This past week I put in nearly 40 hours of school volunteering. (Or maybe eleventy hundred. I lost count.) Some at home but most at the school. Does this mean they have officially “gotten” me? Am I now a Stepford? Let’s say no. I did have fun doing it, though. I know. The first step is admitting there is a problem. So really? I don’t really have a “new” post worthy of a Newsflash, but I do have something you may not have read yet. Seeing as I know you don’t all follow me around the ‘net to see what I have to say. And the links in the post? Follow them. Some amazing women writers were quoted. You may find a great new read!
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The past week I have been adrift in volunteer work, a new freelance job, house cleaning and one other thing. What was that? Oh, I remember. Celebrating my eighth year being clean from a painful and life altering drug addiction that nearly took away everything I cherish and love. I’ll be honest. I wanted to find be around at least one person who “got it” and would realize what I was going through on that day. It was a day that I desperately needed to be understood and on familiar ground with another person.
Blogging is much the same way for many people. Some people read blogs as a way to find others that are going through the same life issues, have the same interests or maybe even just because they entertain them. And then we have the bloggers themselves. Those who put themselves right out there in front of the Internet and share to let it all lay bare. Those writers who dig deep into their souls and pull out a part of it and share it. Hoping it connects with someone else. Sometimes hoping someone else will connect with them.
It is not surprising that in this week I found Redsy. As she began her Odyssey to stop drinking she posting these words that so resonated with me that I wept remembering the feelings she described.
I’ve found a place to go every day to talk about my problem with drinking. To listen to others talk about their struggles and fears and recovery. And it is a complete and total miracle. If I’d known how great these meetings would be, I honestly would have stopped all this wine nonsense a long time ago.
But of course I wouldn’t really. Because outside of those wonderful comforting loving meetings, life is once again scary as hell. And this time I’m standing there without my favored weapon. Facing an army of tigers with a pea shooter and one bean, which is how we’re supposed to feel at the beginning (I’m told).
And I feel like the outside layer of my skin (the adult, fake-put-together part) has been taken away and I’m this sea creature –shell-less and shaky–lolling around waiting for sunlight to reach all the long way down to the ocean floor.
I read through her pages and found her four months later with these words:
So it’s been 75 days since my last drink and nearly 4 months since I began this odyssey — to sober up, wake up to my life, start a daily spiritual practice something like worshiping a higher power, something like trying to be a more loving person.
As slowly the cravings, mental and physical subside, replaced by new rituals and people and habits, hope increases. Hope that there is more that I can give, more to experience, and a greater sense of gratitude folded into the dailyness of things.
…
All is not perfect happiness by any stretch, but broken down into 24 hours segments, I can say I haven’t felt this hopeful and resourceful for years and years.
I cheered for her. I wanted to shout to her that I get it and I am so proud of her. I remember hitting each milestone month of being clean and you can damn well bet it is worthy of a celebration. She is now 5 months sober. I am 8 years clean. We are alike and we can both learn from each other. That is the beauty of putting it out there. I don’t know her. But really? I know her.
I also came across a post about loss written by Jenn of Breed ‘Em and Weep that caused me to suck my breath in and hold it as I read it. I cried with the writer as she described her feelings. I felt my own anguish over losses in my own life (though different from hers, losses nevertheless) and I felt her pain as she knew that things would never be the same. I could feel her anguish as she knew the lives of her children would never be the same after this peaceful night of sleep– not knowing.
Tomorrow we will tell the girls about a difficult loss. It is a peculiar thing to sit on the edge of your child’s bed, watching her sleep, knowing that tomorrow you will say something that will stop her heart briefly and force her through a door she would not have chosen herself. Children do not take kindly to loss, and why should they? As adults we can barely stand it, barely have the ability to comprehend the who-was-who-now-isn’t, the what-was-that-now-is-lost.
I watch her dark profile. She is a beautiful girl, as still sometimes in her waking hours as she is right now, asleep. I think, This is her last night of not knowing. Tomorrow we take away the not-knowing.
When I first read the post I didn’t even know what the loss was but it did not matter. I felt it. I felt her loss. I felt the losses in my life. I felt her turmoil as a mother. I remembered that late night knowing I had something to tell my own children that would forever bring them from before to after. From innocence to life-changing. Her ability to open up and share from the bottom of her heart was so universal while still being so personal, you were not only there with her, you were at that place in your own life where you went through your own loss. That is the incredible power of blogging.
