There's a thing that's really very hard to explain to people whose exposure to social media has basically been Facebook and/or Instagram. They don't know because those platforms don't do it, but blogging and Twitter? They shrink the world. Truly.
I realize that blogging is dead and it's just plain weird that I still (sort of) maintain this site. I mostly walked away a while ago, but I couldn't say goodbye to Christmas Crazy without one last hurrah. Alas. Here we are. Giving it one last hurrah.
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An aside. That last hurrah thing is moving more slowly than I would like. HEEEELLLPPPPP. Here's the Amazon Wishlist. Please make my delivery person work extra this week? I'll make it up to them. THANK YOU, YOU'RE THE BEST, HUUURRRRAY FOR GOOD PEOPLE!
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After this last hurrah? I'm not sure. Stories about Alexis have been few and far between for a long time now because she's old enough to have her own story that's different than every other kid's. She has a right to privacy and can absolutely tell me not to post about something. That's all been happening for years and years. It makes for scarce content, but a happier kid, so it's the right thing to do.
Mila is starting to bump up against that "unique story" thing as well. Years of reading other people's blogs taught me that there is very little that's special about kids up until they're about 7 or 8. Oh, your baby doesn't sleep? JOIN THE CLUB. Your tiny one had a diaper explosion that was hilarious? Yeah, we've all seen that. Twice this week. Your kindergartener did something cute? Millions of kindergarteners have done something cute as well. It's not a bad thing. In fact, it was the power of blogging. We were able to connect with other people who were living through the same moments and reacting in the same way. It made us feel connected and a little less crazy.
But then kids start moving through the world in ways that are truly their own and their story becomes theirs. At least that's what I think. Considering Alexis has read every word I've written and currently gets mad about "yo mama" jokes because, and this is a direct quote, "My mom is a cool mom," I think that stance has served me well. (Alexis is probably the only person who would call me cool. I'LL TAKE IT.)
ANYWAY, lots of things killed blogging and it was a slow, gradual death, but here we are. Blogs are dead.
And any minute now, Twitter is going to be dead as well. There was nothing gradual about any of it, which really speaks to how much of a colossal failure Elon Musk really is. It takes skills to get so many people to walk away from a job they loved. It also takes skills to destroy something so powerful from the inside. They aren't good skills, but he has them.
I mentioned that Twitter shrank the world, and that's one heck of an understatement. As much as I think we're supposed to hate that hellsite, it's connected me with this magnificent collective of people from all over the world. Christmas Crazy gifts have come from 9 countries and 31 states over the years, y'all. I haven't lived in 9 countries, so I can't take credit for that. The 31 states are not a representation of people I've known over the years - they're nearly entirely Twitter "strangers."
A couple of wild things that have happened because of Twitter:
- I spent a year attending high school in Spain as an exchange student. I lived with a newly married couple while I was there. They didn't have children until years after I returned to the United States. Their youngest daughter found me on Twitter and was like, "Hey! Are you the Michelle that lived with Andres and Pepita? Because they're my mom and dad." I tweet with her fairly often, despite never having met her. I still have no clue how she found me, though. I should probably hurry up and ask.
- I know a person who can get a private plain sent anywhere. I found that out one very strange night. I won't go into details, but how cool is that?
- There is a person whose name you would recognize who I went to high school with (IYKYK). I know he still remembers his sister and me torturing him when we were kids because he DMd me from his super secret Twitter account to share a photo from those days. He was like "Hey! I found this! And I found you on Twitter!" And I was like, "Who the hell are you? OH WAIT." It was a fun day.
There are a million other stories like those, but the one that matters most brings us right back to where I started - Christmas Crazy worked because of Twitter. This site has been the baseball team playing a great game, but Twitter has been the radio announcer spreading the story across the miles. And, y'all, I can't even put into words how much it means to me that so many of you have not only cheered for the baseball team, but also used your own Twitter accounts to shout it from the rooftops.
So thanks, social media people. You're pretty swell. Let's stay in touch.