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Published September 26th, 2011I’m going to make this short considering I am trying not to get too dramatic about my birthday weekend that ended up being one I wouldn’t like to repeat in a hurry.
It goes a little something like this! My amazing man gave me a beautiful bottle of perfume in the early hours of my birthday morning. Mom had slept out so I got my phone call with happy birthday wishes and she told me she would be home in a few hours. I still wouldn’t see her because we were heading out to my long awaited birthday night at the luxurious Mount Grace Country House and Spa.
The 1 and a bit hour drive was awesome but the arrival at the hotel was even better. The second I walked in the door I was greeted with birthday wishes from all the staff! Whoever helped us or saw us knew it was my special day and I was beyond excited for a dream night (our first night away as a new couple).
I’ve never been one to switch off my phone, no matter how I know I need some time out. I have always worried that someone might need me and I know it might be a little neurotic but that’s me. I did put the phone on silent though and only checked the phone once … when a gorgeous plate of chocolates and fruit were delivered to our luxury suite. I grabbed the opportunity to check the phone and there was the strangest message from my brother asking why Mr Unexpected had left his car in the middle of the road and left the gate to the house wide open.
I knew it … house broken in to!
They must have seen the signage on my man’s car and knew not to take it so they moved it out the way and stole mom’s car instead. They took both mine and Mr Unexpected’s laptops, the flat screen TV that was the last gift we gave my dad and all mine and my mom’s jewelry.
For my international friends who have shown their love and concern … no, they most probably won’t catch the guys and NO, nothing will be returned. That is the reality of SA. Not one that I’m thrilled about but it’s the reality. Yes, I’ve counted my blessings and it’s amazing that my mother wasn’t home because she is always home on the weekends. They also closed the door behind them and my kitties and parrot are both safe. My sister drove past the house and saw Mr Unexpected’s car in the middle of the road and thought he was moving it out the way so I could take my car out … Thank the gods she didn’t come in to check!
So … I’ve counted my blessings and although I was stolen from I was robbed of nothing. I have spent the past few days feeling so lucky that no one was home, my pets are safe and that we didn’t come home to tragedy …
Now I’m entitled to be honest and vent for a moment! I can’t believe that we are so accustomed to getting robbed that when the amazing staff of the Mount Grace got the call, they could all empathise on some level and welcomed us back whenever we are ready. The warmest thank you to Clayton Howard and his staff for personally meeting with me and wishing me on my safe journey home … although I was in your company for a fleeting moment it was on that I will never forget.
I couldn’t believe that when I tweeted it everyone told me that I should be lucky no one was hurt … I couldn’t believe that it sits so much in our psyche to be stolen from that we have slipped into the next best auto mode of being lucky everyone is alive.
No one should be stolen from!! It should not be the norm … and no, I don’t know where I’m going with this or what I expect to be done about it! All I know is that it was heritage day and I am very proudly South African. I refuse to blame a nation for the one or two thieves that invaded my home. I never talk politics and maybe because I feel like it’s pissing in the wind … but I could blame a whole lot now!!
I’m not going to pretend that I’m not upset that some material things were taken … the perfume my man just gave me a few hours before, my D & G watch that my mom gave me knowing I always wanted to own 1 thing from them, my ring my mom just gave me for my birthday the night before, the flat screen TV that was the last gift we gave my dad (yes, I said that) … and my laptop!
It’s crazy to try blog off my phone! It’s crazy to try function off my phone! It’s crazy that I got that sponsorship not so long ago and it’s crazy that I’m back at square one in need of a laptop!
Yes, we are all safe … Yes, I was stolen from … Yes, I’ve counted my blessing … Yes, I was robbed of nothing I can’t replace … Yes, I’m pissed off and don’t know what the hell to do about it!
On a special note … thank you to the Twitter and Facebook communities for your incredible birthday wishes and support as my weekend went mad.
Another special thank you to my family for rallying together and making the rest of my birthday weekend so special.