You see, when bloggers really open up and share, we find a way to connect, find support and feel as if someone out there gets us. To those of you who bare your souls, thank you. I appreciate and understand how hard that is. I have found bloggers who write about just about everything. They share what they know with people who may need or want to hear it.
I can find bloggers who help me with support for my addiction, the death of my Mom, my stillborn son, and my frustrations and dilemmas in parenting. And when I read the following quote from Mamma Loves, I realized that there is a certain type of blogging that is harder to find.
Mamma Loves called it to the carpet when she wrote:
What I’ve noticed though is that there seems to be one topic that remains fairly off limits (unless addressed anonymously). I understand why. Many people have discussed their reasons for not talking about it. I see this in my real life friendships too.
I just have to ask though…when will we all stop pretending like marriage is easy??
I love that question. I would love more people to just say it. “This marriage thing? Good. Love it. But, damn, it can be hard.” I know many divorced bloggers who will talk all about it. Or bloggers who openly admit they are in a bad marriage. But what about those of us who are in good marriages and are happy? Just something she asked that I thought I bring to the table since we are talking about baring our hearts and souls in blogging.
The bottom line is blogging has power. A mighty strong power. Blogging connects people. We can find others who get where we have been, where we are and where we are going. And that is vital at certain times in our lives. So, bloggers, it is okay to bare your soul. Some of us need it. Most of us admire it. And there are even a few of us who are counting on it.
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Comments are acting wonky so if you try to leave one and it won’t let you, please let me know. You can always email it to me and I will post it for you. No idea what is wrong. Sorry!
I have had an email stalking relationship with her since I found her video online and I can honestly tell you, she is one of the kindest women I have met online. And I have been doing this for years. In fact, we are currently in negotiations for the status of BFF and have agreed to hammer out details over a cup of coffee–time and location permitting.
But, while you are here, feel free to peruse the blog and the archives. It’s not like I am impressed you are here from the NYT Magazine or anything (yes I am) or want you to stay (yes I do) but more importantly, I want you to feel welcome. (But, really? Use a coaster because getting those water rings out of a blog is tough!)
The post where I sing the praises of another writer
July 18, 2007
Do you ever (if you are a blogger) read something, enjoy it and then move along the Internet mindlessly surfing or working or doing whatever it is you do (I am not here to judge you!) and then…THEN you realize how rude you were to not say howdy, give a little link love and send people towards the writers you enjoy?
*hanging my head in shame*
I have. I do. I am a bad reciprolinker! (And yes, it is a word if I make it a word!)
I have been reading Kris over at Help Yourself for ages and never once told you about her? Bad blogger! (Someone slap my blogging hand.) Kris writes great features on her blog for the Orlando Sentinel and here I go enjoying them and never sharing her with you. And in ORLANDO! The home of my brother and his wife, my cousin and her child, and even my aunt. But do I support the town writer? No.
Seriously, I do adore her. We have talked for ages and I have been a bad friend by not reciprolinkifying her blog. Ever since I took my links down (and when I say “I took” of course I mean EE hijacked) I am lost. I forget my daily reads. I wander aimlessly about the Internet moaning and wailing about my loss. Bless Kris for calling me back home to one of my favs.
Now go. Show her my love (and yours) before I get voted off the blogosphere and fall out of the good graces I have with a fellow writer.
This beach picture is just for her. Since she wanted one! AND since she will be away on vacation. I, however, will still be here cleaning. And working. And generally NOT being on vacation.
It may have tried to kill me, but I am WINNING this war!
March 6, 2007
I almost named this entry “Lucky Number 7” but that seems so silly when what I am celebrating is so huge.
Today marks my 7th “birthday” clean and clear of my need for pills…7 years of overcoming this addiction. (I will pause now for high 5’s and a few Wooots!)
Seven years. Approximately 2,557 days. About 61,361 hours. And if you think there are days when those hours don’t count, think again. There are days even now when I just promise myself to get through the next few minutes, then hour, then night and finally I get through the dark time and am soaring again without having slipped. If you remember, the time leading up to this anniversary always makes me wack.
But I did it.
Today marks SEVEN YEARS since I finally hit rock bottom, had no where to turn and let go (finally) and became clean. And you know what? I am damn proud of it, too!
The past year has been hell in my life. (Like I need to tell you that!) The past few months I have been coming out of this horrific fog I have been in for so long and the best way to describe the feeling is to compare it to someone coming out of a coma after a horrible accident. No longer numb and therefore, hurting like hell. A time when you are begging mentally to numb that pain. Somehow. Anyway you can find. I am not ashamed to admit that more than once I have been jonesing for a fix to just not hurt anymore. To just not feel overwhelmed, guilty or not good enough.
