De-Lurk Day!

Did you enjoy NaBloPoMo? I did. Writing 30 posts in 30 days wreaked havoc on my precarious balance between business workload vs. available time to be productive, but I enjoyed it all the same.  And I want to continue writing on my blog.  There is certainly an element of personal satisfaction inherent in blogging, but to be frank, I am self-satisfied in other areas of my life, so that reward alone is not enough to keep the wheels of Beyond Mommy turning.  The implicit reality is that engaged and participatory readers are the lifeblood of a good blog. Without feedback wherein the writer learns who her readers are and what they enjoy reading, a blog can easily wither and die (I submit as evidence for your consideration: May through October on this blog).

Therefore, I am officially declaring today "De-Lurk Day" on Beyond Mommy.

Do you read this blog on a regular basis, or are you just stopping in? How did you find this blog? Did a less-than-hilarious Google search land you here? Did you click through from a mutual friend or a facebook post? Are you an ex-boyfriend's brother or my former boss or someone I've never met? Or do I see you every day and not even know that you are reading this?? Now is your chance to come clean. Let the world (and more importantly, me!) know that you're reading this blog.

Just write a quick note to tell us a little about yourself, how you know me or found this blog, and/or why you read it, if you want. 

I happen to know that Bridget (from whom I received permission to steal this whole De-Lurk Day idea*) would love some company on my very quiet comment platforms. I find it plausible that some people fear commenting precisely because it is so quiet--it's like giving a speech in your underwear. But consider this blog as a social platform. If I wanted to have a conversation with myself, I wouldn't need a computer. And that is no fun anyway.  If you have taken the time to read one of my posts, can you take another moment to continue the discussion a little further? Do you like it or hate it? Agree or disagree? Did it make you laugh or roll your eyes?  Surely you have something to say. Everyone does. My posts merely provide an opening monologue for what could be an engaging conversation. 

So go ahead...de-lurk yourself! And then please don't be a stranger...

*I know I 'll never get 55 comments on this post, but come on Beyond Mommy fans, let's have a decent showing here! I know you are out there lurking!  :)

Preschool macabre

Breakfast table conversation with a not-yet-four-year-old:

Without segue: "Mommy, I had the dream* when I pushed my friend Fanky** and she died. She died when I pushed her."

Grappling for the correct response: "That sounds like a scary dream, honey!"

Incredulous: "NO it's not!"

Tentatively: "I think that your friend dying is a little bit scary."

Confused: "No...dying is fun."

Still unsure of how to proceed: "Have you ever died before, Madelyn?"

As if it is so obvious: "Yes."

Curious: "Oh? How did you die?"

Matter-of-factly: "When a T-Rex ate me."

Thoroughly amused: "Really. When did this happen?"

Growing tired of this line of questioning: "In one hundred days."

These kinds of hilarious discussions are becoming more frequent as Madelyn's imagination and aperture of life experience are simultaneously expanded faster than her comprehension of reality can keep up.***

*This is the first time Madelyn has ever spoken about a dream or even indicated that she might understand that they occur.

**We hear references to a friend named "Fanky" who does not seem to actually exist.

***Bet you thought now that NaBloPoMo is over you wouldn't see a post from me for six months or so.  Ha HA! I proved you wrong.