The biggest thank you to my beautiful man for making me feel so safe, keeping me smiling and reminding me that love grows when times are rough … I’ve truly found my cowboy!
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published August 4th, 2011
Welcome to my home away from home!
Before I even begin I want to praise the power of social networking. Years after having taught Hustler Girl, we reconnected on Facebook. If it were not for that and Hustler Girl being roped into social buying, the events might not have led up to this very special partnership. In my world, most of my relationships have all begun on one social platform or the next. I don’t think I’ve mentioned that Mr Unexpected and myself met online initially.
In celebration of one networking meeting leading to another, I’m thrilled to announce this very special partnership. You’ve heard me mention La Vie en Rose on many occasion. When I initially met the owners, Rony and Yanky and was blown away by this gorgeous restaurant tucked away in the heart of Illovo. When I had my first real ‘date’ with Mr Unexpected after we realised that when friends move onto something more special … they might forget that the initial dating bits are fun. Or maybe it was when I hosted my first Jodene’s breakfast and shared this special find with my Twitter friends. It could also be when I totally kicked Hustler Girl right off that mayorship spot on foursquare … either way, it’s been the only place I have wanted to take my friends, family and clients for breakfasts and lunch meetings.
Oh … let’s not forget that the co-owner, Rony, is Libran!
In a very short space of time I have watched the mutual support for each other’s dreams blossom into a friendship where we both want what’s best for each other. We both see the value in the other’s offering and we both don’t want to look much further for online and offline support and partnership.
Rony, you and your team have been fundamental in being a part of some of the most important moments of my personal life and career and I am thrilled that you believe in Lifeology and me to offer your ‘home’ as my ‘home’.
So peeps … If you wanna chat, meet or tweetup, you know where to find me.
PS … Hustler Girl, I owe you a lunch kiddo, because you might not be mayor, but you have always been the greatest fan of La Vie en Rose.
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published July 26th, 2011
Don’t panic! I don’t have it in me to be some crazed revengeful chick despite how dramatic the title of this might be.
I’m so off Facebook and literally go on to check who has a birthday and chat to my one dear blogging friend, Nikki. Despite that an odd status might appear from me. It was chatting time and I saw the status update that pushed me over the edge. The one from Mr Big, who I haven’t heard from since his surprise email about a month ago. At that stage I was very single and he was telling me how one day I would meet the right person. Do they mean it when they say it?
Mr Unexpected was sitting next to me and working … and I truly am falling a little more in love each day … so the time was perfect. I have contemplated deleting Mr Big for months now, but for some reason I also wanted him to stay around. Not because of any glimmer of hope but because I knew I was on the brink of great things and I’ve never quite gotten over the bitterness of ‘friends with benefits’ and why we are so not suited (was is something about not being a size 34 … or 32 I think it was)!!
I can’t lie … it hurt like hell and I guess I didn’t realise how much I needed to put it all down until I saw his status update yesterday. How to have that ‘revenge’ moment but stay within integrity is a fine line … so I sent a very simple email!
It said ‘Hi’ … hoped he was well and I had good news to tell him. Of course the news was that someone did love me just as I was and it felt damn good sending it.
His response was … “I’m so happy for you. How’s the sex?” … go figure!!
I don’t care how he felt or if he even cared or not, but my wounded spirit needed to do that! Whether my reasons for sending the mail where in a shattered esteem or not … It took a few tons off the chip on my shoulder. Yes … I have one of those!
This morning, after a confusion about the gym session I was supposed to have, I had to mission all the way home in traffic to make a meeting back near the gym in just over an hour. Not one part of me was angry or frustrated. That got me thinking before I had my Body Mind Healing session with Juliette this afternoon. I never get angry!! I never get raging or frustrated.
At this point I’m sure Mr Unexpected would do that *clears the throat* thing … but then I realised that the only thing I really get angry at is other people who get angry. Surely there’s a place to get angry? It’s allowed … so why do I not allow myself or anyone else around me to get really, really pissed off?