But the thing I can celebrate today is that I DID NOT GIVE IN! I won this year. No one can take back these 7 years. And they sure as hell cannot take back the battle that has been this past year.
And I won.
Seven years.
And though I am all about tooting my own horn when it comes to something like this (because it is a really hard thing to do!), I want to hear from you. Yes, YOU. We all have had to face something in our lives that has scared the hell out of us or been a huge challenge that we didn’t think we could get through it. We’ve ALL been there. Let’s celebrate getting through the hell, the fear and the hard times…together!
Share with me. Either here in the comments, email me or blog about it on your own blog and let me know about it. (I want to do a huge celebratory and overcoming entry where we all can celebrate our victories. Who knows? Your accomplishment may be just what someone else needs to read to get through their own tough times.)
Celebrate with me.
I wanna rock this house, baby. Because Seven Years is worth a party, don’t you think?
Remember way back in September when I was on an amazing phone call with Gloria Steinem? Remember how we could ask her one question? Well, seeing as she is the most amazing woman when it comes to her time, she allowed us a follow-up question. Of course, it seems that as I sent my follow-up, my life went into a tailspin, so this is the first time I have been able to post about the question and her response. But first, I have to give you a personal story about this woman.
When I was in the midst of not knowing what was going on with my heart and all of the symptoms going on and was at wits end, I get a phone call. Of course my luck being the “walking under ladders luck”, I was not home to answer the phone. But I got this incredible message:
“Jenn, this is Gloria Steinem. I heard about what was going on with your health issues and wanted to talk to you further about it. If there is anything at all that I can do for you, please let me know. Here is my home phone number. Please feel free to give me a call back so we can talk.”
Then I fainted.
When I came to I called Jenny to say, “Gloria fucking Steinem called me to see how I was AND she left her HOME phone number. Gloria F. Steinem. Holy mother of all things feminist movement and kick ass-ness, I am freaking out!”
Finally I got up the nerve to call her back and we had a very lovely talk and she gave me amazingly wonderful advice as well as a referral to a doctor who may be able to better help me come up with a diagnosis. Phone call? Check. Advice? Check. Referral? Check. Freaking the hell out? Check. See? When I tell you this woman is amazing…listen to me!
So now, the real reason for this post. When we asked our original questions, we had a chance for a follow up. Here is my follow up as well as her answer. Enjoy!
1) Jenn Satterwhite - Mommy Needs Coffee:
Q: How do you suggest we break the boys club up and let our voices be just as respected and heard? Women are the experts when it comes to the Women’s Movement and Women Online. So, how do we stand up to the Boys Club on the Internet?
A: There are usually at least three ways to increase our power, not necessarily in this order: 1) Naming and claiming what power we have; 2) Demonstrating our power because, like a muscle, it has to be used to exist; and 3) Expanding our power.
Naming and Claiming could mean using the blogosphere to remind everybody that it was a woman (Grace Hopper, later a Rear Admiral)who developed operating programs for the first digital computer in the 1940s and also invented the first computer language in the 1950s; that Sandy Lerner invented the router that made the entire Internet possible (and on which Cisco is based); that women are now a huge percentage of computer users
Every now and then the calendar, the stars and the planets align just right and my birthday falls on Election day. (It comes in handy when reminding people like my husband that he needs to remember the day. “Honey, why is there a huge star and neon circles on the 7th?” he will ask. To which I will passive aggressively respond with something like: “Oh, hmmm…guess it was just really important that you remember to vote or something EQUALLY important to life as you know it.”)
One year when I was rather young, it indeed fell on my birthday. At the time we had a calendar that put pictures on any holidays or dates that are of note. That year, they chose to put a cute little picture of a skunk. On the 7th. On my birthday. Ignorant (or egocentric enough) to not understand that anything else of significance could happen on her birthday, that girl would probably question her mother about it.
“Mommy, why is there a skunk on my birthday?”
“For you. For your birthday. They thought it would best represent your birthday.”
“A skunk? I want a unicorn. Or puppy. Or butterfly. Not a skunk.” I pouted.
“Yeah, I understand sweetie, but they ran out of those cute animals with the birthdays earlier in the year. They had a skunk left. Look, I think it is kind of cute.”
