keep up with my site better! I know that sounds lame but hell, you got a fan!

Is it bad to say to go on blogskins to get some ideas b/c that's what I do!

[Patty]

Lice! Lice drinking martinis! A martini drinking louse! (I should add that I don't drink but I read you anyway.)

[Nicholas]

I am NOT a nice gentleman. What gave you that idea?

Hope you are not too offended. It is just that most people project a teetotaler image of themselves when they are parents. Children drive people to drink, but they also cut into their drinking time.

[MollieBee]

All of blogs I read help me every day. Some inspire me, some make me laugh and others make me think. When I grow up I want to have a blog too.

[trudie]

i visit a lot of the same blogs you do for the benefit of my pathetic daily life--but these are the places i go to get the design ideas flowing. conveneintly stored in my favorites in a folder called, 'geeky stuff' but if that was really the case, my entire c drive would be named that. crap--and i thought i had the whole organization thing down... sorry for the tangent--i've been out in the yard preparing to build my son's swingset. damn hard labor!

this one's pretty old now, but it still gets me thinking:
http://larsholst.info/blog/2004/02/11/well-designed-weblogs-volume-2/

this is also a good one for lots of stuff in one place--i usually end up starting with a color from something i see here.
http://www.blogmoxie.com/portfolio/

[Psycho Kitty]

Oh, I love the drinking louse, with your "new tagline". It would inspire *me* to see *that* every day!

[krissypants]

I'm a graphic design student...so of course seeing a great banner/masthead makes me feel all warm and gooey inside. Some sites that I like for inspiration are:

http://www.veer.com/ideas/

http://www.colorstrology.com/

If you are looking to hone your Illustrator skills, do a search for Illustrator Tutorials on Google and you'll find some great sites. Also, check out this Illustrator Help site.

http://online.caup.washington.edu/courses/larcwi01/larc440/illustrator_home.htm

*sorry, I don't know how to make my links active in the comments box.

[JuJuBee]

I simply love your designs...I am into the clean and simple look and your graphics are great...if you ever want to just screw around and practice on someone, my site is your site. (thought it is just a shitty blogger...I did have Bella do a Christmas design for me which needs to be going soon)

[jennifer]

Reading your blog helps keep me sane!! I'm a new mom and I didn't know what the Hell I did to myself, life or marriage after my daughter was born.
Aside from your blog, I really enjoy reading Dooce, Fluid Pudding, Craftlog, Weewonderfuls, to mention a few.

[Amanda]

I can certainly understand your skepticism - I'd been blogging about my efforts to write a novel and about a writer's conference I attended when I got a comment posted by someone who claimed to be a literary agent. I was skeptical and just sort of disregarded the comment until another blog buddy of mine, a published author, emailed me with the agent's contact information because the agent knew the author and asked her to pass on her info. I then contacted the agent and she asked to see my writing when it's ready. So, yes, there are sometimes legitimate professionals out there reading our blogs and some might even contact us and want to do legitimate business.

But there are many more who'd rather breath heavily and find out what we're wearing, I'm sure. ;)

[The Zero Boss]

You didn't verify his ID until after you talked with him? Damn, woman, I had his social security number by then!

[Marissa]

Hey, how about chinese take-out boxes for your masthead?

[Marissa]

Hey, how about chinese take-out boxes for your masthead?

[Amanda]

Andreah always has some kick ass banners

http://ayendeeareeeayaitch.blogs.com/ayendeeareeeayaitch/

but I agree, lice would be fun. lice and mayo

[Mary]

Melissa, that is so cool that a reporter contacted you! You could be world famous, any minute now...

I met someone recently and my husband mentioned my blog in front of her. She wrinkled her nose and said "I just don't understand why anyone would put their whole private life out there for the world to see." I didn't have a good answer for her either and was all like, "I dunno...I just, uh, think it's....neat."

I feel inspired and slightly jealous of sites like, well, your's and Dooce's and people that just write what they feel like without worrying about being offensive. I have parents, in-laws, and sensative friends without a sense of humor reading my site and I find myself censoring what I write. Ugh.

On another note - I think the lice need to make an appearance in your banner...at least for a little while. :)

[melissaS]

That's funny Mary, I have sensitive in laws too. But note, I no longer talk about them!

That's an odd thing about my website. I'm quite 'intimate' with strangers on the internet....more than I am when I meet someone at a cocktail party. But then I don't know, everything I write about here I'd eventually tell someone I met at a cocktail party, just not right off the bat.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Melissa, I'm clinically depressed, medicated, unstable and the daughter of a formerly raging alcoholic and suicide victim."

