I appreciate anyone who is here taking time out of their day to see what has dribbled from my brain.  I appreciate it even more after listening to a story on NPR yesterday about Digital Overload.

According to the story, we are taking in three times the information our grandparents were when they were my age in the 60’s.

That’s a lot of information and really, how much of it is necessary?  Ironically, the more information we take in, the more difficult it is for us to filter out the irrelevant drivel.

I hit a wall with TV a few years back–probably around the time I had kids–where I just couldn’t sit down for long periods of time surfing channels they way I could in my teens and 20’s.  And I was a champion channel surfer!  Maybe it was all the time these little people demanded.  Maybe it was the advent of the web and the surfing I could do there.  Whatever it was, I became more selective in what I watched.  I couldn’t tolerate the sitcoms that all of the sudden seemed inane.  I COULD NOT tolerate the “reality” TV shows that gave fame to people who did nothing to deserve my attention except to act like assholes in front of the nation.  (I know. I know.  Everyone loves Dancing with the Stars and the Real Housewives.  Trust me it stinks to have no way to take part in a conversation when it turns to these.)

Was my brain doing me a favor?  Was it crying enough?

As time went on, my free time became focused on the internet where I noticed the cycle repeating itself.  First, the stupid chain emails made my eyeballs itch.  Then the social media “experts” that we all had to read because they were so brilliant?  I stopped noticing anything new.  The viral videos that spread like wildfire?  Those are minutes (only a few at a time I realize) that I will never get back.

I hunger for substance.  I hunger for connection.  I hunger for community.  I have gotten that at times online, but I wonder if all the noise isn’t a bit too much to make it worthwhile.

What will happen to us if we subsist on nothing but the sugary carbs that parts of the Internet and social media worlds have become?

Has this happened to you?  What have you done to combat your own digital overload?

My kids are tired of hearing it.  I try to change up the line every once in a while, but the message is still the same.

Even if you are born with a gift, you will never excel unless you practice, practice, practice.

My favorite current saying is “You play like you practice.”  The boys are already rolling their eyes at that one, but it’s true.

Anderson Cooper didn’t get on air right away.  He bought a camera and forged a press pass and took himself to Myanmar and filmed stories of the students fighting the Burmese government until his stories were good enough to be picked up.

Eighty-eight year old Betty White is still practicing sixty years after she began her career–and it’s paying off.  She will soon be on SNL and appearing in a new TV series.

Tiger Woods even has to practice (and he still couldn’t outrun his wife).

I’ve been blogging for a long time in the scheme of things, but I’ve often allowed days or weeks lapse in between posts.  That has prevented me from getting into a groove with my writing and my voice and is a habit I’m trying to break.

And despite the fact that I know this is true, it’s great to hear a master storyteller say the same thing.

I wish I could remember where I first saw the link to this video.  I’d love to give that blogger credit.  It’s helped me more than I can say.

What is something you’ve been meaning to practice more?  How has practice paid off for you?

There has been an interesting conversation happening over on BlogHer in response to a post written by Loralee Choate.  She wonders in her post if “big bloggers” owe it to “small bloggers” to help them out and pull them up.

I left a comment suggesting that it’d be nice for bloggers to help each other and pointing out that some very famous bloggers often support each other for mutual gain, but that there should be no expectation of help.

And I believe this.  Really.  Sort of.  But some days it annoys me that I do.  Because if I believe this, I must also believe that bloggers who make something of themselves on their own deserve what they achieve and some days…I’m not convinced.

I’m breaking some big personal rules by even writing this, but I can’t stay quiet about Jennifer Mendelsohn’s piece last Friday in the New York Times.

Yet again, another woman is willing to sell out her sisters for the price of entry to the boy’s club.

When will it stop?  What are we standing to gain?  What are we standing to lose?

If you believe the article millions.  And we who are called “mommybloggers” are alternately “girly-bonding” and clawing each other out of the way to get at them.

Many smart women have written about the problems with the author’s article–and there are many–and I didn’t think I had anything to add, until I read Lindsay’s post today.  It was the way she addressed the author directly not the main stream media at large that got me thinking about what I would say if she were standing in front of me.