I even started the post with totally playing down the possibility for me to be revengeful … but I have every right to be pissed off!
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published July 16th, 2011
What gets me blogging every single day of me life?
That’s always an interesting question and I would have to listen back to the radio interview this morning to see if I actually used the words “auto pilot”. If I did I don’t think that’s entirely true. While I sit here and type, my mother is finally home and I have a million things I want to tell her. In the other room, I have a very sick man who is fast asleep at 7pm and I know he’s not over-dramatising man flu. I could feel as though I were torn in three places at one time, but the truth is that the only place I want to be is right here, typing this post.
The combination of the comfort of my traditional cup of tea and the sifting through my thoughts as I share my day, is my saving grace right now.
Still, Mr Unexpected woke up at sparrows and made sure he got me to the SABC building way before time. I’m never shy to confess that it’s stressful enough for me to do new things without also having to find my way there. Don’t tell me that GPS makes it easier, but it my world, it just doesn’t. Of course it was much easier to find and navigate my way to and through the building, but I still would have wanted him by my side.
My little piece of paper was the other comfort that freed up my mind from the totally ego thought that I actually have no clue what I’m talking about. It was the thought of those big earphones and a microphone in my face that made it all feel too big for me. Greggie always gives me the eye when I say the words ‘just’ or ‘little’ when referring to all I have achieved with the blog and within the online space.
That little piece of paper was filled with stats about South Africa in the social networking sphere and all the Mashable social media day numbers from around the world.
Myself with Angela Ludek and Tsheko Mosito of the Radio 2000 FM breakfast show
From the moment Tsheko Mosito from Radio 2000 contacted me, I felt like that social influencer that I have worked so hard at becoming. It’s impossible to make myself look the roll at 7:30am but I felt it all fall into place from the moment Tsheko walked me into the studio.
I love the irony of my interview and the journey that I suddenly find myself in. Angela Ludek, the bright and bubbly (even on Saturday at 7:30am) breakfast show host is nowhere to be found. No, not in the real world, but in my world of Twitter, Facebook or any other platform you can think of. I loved the instant connection between us and I can see the underlying passion for our beautiful country, sharing knowledge and the power of social media.
The thought of being on air for 30 minutes freaked me out most of all and I truly had thoughts of me not knowing enough about social media to fill that time. Okay, so I still have some ‘project me’ work to do on my esteem, me thinks.
Not only did the words just tumble out of my mouth, did it feel totally natural and did I want to carry on speaking forever … but 30 minutes flew by ridiculously fast. So fast, in fact, that I only got to use one line out of all my notes on my little piece of papers. I was thrilled to be able to share the concept of #followSA, which sparked the realisation that this interview was just the tip of the ice berg. With the next guest waiting in the wings, a date was set for 5 weeks time and my next on-air chat with Angela … which let to the invitation to do regular features about Social Media every 5 weeks.
I’m stoked … I needed to hear myself reminisce on such a fantastic experience and not rip anything apart. The old me, pre ‘project me’ would have found fault with everything, yet I felt perfect.
This post and my entire journey would be incomplete if it were not for the social networking platforms that have create the beautiful people in my world. To all the Twits who sent such special message, my Facebook friends for love and to my dear friend, China Doll, who streamed the interview all the way in Hong Kong … you guys are truly awesome!
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published June 27th, 2011
So I’m completely public and have no issues with the world knowing much of my business. Of course Mr Unexpected is the complete opposite. We meet in the middle by him respecting what I do and me not saying too much. I think that’s fair enough.
It has made blogging a little trying today and now it’s hovering around the end of the day and I’m forced to do it. It’s not that I don’t have a whole lot of magical things to say, but it’s how to say them to prove to Mr Unexpected that I totally respect him.
It was most obvious around Facebook change of relationship status time. I’m so happy to be in this new space of having my +1 and I’ve been on about being single in this blog for long enough, so of course I want to update my status. Mr Unexpected doesn’t even have that depth of info about himself but seemed to get my need to announce it.
