Remember the FRIST blogger you read and felt a connection. You read one of their paragraphs and wished you had written it yourself. How you ‘squeeed!’ when they delivered a gentle throat-punch with their words.
Think! Who was he or she?
Do you stalk their blog scroll through old posts to learn more about their world before you met them? Do you ever want people to know more about you?
Who were you before you became you? Who were they?
It’s in that spirit that I’ve been cleaning house and baking all weekend.
I found some sweet party favors, sprayed my hair to the heavens, and put bells on in anticipation of your visit.
Instead of general comments, I’m asking for something else.
See the little linky thing below? Search through your retro posts, find a favorite, and attach it. Here’s a chance to showcase your writing back when Grandma was your only follower. Do you have a favorite writer you’d like to share, too? Feel free to repost an early gem of theirs, too (ask permission as you deem appropriate).
Rules:
- Link the article by clicking inlinkz icon – use the full .url and not the WordPress short link
- For each one of your links added, please read at least one other entry. Please come back as links are added. It’s okay! I have plenty of food, and the TV remote is yours.
- There are three “weighted” ways to enter the drawing:
- Linking your article (counts as five entries)
- Reading at least one other article (counts as four entries/article)
- Sharing the post on social media (counts as three entries/share)
- If you linked another blogger’s article, please note in the comments
- Share which link(s) you read in the comments
- Note social media shares in the comments
- I’ll draw from the list of commenters and announce the winner and prize in the next post (Thursday?)
Disclaimers:
- I tend to mix up electronic cookies with the real ones on my kitchen counter. Bear with me as we work through any techy things that may arise. I have a habit of knocking over plants when I play with technology in the house – things might get crazy!
- Since I’m writing this post before publishing, I don’t have any idea where the article thumbnails will be. I’ll be editing after publishing just to make sure you can get in through the door. You might need to help me move furniture to open up access to the dance floor.
- Update: Hey! I found the thumbnails. When you click on the link to add your article, the thumbnails are sitting right there.
- To start the party, I added two of my of old posts. I was tempted to edit them, but in the spirit of celebrating imperfection, I’m leaving them as is.
- Please be kind to our fellow posters – I’m a lover, not a fighter!
Can’t have a party without music, right? Check out Sam Hunt on Spotify and in the video – country with a singer/songwriter twist – doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes.
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Feel free to follow MamaMick at:
Facebook : Introvert with a side of social
Twitter : Funky thoughts, Royal’s baseball, and College Football
Instagram : For random pictures of weird stuff – encased in artsy filters and hashtags
I don’t tend to like or think much of my prior work stands out (it’s just there; I never cared if it was good or not!).
Yet, one that I will say is a favorite post is also one of the most popular and still fairly new, about blog crushes (as in, blogs we love and go through every post once we find them, not actual crushes on bloggers themsleves) which makes it even funnier given the topic 🙂
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I love your stuff, S. You don’t give yourself enough credit for the way your words reach people in such personal ways. I DO know the blog crush one you’re talking about. It makes me giggle, too. Would you be okay if I searched for it and linked? No pressure (insert evil laugh here!!)
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Go for it…or I can just link to it, I was just pointing out that I never really think about my old posts. Or my new. But I know that one was fun 🙂
Stay awesome, M! 🙂 ❤
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Muhahahaha! I just added it. It makes me smile every time 🙂
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I needed these laughs this morning! Michelle, I wish you had taken a picture of your trunk with the groceries and the guns. 🙂 I’ll be checking back later too see what other gems people have posted! xxoo ❤ ❤ ❤
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Here’s a little secret. THIS was the incident that prompted my blog. My friends told me that I needed to start writing some of these stories down, so I did. Amazing to see how our writing changes over the years.
I LOVED Kiss the Minivan. I still remember the day I read it the first time. I was having a weepy day and your story brought happy tears to my eyes. This was the Freshly Pressed one, right? Oh- thank you for sharing!! I’m having fun with these today. xo
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No, it wasn’t but it’s one of my favorites because Cash has come so far in a year. He hasn’t kissed a vehicle once!
