Today, I Celebrate 10 Years of Blogging

BloggingToday is So About What I Said’s 10th birthday!!! Can’t believe I’ve been blogging for an entire decade, friends!! It’s all gone by in a fast flash — and yet, thinking back to when I was just 27 seems like such a long time ago (maybe even a different lifetime ago)…

So, what does 10 years of blogging actually look like? How can I even begin to quantify something that, at one point, I couldn’t even wrap my head around? When I started blogging in 2008, this medium was still relatively young. People were just starting to hop on this newfangled thing called Twitter and they wouldn’t be posting selfies and photos of their breakfast on Instagram for another two years! And there was certainly no such thing as “influencers” back then! Yes, it was a different world on the Internet!

In a quick blog snapshot, things now look like this…

*6,123 published posts

*606 post drafts (those are all the ideas that I’ve saved over the years every time post inspiration struck!)

Just looking at those numbers is a good start, don’t you think? It takes something incredibly abstract like blogging and puts it into simple data — heck, at the very least, it’s a record of what I’ve been doing for the last 10 years. From the serious series like Letters To My Future Husband and My Father’s Suicide to the fun fare like Etsy Love and fashion commentary, this blog has been a chronology of my life. It’s grown and changed as I’ve grown and changed, and it’s helped me through some of my darkest hours. My blog has led me to my own domain on WordPress, which, as I’m constantly telling my mom, was THE BEST blog move I ever made!

Yet, as things changed (and I got older!), my goals for this blog have remained the same: Write and create a community that’s all about being honest, real, smart and funny. I like to think I’ve succeeded — or at least had fun stories to share about my failings and foibles!

But the abstract, hard data isn’t the whole picture. I mean, it’s not the whole story because so much of my blogging journey is hard to quantify and put into words. Trust me, I’ve been thinking about this anniversary post for months and I kept telling myself, “What if my 10th anniversary is anticlimactic? What if there’s all this build-up and then…it’s just over?” At its heart, this journey has been one of self-discovery, meeting amazing people (like YOU!) and plenty of laughs along the way.

BloggingBy now, I’m sure you’re probably wondering, who is that redhead in that illustration up there? That’s none other than Yours Truly!! Earlier this year, reader Laura asked if she could contribute her artistic magic to the blog! She’s an amazing illustrator and I screamed with joy when she sent me the finished product — just like I did when Illustrator Melissa sent me this! You know you can officially die happy when see yourself in cartoon form!

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t give a great big thank you to my mom and Janelle! They’ve both encouraged me and kept me going, even when I’d get down on myself. Their support and love means the world to me, and I hope they know just how special and wonderful they are.

Did I think my blog would still be around in 2018…? Heck no! Would I be who I am today if I never started blogging? I sincerely don’t think so. This has been one wild and life-affirming ride, and I look forward to the next 10 years! Please say you’ll join me. We make a great team, don’t you think?!? I love you, friends! Always and forever… xoxo

[Photo via Unsplash]

Family Photos: Birthday Merriment and Ms. Bear’s Meatloaf

Birthday MerrimentSerious question: Do I look older?? I mean, I have been 37 years old for a whole 11 days, after all. Are the ravages of time starting to show yet? Why would I be so worried, you might ask? Oh, because, well, let’s just say that I was quite the party animal during my Birthday Break and the birthday merriment was turned up to 100 ALL THE TIME!!!

What? You don’t believe me? Well, just check out this photographic proof. As the young people say, I’ve got receipts — a whole bunch of them, in fact, and they all have one big thing in common: They tell the story of my debauchery, my undoing, my fondness for getting down with my bad self and watching…musical TV shows of the ’90s. Yup, buckle up! Things are about to get really real — and, of course, really wild…

You might remember my Big City Shenanigans last year, where I got to experience the thrill of dinosaurs up close and take a sunny stroll along Lake Michigan with my two favorite people! While that little getaway was super fun, I just felt like having a quiet birthday this year. We decided to stay close to home, and, honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted to spend it any other way. We played some games, watched some NCIS (how amazing is that show?) and just enjoyed a nice family celebration all the way around.

Birthday Merriment Birthday MerrimentIt’s become somewhat of a tradition to have my mom snap a photo of me opening my birthday merriment gifts. I’m in love with this angel figure that my sister got me; in fact, I even named her Angelique and added her to my collection of angels, but more on my collections in an upcoming blog post!