I caught him reading my blog and my heart did skip a beat, but he didn’t throw his toothbrush into his bag and leave, so that’s the start of a few good steps.
All this talk and it’s obviously official.
So this is the ‘project me’ part! We are both so scared for our own reasons. We always carry a bit of baggage from one relationship into the next and I think both of our concerns are around how different we are … because we are. On the other hand, we have some of the best things in common. I can’t believe I’ve found a man who loves country music as much as I do! Yay! Totally yay!
We talk, we giggle, we snuggle, we make each other tea and he let me blog while I let him watch his cheesy youtube clips. He’s chilled out in my home and sometimes I think him and my mom get on better than him and I. I loved his fat chat with my brother in the kitchen and made him lunch to take to work … all the little things that I’ve waited so long for.
I know every0ne is dying to meet him or know a little more about him, but this is going to be serious baby steps. I’m so proud to have totally fallen for a friend that has been right under my nose for years.
Oh my greatness … I feel like this post is totally scatty! It is, isn’t it? Lol … I guess that’s because it’s really impossible to explain these things, but trust me, I’m loving every moment of it and I could so get used to this!
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published May 10th, 2011
Yesterday was invites for day 500. There were the offline guests and the glitch where GMail spammed those invites, but we found out soon enough. Then there are the online invites for everyone around the world to join live on Twitter and to comment on my blog in the moment.
This morning I thought it wise to find out the GMT and have totally replaced Google with my very smart friends on Twitter. So it’s GMT +2hrs!
The whole time while doing my lists of peeps I’ve had this magical list that I would give anything to make come true. The gift I give myself is knowing that it might not be at this moment, but I spend my time with each of them at some point. I also know that everyone is with me, no matter how far away.
I still can’t help wishing that time was an illusion and space was molded by the very wish we make and that you were here with me on day 500:
My dearest friend, Pandora who I just haven’t found enough time to speak to this year, but who is never further from me that a heartbeat. Thank you for all you love and support and for reminding me that you can love someone in an instant.
My China Doll who pushed me to have my tattoo and always reminds me that people around the world read my story even if they never comment. Our friendship spans decades and I only see you a handful of times in all those years, but you will always be a friend beyond measure. Thank you for always speaking your heart and pushing me to live my truth, even when you say nothing at all …
My Aussie sista! Now we have spent years doing the Facebook poke thing and wishing each other happiness, love and truth. Sometimes it feels as though you left a lifetime ago and other times I can still imagine eating your yummy food as though it were yesterday. Friendship isn’t about reading the blog or making the skype call … it’s about knowing the other person will be just fine and trusting their inner strength and wisdom. That is the gift we have given each other and I wish I could hug you thank you for that.
To my blogging friends. I can’t believe that we have only met along this 500 day journey. On Sunday, when I give thanks for my blogging journey, it will because of the precious friends I have made along the way. I find my encouragement to go on and my understanding of my place in the cyber world for each of you!
Nikki, my lunatic cafe friend! You were the first friend I ever made in the blogging world and our bond has proved to me that you don’t ever have to speak to, hug or have dinner with someone that you can call your dearest friend.
Traci and your beautiful universe … your blog makes me smile and you usually make me cry! You never miss a moment to say exactly what I need to hear and I am so looking forward to getting to know you and your beautiful family with each passing day and the open and honest tales of your life that you share with the world. Save a cowboy for me … I’m coming to visit.
My vlogging, blogging, happy friend … OneClutteredbrain! Boy am I glad that we became friends and if I had my wish I would stream you in live to share with the world what I love so very much about you. I think that’s a plan though … a guest blog! You are a ray of sunshine and I save your blogs for when I’m about to pull another gray hair out!
Then there are the people who are so close, but yet so far. Just around the corner in Durban and Cape Town and I still hold out hope that I will be standing at the door and they will walk on in on Sunday … a girl can dream.
