I leave soon for the Blog World Expo in Las Vegas...

I will join Andi, Some Soldier's Mom, ArmyWifeToddlerMom and ButterflyWife on Friday's milblogging panel called "Meanwhile, Back on the Homefront." It should be a good time!

I am hoping that I will have good connectivity at something called the "blog world expo," so I might not be out of the loop.

And I haven't gained any pregnancy weight yet, so if I can handle it, my baby and I will be hitting the buffet!

Mmmm, Vegas.

Posted by: Sarah at 07:31 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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1 Heh, buffets. Definitely aren't enough of those in Vegas, huh? Have a good time. I wish I was going too! Call me when you get back....

Posted by: Erin at November 07, 2007 07:48 AM (tO3T7)

2 Have fun!!Enjoy the trip(and, of course, the food) and give Carla a hug, from me!!

Posted by: debey at November 07, 2007 08:06 AM (kocrl)

3 *Sniff* I am going to miss being your roommate. Have fun, and I look forward to hearing about it!

Posted by: CaliValleyGirl at November 07, 2007 10:43 AM (B2kpS)

4 See you in a few hours!

Posted by: Butterfly Wife at November 07, 2007 12:01 PM (/LiOe)

5 Man ... who schedules a convention in the middle of the week? Ai. Have fun!

Posted by: Anwyn at November 07, 2007 04:19 PM (dzxw9)

6 Enjoy the convention. I followed here from AWTM and commented there about how I would love to apologize to all the SpouseBUZZ people for flaking like I have never flaked before in my life. Also, I'm trying to give my MilSpouse blog a makeover into something useful to the community rather than abandoning it to the spammers. So, I gave it a spiffy new template and I'm hosting carnivals, but I don't know if they will take off, yet. I would love if you would participate and spread the word, please. The first one is up and the second one will go up on Monday. I figure I'll give it until the end of the month to see if it can be revived or not. Please come on by if you have a chance!

Posted by: Molly Pitcher at November 08, 2007 06:08 AM (SxCBr)

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For the very first time since I started blogging, I looked up what people were googling to get to me. I was surprised at how inspirational some of the searches were:

"not because it is easy, but because it is hard" quote

preservation of liberty and justice 300 george bush

Queen Gorgo's speech

Inspirational sayings for a husband who is deployed

donate stairs OR decks for servicemen coming home with an injured leg

"Every generation has its heroes. This one is no different"

always trying to explain to someone who doesn't think it is logical

And my favorite search:

A man who has nothing which he cares about more than he does about his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the existing of better men than himself

Of course, I also loved this one:

"is he a terminator from the future"

Posted by: Sarah at 07:53 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 Told Ya!!! You're good! Ruth

Posted by: Ruth H at November 05, 2007 08:48 AM (Bgs6y)

2 My husband's most popular search string is "the importance of being on time". It cracks him up how many hits he gets for that one. Heh, maybe you'll get those hits now, too, since I mentioned it.

Posted by: deltasierra at November 05, 2007 02:02 PM (woXks)

3 How in the heck do you do this? The internet is magic I tells ye!

Posted by: maryindiana at November 05, 2007 08:02 PM (68Vv2)

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Dear Butterfly Wife,

I have no idea what you're talking about with needing to whiten your teeth. I certainly didn't notice that when we met. I was too busy feeling like a fool because I couldn't figure out how to read the menu at the coffee shop. I can never read coffee shop menus, and since I didn't want to look like a dunce, I pretended that I didn't really need to eat any breakfast. So I starved and then made my husband take me to a gas station on the way home and get me some food.

I didn't notice your teeth, I just noticed that my husband, who generally doesn't like conversation with anyone, seemed to be having a good time talking to you about Iraq. That's an awful big compliment in his book.

And you're wearing make up in Vegas? Crap. I am so out of my league here.

Oh and also, the weight thing? Hogwash. From reading your blog, I expected you to weigh 300 lbs when I met you. You look great. Don't be so hard on yourself.

Can't wait to see you again in Vegas!
Sarah

P.S. You need to copy this post and put it up on your own blog so your readers can hear somebody saying that you have nice teeth and a normal sized butt. They're going to picture you as a freak of nature if they go by your description of yourself.

Posted by: Sarah at 10:36 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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1 LMAO!! My apparent normal sized "A". which is also hogwash. Even if I was a size 4, I would have a JLo butt. Not bad for a white girl. ;-) Thanks for the serious laugh. Will post at my place.

Posted by: Butterfly Wife at October 16, 2007 11:30 AM (G9siZ)

2 TO funny.

Posted by: Reasa at October 16, 2007 01:37 PM (JfF5d)

3 So I am going to be hanging out with someone that looks 15 despite living on bourbon and cigarettes, and someone who has the @#$ of J Lo....(BW , wear hot pants) man oh man is Vegas going to rule...

Posted by: armywifetoddlermom at October 16, 2007 08:36 PM (bpXtT)

4 Still laughing and showing off my sparkling white teeth I might add!

Posted by: Butterfly Wife at October 17, 2007 10:00 AM (G9siZ)

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The husband and I were talking about the concept of The Only Child the other day and decided it need not be a bad thing. They usually have a rep for being spoiled, but I pointed out plenty of people in this world with siblings who are self-centered beyond belief. I held up Gnat as a shining example of a seemingly well-rounded only child. And then I laughed: "If Gnat ends up with any neuroses, it won't be from being on only child; it will be from the fact that her life has been shared with the world in Being John Malkovitch style!"

It was a bit coincidental, this conversation we had.
Today Gnat learned that the world knows her as Gnat.

Posted by: Sarah at 05:04 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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1 Well, let me give you an example of how it can all go horribly wrong - JUSTIN is an only child.

Posted by: Genie at October 09, 2007 08:24 AM (0unWs)

2 Parenting is the reason for kids being spoiled, not whether they are an only child or not. Many only children tend to pick up the "spoiled" label because parents with an only child generally have more money... this means the only child has more stuff than if the parents had more kids. This leads to jealousy... yada yada yada. In the end - what are the kids like? Are they polite and well behaved in public for the most part? If they are, the parents are doing a good job, regardless of how many children they have.

Posted by: Teresa at October 09, 2007 09:57 AM (rVIv9)

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The husband and I have been catching up on TV series that came out while we were in Germany. We've been watching My Name is Earl lately and loving every minute. Last night we saw the most touching episode...

(Spoiler alert: If you want to watch the show and haven't made it through half of season two, you might not want me to ruin a wonderful episode surprise.)

