A smattering of life
I’ve often wondered how a famous blogger like Pioneer Woman continually entertains her readers with well-photo-shopped photos, cool contests, and witty posts while life goes on around her.
What does she do, for example, when life lists to the starboard side of struggles? Can she separate her blogging life for her readers’ sake and keep private life private? That is where I stumble as a blogger.
Poker is not my game. You can guess why. I don’t have a poker face. It’s easy to look at me and know if something is bothering me. While I don’t personally think I wear my heart on my sleeve, my face is usually a window to my soul. And while I don’t usually publicize my hardships for all to read, those hardships take a toll on my writing abilities.
Nothing reminds us of our human frailty like trials and tribulations, especially those which we cannot control. Micro Management is my forte`, but Life is teaching me that some things refuse to be micro managed.
That is where I’ve found myself this past week, and that is why this is not a new and exciting post about fishing or touring or life in the wetlands.
You know I so appreciate each and every one of you readers who take the time out of your personal day to stop by to see what’s going on down the bayou. So, I promise that I will be back with a new post in a couple of days.
Just hang in here with me, won’t you?
BW
I’ll be here waiting! Take care of yourself!
Will do my best, Kim!
Life does throw “curves” and blockades; but reach for support; listen to your mind. We are all human and need others to help at times of need.
So right you are, my Arkansas Cuz! So right you are.
Me too BW,hadnt’ posted much in a while,a lot going on with my wife but still read.
Well, Ronnie, two peas in a pod, my friend!!! ‘cept I don’t have a wife 🙂 So, hang in there buddy!
BW, I happen to have discovered recently part of the reason Pioneer Woman copes so well. It’s the same as for Martha Stewart – staff! And she has a pile of money. If she can’t manage something, she can afford to pay someone else to manage it for her.
I stopped reading Pioneer Woman long ago. I still read you regularly. The reason? Pioneer Woman doesn’t just photoshop photos, she photoshops life.
‘Nuf said?
Well said, mate…real life wins every time!
Hey I got the NOLA Pyrate week email and forwarded to friends. Maybe I’ll post it here?????
Feel free; the more the merrier…we have to arrange for a Bayou get together, might as well invite everyone! (may have to look into auxiliary transport to carry more crew down from NOLA)
Oh my gosh, Linda, you just made my day! Lil Sis and I read her about four years ago and stopped. Now we know EXACTLY why! You are just so right about that. I’m actually smiling and have you to thank for it!!!!
Yeah that million dollar cottage at the ranch might tip you off or the studio like kitchen. But what the heck… I just dwell on the internet.
Always good to separate life from internet. Even if I do sleep in the hospital bed with the iPad….
I might have staff someday. Just saying…
AHA! I never took you for an PW fan, lol!!! It’s that OK cattle money!!!
I’ve been here since the begining…I reckon I’ll keep coming back. I personally don’t see how you do the things you do! Give yourself a little slack!
Ha ha, Steffi!! Is that like “slack in a rope”? : )
I know, and do you know how much I appreciate you? And your fruit cakes? : )
You are, as far as I can tell, a “real person” in the sense you have to deal with all the crappy stuff we all do from time to time. That keeps you close to our hearts. You and us are one. 🙂
I do hope you get through the current situation as smoothly and quickly as you can.
There seems to me to be a lot of heartache wafting around at the present time. A lot.
Stay real. We love you.
Yes, Carolyn, there DOES seem to be a lot of “stuff” going on right now. Down here, it’s what they call Carnival Time, but I’m not really into all that revelry and parading. Never have been. That’s why you don’t see it highlighted here on my blog. There are plenty of other folks who cover that . . . . I ran into an old friend yesterday, and she said “Hey! Call me this week we need to do supper!” So I said, “my family is going out of town next week, how about then?” To which she said, “Honey, I’m going to parades Monday night and Tuesday, come go with me!” To which I replied, “I’m not a parade person.” To which she said with enthusiasm tinged with disbelief, “Shoot, girl! All you have to do is sit in the back of the truck and pass a good time!”