WOoooo HOOOO! I am big fun at parties.

The lice has potential. For sure. How does one draw a louse? They're not exactly, 'cuddly'.

[Heather Deeeee]

well, there are times when i almost piss myself when reading your blog. and it inspires me to write about whatever i might be feeling that day, whether it's ranting about work or drooling about guys. when i first came across your blog i was like "jesus christ, i need to put my fucking graphic design skills to use on my own piece of shit blog"...which i have done, but have been procrastinating on the new code i need to write so i can post said creations. fuck. i think i am going to have my generic free template from blogger for at least another month or so. seriously, your headings usually kick some ass, so whatever you come up with will be good. how about lice carrying away your children to be dipped in chocolate??? (hee hee)

[jilbur]

If I did piss myself reading your blog, you'd never catch me admitting it. Anyone who has known me for more than five minutes knows I just told a lie. I was just looking for an excuse to put 'piss myself' in my comment, since someone else beat me to it.

I've had friends who don't read blogs ask me the same questions, and it leads me to reflect that some questions just make no sense. Has anyone ever asked you, 'Why do people insist on loving other people?' That's a question that makes no sense. 'Why would you read a blog?' Why would I read anything? Lots of blogs suck. Lots of books suck. A fair proportion of bestsellers suck. If I find good reading, I stick with it. You write well—no, I mean, really, really well. People who like that will read your blog, whether they're 'blog readers' or not ... uh. in my opinion, of course.

Sorry I've been away a long time. I'm mentally ill and cognitively different.

[Patty]

I did an image search on Google for lice cartoon. The second page (of 2!) has a little tile of three red stylized louses. Something like that might make a cute background. All different colors? Lice confetti from a New Year's party blower! I'll let you figure out how to fit the martini in.

(When I said I didn't drink I meant you couldn't really make me less alcoholic, but thanks anyway. Not in the judgemental tone that I heard once I read my own comment.)

[Dawnlight]

Your blog is so much fun, it doesn't surprise me that a reporter wanted to get in touch with you. What does surprise me are his goofy questions. You'd think he would beg you to come be a columnist at the Times! Really, you have such talent and I am shocked that you aren't a writer for Parenting Magazine or something along those lines.

I too, started blogging because I feel I make a much better impression to people in text than I do in person. I love writing (but I have neglected my skills for several years-since having kids) and I began my blog to get in touch with writing again. When I visit your blog it makes me want to pack it in and run away from Blog world with my tail tucked between my legs! You are a remarkable writer and even better a great Mommy & Wife. The booze makes you even more fun :)

-Tamara

[Red]

My 17 yo DD asked me the very same questions yesterday, "Why would anyone want to read about someone else's life on a blog and more importanlty - WHY would you want to write about your life on a blog?"

I'll be blogging about that question sometime in the next few days when I get it worked out from my head into the keyboard.

I'll add my vote for a louse holding the martini glass.

I continue to LOVE your blog.

[ada]

One day no one will give a rat's ass why people blog. It will be another thing some poeple do and other's don't.

I'm getting so tired of that question, "why do you do it?".

Because I want to, because I think I'm good at it, because it makes me feel good, because I meet great people, because it forces me to do something creative on a regular basis...

[Emma]

In my imagination, a lice (louse? leece?) would look like that cute Zoloft ball of depression from the commercials. Except more oval than round, perhaps. And maybe with fangs.

[mamaloo]

I think it's fab that you're winning your category in BOB, but I think you blow all the Humorous Blogs outta the water too...nobody else makes me spit out my drink even when I'm not drinking anything.

[Shano]

"Making everyone else feel less alcoholic!"

OMG, thanks for making me pee myself. Perfect tagline. A definite keeper.

You need an illustrator? For free? Hmmm . . . wonder where you would find one of those? (Have YOUR people contact MY people. I know people.)

[leslee]

While I was reading what you "should have said" I wondered why The Reporter isn't interviewing bloggers in text, by email? He'd get more thoughtful answers, don't you think?

[GG]

My sentiments exactly,Leslee. The reporter obviously doesn't get it...YET! Hopefully, he is reading Melissa's blog entries to understand the blogging world.When can we expect to see this article? And how did he find out about you? Somebody good (and connected) must have talked you up...see, you are that good!We keep telling you!... Flea at "One Good Thing" inspires me, as do you! Also, that is why I could never blog...I'd want everyone to know I do it, but then I couldn't talk about anyone! And my blog would die a quick death.