Assume that I inserted all the points made by Joanne,  Kelby and Liz and allow me to add these three:

Jennifer,

1.  “Girly-bonding”??!!!  Seriously?  I attend meetings and conferences for work all the time.  Never, not once have they ever been referred to as “girly-bonding” sessions.  You severely underestimate the intellect, power and professionalism of mom bloggers at your peril by using this term.  When I attend these events–and men are there–it IS called a networking event?  (Okay Joanne made this same point very well but I had to add my $.02 because I am THAT enraged by the term.)

2.  We’re not all blogging for SEO and pageviews (Sure I’d love rockstar pageviews.  Name one person writing online who wouldn’t like to have others appreciate their work.).  I am a full-time political consultant.  I don’t blog for the money or my kids would be in rags.  Is it okay if I “ignore”  my children while I’m at work?  Or should I give that up too?  Is it a problem that there are other women online who write well or that you don’t believe women should be doing anything but taking care of their children?  And if the latter is true, where is your child while you are writing and researching your stories?

3.  As a woman writing about other women writers, you did a disservice to many of the communities to which you belong (mother, writer, woman online, female professional).  Haven’t we trudged a long way enough baby?  I don’t think women should be given a bye by a female writer because they are women, and I maintain that no one blogger or writer owes it to anyone to pull others up (though Anna Quindlen would disagree.  You’ve heard of her, right?) but to tear them down?  You only make it harder on yourself in the long run.

edited to add:

4.  There’s a fourth point.  My children actually benefit from my blogging.  Just one example happened last week.  My 7 year old went to a premiere for The Discovery Channel’s forthcoming documentary Life.  Not only did he get to see it, he got to hear from the very people who made it.  He learned that there are real people whose job it is to film animals (a topic of great interest to him), that there are people whose job it is to make movies.   Oh and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra accompanied the premiere, so he got to experience a live orchestra and learn that there are people who make a living playing instruments other than a guitar.  The event made a big impression on my second grader.  And the only reason I had the opportunity to take him to this special event was because relationships I’ve made through blogging.

Sincerely,
Amie

All this has me so fired up I need to go out and “help” a small blogger now.

Oh wait.  I am a small blogger.

There have been many times that I’ve thought I’d stop blogging, but the community–the incredible people I’ve met online and in real life keeps me engaged.

My sisters in Kirtsy (the amazing Amy and Mary and Karey and Betsy and Kyran and oh there are so many more) have over the years turned me on to some rockin’ bloggers and websites that I often get lost in.  Kirsty should be one of your daily stops online.  And don’t just go there for the links, share what you love there too.

Marta Writes is one of my favorite discoveries through Kirtsy.  Marta is a graphic designer and mother who lives in Idaho and sprinkles the world with wonderful on her blog.  As a little Christmas present to myself, I purchased some of her mini diaries that feature easy little prompts to record the happenings in your life (check out her shop here for a number of other neat items).

The real reason I’m talking about Marta’s blog today though is because of the free workshop she is running this week on her blog.

The workshop focuses on how to blog like a pro, tips for success and finding balance in blogging and even how to deal with online jealousy.  I love when incredible bloggers are willing to share their wisdom and the fact that she’s doing it for free?!  Check it out.  The series starts here.

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It’s one thing to get to know fellow bloggers online, but to meet them in person and click with them in real life, well that just makes my day.  The following woman is a fine chica I had the chance to spend time with last month at the Mom 2.0 Summit (go next year if you can!).

Julie Cole is flat out one cool-ass chick!

Talk about a girl I can laugh my ass of with and then discuss important family issues all inside of five minutes.  She’s plain lucky I didn’t stick my tongue in her ear in Houston.  One of the coolest things about Julie is that she is a business owner  (woohoo Mabel’s Labels) who completely gets social media and participates actively herself.  In full disclosure, Julie also gave me a coupon she won for $150 off an item from Cambria Cove because she saw that I had my eye on this fabulous computer bag–see what I mean total awesome-sauce this one–but I’d love her even without the clear attempt at bribery.

Julie & co at Mabel’s Labels don’t give to just friends though, they give to the community too.  They are currently running a contest that results in a winner getting an all-expense paid trip to BlogHer in NYC AND a one-year, paid gig to blog for Mabel’s Labels.  That kind of kindness makes me all warm and giddy inside.

And PS on this one:  Though their labels initially look like they’re mostly for kids, don’t be mistaken.  I have some with my name on them that are the tiny perfect size to stick on all of my camera equipment and they DO NOT come off.

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I don’t want to distract you with too much goodness in one post.  Come back tomorrow for more links to the folks who have inspired me this week.