Uh, thanks but no thanks–you invited me to go have supper–not take part in the insanity of Mardi Gras. All I need is to get whacked in the head with a bag of plastic beads and end up in the ER with an eye injury and not enjoy my mini-vacation from family life. Sheesh!!!
(Okay, in case Capt. Swallow reads this — don’t hold this against me, because I do wish you all the best with your Pyrate’s Parade and will even get you some beads if you need them!!!!!)
I agree that you are so real and she could never do all that she seems to have to do alone. Home school, write books, run a household with children, and add a tv show as well without lots of help.I
NO ONE does it all by themselves…that’s the way o’ things (despite what some folk would have ye believe).
Thanks for the reminder, and see my reply to Judy!!!
Judy – do I get to brag? I homeschooled all FIVE (read it — 5!) of my kids, and one of those with special needs. I wrote AND published a book in 2004/2005. I did NOT have outside or paid help; BUT, let it be known that I could not have done that unless The Captain had been willing to let me be a stay-at-home-mom; and we both had to accept a standard of living supported by one income only. And I could not have done so without the loving and able help of Dotter, who is the oldest child and ONLY girl in the bunch! She was (and still is ) an amazing offspring to whom I owe much gratitude. So, thank you for reminding me, Judy and Capt. Swallow, that I have not done what I’ve done all on my own! (Even though some paid staff might really be nice, lol!) I was homeschooling when I started this blog. Heck, my sister remembers when Pioneer Woman was just a homeschool mom like the rest of us posting on a homeschooling forum, and then ZOOOOM!!! Off she went into the blogosphere!!! So, here’s to keeping it real, Judy!
Well, I had this whole big long paragraph of encouragement but decided to erase it all since pretty much everything I had has been said above and go with ((((HUGS)))) and I am a phone call and text away if you need to vent!
***Funny side note- the other night we were discussing going to Mt. Rushmore with Nat for a Cherokee National Youth Choir event and Bryce told us to just drop him off at your house for the summer, he would manage just fine!
OH oh oh!!!! Send him on down, Mrs. Coach! I think Termite would love it! Does he realize that my house isn’t on the way to Mt. Rushmore? LOL!!!
He knows, he didn’t really care! I’m afraid if we dropped him off, we would never get him to actually come back home!
No, no, you drop him off on the condition that he GOES back home when the time comes. And one more thing, how about that “BAYOU THROWDOWN” ??? How’s that idea coming along, LOL!!!
Isn’t it amazin’ how life gets in the way of living. Real folks don’t live fairy tales and we have problems and friends to help carry the load- I’m just a phone call away if ya need to yak with someone that has a bit of distance. Luv ya gal- hang in!!! Consider this “an encourageing word” my friend
Thank you, MM and thanks again for helping with the 14″ minimum LMB size limit in the Basin! I think I might make a blog post out of why I was doing that research!!! Thanks again for the encouragement.
See, I would be blathering all over my blog about what’s bothering me whether anybody reads it or not. I don’t want to sound presumptuous, but we all know your circumstances and how you blaze through them with such strength and dignity. Your words and your example are so inspiring. You are loved and appreciated by so many. Don’t forget that, and use us for a sounding board if you need to. There are no rules that say blog life and personal life have to be separate things.
I love you, Bayou Woman!
I just read your wonderful prose email!!! I’ll be thinking about that invite and looking at my calendar when I’m finished responding to your wonderful examples of loving humanity!!
I’ll be here waiting for sure. I check in EVERY night and enjoy your blog, facebook and all the comments of your readers/friends.
I enjoy your site because you are real. You have ups/downs, triumphs/failures and all that goes with them just like the rest of us yet you still show us a way of life that many of us can only dream of. So, take time to gather yourself and we will be here when you return.
Oh my goodness — key words here: “yet you still show us a way of life that many of us can only dream of”. Those words build a fire under me that the NYFD could not extinguish, my friend!!!! Thank you, Cammy.