My Robbie who has been the most amazing support throughout the entire blogging journey. You have missed a handful of days without a comment or a special message of encouragement. You shove awesomeness pills my way at every moment and you never let me stop giving up! I totally love you Yoda!
Fred and Naz … don’t worry, I’ll come to you! How could I resist with your tempting comments of hot chocolate at Gloria’s. I feel as though I have known you forever and sometimes I forget that we haven’t even met.
To my special nerd, JC who jumps to my rescue and tempts me with the Cape Town view and a whole lot of reasons to understand coding. I might be seeing you in the fairest Cape soon, but you really do deserve a toast for your absolute patience with me 
Lastly … to My Irish … who doesn’t get why I blog and can’t believe people read what I have to say. For not believing I would make it to day 30 and for now not believing I have made it to day 500 … but for never leaving my side every step of the way! I’d even drink a Guinness with you if only you were here to share Sunday with me.
There are so many Twitter and Facebook followers that I want to thank for your incredible support during my journey of blogging. Today really is a tough one and I know Sunday is going to be a kleenex moment of note because just thinking of my gratitude to all of you … near and far … is beyond my expression of thanks and love!
Okay … soppy enough for a Tuesday?
Today it’s off to get the hair done (dark chocolate brown), get more RSVP’s and … um …. where’s that to-do list?
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published May 5th, 2011
Since I started blogging I’m very proud of the way I have managed to feel my way around things and get a grip on other things. I’ve been feeling around in the dark and learning the power of swapping favours and saying the right things at the right time … you know I’m talking about my wordpress blog, right?
Ok, there’s been a little feeling other things in the dark but that’s for a totally different converstation. Today it’s about the little things in life that are frustrating the hell out of me.
Here’s a reminder that I’m not in the positivity movement and don’t have to pretend that everything in life is peachy just in case I attract something negative while uttering my truth. I’m also not into thinking that speaking the frustrations makes me a miserable person. If anything, I admit my truths and do something about them!
How did this all come about? Well it’s a toss up between the “A” falling off of my keyboard this morning and it wobbling around while I type right now and the annoying call I keep getting from a certain guy who thinks sweeping things under the carpet works for me.
But most of all … it’s the SNL I can’t get rid of on my freaking blog. You can see it, right? It’s glaringly obvious, just under the Tweet button and it’s been there ever since I loaded the newest Facebook plugin. Don’t tell me to remove it because it took me ages to find a button that actually did what I want to do. Don’t tell me to get someone to help because I’m slowly learning that, no matter how much someone loves or cares about you, it’s always a mission to do that one little thing. Don’t tell me to pay someone because right now, it would have to go to the other kind of SNL as a payment exchange.
It’s always those little things that I end up wasting precious time over. So I’m annoyed. I’m annoyed that A’s pop off, SNL’s don’t go away and that friends and boys don’t think.
Friends don’t think that the only thing anyone wants is truth. Ok, all that I want is the truth. I don’t care about many other qualities besides that truth because my most valued asset is the power to choose and it’s impossible to choose from a lie.
The oldest line in the book is: “I didn’t want to hurt you!” The only thing that ever hurts someone is knowing that a friend lied to them. The truth does something different … it gives everyone the option to decide if they want to be hurt or not. So my friend kept something from me because he said he knew it would hurt me. It did hurt me but hearing via the grapevine pissed me off.
I’m this girl who truly doesn’t get the point of not just saying the truth. There really is no other option but what you really think or really mean … is there? Am I that naive?
You don’t even have to sit there and think it’s so easy for me because every day I fight things that could truly perpetuate lies. I’m tempted by someone who is in a relationship and that would make for another real SNL scenario, but this is always my benchmark in my life. If I can’t tell my best friend … and now, if I can’t blog about it, them I’m out of my integrity. Yes, I could tell my best friend that I was having an affair and we could both rationalise it that I’m single so I’m not the once cheating … but the bottom line for me is truth. If I can’t tell the truth at a party or I have to keep a secret in case the truth leaks out, then I just don’t do it. Oh … so I think I’ve spoken about boys and friends here.