Earl goes to do right by the guy he locked in a truck and finds the guy dead in his apartment. Earl decides the way to make amends is to throw the man a funeral since he can't seem to find anyone else to do it. This guy doesn't seem to have had any friends at all. No one knows anything about him. Earl throws a lame funeral and goes to clean the man's apartment out. He bumps the computer and finds dozens of IM screens from the man's online friends.

Turns out the guy's Real Life was all online. He didn't have any close friends in Camden County, but he had a vibrant social life in online poker, blogs, and chat rooms. All his online friends came to his second funeral and sent the man off in style.

My husband turned to me and said, "Oh, honey, he's just like you!" I just nodded because of the lump in my throat.

Best TV funeral since the 21 Pin Salute on Ed.

Posted by: Sarah at 03:11 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Lorie Byrd invited me and other local bloggers to a gubernatorial campaign event for Fred Smith. We bloggers got free admission to this fundraiser and were treated like bigwigs. In fact, real bigwigs were locked out of Senator Smith's home while he talked to us bloggers. It was a real treat.

By now you know that I usually feel like a kid at the grown-ups' table when it comes to these blog events. I'm just happy to be taken seriously at all, especially since my blog has basically devolved into talking about knitted octopi and...um...other uninteresting crap. I like using my blog to talk about my opinions and values as much as the next person, but I am not so in touch with the actual implementation of policy, especially at the local level. I am rather a dunce at that sort of thing. Plus, with moving around every year or so, I've never really participated in local politics. So Wednesday when I was surrounded by bloggers asking Sen. Smith good questions about his campaign, I sure felt like I didn't belong. But I did what I think one should do in such situations: shut the hell up and let the smart people talk.

After I listened to Sen. Smith talk about his ideas and experience, my mind couldn't help but wander to what a strange thing politics is. I have never met a politician before, so I couldn't help but analyze the situation. Sen. Smith probably can't ever just have a normal conversation with people. He must constantly expect questions about policies and projects. He has to carefully think about every single thing he says. I can look like an inexperienced jackass in his home, but he sure can't. The whole idea seems so weird to me. He's supposed to be prepared and infallible, seven days a week.

And yet, he doesn't have that Bill Clinton vibe. That's what I normally think of when I imagine the archetypical politician, the selling-ice-to-an-Eskimo type of guy. Fred Smith didn't have a toothy grin and a golly-shucks attitude. I personally thought he was intimidating. I didn't feel at ease on that sofa in his living room, and I wondered why I was feeling so stupid sitting there. And then I remembered something: I usually feel stupid in the company of great men.

Likeability is a big factor in politics. As I sat there with Fred Smith, I realized it shouldn't be. Whether or not you like someone has no bearing on how effective he'd be as governor. He doesn't have to be dripping with honey if his ideas are sound. It's better to have a no-nonsense man in charge than a used car salesman type. I'd rather have him have a plan for the state than be able to effectively kiss a baby. And most of his ideas and the vision he lays out on his website seem pretty sound. I like his stuff. I like that he said that the government should be "good stewards of my money." I like that he said he wants to run for office as a businessman, as if he's marketing a product. More things in government should be run like a business, in my opinion, where results count more than intentions do.

I'm looking forward to hearing more about Fred Smith.

Sen. Smith's guest of honor for the evening was Lee Greenwood. I got to meet him and talk to him a little about my husband's service. (More evidence that people still think I'm a teenager: when he heard I was a military family, Lee Greenwood asked me how long my father has been in.) I got to tell him about how we wanted to perform a rendition of his "God Bless the USA" in a talent show when I studied in France but the school wouldn't let us because they said it was jingoistic. Stupid France. Mr. Greenwood was super nice in person and a lot of fun in the concert he gave after the meet and greet. He even made a mention of my husband and me during his concert, which was such a nice thing to do. When he says he supports the troops, he darn sure means it.

It was so nice to be invited to this campaign event. I'm always excited to be surrounded by fellow right-wingers! And I think it's really cool that Sen. Smith reached out to bloggers and gave us the royal treatment. I look forward to following his campaign.

More recaps of the night from the other bloggers:
Inner Banks Eagle covers the Blogger Conference, the reception in Fred Smith's home (complete with photo of me and Mrs. Smith!) and the Lee Greenwood concert
Red Clay Citizen
Spinning the World in the Right Direction
Election Projection

Posted by: Sarah at 04:32 AM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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1 What you said here was SO true, Sarah, and something I think we keep forgetting: "I didn't feel at ease on that sofa in his living room, and I wondered why I was feeling so stupid sitting there. And then I remembered something: I usually feel stupid in the company of great men. Likeability is a big factor in politics. As I sat there with Fred Smith, I realized it shouldn't be." This is not a popularity contest - or at least, it shouldn't be. At the same time, though, for myself I would pay attention to feelings of not liking a candidate, if only to figure out why. The answer to THAT question can be painfully enlightening, as well. . . . So cool you got the chance to sit in on something like that - I certainly appreciate the - for me - important insight. I think I'm going to remember that.

Posted by: prophet at September 28, 2007 04:59 AM (Yagmr)

2 It really had nothing to do with Fred Smith why I felt uncomfortable. I was unprepared to really delve into policy questions. And he was in Politician Mode, ready to answer tough questions from bloggers just like he does from other media. Later when he was just mingling and talking to folks, he seemed nice and approachable. But really, so what if he's not. You don't have to be approachable to have the right answers.

Posted by: Sarah at September 28, 2007 07:01 AM (TWet1)

3 "You don't have to be approachable to have the right answers." True. But approachability helps to propagate the right answer. And unfortunately, some people equate what they perceive as "aloofness" with "not having anything worth sharing" (i.e., not having the right answer). (None of this is a comment on Fred Smith, about whom I know nothing.)

Posted by: Amritas at September 28, 2007 09:35 AM (+nV09)

4 I was at the blogger conference both this year and last and Sarah is right about Fred being all business when taking questions from the media and talking about policy. I was a little intimidated myself last year when listening to some of the other bloggers asking questions about local politics, which I did not follow closely then. She is also right about him being friendly and approachable when not in that press conference setting though. I would encourage anyone in NC to go to one of his BBQs when he gets to your county. He does not leave until he has spoken to everyone who wants to talk to him (which is typically everyone in attendance) and signed every book. Both in the book and from county to county in what will amount to over 100 BBQs, he is putting himself out there and inviting people to decide whether or not he is what they want in a governor. Everyone I have talked to has liked what they have seen.

