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347th Friday Blog Roundup

I keep a pack of post-it notes on my bedside table where I jot down thoughts either so I can place them somewhere and get to sleep or because they seem so brilliant at 3 am that I know I will want to cogitate on them in the morning.  Half of the plotlines in the books are jotted down on those post-it notes.

And then there are the gems that are unearthed in the morning or whenever I page back through the chunk of sticky notes.  Such as this random one:

Creamy caramelized onion soup

He had spent equal amounts of time thinking about how to get out as he had trying to stay in.

Foer told me to rub the soap around the leg but children rub soap up and down.

I didn’t remember the dream until after I read about it again on the post-it note pad, but I had a dream where Joshua Foer (author of Moonwalking with Einstein and fellow Washingtonian) pointed out that children always rub soap in an up-and-down fashion over their bodies even though parents bathing them since birth circle the soap around each body part.  It was supposed to be a deep parenting discussion.  I’ve never met Joshua since he was so far behind me in school, and I’m not even sure he has children nor thinks about their soaping habits.  Nor do I think that my dream Joshua Foer was onto something even if I have enjoyed what I’ve read so far of Moonwalking with Einstein.  Nor do I think, if he does by chance read this, that he should begin analyzing children’s soaping habits.

It’s not the dream that is the point at all.

It’s the fact that I found it important enough to write that down on a note at 3 am.

*******

My Josh (the one of playwriting but not book or soap-analyzing fame) decided recently that he’s now a Nationals fan.  He has not left behind his love of the Yankees, but he’s ready to commit to a DC team and it’s going to be the Nats.

It’s been slowly building over time, but his love is now spilling over and he has become obsessed with watching the Nats.  I was (note the past tense) not a baseball fan at all — I’m not a fan of any sport — but I decided to become a Nats fan too in solidarity.  Except that I skipped over normal fandom and went straight to superfandom.

If Josh is willing to zinc oxide his skin red, white, and blue, I am willing to get a permanent tattoo on my face in the same colours. (He has promised me that I will still need sunscreen if I do this and it will be very expensive, so I’m holding off for the time being.)  He will wear a Nats t-shirt.  I will shave a W into my hair.  He will call encouraging things to the players on the television screen.  I will scream obscenities at the screen.

See?  Superfan.

*******

And now the blogs…

But first, second helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week.  In order to read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

Okay, now my choices this week.

Hannah Wept, Sarah Laughed has a post called “At a Loss for Words” about the thought process she goes through before she posts something.  She explains that as much as she can be outspoken, there are plenty of topics she doesn’t write about; things she worries will offend someone reading her blog.  The side effects of this are far-reaching, but she deals with the inherent problems of censoring herself because of her fear of failure.  It’s a really interesting read, and I’m positive she’s not the only person who feels this way.

Bio Girl has a post about jealousy when she sees large families at the pool.  She explains: “Those babies are not MY baby. They have nothing to do with me. They are hopefully very wanted and loved, just like my baby would be. But somehow yesterday it felt different. It felt painful. Any maybe because leading up to this point, we had a plan. We were still working out OUR baby.”  It’s about trying to be happy with your current life while releasing the old dreams.

Not a Fertile Myrtle has a post about getting a tattoo with two other infertile women.  It’s a good story, but I also love the ending: “I can’t tell you how much I love these ladies.  That’s one thing I’m glad infertility gave me… their friendship.  Now I just need to tell my mom that I got a tattoo!  Any suggestions?”

Lastly, Small Bird Studios has a post about revisiting the emotions of losing her daughter.  She has been gone for two years, but she can still re-enter those feelings.  She writes, “More than two years later when I let myself FEEL again for her loss – even for a moment, the longing has not dulled one bit.  It’s a good place to be momentarily.  To remember.  To cry.  To feel.  To embrace the storm that visited my life.”  It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking post.

The roundup to the Roundup: My best writing takes place at 3 am.  I have become a Nationals Superfan.  And lots of great blog posts to read.  So what did you find this week?  Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between June 24 and July 1) and not the blog’s main url. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week?  Read the original open thread post here.

17 comments

1 Elizabeth { 07.01.11 at 9:15 am }

Go Nationals!

I’ve been dancing around like a toddler who has to pee waiting for this week’s roundup so I could link to this post:
http://tara-sanders.blogspot.com/2011/06/we-share-same-omniverse-please-clean.html
Some thought-provoking questions about who we are, who we are online, how we connect as people, how our actions have large reverberations, and how we care for one another.