Don’t lie to me and don’t make me lie … it’s as simple as that! And when I carry that around with me while trying to get A’s back on keyboards and SNL’s off wordpress blogs … well then the littlest thing just pisses me off!
PS … loving my day! Loving the sunshine on a winter morning! Loving me! Loving you! … So don’t anyone tell me to fix my attitude or think positive thoughts … ok? Good … seriously, I do love you!
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published May 3rd, 2011
I can’t believe it! I never imagined that my daily blog and mission to live my life with absolute goallesness and total purpose has grown into a part of my life that I could no longer live without. From where I’m standing I have a daily blog that doesn’t seem to have a beginning or an end but when I tell people that I’m heading to 500 days of blogging every single day … well those moments get me to stop and take a moment.
Of course it’s been a damn slog at times. I have been through months of being bed-ridden after a back injury but the commitment kept me going. I have had my heart broken and I kept that commitment to sharing the pain with the world. People have died. People have been born. Friends have come and gone and I have shared it despite the fear and pain that I could have chosen to stand in my way.
It seems like a lifetime ago that I started and all of a sudden I am organising a day 500 party in celebration of my journey and to give thanks to my friends, sponsors, readers and supports who have fueled me forward on days when I thought I must be nuts.
To make this day even more special, I have set the Facebook challenge of having 500 fans by day 500 … which is a mere 12 days away and I would love your help.
If you aren’t already a fan, I would be so grateful if you would like my Jodene – Life Achievement Facilitator fan page. If you could share it along I would be even more grateful. Because the internet is about sharing the love, please send your Fan Page to me as a comment on my blog and I will do the same in return.
500 days of blogging … who does such a crazy thing?
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published May 2nd, 2011I have an interesting habit. No wait, I have two interesting habits. Firstly, I have the habit of needing to pee at least twice a night and my second habit is using the cellphone as a guiding light in the dark. While I’m there I check out what’s happening on Facebook and Twitter despite never commenting just in case someone asks what I’m doing awake at such an odd hours.
I read it on Facebook first. A status from a dear American blogging friend of mine who was singing the praises of the final triumph for America. I scrolled down until before the news broke and read a few innocent posts pre the death announcement. Twitter was abuzz with opinions, breaking news and pride that Twitter had broken the story.
My thoughts were random but the one that stuck out the most is that Google must be pretty bummed that it’s not the breaking source of news anymore.
Immediately I thought of Soldier Guy and the number of times I have seen a Facebook status honouring yet another friend he had lost in this fight. I then thought of another blogging friend who’s blog is entitled “the tales of an army wife”. I then thought of my dad and what he would have said if he were alive. No matter what, I know he would have cried. He would have thought about the moment when the heard that the first plane had hit the twin towers and he would have remembered the fear that struck him knowing his daughter was a few blocks away.
The Jock and I fought today. We fought because I agreed with someone who said that so many lives had been lost to get to this point. I think he didn’t agree with my tweet that said “You don’t stop a man or his mission by killing him.” He told me that he could see I wasn’t American by my comments and made me sound pretty damn heartless. Meanwhile I was lying in my bed with a hundred thoughts and responding to tweets of joy that this man had been stopped. I have worked hard to get to the beliefs that I have and all that I am proud of is that they are my own and I will not waiver from them. So when my beliefs are bought to questions my thoughts turn to the person who is questioning them and never to what I am thinking.
At about the time that Osama’s body was thrown out to sea, I was thinking that mother earth is unconditional and she wouldn’t mind taking him because I don’t blame no man wanting to have him. It must have been near that time that I was hoping the world understands that it is up to each one of us to take responsibility for our thoughts in order to never create a man like Osama again.