Posted by: Lorie at September 28, 2007 01:38 PM (RkBJk)

5 I guess the part I find interesting is just how important we feel the approachability - 'likeability' - quotient is in our elected officials. It's a delicate balance, isn't it? On the one hand, our elected representative ought to be approachable by us - the electers. But on another level, he ought not to be concerned with popularity polls or with trying to curry public favor, because pubic "opinion" is as changeable as the wind. Abraham Lincoln comes to mind: he was eminently approachable, yet unswerving as straight steel. The fact of the matter is that the President of the United States will likely not be our close personal friend. It's a physical - and real - impossibility to be close friends with every American citizen. Anything that leads us to believe he is - or will be - our "friend" is show-bis. (and if I try to spell that with a zee, it rejects this comment for "questionable content"?) Anyway: Why do we ask that of our prospective President?

Posted by: prophet at September 30, 2007 07:42 AM (Yagmr)

6 prophet, "he ought not to be concerned with popularity polls or with trying to curry public favor" I agree. I would add another reason: Popularity has no inherent value. The majority can be right or wrong. A leader is supposed to do what's right. (Yes, I realize that the definition of 'right' is up for grabs ...) "unswerving as straight steel" I also see this quality as lacking inherent value. Being unswerving is not a virtue if you insist on driving straight off a cliff. I see the ideal leader as adaptable, which isn't the same as wishy-washy. Why do we demand 'likability' from our leaders? Good question. I think it's because we've evolved to deal with people on a personal level. Until very recently in human history (i.e., the last few millennia), there was no concept of VIPs far, far away from you. In caveman times, the chief of your tribe was somebody you saw every day. Until *extremely* recently, distant VIPs were just vague notions in people's heads. The only people anyone ever saw were the people in their immediate village. The king was Some Guy Far, Far Away. People probably never even saw a painting of the guy. There were no newspapers, no photography, no video, no YouTube. But now the mass media allow us to indulge in the illusion of 'knowing' people. Although the celebs have no idea we exist, we not only know that they exist, but can see and hear every detail of their public lives (and receive reports alleging what they do in private). We're wired to react to people we 'know', and we feel we 'know' those strangers. And we want these 'familiar' strangers to be 'likable'.

Posted by: Amritas at September 30, 2007 07:31 PM (02w/M)

7 Granted, Amritas, foolish inflexibility in the name of integrity would not be a virtue to aspire to. And I don't think you implied that I did. . . It's funny though, because I think that we are VERY FAR indeed away from the danger of foolishly sticking to a course of action. If we are in danger of heading off a cliff, it may very well be because we DON'T stick to anything! We don't do anything long enough to see what good it does. We are swayed from one extreme to the other, at the whiff of the slightest change in "public opinion". C.S. Lewis put it well in Screwtape Letters The use of Fashions in thought is to distract the attention of men from their real dangers. We direct the fashionable outcry of each generation against those vices of which it is least in danger and fix its approval on the virtue nearest to that vice which we are trying to make endemic. The game is to have them all runing about with fire extinguishers whenever there is a flood, and all crowding to that side of the boat which is already nearly gunwale under. Thus we make it fashionable to expose the dangers of enthusiam at the very moment when they are all really becoming worldly and lukewarm [and, I might add: we descry the folly of stubborn persistence on a dangerous path at the very moment when there IS no safe path and the only safety to be had - if any - is by all sticking together, heading in the same direction.] We're like a bunch of foolish chickens, running about aimlessly. Perhaps "unswerving straight steel" may indeed be seen as a virtue if we're talking about tracks to run on. It is not so good an image if we're talking about how we conduct our relationships. I think that what I was trying to convey was a sense of personal integrity - something that holds and does not change at a whim - even as it takes people and circumstances into account. I guess it's the old 'ends' versus 'means' debate, eh?

Posted by: prophet at October 01, 2007 08:56 AM (Yagmr)

8 Sarah, it's very cool that you were invited to this event. Yay for you! Who knows where this will next lead you? You've been in a book, you've attended a getting-to-know-you event, what's next? Lovely picture of you, by the way Kate

Posted by: Kate at October 01, 2007 11:49 AM (tB/4l)

9 prophet, No argument from me at all. It looks like we want the same things from our leaders. I was using the term "wishy-washy" to refer to what you were criticizing in your most recent post: fluctuating by following fashion. Of course, the point at which changing one's mind becomes "adaptable" (what you describe as "people and circumstances into account") as opposed to "wishy-washy" (what you describe as "running about aimlessly") is open to debate. Everyone wants "integrity" but not everyone *perceives* "integrity" in the same person. Suppose I change my mind about issue X: my view is now A instead of B. And it turns out that 51% of the public believe in B instead of A. If you are my ally, you will say that I mean it when I claim I considered the evidence and came to the right conclusion. If you are my foe, you will brand me as an appeaser - a panderer. Without more details, what conclusion can you rightfully draw from the correlation between my new view and the public view? None, I'd say. These beliefs about me say more about others' tribal loyalties than they say about my integrity. But add context. Suppose it turns out I have a long history of jumping on bandwagons. Then a pattern becomes clear: I'm a follower, not a leader. Followers are dangerous, because reality is not a democracy. If the majority believes something that is not true, or that is outright dangerous, and a 'leader' follows this just to get votes, that person not only has no integrity, but is also doing the public a disservice. If everyone in a theater believes the theater isn't on fire, and a 'leader' goes along with this instead of shouting, "Let's get outta here!" he's won the election, but he'll 'lead' his constituents to their deaths.

Posted by: Amritas at October 01, 2007 05:25 PM (02w/M)

10 "reality is not a democracy." By this I meant to say that majority belief does not make something true. A leader should pursue truth and convince others to join him in that pursuit.

Posted by: Amritas at October 01, 2007 05:28 PM (02w/M)

11 Clarification #2 (sorry, Sarah): "If everyone in a theater believes the theater isn't on fire, and a 'leader' goes along with this instead of shouting, 'Let's get outta here!' he's won the election, but he'll 'lead' his constituents to their deaths." This should read, "If everyone in a burning theater believes the theater isn't on fire ..."

Posted by: Amritas at October 01, 2007 05:30 PM (02w/M)

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AWTM wants me to post at SpouseBUZZ about 9/11. She said, "I think it is funny how Homefront6 describes the disbelief and sadness, you pride, and me disappointment today." She wanted me to show another perspective.

But I don't think I can do it.

Expressing pride on 9/11 is not the normal feeling, even if it is the pride of knowing that your family is working to make sure it never happens again. And, for me, any expression of pride has to come with an explanation rooted in politics. Because, sadly enough, 9/11 is still highly political. And SpouseBUZZ is not.

So I can tell you here that I feel good that, six years on, my anger is properly channeled and I've settled into a good pace on this marathon we're running. But I don't feel comfortable saying it there.