2 a { 07.01.11 at 9:32 am }

I’ll have to come back later for posts (hope I remember!).

So, that’s what the screaming of obscenities at the screen means? That you’re a Superfan? I thought it just meant that my husband was really annoying to watch baseball with. Thanks for the clarification. Also, creamy carmelized onion soup sounds weird texture-wise. I don’t know if creamy and slimy go well together…

3 loribeth { 07.01.11 at 10:41 am }

Yesterday I kept checking in vain for the Roundup. I was getting worried because it wasn’t there — it just wasn’t like you. ; ) And then I finally realized: it was Thursday. Today is our Canada Day holiday, so yesterday felt like Friday at work. I love my long weekends, but they sure do screw up my sense of timing. ; )

4 It Is What It Is { 07.01.11 at 11:04 am }

You used cogitate. I love you!

5 BigP's Heather { 07.01.11 at 11:10 am }

I never had a football team. My Dad loves the Redskins, so my sister claimed the Cowboys. I just was never part of it (add that to the list).

When I married BigP I decided to join in his love of the Kansas City Chiefs. I bought him tickets to his first game. We road tripped. I just wish they would go to the Superbowl so we can go…

6 Brandy { 07.01.11 at 11:47 am }
7 Keiko { 07.01.11 at 1:01 pm }

Whoa! Knock me over with a feather – thanks for the feature! *legit blushing*

8 Calliope { 07.01.11 at 2:18 pm }

You know I am ALL for anyone deciding to shave a W on their head…just saying.

9 a { 07.01.11 at 7:07 pm }

If you haven’t been following the Bloggess’ giant metal chicken saga, you are missing out. The comments on the original post are a fascinating study of how people can blow anything out of proportion. But, this is the latest one…

http://thebloggess.com/2011/06/i-dont-have-a-title-for-this-because-ive-run-out-of-puns-please-insert-your-own/

10 Baby Smiling In Back Seat { 07.01.11 at 9:58 pm }

Deeply moving post from Two Kayaks about whether infertility is “worth it” in the end.

11 Baby Smiling In Back Seat { 07.01.11 at 11:41 pm }

Another second helping:
http://babyinterrupted.blogspot.com/2011/07/bite-me.html

A post that took me to places I didn’t expect to go.

12 Franchesca { 07.02.11 at 1:09 am }

I don’t even know how to thank you for mentioning that post I wrote a a few days ago, but thank you. Sometimes it feels good to write about that event that shook me to the core. And reading some blog links I’ve found on your site today reminds me of that even more.

One post I’ve read recently that spoke deeply to me was Kristin’s post on “Enjoy the Ride”.

http://dearbabycook.blogspot.com/2011/06/enjoy-ride.html

I love her ability to balance her heartbreaking loss, and manage to take it and make it into something beautiful.

13 Jackie { 07.02.11 at 2:55 am }

This post talks about the heartbreak of not being able to conceive and carry naturally from the point of view of a trans woman. I can’t explain it further than that – I wouldn’t do it justice. (forgive me if the link isn’t clickable.)

http://www.raisingmyboychick.com/2011/06/guest-post-sadness-is-my-boychick-or-girlchick/

14 Lori Lavender Luz { 07.02.11 at 10:40 pm }

Your sleepy-time post-it notes crack me up. I have a few things like that in my bedside journals.

15 Justine { 07.02.11 at 10:40 pm }

love the 3am thoughts. They really do put things in perspective, don’t they? 🙂

AND: I must say, I’m really loving the second helpings to the Roundup these days!

16 Keiko { 07.05.11 at 4:41 pm }

If you have not read Pregnancy Loss & Miscarriage series by Lindsey at The R House last week, you must go read them. I’ve never read anything so powerful on the subject before, and never admired 3 women so much for the bravery and rawness of sharing their stories.

Seriously? These are must-read posts.

Understanding and Supporting Pregnancy Loss
Pg Loss: Do’s & Do Not’s
Pg Loss: The Grieving Process

17 Linnea { 07.06.11 at 12:57 pm }

Sarah at Bio Girl’s follow up to the post you mention above is a pretty amazing story, and really exhibits the notion that you really don’t know what others are going through. Great post!
http://bio-girl.blogspot.com/2011/07/other-side.html

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