I'm Really Proud Of You. Yes, YOU.
"Would you like to come over this Saturday and let the girls play for a few hours?" the woman next to me asked as we watched our daughters tappa-tappa-tappa their way through dance class.
"I'm sorry. I have a photo shoot so we won't be able to," the words tumbled out of my mouth before I consider the consequences.
"Photo shoot? Are you a photographer?" she asked.
"I...uh...sort of. It's a part-time thing," I hesitantly replied.
"Oh! Do you have a website?" she responded, clearly interested in perusing the conversation in a whole new way.
FUNNY QUESTION, THAT.
Website? Me? Do I have a website? Hmmm...let me think about that. I don't have a photography website. Yet. Soooooooo...no! I don't have a website!
Oh. This one? THIS ONE? Hooboy. This one isn't at all a secret, but I don't exactly walk around telling people it exists. You aren't going to catch me telling the cashier at the Iggle, "Hey, check out my blog!" nor do I casually mention it in any conversations with anybody EVER. NEVER EVER.
(Side note: one of our neighbors always seems to walk outside just as Alexis and I are working on a chalk photo. That neighbor has to think I'm insane. Normal people do not routinely teeter on top of a ladder with a camera while their kid pretends to fly.)
To be honest, I don't often mention any sort of social media to people I know outside of social media. Twitter? What's that? Facebook? Oh, I don't really use that. You know, privacy concerns, n'at.
The thing is, I'm not the only one who compartmentalizes social media activities. It seems like the people who don't get it just plain don't get it. They trivialize the value of social media and we let them. I mean, how many of you have blogs that you keep secret from your families? Or twitter accounts that you use heavily, but you freak out if somebody from "the real world" finds your account?
Why are we ashamed of the very real conversations and relationships and successes we have because of social media?
I don't know.
But right now I want to fly my social media freak as high as I possibly can. I want to run through my neighborhood yelling, "I love the people who read my blog!" (I hate the word blog, for the record. Like, it makes me cringe just typing it. HATE HATE HATE. I still want to go yell that I love you for reading it, though.) I want to grab a bullhorn and drive through Pittsburgh proclaiming, "SOCIAL MEDIA IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Christmas Crazy. Goal Reached.
$3500 worth of toys will be going to Womansplace this Friday. $3500 worth of toys will be under the trees of kids who have suffered the consequences of domestic violence. $3500.
You guys are absolutely amazing.
GROUP HUG!
I'll post the final total for Christmas Crazy 2011 next week. There's a whole bunch of stuff I haven't included in the running total because I work in phases with this stuff, but I will tell you now that it's a very good number. It's a very good number that includes stories about generous souls who drive three hours with a carload of toys, young men who choose to collect toys for a donation instead of birthday presents, and a whole bunch of other Awesome People Who I Will Forever Adore.
It's a number that makes me incredibly grateful for each and every one of you.
Oh, and if you haven't had a chance to donate, there is still time to get in on the lovefest. It all goes to Womansplace so that they can continue to do amazing things.
Thank you. Yes, YOU.
(I'll post the photo later. That much big hair deserves a post of its own. Trust me.)
Monday, December 12, 2011
Reader Comments (13)
I'm always so proud of you. You're amazing and wonderful and awesome.
And yes, you have a website. A wonderful, awesome, helluva website. Own it.
Did you just GROUP HUG? OMG, the world is ending! ;)
You do good with this "blog" (I hate that word, too). Keep it up.
You own a web address so, yes, you have a website. However, that's not what keeps me coming back. Like Firemom said, you have a helluva website. Also, you do good things with your bl...I mean...website. Congrats!!!
congrats on inspiring so many to give so much! wonderful, wonderful news that you exceeded the goal.
back to your questions, i don't advertise that i have a blog to most people because of the whole "i posted pictures of my boobs on the internet" thing. sure, there is a bunch of other stuff on my site, but that is the main reason i don't want family viewing the blog.
but i totally defend twitter and my blog, attempting to explain and educate those who don't get it yet.
facebook is the one i am always bashing and the one not getting. hate. grrrrrrrrrrrr.
but back to you. i'd love to see what you come up iwth for a photography site. bet it is gorgeous!
p.s. that photo of alexis that is showing over on the sidebar? the one for flickr? INCREDIBLE.
Woot!!! Congrats on reaching your goal :D. I donated to our local women's shelter here in Northern Az, but I don't think their fund raising was as successful as yours. Of course, if they'd offered the kind of photographic reward you did... well, that and you have awesome readers, of course!
Interesting side story... we've been blessed to never need services at Christmas. Many years we've not had much at all, but we've been able to manage. This year, we have a little more. But we have an extra child, as we are legal guardians (temporarily) of my 10 y/o niece. We've gotten invited to parties that the various children's charities in northern Az sponsor, and they include gifts for my two biological children, as well. I never knew about these foundations, all about making sure the kids "in the system" have a good Christmas. It has opened my eyes! And she's always sort of surprised to see gifts under the tree with her name on them, like she didn't expect to get anything because she's with us.
I got it to work! Woot! Hopefully, 1:38PM on December 13th is not too late. If it is, consider it a goodwill donation towards next year's Christmas Crazy!
We have to wait for the hair?
I get it. The whole social-media-separate-life thing. it's not 100% secret, but I still freak out a little bit when someone from my 'real' life tells me they like my blog. It surprises me every. single. time.
Ha! I was just thinking the other day about what your neighbors might be thinking of your kid lying in the street (or driveway) while you take picture. Hehehe.
I hate the word blog too. It just has just a weird vibe attached to it. And you're right. People who don't do it just don't understand.
YEAH for the goal reached!!!!!! So awesome!
It has taken me 10+ years to be mostly kinda sorta not weird about talking about my BLAWG in 'real life'. heh
Hooray for the goal!!!
Soooo, did you get a new gig scheduled with the other mom? Just checking. Seems to me though that as awesome as this blog (aka "a website") is, it wouldn't take you a whole lot to put together an awesome photography website and start doing what you love. Just sayin'. Also, congrats on hitting your goal and, once again, helping make Christmas a little brighter for a whole lot of kids. You rock!
hey girlie - just sitting her reading through all these amazing posts of CC! I'm so overjoyed for you - but more so for the charity you work so hard for! What a Blessed year these families will have!
PS - I've been blogging for 5 years and just lately have started to tell friends - still not sure if I should - but it's out there right?
Happy Holidays to you and your family!