Posted by: Sarah at 11:40 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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While I'm admittedly over-sensitive, there are some criticisms that are just too laughable to let them bother me. It appears that my "nemesis" has rediscovered all the reasons he fell in hate with me in the first place. Ha. I've never linked to him before because he doesn't really deserve any traffic, but what the heck. Go see how much I get under his skin, for some hilarious reason. You can just feel how much it galls him that I like Walmart.

War Cheerleaders, Laptop Warriors, and Other Everyday Loons

How touching that he hasn't posted since February but took the time today to crank out an entry on me. Gosh, I feel so special.

I guess I'm supposed to feel bad that there's a war on and I'm knitting instead of running to the nearest recruiter's station. Sorry, that's not as unique of a jab as it may seem. Besides, all those squares I crocheted will be assembled into an afghan for wounded servicemembers, so even my yarnwork is doing its part for the war. Plus, saying my husband's service isn't enough and that I need to join too, isn't that the grown-up equivalent of playground logic: "If you love the war so much, why don't you marry it?"

So thanks to No Name Person for coming out of blog retirement to make fun of me again. And thanks a bunch for coming and leaving a comment for me so I would be sure to see the post; it was such a classy move, and otherwise I would never have known that your precious little site was still in operation.

And let me know when you come up with more material for ridiculing me in the future. I can't wait!

Posted by: Sarah at 04:40 AM | Comments (16) | Add Comment
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Are we still worrying about females blogging? Sheesh. Teresa knocks this one out of the park. Oh, and those Dennis Hopper commercials rankle my husband to no end.

Posted by: Sarah at 04:33 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Normally, I blog the minute my temper flares. I don't draft, I don't proofread, I just bang out my emotional diatribe and shove it onto the internet. Sometimes I later wish I'd said something differently, or taken a different angle, or avoided blogging on the topic altogether. But I hardly ever learn and continue to blog without mulling things over. I'm glad that being on vacation prevented me from doing that this week.

On Wednesday, I found out that a very good friend from high school, one I hadn't seen or heard from in ten years, was right under my nose. I walked into his office thinking I'd knock his pants off and was a tad puzzled that he didn't seem to be as surprised to see me as he should have been. The first words out of his mouth: "Hey, Sarah! Good to see you! I read your blog, and I'm one of those dirty liberals you hate." Gulp.

We had a pleasant talk about other stuff for a short while, but on the drive home I was fighting back tears. I figured I may as well have shown up to his office naked. Because of this stupid blog, he already knew everything there was to know about me and had pigeonholed me into nutjobland before I even opened my mouth. And what is with this telephone-tag group of my high school friends reading my blog? Here's a tip for incognito bloggers: when someone from your high school gets murdered, don't blog about it. People googling the story will find you. I hadn't talked to this friend in ten years, but he heard from Billy Bob who heard from Betsy Sue that Sarah has a blog. He's been reading it for lord knows how long but has never commented, emailed or left any hint of his presence.

I tried to imagine if other bloggers ever get that naked feeling when they meet someone new. Surely Glenn Reynolds is surrounded by liberal profs who know more about his blog than they do about him as a person. But my husband unhelpfully pointed out that Reynolds is a lawyer and far better equipped than I to handle shock and exposure.

So anyway, on Wednesday I was done as a blogger. I was ready to shut down this site so I could avoid the horrible feeling of being outed, which seems to happen more and more frequently these days. I don't even know if I have any strangers left reading my blog; it's all my uncle, my parents' next door neighbor, my entire high school physics class, and my neighborhood from Germany. And if I hadn't been on vacation and having to go home and prepare for my husband's birthday party, I would've headed straight to the computer and announced that I was shutting down this infernal blog.

Luckily, I actually had to calm myself down and think as I cooked the creamed corn. I reminded myself of all the wonderful things that have come from blogging. That my blog friends were calling and emailing me during my vacation. That people online took up the slack when my husband was deployed, and people like Toni sent me postcards of encouragement while people from my real life were ignoring me. That I wouldn't be heading to Hawaii next month for a blogger's wedding. Would I fly to Hawaii to see anyone else in my life? Doubtful...

And as I went through all the things blogging has brought into my life, I began to feel much better. I decided it doesn't really matter deep down if people from my high school are reading this thing, because I only talk to them once a decade. I talk to my blog buddies every day. Last week, CaliValleyGirl asked, "At what point does someone from one's blogging life, become someone from one's Real Life?" I think I'm making that shift, or at least realizing that my blogging life matters to me a whole lot more than my real life does. I don't even have any friends in my real life anymore.

And as I stirred that creamed corn, I also realized that I was right to start this blog. I had less like-minded friends around me than I even thought. Four years ago, I wrote:

I care about my friends and I don't want to lose all of them. But I wish I had friends that I could talk to about how I feel about the world. I have my husband and my mother, and that is basically it...and my mother lives an ocean away and my husband will be gone for a year. We're new to our post here in Germany so I don't have any strong relationships yet, and despite my efforts, I don't hear from my old friends that often. When my grandmother died, I called my mom's best friend to talk about it, and I realized how pathetic I am that I don't have anyone I can count on anymore. And the few relationships I've been trying to hang on to really disappointed me this past week.

I'm at a crossroads in my life where I am realizing that people don't stay friends forever (remember, I'm only 26) and that it's OK to grow apart and move on. I'd like to maintain a casual friendship with some of these people, but I'd really like to find someone who understands me and shares some common ground. I'm at a point where I more look forward to an email from Tim or Marc than from any friends back home, and that bothers me. It makes me feel lonely, but not lonely enough that I think I should keep pretending to be something I'm not so that someone will stay my friend.

I started this blog because I thought that all my friends were too liberal for me and I wanted an outlet for my true beliefs. It bothered me when all those friends found this blog and learned the shocking truth about Sarah. And in reading this old blog post, I see I haven't come as far in the past four years as I wish I had. I still worry that people won't like the real me, when in fact I should just focus on the fact that I have made friends like Tim and Marc who do like me for who I am today, not for who I was in physics lab a decade ago.

And again, if I had banged this out in typical blogging fashion, I wouldn't have been able to include a postscript: I got an email from this friend I chatted with in my hometown, an email in which he mused that it must be really hard to have a blog where everyone assumes they know everything about you, and that there's nothing I could write that would stop the two of us from being friends. And he signed it from "your pinko commie friend." And in the end, I feel better that he knows the real me than if I'd gone into his shop and chitchatted about inanities for half an hour.

For those of you who missed me while I was on vacation, be thankful you didn't hear from me on Wednesday; I would've quit. It's amazing what a few deep breaths can do.

