You know when you get a chain letter in the mail and you think "so dumb" and in the garbage it goes (ok maybe email cause it is 2014). Then the next day you trip and break your big toe, drop a gallon of milk and it spills everywhere and your dog pukes on your favorite flip flops and you think damn I should have forward that letter. Sometimes as a blogger, yes I am a blogger, you get asked to do a chain blog and instead of worrying about all the bad things that could happen you agree to it. Last year I did the 30 days of blogging with WEGO Health and to be honest it was so stressful I wanted to cry. The pressure was too much to take but in the end I read some great blogs and went outside my little blogging comfort zone and did it.
My girlfriend Joanna emailed me about a Writing Process Blog Tour at first I will not lie I groaned for many reasons don't worry I am going to tell you why. First Jo is an incredible real writer, I am just a soccer mom with stupid dumb breast who swears A LOT in my blog. Second, I felt mild pressure to actually do it because I was honored she asked me. Third, I was scared that she wasn't going to like it. All completely dumb because Jo has always been there for me. She and I met via this world wide web. I wish I could rewind my cancer brain and remember if it was twitter or Facebook or our blogs but we became friends. Yes, we are real cyber friends we worry about each other and check in on one another. See we both have cancer and that connects us and binds us in a way that can not be explained unless you are in this unique circle of sisterhood. "Cancer Connection" we have dubbed it. One day- which seems like years Jo asked if she could use one of my images for a mastectomy post she was doing about amputation. I agreed, it was an amazing post because after all our breasts are amputated right? Joanna Montgomery's post about amputating body parts to stay alive sparked a lot of controversy on my FB page, I was honored to be a part of an important discussion. It was honest like her writing always is, it brought forth real discussion about things we were all thinking and it opened up a window into our thoughts for those who do not have cancer. Joanna has a way of doing that, I am so honored to be her friend.
So anyways, that is how I got here. Now my job in this "tour" is to answer some questions and introduce the three bloggers I have asked to do this with me. That was the hardest part, who do I choose. I asked a few and some said no (I hate them now-JUST KIDDING). Which I respect this is a lot to ask. But three said yes! And I am proud and honored to be in their company. I want to introduce them first then answer my questions, they need highlighting and I haven't thought about the answers yet. So here they are in no order, drum roll please....
1. Chris Dean she blogs on http://www.pixiecd.com/ and has absolutely nothing to do with cancer. I connected with Chris on one of the many social media outlets, on one of our insomnia nights, may even have been during the WEGO blogging time. She suffers from being a middle age women with children, a husband and way too many pets with a dash of mental health issues but shit don't we all?? I love her swearing, Star Wars, coffee drinking, chin hair, panic attack butt. She makes me laugh, cry and I can relate to her posts. We have become friends in this blogging community and for that I am grateful. I respect her writing and am always humbled when she reads and tweets my blog. She is a real writer after all, or maybe she is pretending to be one I can not tell any more. I really believe she rocks, check her out!
2. Jennifer Lukowiak http://www.thefashionistafights.com/ Part of my job at Cure Diva is to find fabulous bloggers for the page. I love it because I think everyone's story should be heard. On occasion I really connect with the blogger, I mean like we start emailing back and forth so much that I forget I am supposed to be working! That is Jenn. I love her smile, her humor, the way she writes but most of all her support. She really gets that the key to surviving breast cancer is through empowering other women hence her book. "Does This Outfit Make Me Look Bald?" a book for women to laugh, cry and feel like they are keeping their fashion on through this stupid dumb breast cancer. She is there with her wit, her sarcasm and her smart attitude to really help those going through this. I love that about her, but I love the friendship we have developed. I just love my job.
3. Emily Helck http://rtonj.blogspot.com/ You know what sucks about cancer I am introduced to girls that are too young to have this friggin disease. Trying to not swear cause Jo doesn't AHAHAH. I had the pleasure of doing a Huffington Live interview with the lovely Emily and Angelo Merendino who I had already been friends with for over a year but I loved getting to know Emily. We were on discussing why we choose to document the cancer process. It was raw, real and the awareness I want and was doing which made me instantly connect to her. To see this young amazing women stand before me with her body and mind altered in a way that will change her forever yet to see her healing herself through the video and blogging was so empowering. I emailed her that day. She is amazing and I have full faith she will succeed and become something grand, I will be proud to stand by saying "I knew her when".
And now for my Q & A or maybe you are done reading I get that this is a long ass blog post and I am sure Tom will be back soon with the kids so I will try to wrap it up.
What are you working on? Besides mom business and maintaining life I have a thyroid check and neuro appointment this week. I an upcoming surgery (that post is coming). But I am VERY busy with Cure Diva. I am working hard at the Guardian program, getting bloggers, checking products, and many other tasks. I love it. It is actually my therapy. I feel better when I am helping others and getting that email of excitement when I we make them the Diva of the week or Blogger of the week is so worth it. These are my friends and they need this! They need the encouraging words others leave, they need to release the blog post filled with their emotions and they need the support that the page offers. PSSSSSSSTTTTTT So do I:)
How does my work differ from others of its genre? First, let me say I never thought my blogging would amount to a damn thing. I did it so my loud crazy family would lay off a little-FYI that didn't work. I think why it took off and is different is because I am still me. My spelling sucks, I use horrible grammar, my punctuation is bad but my message is clear. I want women to see and feel that they are not alone. All those insane feelings are real, those sleepless nights, the aches and pains, that itch that won't stop, the anxiety, the anger/guilty/happiness, are all the "new normal". I do this the only way I know how by being me and I think that is honest and real and people get that, well that and I have really cute shoes.
Why do I write what I do? HAHAAH sometimes I wonder. My head is a scary place. Truly I feel like if I am feeling it then maybe if I get it out it will help. I suffer from depression and have found blogging to be very therapeutic. Just releasing the words help with the pain that you can not see. As a result others see that this does happen so they are not ashamed. Win win I say.
How does my writing process work? Having insomnia helps. I lay in bed and thoughts start swirling. Then someone will ask me something and BAM I think that goes with what I was just thinking at 3am. Once I start typing I get a mood and I start to ramble on sort of how I talk. Can be good, but I find that my point may get lost. This is were I had a little more writing skill but at the same time I am ok with my crazy writing. It is mine and it is working.
Ok I did it! PHEW. You know what is great about this? You learn a lot about other bloggers. The truth is when before cancer I joked about blogging. My BFF and I would laugh at it like it was a joke, this is no joke. Hard work, but in the end it is worth it. My question to you is did you make it to the end? AHHAAHAAA
Can I have a glass of wine? Where is my tiara??