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Okay. The visual of Cash kissing a vehicle makes me grin from ear to ear. It reminds me of “Dane” story I’ll have to tell after he’s out of the house 🙂
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OY!
as if i needed another sort of tech challenge!
actually I do….i intend to figure this out ( a little later when I have some time today!) because i want to read all the posts, but since I haven’t written a new post in almost 2 months (WTF? can you say blocked?) at least i can , maybe, offer something. And looking back over my writing may help me remember why I even did it, and help me pull of my panties and write about what is now.
great idea Michelle..i will be back later. Kissing a minivans and blog-crushes sound great!
xoxo
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BAHAHAHA! I had several flops before I got this thing off the ground and several edits AFTER it went live. Where is Christy? She is our techy gal.
That said, I love that you are up for the challenge. After I removed the glitches, the link-up is fairly easy.
Even if you don’t link, you captured the essence of what I was trying to accomplish “looking back over my writing may help me remember why I even did it”
Um. yes. I was humbled to note that many of my early readers were my family and neighbors. They were the first to comment and cheer me on. Some of them have shared that while they still read, they are shy to comment because they feel like it’s a “blogger only” space. What a nice little shoulder nudge to remember what’s important. The last thing I’d want to do is exclude anyone – intentionally or UNintentionally.
I know you didn’t mean for your comment to lead to my ramble, but it’s my long-winded way of saying – going back and looking (in this case) was an awesome throat punch to not forget about those closest to you.
As for your current writing – we’ll still be here when it’s time. You’ll know when it’s time – you always do. xoxoxoxo
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Oh I’m here, just stalking, I mean reading in stealth mode. I have faith in your techno ability!
Ps-
My first favorite blogger was (is) Kristen. ANY of her posts. But there’s one about journey and mushrooms that I think of whenever I hear Journey.
I suck at following directions, and I’m on my phone, so here’s her direct link:
https://byebyebeer.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/where-im-at/
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Hello firestarter, er, stalker! I love you to pieces for hopping in and sending me back to Kristen. This was from July of 2012 – retro with mullets and Journey and everything!
I pasted her link in the thingy – cuz I’m so techy now.
PS: If you haven’t already, check out Sam Hunt on Spotify in the “radio” tab. He is really great! “Speakers” and his rendition of Kenny Chesney’s “Come Over” are both really good.
Love you!
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This is a terrific idea Michelle! I’ll have to see what I can come up with.
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I got the idea last week when I was nosing through your blog, reading old poems!!!
(sorry, I hope that doesn’t feel creepy to you!)
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Not at all! Happy to have inspired you. I always welcome likes, comments and views, old and new.
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———–Yesssssssssss!
When I first started blogging–I stalked & obsessed over a few blogs.
I worshiped The Bloggess & was SO damn ENVIOUS of her wit and talent.
I loved reading real-authentic-kick ass writing…especially from bloggers whom did not wear rose colored glasses! I just love people w/ imperfections. ( Like Me )
—But the first person I gushed over wildly was Lorraine… from “NOT QUITE NIGELLA.”
She is a foodie–but adds her REAL life within her cooking! FAaaaaaaaaaaB!!! xxx
Here she is: http://www.notquitenigella.com/2015/10/20/halloween-dolly-varden-cake/
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Hi Kim!
Oooooh! A foodie blog – thank you so much for sending along! I LOVE food and believe it or not, spend almost zero time in food blogs. Do you wanna know why? In addition to the poundage on the buttocks that would follow, I just know that I’d get lost in the rabbit hole of wonderful food. In fact, one of the books I’m working on is a cookbook of sorts – equal parts food and family history. You sending me this link today is a sign and I can’t wait to go check her out. Thank you, thank you my friend.
With love from KS. xo
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This is AWESOME. New funny blogs…
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Hi Mark!
Thank you, my friend. I have the best bloggy friends in the world. Thank you taking the time to be one of them 🙂
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Good luck in the World Series against those other New Yorkers… 🙂
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Thank you, Austin! I’m in sitting in the Kansas City airport this moring surrounded by Royal blue fans. I HOPE I make it somewhere with a TV this evening…meetings in South Carolina until after 7:00 😦
Thanks for stopping by and for the share (that puts you in the drawing, you know!)
I promise I’ll be over to visit soon – I’m needing my weekly Austin dose of wit and wisdom 🙂
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Will be praying!!!!! GO ROYALS!!!! 🙂
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Good luck. The New Yorker in me will probably root for the stupid Mets… 🙂
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Thank you for doing this post, Michelle. You’re the Oprah of the blogging community, only hot and with a killer green thumb (no offense, Oprah!). This was an awesome idea and chance for me to send some overdue love to two early blogs I followed and who definitely shaped who I am now.
Josie started her recovery blog around the same time I started mine. I was in awe of her dedication to posting regularly, her wisdom and her conversational and clear writing style. One topic she has written about when I most needed to read it is acceptance as the answer to whatever is bothering us.
https://themiracleisaroundthecorner.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/acceptance/
She wrote: “Instead of complaining about what’s wrong with the people around me, I try to focus on what I can change within me.” That’s something I’m still working on today (and forever probably), but I can’t say it would have been on my radar if not for Josie’s blog.
The other blogger that immediately came to mind is Christy. Among other things, Christy inspired me to take up running (okay, jogging) and I distinctly remember this post because it made me laugh and realize that running isn’t easy for anyone. There is no secret to it and there are no shortcuts. You simply have to get out there and do it and own it. Although you can make it more entertaining by running in a park with prairie dogs!
http://runningonsober.com/2012/09/19/eighteen-miles-owned-in-the-bad-ass-time-of-oh-who-gives-a-crap/
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Oh Kristen!
I can’t tell you how happy I was to wake up to your comment with call-outs to Josie and Christy. Duh! Two of my favorites, too. Josie continues to write regularly and inspires me every time I read her. As for Christy, well – she knows all too well how much I rely on her almost ever day. In running, writing, and life. LOVED that you highlighted these two posts as I have not read either of them. I can’t think of a better way to spend a morning in the airport – with 3 hot chicas who can rock a keyboard as well as the roads you run on. Thank you so much for this. Have an awesome Tuesday. xo
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Awwww, hey chica! Thanks for the mention, I remember that 18 mile day like it was yesterday. Now that the weather is cooling, I think I’ll be visiting my prairie dog friends more often. Still running and writing–in fact I’ll be “resurrecting” RoS this weekend for a special surprise. 🙂
Miss you mucho. xoxo
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See.. my problem here is that YOU are one of my all time favs so re-posting you is kinda redundant! LOL! I love this idea. It is way cool! I will drop one of mine in the basket I suppose from early..early, EARLY on!! Have an awesome trip dearest! And stay warm! Oh and did I mention.. GO ROYALS!! 😀
https://blogmethisblog.wordpress.com/2013/06/27/what-does-n-o-mean/
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I just love you. You know that, right? I’ve been traveling all week (and staying up late to watch the Royals!). What a blessing to find your words and a retro post waiting for me.
I’m going to recap everything (and announce the drawing winner) either today or tomorrow. Ha! Who am I kidding. Tomorrow!
Thank you again for sending us to this awesome story. NO way would I have wanted to miss it. xo
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I am very impressed by the Royals! Did you stay up and watch them Tuesday night? OMG! We went to be at the bottom of the 8th. But I checked my phone every 30 minutes until the game was over! Broke 2 records that night!! WOOHOO! I’m praying for a sweep! 😀
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Oh! Oh! I’m late to the party!! Brilliant idea. Simply brilliant!! Must go and stalk … I mean, browse …
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You are not late the party at all. If anything, I’ve been the MIA hostess!
Thank you for taking the time to join in the fun and read the retro. I’ll be coming back in the next couple of days to clean up the crumbs, summarize the fun, and announce the winner.
Thanks for coming – I absolutely love your party dress 🙂
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading several of the links. I’m in awe of the talented writers out there!!
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This is a great idea! I have blogs I read regularly (and find myself quoting them sometimes, as if a friend actually spoke the words to me, haha). Found your site through Coach Daddy, the 6-word memoir title 🙂
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Hi Janna!
I have seen you around these parts before. Thank you so much for taking the time to stop and comment. I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!
Michelle
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