I looked closer. It was kind of cute. “I guess it is okay, but it is really mean. People will think I stink. Next year, they need to change it. January should have the skunk!” I pouted for sure until my birthday arrived with out any skunks showing up for the party and I got great loot. All was forgiven for the skunk.
Somehow during the conversation with my Mom, she managed to bite back the laughter and agreed to write the calendar people a letter to ensure the calendar did not have a skunk the following year on my birthday. Years later, my birthday again fell on election day. No skunk that time. In fact, I have no idea what the picture was. (Yes, we used the same type of calendar for as long as I can remember. They rock!) However, in the mail I received the perfect gift from my Mom. An adorable, small skunk figurine. The perfect gift. It sits on my mantle and makes me smile every-time I look at it. It also reminds me that my children will live through the mind games we tend to play. (Oh come on! You do it, too!) Not only will they live through them, they will look back and smile on them. (And then get their own kids back in return. Gotta love the circle of life!)
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But since this year is an election year, I want to remind you to GO VOTE. Get informed. Know what you are voting for or against. Know the issues and vote your heart and mind. Don’t vote because of political propaganda but because you understand what each candidate stands for. / end soapbox political rant so rare to see here
Having said that, I want to point you to these amazing PSA’s encouraging women to vote. What is sexier than hearing famous, beautiful women talking about their first time? They will share it with you because they want you to vote. Share with me your first time. Tell me yours and I will tell you mine!
See these three women? Love. Them. (They are totally my new BFFs! Really! Call in and ask them.) They are the Radio Ritas. Who needs Match dot com or any online dating service to crush on someone when you have Greenstone Media to find soul mates? This morning I had the incredible chance to speak with all three of these women. At the same time! Who knew I could talk while in a dead faint? But I think I spoke. I laughed a lot because with these women, how can you not? (Ladies, I swear, there is more to me than the Texas twang and a laugh. I use words…not always eloquently, but I have been known to talk before. A lot. Or so they tell me when I am told to take a breath and stop talking.) If you do not know of the Radio Ritas, stop what you are doing now and go here and listen to their latest show. You will laugh. You will relate. You will want to shower me with gifts of gratitude and praise for introducing you to them. All of which I am totally fine with!
Look again at that picture. Now tell me they aren’t women I would totally get along with. Attitude with class. (And a bit of irreverence throw in for good measure.)
So when I get on the phone I am told I am on speaker phone with all three of them.
“All three Ritas are sitting right there right now?” (Yes, I said that on speaker phone.)
I immediately hear one of them spout out, “No. Nope. Not at all.”
Ahhhhh, this will work out. The first words are sarcasm? I can do this. Without vomiting with nerves or gushing all over them.
From there it just started. None of the awkward, “I am that blogger you don’t know that gushed all over you and therefore was given this great chance to talk to you because everyone was tired of me begging to get in touch with you.”
In fact, they said they were reading my blog. My blog. This blog. Right here. The Radio Ritas read my blog and verbally commented on things I wrote. How I didn’t fall into a dead faint right there is beyond me. But I managed to babble-ass something somewhat intelligent. Let’s leave it at something.
But they were so comfortable (as if you were talking with your new best friends), so I relaxed…some.
You’re worried for me at this point, aren’t you? You are reading this with your hand covering your eyes and peeking through your fingers, aren’t you. It’s okay. It did at first feel a bit like a blind date. They were telling me about themselves. (As if there was any need whatsoever to sell me on them. Sold. Many shows ago.) And then I would do the “so enough about you let’s talk about me” thing that no one appreciates, but everyone has to deal with now and then.
Then, it relaxed more. I asked them about Motherhood and what they will or will not talk about. Perfect answer: “If I am paying for your college tuition or bills, anything you say or do is open game for me to use in my act.” (Paraphrased because they had me laughing so much, I wasn’t taking the best of notes. I just wanted to enjoy the conversation. Marinate in the moment. Not vomit from nerves. You know the drill.) I am so stealing that philosophy for my blogs. (Thanks!)
After talking to them and getting to know them a bit better, I have to tell you the secret to their success. Yes, the inside track on why you should be, must be and really want to be listening to them. They are funny as hell! Honestly. They appeal to both men and women alike. They are not strictly Talk Radio for Women Only–The PMS Show. They make women laugh. They make men laugh. I think at one point, my Doberbutt laughed, but he may have been hacking on a bone. They have been accused (based on a reporter looking at the website ONLY and not listening to the show) that they are denigrating women. Say what?! That is based in about as much truth as my saying I am a size 2 supermodel who can eat whatever she wants and has never had a bad day. These women are empowering women through their show, their talk and their amazing ability to reach an audience of both men and women. That is not denigrating women. That is empowering listeners, people.
We talked about Nelsie’s book, The Playgroup. (Yes, there is a link for you to go buy it. Go on.) I talked to Nelsie about the how awful it is and how much it fundamentally changes your life so much when your Mom dies. (She lost her Mom about a month ago.) She asked how it is 9 months in and does it get better. Do you know how much I wanted to tell her that it totally gets easy and the pain is totally gone. But I totally relate to her, so I had to be honest enough to tell her that it gets easier but I can’t say easy. We talked about how hard it is to lose your Mom especially after a long illness. (At this point I totally wanted to crawl through the phone and hug her and then take her out for coffee.)
We talked about the fact that the “stronger than I am” Cory has not had a hot cup of coffee in two years because it takes all day to get through one cup when you have a 2 year old and you are forced to keep nuking it 15 times before you finish it. (Honestly, by the time you get to the 16th time, it is just sludge and it is best to start with a new cup. Just my advice to her.) Cory has a child in college and one in diapers. I am working out how to get that medal to her because if my child went to college and someone told me “Guess what! You are starting all over!” I would need a medal to make it through that. Maybe I’ll just send her a box of single serve coffee filters and a coffee pot that makes coffee one cup at a time and include a DO NOT DISTURB sign she can hang on her bathroom door to hide from the toddler so she can have at least half a cup of hot coffee.
And Maureen. I adore her. After talking with Maureen, I want to immediately find a way to Fed-Ex her any fertile eggs I have left so she can have a healthy baby. OR, I can just send her one of my kids. (Take your pick Maureen. You can have the teen or tween. The kindergartener has not turned on me yet, so I am keeping her for a while.) Honestly, if I could, I would wave my fertility wand over her and bless her with the baby of her dreams. She totally deserves it. She is funny, kind and most importantly wants a baby. Send baby mo-jo her way. Or your eggs. Either one would be nice.
I even was able to try to go the intelligent route as we spoke about consumerism. (Money.) The fact that women make up to 80% of the household purchases–even the big ones like cars–that it is about time people (aka: The Man) realizes this and opens doors wider to let women in. We are buying. You should be marketing to us. Now this, this I had enough experience with to talk about. I might have sounded even a little bit as if I knew what I was talking about. It was the passionate, “Yes! I agree! I understand the words you are saying!”
I know we talked about more.
I think I proposed to at least one of them.
I might have told them more than oncetwice twelvity-hundred times that I love them.
I know you trust me. (Yes, you do.) So go on right now and listen to their latest broadcast. Tune in to listen to them live from 6am - 9am (EST) You will thank me. You will. And I will accept your gifts of gratitude.
And of course, me being me, I ended the interview with this question: “So, when do you want me on your show.”
Yes. Yes, I did. I will let you know. We are BFFs now, so it is all good.
In which the one who can talk to anyone freezes up
September 9, 2006
If you know me or have met me or even read this blog, you know I have no trouble spouting off whatever I feel like saying with very little regard to how it comes out. Meaning, I am who I am and am not usually intimidated when it comes to speaking to anyone. (Thus the frightening results of the McVlog BlogHer interview. See, the mouth opens and I just say anything. Not. Shy.)
Until last week.
Yes, finally there was someone who made me stammer and be blown away by her presence to a point that I have blocked out whatever inane thing I said and am hoping it was not too idiotic. People, I FROZE. I never freeze. They brought a camera crew to my house to interview me before and I was all, “Would you like some coffee?” Miss Relaxed in the face of interviews and/or cameras.
Who could do that to such a “Gimmie the mike! I’ll talk!” woman?
This woman right here. That’s right. Gloria Steinem. I had the perfect opportunity to ask her something absolutely brilliant and I think it came out something like: “Ramblgifc adhnd, but ehhidr brrstoglglfg? What do you think?” Like I said, I don’t freeze up. I take things like this in stride. But, people, Gloria “are you kidding me in the real life” Steinem?! And I was chosen to ask my question second. Meaning, I could not stealborrow follow-up in the brilliance of the other amazing women who were in on thiscall with us.
But being the amazing world that it is, fate has smiled down on me and I have been given another chance to ask the incredible Gloria (Yes, in fact she did tell me to call her Gloria. We are so BFF now. –And no I don’t really believe that.) So, if you were given a chance to ask Gloria Steinem a question, what would it be? I have a question or two in mind now that my brain has de-gelled from its blithering idiot mode, but I would love to hear what you would ask her.