And for those of you from my physics class, this is the real Sarah. I hope you like it, or at least tolerate it. And that it doesn't detract at all from your memories of the girl who nearly set both her partners on fire during the experiment on angular momentum.

UPDATE:

I'm afraid after rereading my post -- dang, and I drafted this one too! -- maybe my friend came off sounding mean or rude, which was not the case. He has been nothing but nice over the past week; this post was about my reaction to feeling exposed, not anything he did or said that bothered me. Please don't think I was mad at him. But if there are others out there from ol' RHS, I'd love to hear from you before I walk into your place of business and feel like a jackass.

Oh, and this is the friend who handed me The Fountainhead. I have him to thank for that, no matter how dirty and pinko he is. And the physics experiment: that falling pendulum making sparks on the paper around the pulley fell a little too fast and made a nice fire instead of a little hole in the paper. And Sarah stood there stuttering while her friend got singed fingers and the teacher barked at her to stop being a moron and put the fire out.

Posted by: Sarah at 02:54 AM | Comments (21) | Add Comment
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1 VERY glad you didn't "hit and run". You would be missed, dear lady! It's funny, because I've been looking at "real life" vs "Blogging life" and realize they have now become one. My closest friends are bloggers. The causes I support, I found via blogging. My main communication on a daily basis....blogging. It doesn't make sense to everyone, but then again, it doesn't have to. If it works for us, then that's all that matters.....

Posted by: Tammi at August 13, 2007 03:39 AM (F/bmV)

2 I admire people who have the courage to say something (of actual substance) on a blog. I enjoy writing but hold back for all of reasons you've laid out in this post. I was never ultra opinionated in high school or college, or I should say that I was never passionate about the issues back then, and I'm always afraid of stepping on someone's toes. It's so easy to be misunderstood in writing--to have your words be misconstrued--and that frightens me.

Posted by: Nicole at August 13, 2007 04:13 AM (S/s4V)

3 I'm certainly glad you didn't quit. Was the guy actually pissed, or was he just making sure you knew where he stood, politically-speaking? The 'good to see you' part sounds like he couldn't have been too furious. I've been reading your blog for a while, and can't remember you ever using a phrase like "dirty liberals." Indeed, you don't use much invective by blogosphere or MSM standards, let alone by talk-radio standards.

Posted by: david foster at August 13, 2007 04:29 AM (gguM0)

4 Well I am sure glad you didn't quit. In fact after we met last week, I went home and confessed my blog to a friend whose response was that's cool to talk about your feelings. That surprised me a bit. It felt like having someone go through my underwear drawer; I felt like I had completely exposed myself. But now I don't have to worry about that person finding me out.

Posted by: Butterfly Wife at August 13, 2007 05:13 AM (+2qii)

5 I'm glad you didn't quit too! Though I know what you mean, I have more friends from blogging that I do in real time. Though many many have crossed over. I found that what happened is that my values changed over time, my blogging friends reflect that change. But I agree that I would feel awful if my blog got outed to some of the people I grew up with and have been friends with for years. I'm not liberal anymore, but I used to be. We change as we age, who your friends are now are a reflection of who you are right now, in this moment. Keep writing, there are plenty of us who would miss you.

Posted by: mare at August 13, 2007 06:12 AM (i4Nd4)

6 I'm glad you waited a bit. Anger often leads us to act immediately - which is not always the best way to do things (I know - I've done it *grin*). A few days can lend perspective - as you've found. The thing about "blog friends" is that we have a good idea of the personality of those whose blog we read. Generally if you like a person's blog - if it resonates - you will like the person behind the writing. In conventional meetings - things are much less straightforward. Often it takes ages to figure out if you like someone. BTW - your "friend" from high school was very rude. Sorry - but he was. The whole - "I'll shock her that I know about her blog"... it smacks of high school oneupsmanship - especially in the manner he presented it. You would think people would outgrow that crap - but they never seem to (at least when dealing with people they knew back in high school). Sorry you had to get smacked in the face with it. In any case - enjoy your friends, ignore the boorish, and continue to blog. We'd miss you if you were gone!

Posted by: Teresa at August 13, 2007 06:40 AM (gsbs5)

7 I agree with what everyone has said. I am also glad yu did not quit blogging. I don't write to much about my beliefs. I just enjoy reading what everyone else has to say and yall do it way better than I ever could. I am just beginning to make friends in the blogging world but some feel alot closer than the real life friends I have. Thanks for letting us see the real you.

Posted by: Reasa at August 13, 2007 06:42 AM (JfF5d)

8 Hello - long time reader, first time poster. I think its safe to assume that I am the friend that Sarah is posting about. Just to clairfy, my intent certainly was not to shock or one-up Sarah at all. I'd like to think that we were very good friends in high school, and I understand from reading this blog that Sarah has some apprehension about crossing the line between blog life and reality. I could have not mentioned the blog, and that would have been rude. Frankly, I consider myself liberal, and I treasure this blog for the ability that it has given me to stay somehow in touch with a dear old friend. To not mention the blog would have felt wrong to me. Also, I wanted to let Sarah know that, while we may not share the same opinions on "issues" and other whatnot, we're still tight where it counts. While it may seem "boorish" to some of you, my intent was only to break the ice and try to alleviate any fear that Sarah may have had about my feelings about her. She's a dear friend now, as she ever was. So, blog on. And rest assured, that I would have missed this blog too, filthy liberal bashing and all. Thanks Todd

Posted by: Sarah's pinko commie friend at August 13, 2007 07:00 AM (E3cB2)

9 I'm also glad to hear that you're going to continue on. What that classmate did could have been taken in two ways. I've known some people who have read my blog but never mentioned it to me. When I eventually found out, I felt like they had been playing a joke on me. So I guess I prefer it when people let me know whether they know about my blog up front. Perhaps he meant to be upfront but was just very clumsy about it. I don't know...but I'm glad you're staying. Have a great time in Honolulu! I hope you find the time to hike Diamondhead Crater and visit Pearl Harbor. Since you're military, take a look at the Pearl Harbor BX/Commissary complex (just rebuilt and very impressive). You can also drive on to Ford Island and on to Hickam AFB. Both still have buildings showing damage from the Dec 7 attack.

Posted by: R1 at August 13, 2007 07:15 AM (9JS9f)

10 Both friends and enemies would probably like to know more about that angular momentum experiment. Was anyone taking pictures?

Posted by: david foster at August 13, 2007 07:20 AM (gguM0)

11 Uh, I guess I don't grok. In a rage? Fighting back tears? Feeling naked? This is a public blog, right? I mean, you know people read what you write, otherwise you'd have it password protected, or write in a diary and pass it around only for really best friends to see and appreciate. Are you sure you're not pregnant? You sound pretty hormonal to me! And I so grok on your friend. I outed you the first time, didn't I? Because I didn't know the public internet blog was supposed to be a secret! So - you have two 'insensitive' friends who actually said out loud they read your blog, one liberal, one conservative.

Posted by: Oda Mae at August 13, 2007 08:33 AM (k23td)

12 When blogging and real life change places... But when you are really into blogging, it IS your real life. No one thinks twice when the majority of their friends come from church or work. The blogs are how we discover our friend group in the same way. I didn't even tell my family about my original blog - as the lone non-flaming liberal I would be eviscerated routinely at Thanksgiving if they read my stuff.

Posted by: airforcewife at August 13, 2007 08:47 AM (emgKQ)

13 Glad you didn't call it quits... I'm one of those strangers, or at least, you haven't met me yet

Posted by: Green at August 13, 2007 11:11 AM (VqW06)

14 Okay Todd - perhaps then... let's say, it could have been phrased better. Or you could've dropped an email when you found her blog. Something like that. You know the manner in which you say things is definitely something that must be considered. How about looking at it in these terms: You were both at school together: Say Sarah was doing track and field. Everyday she goes out to the track and runs... everyday you stand in the building where she can't see you and watch her out the window. Then on the day of a race, you walk up to her and tell her - I've been watching you run, can't wait to see the race. Now, the track is definitely public and there's nothing that says you can't watch. But then she starts to feel like - well, what have you been seeing and why didn't you say something? That kind of thing. Do you see the difference? If you'd been sitting in the stands and she knew you were watching - it's a different matter. As for me - I figure if someone I know wants to read my stuff and not tell me - well no problem. Other people find it disturbing. I just think it's good manners to let someone know you're there... but that's just me and I'm kinda old.

Posted by: Teresa at August 13, 2007 03:28 PM (gsbs5)

15 I think all have the caught naked feeling at least once while blogging... I have at least 3 times. I am guessing there will be at least 3 or 4 more...

Posted by: armywifetoddlermom at August 13, 2007 05:05 PM (W7QkX)

16 Sarah, This post is why we like you. I haven't met you and you are the age of my older grandchildren but I get it. You tell us in your writings who you are, how you feel and I guess that I,like your other regular readers, feel a friendship. I could pass you on the street and we wouldn't recognize each other, but if I read your writing I would recognize you, the internal you. And I really respect your friend Todd for his comments. He did good!

Posted by: Ruth H at August 13, 2007 05:54 PM (LFV0a)

17 My apologies to you and Todd for misunderstanding. Just like me to stick my foot in it. Figures.

Posted by: Teresa at August 13, 2007 06:24 PM (gsbs5)

18 I'm also glad you didn't quit. To avoid this problem, I talk about the news only and disclose very little information about my life on my blog. But when you compare yourself to the thousands of women who daily publish inimate details of their sex lives on their blogs, I think you are pretty restrained in comparison. In any case, I wouldn't sweat it too much. It's unlikely someone finding your blog for the first time is going to have the time or patience to read it all and comb all your personal information from it.

Posted by: John Rohan at August 13, 2007 11:26 PM (BfPzY)

19 I haven't been able to get to your website in 2 days...I am such a slacker, but now I get to soak up in all the grokky goodness...yaaaayy! Anyhoo...I can emphathize, because it's not fair when you think: hey haven't seen you in 10 years...what's up, and someone says: yeah, I have been reading your online diary, so I know what's going on...nothing wrong on their part, it's just that you suddenly aren't on a level playing field...on another note: Todd's quote makes me laugh, because pinko commie is what I used to call myself when I first met my fiance, because he was soooo much more conservative than me...and still is...but heck, we are getting married...and you are coming to Hawaii to come witness it. So, can't be all that bad.

Posted by: CaliValleyGirl at August 14, 2007 10:11 PM (63ayv)

20 You're right, even I stopped reading your blog. But I rediscovered it now and there's a full report at warcheerleaders. Sad.

Posted by: WCW at August 28, 2007 03:02 AM (OIxDY)

21 Hello Everyone, My wife was finally able to kick the habit before she got pregnant with our now first born beautiful baby gilr, so I tought I'll share the resource that she has used to help her quit the smoking habit with as many people as I can. She was a heavy smoker for about ten years and just a couple of weeks after finding out about the program that I have researched online, she was able to quit smoking permanently and now can't stop telling people about how she had kicked the habit for good. Anyway if somebody want to check it out the site is; http://endthehabitnow.com

Posted by: exsmoker at August 28, 2007 05:11 PM (UHYQ0)

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It's been more than three years since I made that eight-hour day trip to meet my first blogger in person. And now I think I'm addicted to meeting bloggers. I get as excited (if not more) about meeting them as I do seeing people from my Real Life.

Thus it happens that, on one of our many car trips circling the Midwest this month, we ate breakfast with Butterfly Wife. And Butterfly Wife is one of the few bloggers who's yet to meet my husband, so there's a milestone. She was gracious enough to meet us at the crack of dawn for a coffee before we headed out of town. I'm so glad she squeezed us into her schedule.

So who's next?

Posted by: Sarah at 05:59 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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1 It was a pleasure of meeting both of you and your husband.

Posted by: Butterfly Wife at August 08, 2007 06:59 AM (+2qii)

2 *Sigh* Meeting someone from one's blogging life is like a blind date, butterflies in your stomach, hoping they are just as cool in real life as on their blog, etc, perhaps a little awkward the first few minutes, but then after a while it's as if you had known eachother forever. I can remember my "first date" with you...and it was a double date, 'cos I got to meet Mrs. Rubberboots too! Question: At what point does someone from one's blogging life, become someone from one's Real Life? Or do blogging life people always hold a special place?

Posted by: CaliValleyGirl at August 08, 2007 07:27 AM (deur4)

3 Let me know if you are ever in my neck of the woods. I'm always thrilled for any company that does not want to read "The Monster at the End of this Book" over and over again.

Posted by: Non-Essential Equipment at August 08, 2007 11:43 AM (Fsolv)

4 I couldn't sleep for nearly a week before SpouseBuzz 1 - I know totally what you mean! And then before SB2, I couldn't sleep again, but it was because I was so darn excited about getting to see everyone again. It was like rolling into my hometown, but without the baggage.

Posted by: airforcewife at August 08, 2007 03:26 PM (emgKQ)

5 If you head back into Texas let me know.

Posted by: Reasa at August 08, 2007 06:11 PM (JfF5d)

6 Wait...isn't the end purpose of this trip to see a Cardinals' game in St. Louis? Well, if so, and if you have a spare moment or two when in town, let me know.