Birthday MerrimentAlso, see that pan of deliciousness? Janelle asked me what she could make for my special birthday merriment dessert and I was dying for her classic Rice Krispie treats! Her secret ingredients to give them an extra kick of sweet flavor? Almond and sprinkles!! They’re gooey and oh-so-scrumptious! We finished the pan in about a week! And now I’m craving them AGAIN!!

Birthday MerrimentAnd Ms. Bear’s meatloaf?!?!? Where do I even begin??? She makes the very best, most delicious meatloaf in all the universe, so there was no doubt that I wanted that for my birthday dinner. In typical Ms. Bear fashion, she made so much that we still have quite a bit left in the freezer, which is obviously fine by me!!! I’d eat it every day, if you ask me!!!

Birthday MerrimentWondering what I meant when I opened this post with a nod to ’90s musical TV shows??? Two words: KIDS INCORPORATED. I was beyond obsessed with this show as a kid, so when I found all the episodes on YouTube, it was all I could do not to bust out the shoulder pads and leg warmers! I’m almost done with season one and am psyched to relive my childhood for EIGHT more seasons of toe-tapping song and dance!!

Birthday MerrimentBut the very best moment of my Birthday Break this year? Whitney and Stella are finally, at long last, getting a bit more fond of each other. Here they actually sitting next to each other on the bed. That’s HUGE and such a big step for both of them!!! It made us all so happy to see!!

Thanks, too, for all the sweet birthday wishes, friends!! I appreciate you coming on this journey with me and can’t wait to see what my 37th year will bring!!

I closed out my day of birthday merriment by reading all your sweet messages!! Thank you for being such a powerful force in my life!! I hope you know how much I appreciate your love and support. As trying as some moments have been this year, I still feel surrounded by love, light and happiness. No dark clouds can dim that light.

I’m ready for ya, 37. Let’s do this… xoxo

🎂My 37th Birthday: On Changes, Challenges and Celebrations🎉

BirthdayOh, hi there, my 37th birthday!! So nice of you to drop in again!

It’s honestly hard to believe that I’ve taken another trip around the sun already.

12 months. 52 weeks. 365 days. 8,760 hours. 525,600 minutes. And 4 seasons.

And, wow, what an eventful trip it’s been!! My 36th year was one of ups and downs, of personal and professional wins and losses, of heartbreak and healing. I’ve certainly felt like I was on a roller coaster of emotions at times and I’m most certainly NOT naive when it comes to said emotional roller coaster, either. Trust me, I know it’s going to continue throughout all the years of my life. If you look at life like that — that every year you go around on that roller coaster is another year that you’re LIVING — well, then, I suppose that I should be pretty grateful for those ups and downs, huh?

Part of me isn’t too sure how to feel about my birthday this year, actually. I mean, 37 just feels like it’s going to be an odd age. I’ve reached that dreaded point in my 30s where I can no longer say “I’m in my mid-30s.” I’m officially in my late 30s! Yikes! Although, perhaps I can get away with saying “Oh, little old me? I’m in my late mid-30s“? That has a very nice ring to it, if you ask me!

I took the above selfie last week, while I was sitting outside and enjoying the classic Portillo’s jazz music and waiting for friends to arrive. How appropriate that Toy Story’s “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” came on! It reminded me that I have such wonderful people around me. As trying as some moments have been this year, I still feel surrounded by love, light and happiness. No dark clouds (or haters…) can dim that light.

Thank you, friends, for being such a powerful force in my life!! I hope you know how much I appreciate your love and support. As I’ve said before, we make a pretty amazingly awesome team, don’t you think?!?!?

BirthdayI’m taking my classic Birthday Break next week and I can’t wait to rendezvous back here on Monday, August 13th! Coming up that week: Birthday photos, a new guest post from Ms. Bear on what she learned this summer and…MY NEW DIGS!!!! Curious about that last one?? You’ll see!!! I’m always on Twitter and Facebook so come by and say hello!!! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a hearty dinner of my mom’s meatloaf and a delicious dessert of my sister’s delicious Rice Krispies treats calling my name!!! xoxo

P.S. My last NINE birthdays: 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 35th and 36th!!!