So, speak up!
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Now why was I on the call with Gloria (so on a first name basis now!)? Well, in part to help promote the incredible new launch of Greenstone Media. Their motto: Talk. Listen. Connect. Well, hello! Is that not what we are doing here? This is why Greenstone Media and the awesome personalities they have on air right now have made me go into complete crush mode. I have listened to the hysterical and great trio of the Radio Ritas. Laughed at the incredible commentaries of Women Aloud. And listened intently at the passionate way that Lisa Birnbach brings her topics alive with warmth and ease as if you are sitting there face to face.
I mean it! I am totally crushing on this new venture. I have had numerous opportunities to talk to some people there and *fingers crossed* may have another opportunity for an interview coming up. Have you checked them out yet? If not, go. Now. Go. Greenstone is on the verge of something awesome and huge. You can say you listened way back when some blabbering blogger suggested it to you.
And remember…one question for Gloria Steinem. What would YOU want to ask her? Let me know!
My heart is breaking for my good friend, Busy Mom. Her mom passed away at 3:30 this morning. I have been there. I know the emails and comments mean a lot. Could you please go over there and share the love? It would mean a lot to her. And to me.
Yesterday I told you about how Grace inspires me. And I mentioned Karma. Lately, it seems that the more I try to give to others–either in word or deed–the more the good stuff comes back to me. I got two amazingly awesome emails yesterday that made my day.
One from an author who I completely adore and have read one of her books so many times, I just might know it better than she does. Her email made me giddy and happy. (Especially the part that said she reads my blog. The word worship was thrown in there as well. *faint*) So that had me dancing around happy as a *“tornader in a trailer park”! (Why, yes, I did take my kids to see Cars. Why do you ask?)
Then, today when I was overwhelmed thinking there is no way I can keep up the pace I have taken on, I got an email from another writer, Natasha Kogan, whom I recently found. (Thankyouverymuch BlogHer Ad Network– I totally want to marry you!) Natasha has absolutely blown my socks of with the work she is doing. See that book over there on the right—-> The Daring Female. Seriously, go to her site. Read the women she has featured. Read the dares women of all ages and from all over are daring themselves to do. Add to them! It is an empowering feeling to be a part of it! Then, of course, read her book. I mean it. Read her book! (Sorry. I didn’t meant o get all up in your grill about it. I should have said please.)
And you see, the funny thing about it was that I totally wanted to tell you about her site and the work she was doing and then that “I WILL NEVER DO ALL I HAVE TO DO” feeling of dread came over me. Just in time to get her email. What did her email say that made me actually cry? Well, the first one said, “GO over here and read the featured Daring Female.” When I replied with the gut wrenching “I am not worthy” email after the day I had, she hit me exactly where I needed to be hit :
“You are gutsy and awesome, and should never feel inadequate!”
I am thinking of printing it and getting a tattoo on my forehead that says that for days like this. (Of course, it would have to be written backwards so I could read it in a mirror and that would probably freak people out a bit. But can you imagine the fun times that would create?)
All in all, I have been trying to make sure that I am putting out in the universe the good stuff I find. Introducing you to the inspiring women I meet. And then- Blam!- just when I needed it most, the Universe sent two right back to me.
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Today marks my 7th “birthday” clean and clear of my need for pills…7 years of overcoming this addiction. (I will pause now for high 5’s and a few Wooots!)
And though I am all about tooting my own horn when it comes to something like this (because it is a really hard thing to do!), I want to hear from you. Yes, YOU. We all have had to face something in our lives that has scared the hell out of us or been a huge challenge that we didn’t think we could get through it. We’ve ALL been there. Let’s celebrate getting through the hell, the fear and the hard times…together!
See these three women? Love. Them. (They are totally my new BFFs! Really! Call in and ask them.) They are the 
From there it just started. None of the awkward, “I am that blogger you don’t know that gushed all over you and therefore was given this great chance to talk to you because everyone was tired of me begging to get in touch with you.”
We talked about Nelsie’s book, 
This woman right here. That’s right. Gloria Steinem. I had the perfect opportunity to ask her something absolutely brilliant and I think it came out something like: “Ramblgifc adhnd, but ehhidr brrstoglglfg? What do you think?” Like I said, I don’t freeze up. I take things like this in stride. But, people, Gloria “are you kidding me in the real life” Steinem?! And I was chosen to ask my question second. Meaning, I could not 