Posted by: marc at August 08, 2007 06:53 PM (/XT7W)

7 I met my favorite military spouses (and a military-spouse-to-be) because of blogging. Funny how that works out And CVG, they closed that restaurant where we had our "double date." Can you believe it?

Posted by: The Girl at August 09, 2007 05:29 AM (6zvrq)

8 Me! Me! Pick me! ...How far are you?

Posted by: Green at August 09, 2007 10:34 AM (VqW06)

9 Well if you're anywhere near Rockford Illinois I'm available. :-) I know we met already, but I'll buy ya coffee!!!!

Posted by: Tammi at August 10, 2007 05:19 AM (PesK3)

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We are leaving Army Early tomorrow morning for our trip westward. My husband's parents don't have a computer, so I will be completely out of the loop for a week. If you see something really good online that I shouldn't miss, leave me the link in the comments so I can catch up next weekend.

Posted by: Sarah at 08:45 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
-- "Remember" by Christina Rosetti

Most days I do forget and smile, but there are still plenty of days when I remember and am sad. And June 3rd will always be one of those days.

R.I.P. Bunker Mulligan

A tribute over at SpouseBUZZ to his legacy

Posted by: Sarah at 09:44 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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A couple of really kind people came up to me at the Milblogs Conference to tell me I was articulate. (Sadly, no one thought to comment on how clean I am.) But I just watched the video interview Mary Katherine Ham put together, and I must say I don't see it. I seriously think I need some botox to stop the horrible contortions my face makes when I speak. Ugh, I look ridiculous. Do I look like that all the time when I talk?

Posted by: Sarah at 06:04 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Over the weekend at SpouseBUZZ Live, I sat in on a seminar on how to start your own blog. One of the wives asked if it was possible to set her new blog to private so only her friends and family could see it. We bloggers all paused: of course it's possible to do that, but as I sat in the audience surrounded by ArmyWifeToddlerMom, airforcewife and her husband, and with CaliValleyGirl glued to my hip, we all wondered why on earth you'd want to.

When I have childrearing questions, do you think I call people from my real life? Nope, I call ArmyWifeToddlerMom. When I had military questions during deployment, Bunker Mulligan was my man. Amritas helps with linguistics, Deskmerc helps with physics, and Annika is the go-to for all things Goldie Hawn.

It is so strange, this my need of you.

CaliValleyGirl told this wife in the audience that setting her blog to private would effectively cut off her chances of finding a best friend. The thing is, we know more about our blog friends than we usually do about people in our real lives. I follow ArmyWifeToddlerMom's parenting life far more closely than even my neighbors'. I know my blog friends' likes and dislikes before we've ever met in person. When The Girl showed up in Germany, she knew everything about me before I ever picked her up at her hotel. When I asked CaliValleyGirl at the Milblogs Conference if she was surprised we were getting along so well, she shrugged and replied that she was not surprised at all because she already knew she liked me.

I thought about this weekend's conversation a lot this week as I read about the Lileks family's trip to Disneyworld. I have read The Bleat nearly every single day since Jan. 23, 2004. I know everything that's happened to him over the past three years, and I know far more about his life than any of my real world friends' lives. He is my friend, whether he knows it or not, and if he ever set his blog to private I would weep like a baby.

Posted by: Sarah at 03:59 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 All I can say is AMEN!!! I have been reading your blog for about a month now and I really enjoy it. I think if we ever meet in person we could get along. To be honest I do not want my friends and family reading my blog. This is my place to vent and be me without the worries of soemone taking something personal.

Posted by: Reasa at May 18, 2007 04:55 PM (JfF5d)

2 Tee hee I remember how "stalker"-ish I felt after the first time we met!

Posted by: The Girl at May 18, 2007 08:43 PM (3xdWY)

3 Not necessarily. Everyone is gonna hate me. cert4examHit the jackpot.,SUNHow did it come to this?,OthersWatch me..

Posted by: kimi at December 22, 2008 09:28 PM (60F6T)

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This was so awesome. AWTM pointed out that there's footage online from last year's Milblogs Conference. I loved watching this: Talking to Somebody Without Talking to Anybody

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I wasn't exactly sure what we should expect as panel speakers, so in typical plan-ahead fashion, I wrote up something to say in case I needed to explain why family blogging is important. I didn't give this speech per se, but I did manage to work most of these points into my time on the panel. I thought I'd share my planned speech with you in case you're interested.

Hi, my name is Sarah and I write at trying to grok. I have a hate site dedicated to me, a guy who pokes fun at me for being the #1 War Cheerleader. At first I was not so pleased about this site, but eventually I realized that my role here is indeed war cheerleader, so I may as well be #1, right?

I think in some ways a being a war cheerleader is harder than being a soldier. The military wife faces her husbandÂ’s mortality on a daily basis. I came to terms with the thought of my own death long ago, and itÂ’s far easier to face than the death of my husband. IÂ’d rather go to war myself than send my husband, even though I canÂ’t run 2 miles in under 6 days and about the most discomfort I can handle is banging my funny bone.

A few weeks ago, a buddy of mine from high school returned from a Special Forces deployment. Once he was safely home, I breathed a sigh of relief and mentioned to my husband that every time I emailed my buddy in the final days of his deployment to make plans for dinner when he returned, I felt a tinge of dread, that feeling of “what if he doesn’t come home to eat this chicken parmesan”, as if the mere act of making plans for his return would invoke The Power of the Jinx, as milblogger Tim elegantly described when CPT Patti was in Baghdad. My husband looked at me incredulously and said, “Did you really worry he might not come home?” as if the thought had never occurred to him.

I pointed out to my husband something that every servicemember needs to remember when he thinks of his family back home. WeÂ’ve never been to Iraq or Afghanistan. We donÂ’t know what itÂ’s like. We imagine the worst, and our mental war zone would probably seem cartoonish to you. But we simply canÂ’t fully grasp what war is like. And while you know when youÂ’re safe or bored or having a slow day, we donÂ’t. Many times you can see danger coming if you have to go on a mission and you can emotionally prepare yourself to let slip the dogs of war; we have to stay emotionally prepared for the entire deployment, never sure of when your mortality is on the line. Your deployment is filled with the ebb and flow of adrenaline; your life is monotonous days punctuated by moments of anxiety or excitement; our adrenaline is always half-on, since every moment that weÂ’re not on the phone with you is a moment when youÂ’re possibly in danger. Such is the life for those on the homefront, those who stand and wait. Such is the life my husband canÂ’t begin to understand, any more than I can really understand his.