I watched my mother cry for the Americans today and she said the same thing that The Jock did … you won’t understand unless you are an American. Although I respect that statement I think that half the problems is that we have forgotten that we are all human being first and foremost. I did not have to lose someone in 911 to have lost. I did not have to fear for my life in order to fear and I did not have to be born in American in order to feel from the depths of my heart today.
I live by one rule: Harm to none! I lived it before I even understood it and whatever I do I ask myself if I would like the same done to me in return. Although I will never understand it, I respect that people think death is a punishment of sorts. I think living and suffering is far worse … but that’s a choice I decided to make my belief.
Every day is about ‘project me’ and that’s about living my truth and being conscious of the consequences. I am not here to change opinions or make people think differently. I’m just here to discover my own opinions and live with them. I cried for those who did in 911. I cried for soldiers who lost their lives. I was in Venice when the flags flew half mast for 6 soldiers who died … and although I did not know them and was only a visitor in their country … I cried!
I did not cry today!
I did laugh though … when my eleven year old nephew’s status read: “I bet he never thought he would be fish food?” … kids do say the darnedest things!
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
I know you love me, now comment! – project me day 508
This is a first for ‘project me’ and completely out of my comfort zone, but that’s what makes it so ‘project me’ appropriate. On the other hand, it’s been a long time coming and the fact that I can’t hold back anymore is purely out of all the love and support I am surrounded by. I don’t know how many bloggers get the love, encouragement and support that I get and that’s what’s frustrating the hell out of me.
Shoo … it was good to get that load off my chest … the frustrated part … and no I get to tell you why!
Unless you are in the social media or blogging world you just won’t get the power of a comment. You won’t get what it means to have the smallest comment on your blog and what it does for the esteem of the blogger, never mind the reputation and thumbs up from the blogging community.
If you think I’m begging for comments, I’m certainly not … I’m just stretching out the teacher in me and kinda sorta redirecting all the love that I receive on a daily basis.
Greggie says that maybe people don’t know how to comment on the blog and I do know that I have to make my blog friendlier from the mobile platform, but I’m going on the theory that YOU don’t think your one word or repeated gesture of love counts for much. You are so … so … wrong!
In a day I will get a whole lot of thumbs up on my Facebook post. I will get Tweets on how fab my blog was. I get direct mails, BBM’s, sms’s and even phone calls … but I don’t get the comments. I wish I had it in me to say “Okay, now that that little message and go repeat it on the blog, please!” but somehow I just don’t do that enough.
Do you realise that your ‘another great post, Jo’ or ‘I totally agree, Jodene’, would make the biggest difference in my life, for two reasons.
1 … as a blogger, every comment does something to the momentum of writing on a day that I can’t believe I was ever dumb enough to get this started. Your comments are my fuel and my reminder that I’m not writing to an audience of three (my mother, my Greggie and me). You can never say ‘hi’ enough or ‘I’ve been here’ too many times. Not because I’m begging you to … but because you do it on so many other platforms anyway!
2 … It doesn’t matter if I blog for 2000 days, if the world doesn’t see my blog as interactive with my readers then I don’t have the proof that anyone has been here to read and left their mark. I kid you not, I read some blogs that get 50 comments a day and sometimes all they say is “I agree” or “Good one today” or “you are funny” … but that blog has 50 comments, I have 2 … and I’ve most probably had more beautiful people pass by my day!
‘Project me’ is about speaking my truth and then doing something about it and I have been carrying this around for me for so long now. It’s a tough one to write because it’s like the “say you love me” story. Now you say it and now I say: “You are only saying it because I told you to say it!”
However I try phrase it … I’m a blogger and you’re a reader and a blogger desires nothing more that to know they are being heard!
I am so grateful to each of you for every Tweet, like, smiley sms, praise over dinner and comment to my mother on my beautiful way of writing! Don’t stop … it’s my inspiration! But do me a favour … give yourself the gift of making you important enough to know that your little comment inspires me more than I could possibly inspire myself. I live by the philosophy that all we need is one person to believe in us … and to me, that person is you!
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour