300,000 TODAY!

Yes, in the next hour or so, the hits on this humble blog, My Sister’s Jar, will surpass 300,000.  The number is astounding to me.  Let me give you some back history… several years ago (I just tried to figure out what year it was, but I’m 45 and can’t remember things like that… sigh) I attended a writer’s conference in New Mexico where there were several seminars one could take in.  I perused the list and chose several… the ones I recollect include: contract negotiations, writing the perfect proposal, selling your wares to publishers, adding humor to your writing and narrowing down your pitch to elevator length.  Distinctly I remember reading one particular description that caused me to guffaw and roll my eyes.  Ready?  It was simply titled “Blogging”.  My thoughts at that time included, but were not limited to the following: Who would spend all that time writing for invisible people?  Who would read some random person’s ramblings? How do people even find “online journals” to read? And WHY would anybody care what a stranger is writing? What is the purpose of blogging? And so on. And so on.  That was during my PBL (pre-blog life).

Upon my arrival home from the conference, my husband and I met with a couple whose lives are engrossed with computers and programming and podcasts and tweeting and a whole bunch of other techy stuff I do not understand.  BUT, he explained blogging to me… and I didn’t stick in one little toe to test the water… I did a cannonball into the deep end of the internet writing swimming hole. 

Those questions I asked myself earlier about blogging have not all been answered.  I still do not understand exactly where 797 people come from in a single day who read my blog.  It is inspiring to me, and quite humbling, to be frank.  I often ask my husband, “Who are these people?” When someone comments, I get a little hint as to who they are… where they are from… how they stumbled upon My Sister’s Jar.  But those are precious and few.

My prayer is that people will be inspired by stopping here to live life to the fullest and possibly take a jump into some of my favorite topics: family, marriage, laughter, writing, adoption, homeschooling, being a Christ follower, raising boys, sewing, traveling, gardening, losing weight, traditions, America the Beautiful, saving money, and being a mom.

I’ll wrap up this bit of blogging hysteria with a meek and awe inspired THANK YOU, to my dear readers who keep coming back to read.  It’s for YOU, invisible friend, that I keep rambling on (and it is cheaper than therapy for me!)  XOXO

Updated Blog Links… FOR YOU!

Sorry, the arrow is pointing in the wrong direction.

Tonight I went through my terribly outdated and inaccurate blog links.  Good grief.  Positively archaic.  Ok, well, I went through my web Favorites too… and added all the blogs I read regularly (and non-regularly) to the list. There are some talented writers out there in cyberland that could spark your interest in anything from blogging (duh!), to writing, to homeschooling, to photography, to parenting, to sewing, etc., etc.  Bloggers need to stick together and spread the word when we find other bloggers worthy of mention… and I’ve not been holding up my end of the deal lately.  For that I apologize, but I have rectified the situation… dramatically. 

For your convenience, dear reader, I also commented on the links so you don’t go blindly to a site wondering why in the world I linked them.  There are short descriptions so if you never want to hear another word about any of the topics near and dear to my heart, you can skip them in other people’s blogs.  he he he.  BUT, take my word for it, there is a plethora of quality information at your fingertips right over there in the right margin.  Really. 

In October 2007 I went to a writer’s conference in New Mexico and was introduced to the wierd world of writers.  Seriously, there are some over-the-top people who should really calm down a bit about their book ideas.  Anyway, that is another topic for another time…. W A Y in the future…. when I’m completely out of ideas for blogging and there are no more question slips in My Sister’s Jar.  Anyway, there were several workshops on blogging… to which I rolled my eyes and guffawed with gusto.  Gracious me.  Who wants to write and write and write… and pour out your heart on the web…. for people you don’t even know… and won’t ever know?  Stupid.  That’s what I thought of bloggers.

What transformed my blogging worldview, you ask?  I met with a gentleman when I was searching for a website designer.  He suggested I look at blogging in addition to a website.  I’m glad I did.  It is therapeutic when you are waiting for an adoptive child for years and years and you find others who are waiting with you.   And still others who have their precious children… and it gives you hope.  There are also totally inspirational homeschooling moms who are not burned out and frustrated… and still coming up with great ideas and finding quality literature and sharing it on blogs.  Awesome!  It’s been two years and four months since I began My Sister’s Jar… and it still brings me pleasure to write and write and write and pour my heart out on the web for people I don’t even know and won’t ever know.  :o)  It’s that old-dog-new-trick thing again coming to bite me in the behind.  I pray to inspire even a few!  To what, you ask?  Whatever they need!  Encouragement to read every day, laugh every day, and be kind to your kids and your husband….. every day.

Here’s to blogging.  Hurrah… hurrah…. hurrah! (I’m holding my water bottle up high!)

Editors are my Heroes

Today, bright and early on this Monday morning, I received my edited manuscript for Laughing in the Midst of Marriage.  I took one glance through the pages and had a flash back to college writing assignments.  Let’s just say my editor worked for every penny they earned on this project.  The red on the page is prolific. 

Once at TWU an essay was handed back to me with MORE red than black writing on it.  Good grief!  Written in big red letters across the top it said, “When in Canada, Write as a Canadian!”  I didn’t realize there was a difference.

Today, in America, I’m not sure who I’m writing like???  Maybe my editor is Canadian?  I’m not sure.  Anyway, I have pages and pages to go through of black and RED typing.  I’m so thankful for someone who is trained to fix other people’s work.  It makes me look and sound good. :o)  The email said something to the efffect of, “Let us know if you accept the editor’s corrections.”  WHAT?  Like I know anything about correct grammar and syntax!  I just love to spew forth on the page.  If they said it’s right, they’re probably right and who am I to say otherwise???

So far my day timer has my week all lined up for me:  B-day lunch with Cheryl, dentist, dog shots, adoption conference call, movies, sewing a Bag for Zaza and lots of reading black and red pages.  Enjoy your start of a new week.

Le freak, c’est chic. Freak out!

Sing it with me…. “Aaaaaaaaahhhhh, Freak Out!” 

Enjoying every moment of non-stress Christmas break, I was spending a To-Do-List-Less day minding my own business, when BAM! 

Actually, I spent about an hour online last Thursday morning choosing a Conversational Spanish class that is offered at a local community college for eight weeks.  I knew it would be hard (due my 42 year old brain… and a 25 year gap from my last Spanish class) and time consuming (twice a week for 3 hours) but I feel like I need to take it before we go to Colombia.  I found the textbook.  I found the school.  I called Rick and informed him that we would need to find a ride to hockey for Keeve for eight Wednesday nights.  OK, then BAM! happened.

I phoned Michelle, my editor in Nashville, to report a printing glitch that was found in one of my books, Laughing in the Midst of Mothering.  (www.LindaCrosby.com) After discussing the hows and whys of printing boo-boos, she casually mentioned that the week before she had presented my next book, Laughing in the Midst of Marriage, to the board of the publishing house and they gave it the thumbs up!   Whooooooo Hoooooooo!  She mentioned September for having it out!  Thrilling!  Yes! 

We hung up… and the Freak Out part started.  Where in the world was the file folder with my “book”?  I was on the phone with my sister while digging through my bedside table, pulling piles out from under my bed, shoveling stuff off my desk.  It only took me about five minutes to locate the collection of stories.  Then I remembered the minor computer faux pas that “hid” my entire computer profile…. including all my writing.  GREAT!  Thanks to my new best friend in the world, Missy’s Ken, the files were recovered… but they are not in a working file.  So today I spent my free time transferring and copying files so I can get down to business.

All that to say, I’m so excited about the marriage book and I won’t be taking Conversational Spanish any time soon.