So IÂ’ve decided IÂ’m taking the insult back. I wear the title of #1 War Cheerleader with pride, for itÂ’s one of the toughest jobs in the Army.

Posted by: Sarah at 06:00 AM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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1 Yes! You managed to get this posted. I think it's the absolute best point made even with all the really great stuff they talked about in the other discussions. As soon as I can get my sorry act together, I'll be linking to it. Meeting you and CaliValleyGirl was one of the biggest highlights of the Conference. I'm so glad you were there!

Posted by: Teresa at May 07, 2007 08:22 AM (gsbs5)

2 IÂ’m rather partial to the cheerleading crowd, all that positive energy and all. (Plus IÂ’m a leg man). Some like to take the easy way out by biatching and moaning. They make themselves feel good by running down something. Staying positive and getting the job done when things are a little tough takes a lot more intestinal fortitude. Unfortunately, most people are weak minded and think everything should be quick and easy. Keep cheering, I for one will keep listening and cheering with yaÂ’.

Posted by: tim at May 07, 2007 11:46 AM (nno0f)

3 I didn't know you had a hate site dedicated to you! Wow! That's almost a compliment! All I have is a mother-in-law dedicated to hating me, which isn't as fun as it sounds. It can't go on my resume, like yours. I think your remarks were great - you explained it very well.

Posted by: airforcewife at May 07, 2007 02:57 PM (0dU3f)

4 You were wonderful. I enjoyed you and the Family Panel via the web.

Posted by: Reasa at May 07, 2007 05:51 PM (JfF5d)

5 I tried to trackback but they are being a pain in the butt so here's my link: http://homefrontsix.blogspot.com/2007/05/i-thought-i-was-done.html You have NO idea how hard what you had to say that afternoon hit me. Thank you. It was wonderful meeting you! Are you coming out for CVG's wedding??? Please say yes!

Posted by: HomefrontSix at May 07, 2007 11:11 PM (4Es1w)

6 I believe there's an old Afghan saying that goes something like this: "The insults of an enemy are a tribute to the brave."

Posted by: david foster at May 08, 2007 04:47 AM (BuT7m)

7 Sarah, great post. Thanks for putting it up. Andi asked JILL and I to be on your panel, but this crazy war deployment got in the way... can you believe it? Anyway, I noticed on Homefrontsix's blog comments that you may be in Hawaii soon...??? If so, as I suggested on her blog, I hope you manage to link up with JILL and chat a bit. I know she would love it and I'd love hearing about it. Anyway, still loving your blog, even from the Sandbox.

Posted by: JACK ARMY at May 08, 2007 09:18 AM (ypreu)

8 That is the BEST description of what it is like. Do you mind if I copy that? I'd like to send it to my non FRG group. Cause we weren't able to explain it to our deployed troops/sons/husbands... and that would! LAW

Posted by: Liberal Army Wife at May 08, 2007 03:32 PM (A5s0y)

9 Very beautifully written, Sarah. Just beautiful. You said so eloquently what I've never been able to put into words. I might just save this to show my husband one day. I don't completely understand what he goes through any more than he completely understands my point of view. Thank you.

Posted by: Robin at May 08, 2007 03:34 PM (XTKEz)

10 Sarah, loomking forward to seeing you this weekend in San Diego.... You did a fantastic job on the panel and were very impressive indeed!! You made me laugh often, and your approach was thoughtful..... I think the guys enjoyed hearing how proud we REALLY ARE OF THEM....and how we really cannot wait for them to return to our beds... I want to be the #2 cheerleader!

Posted by: ArmyWifeToddlerMom at May 08, 2007 05:59 PM (A5s0y)

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In case mine is the only milblog you read, I too will sum up the Milblogs Conference. We started with a very special guest speaker to address the gathering of milbloggers. Yep, President Bush sent a pre-recorded statement for us. The crowd went wild and everyone was snapping photos of the big screen. You can see W's speech to milbloggers here. Next we got to VTC with Admiral Fox in Iraq, Blackfive read an email from General Petraeus and a letter from Senators Coleman, Coburn, and DeMint, and the conference was underway. Never let it be said that bloggers don't matter.

I can't even begin to sum up all that was said on the panels. RedState has a great liveblog you should read to get the gist. I did try to make mental notes of topics I'd like to address further, and I plan to work on those posts over the next few days. I also plan to work on tidying up a few things I said on my panel. As I joked over the weekend, we bloggers deal in print, and there were a few times on the panel that I really wished I had my backspace key. I think I flubbed some points along the way, so I'd like to write a few posts clearing up some things I said when my mouth was moving faster than my brain.

The highlight of the weekend was meeting people I've known for years. SGT Hook was nothing like I expected, but I'll be darned if he's not better than I could've hoped for. I am trying to figure out how to arrange a play-date for Hook and Tim, since I think they'd get along swimmingly. It was so exciting to meet people like Teresa and Tammi, two awesome ladies who definitely ate their veggies growing up. And I think I've developed a major blog crush on Mary Katherine Ham. Chuck Z is nuts, Patti Patton-Bader is the warmest person on the planet, and Blackfive is more than just the talking head who's constantly on my TV these days. I also loved meeting the Lurkers, and it was jawdropping that a non-blogger would fly from Arizona just to meet all us buffoons.

And I have to say a little something about my darling bunkmate. I had met CaliValleyGirl in person before, but only briefly. Nonetheless, we settled in like we'd been friends for years. And hell, I guess we have. But she's even more perfect in person than she is on the phone, and I marveled at my Alabama Worley feeling all weekend, "that three words went through my mind endlessly, repeating themselves like a broken record: 'You're so cool. You're so cool. You're so cool.'"

Posted by: Sarah at 04:59 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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I'm home from DC, exhausted and full of stuff to say. I promise to say it all tomorrow.

One of my awesome Lurkers (thanks for breakfast!) suggested that I put up a sort of "Best Of" list with some links to typical grok posts in case I have any new readers after the conference. I invite anyone who's here for the first time to check out my In a Nutshell post on the sidebar to learn more about me. If you want more, may I suggest scrolling down the sidebar to my "Tooting My Own Horn" list for a handful of older posts.

Oh, and if you're still confused about the title of my blog, see here.

Posted by: Sarah at 01:41 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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It's called SpouseBUZZ Live. Here are just a few of the key ingredients: dynamite, pole vaulting, laughing gas, choppers -- can you see how incredible this is going to be? -- hang gliding, come on!

Bottle Rocket quotes aside, if you're anywhere near California in mid-May and want to come to a fun event, SpouseBUZZ Live is the place to be! Click on the logo for more info.

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