[Bottom photo via We Heart It]

What I Want My Mom to Know on Her Birthday

I Want My Mom to KnowAs hard as it is to believe (she looks so youthful, doesn’t she?), Ms. Bear has been 61 years old for 364 days already! And in that time, she’s taught me so much about life, love and the art of being a good person. She makes it all look so easy, and it made me realize something very important: There are so many things I want my mom to know, especially this year. And because I know she looooves reading blog posts about herself, here are 3 things I hope you remember, MOM…

You are magical: You are such a light in so many people’s lives. You bring this wave of positive energy with you, and it makes me smile just thinking about it. Sometimes I don’t think you realize what a wonderful impact you have on the world — or maybe you’re just too humble to admit it? Either way, the world would definitely be a much better place if we could somehow bottle up some of that magic because it could really change the world!

You are loved: I’m sure you know this already, but you have SO MANY PEOPLE around you who love you and want to support you in everything you do. Please, let those people take care of you. That’s easy said than done for you, I know, but please try. It’s OK to lean on people; you do so much for everyone else, so it’s time to let them return the favor. And, not to sound too creepy, but you know I’m your biggest fan and love you more than anything in the whole world!!!

You are my hero: I hope you’re not rolling your eyes right now and telling me, “don’t be creepy!” But it is true — you are my hero. I think of everything we’ve been through over the years — all the medical stuff, father’s death — and you’ve been my rock through it all. I wouldn’t have made it through if it weren’t for you, so I hope you know just how much I applaud you and look up to you. You are one amazing lady!!

The years? Well, they’re just flying by and I absolutely HATE that sometimes! I always say that I wish I could just stop time, if only for a day, because everything moves just too fast. So, this year, I hope my mom will slow down. Not a lot, because I know that is nearly impossible for her — if you know her, you’d know that she always has to be doing something, going somewhere, getting something done.

I Want My Mom to KnowPlease, friends, help me encourage her to just be during her 62nd year. Comment below with your best tips about slowing down and taking time to relax. After all, I can’t think of anyone else who deserves it more than she does. Happy birthday, Ms. Bear!!! We ALL love you!!!! xoxo

Blog Anniversary: Nine Years Ago

Blog AnniversaryWow!! Wow!! Wow!! It’s hard to believe yet another year has come and gone, but here I am, celebrating So About What I Said’s blog anniversary!!

Nine years ago TODAY, I sat at our old Dell desktop computer and wrote the first post of this very blog. I was just 27. I didn’t really know what exactly I was doing, and I most definitely didn’t know what this blog would become over the years.

But now, after 5,847 posts and one full year of being self-hosted, I’m seeing what this blog has become and, well, it floors me EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I’ve been thinking all week of how I can properly mark this anniversary. All I kept thinking, though, is that this anniversary is sort of anticlimactic. I mean, compared to next year’s 10-year anniversary (a whole DECADE?!?), nine years just kind of…falls flat, you know?

And then I realized something: You can’t have an anniversary without going through the one before it. I can’t have a 10-year without a 9-year. So this year means something. It reflects all the stepping stones I’ve walked to get here — metaphorical stepping stones, of course! In a way, I suppose, it truly validates this journey I’ve been on all these years. You know me, I’m all about keeping it real.

Speaking of real, I wanted to take an appropriate pic for this post. Above all, it had to represent me, of course. Some people try to present a meticulously flawless, perfect version of themselves online — Instagrammers, I’m looking at you with your Starbucks selfies. Me? I have no trouble presenting the real me in the above photo, which perfectly captures my life as a freelance writer. In my case, that includes my classic yellow sweater, hair that’s a bit wild and, yes, I think that’s a piece of food on my shirt! #NoShame

This space and YOU, the amazing readers who keep coming back to read about my awkwardness and outspokenness, are the true treasures of my life. I love and appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. This year alone, I’ve had some very hurtful curves thrown my way. People have tried to tell me that I shouldn’t write about my life and have minimized my job as a writer. I wish I could say I didn’t let them get in my head, but they did. For far too long. But the people who really matter and mean the most to me lifted me up! They pulled me out of that dark place and helped me realize that THIS is what I’m meant to do — to tell my story honestly and openly. Thank you for letting me do this for NINE YEARS!!! Here’s to many more years of laughing and sharing!

I LOVE YOU ALL… xoxo