I feel kind of lonely for all my blogging buddies . . . before I started working full-time I had so much more time on my hands, even though it was time broken into a million fragmented pieces. I would walk by the computer on my way to the laundry room, pop onto the computer, read a few blogs and leave a smattering of comments. I’d pass by on my way to the patio door to check on the kids and stop in for a blog visit and leave some comments. I had time, somehow, to read blogs, a lot of blogs. But no more.

Now I am practically chained to my computer and my beloved blogs–not the ones I write, the ones you write–may as well be floating around Saturn they are so impossible to visit. It’s past midnight now, my shift has just ended and David Letterman is talking to Steve Martin on his show. My head throbs with the exhaustion of working twelve hours today. (Not every day involves twelve hour shifts, but Thursdays are killers.)

So, if I used to leave you blog comments and you’ve noticed my conspicuous absence and silence, it’s nothing personal. I long for a day full of blog-reading and blog-catching-up and blog-commenting . . . but, alas. Alas.

However! I will make a promise, here and now. Leave me a comment. Include the URL of your blog and I will stop by and bring you a plate of fresh-baked cookies. Or a comment. One or the other.

I miss you, Blog-writing Friends!

From time to time, I receive a critical comment from a reader. The most recent such comment came on my diet blog. How odd that a comment from a stranger can cause me such consternation.*

And yet, it does.I never have taken criticism lightly. I don’t have the personality for that. Ask my long-suffering husband.

I wonder about commenters who choose to type a reply rather than click away to a more soothing Internet address. I think they intend their words to wound, to stab the blogger in some way.

The comments do sting, too. Even if they are delivered by toothpick, rather than ice-pick, snide comments hurt.

However, Random Commenter, you should know that it is not possible stab me to death with a toothpick. My skin is much too thick. Your toothpick will never reach my heart. I’m not sure why you try, but the mental picture of an irate reader attempting to attack me with a toothpick does make me laugh.

* (The reader objected to my use of the word “sin” and says that I “regularly turned the whole diet thing into a religious/moral issue.” I object to that characterization since I in no way believe that my personal issues with food have any spiritual, religious or moral grounds.)

Tonya! Thanks! (She said I was nice. Isn’t that nice?)

I would nominate you (and you and you), but how could I choose? You are all so nice!

Here’s a contest for you to enter! (Let me know if you win!)

Carrie tagged me.

Here are the rules. Write a post using each letter of your middle name describing something relevant to your life. Tag the same amount of people as you have letters in your name.

Okay, so my middle name is Ann. That’s right, A-N-N, no E, thank you very much.

A: Adequate. Average. Adaptable. I have no illusions about myself. I am adequate, average in so many ways, and adaptable in ways that matter. (Husband has to be gone for four days? No problem. I can handle that. Toilet overflows at the same moment the telephone rings and someone cuts their foot off with an ax? No problem. I will adapt.)

N: Negative. Oh, it’s true. I tend to view everything through grime-colored glasses. I can’t help it . . . I was born with my glass already half-empty. My guiding slogan as a teenager was “expect nothing and you won’t be disappointed.” I like to think of my philosophy of life as the Power of Pessimism. It’s served me well.

N: Noisy. I live in a noisy house. If the children aren’t arguing or joking, they are turning on electronic equipment . . . and then leaving the room. I can’t tell you how many times a kid has walked into the family room (where I work on my computer), has turned on the television, watched it for four minutes and then left the room. THEY NEVER TURN OFF THE TELEVISION. Or the radio or video games or the computer or . . . lights. We are single-handedly causing global warming here in my 2,200 square foot house.

Now . . . I rarely tag anyone for these things, but if you want to play along, follow the rules posted above and have a blast! Thanks, Carrie, for tagging me.

(And whoever gave me a “nice blogger” award . . . thank you . . . I will find that email and respond, hopefully in the next decade. Or so.)

So much to say . . . and I will say it tomorrow. I want to write here, but obligations keep getting in the way.

But tomorrow! Tomorrow I will write, write, write. Right here.

My friend, Barbara Curtis, has two new blogs. Mommy Teach Me is full of information about teaching your preschooler at home. (Barbara has a Montessori background, so the ideas are in line with that philosophy.) This website ties in with Barbara’s new books, Mommy, Teach Me! and Mommy, Teach Me to Read!

Her other new website, The Miz Report is a conservative political website. Why a political site? Well, Barbara says:

But I found there were some things I wanted to write about that seemed not to fit in so well at MommyLife. For most of my life I’ve been a very political person. As a radical leftist, I was into questioning authority and going against the cultural grain. I learned that the personal is the political - as well as the less-stated corollary: that the political is the personal.

Do you have a new blog you’d like to mention? Feel free to leave the URL in the comment section. And remember: I maintain a reciprocal blogroll, so if you link to me, let me know so I can be sure to link to you.

I’ve been tagged to post 8 random things . . . I’m pretty sure I’ve done this recently, but this is for my blogging buddy in Australia.

1) My toenails are always polished, but my fingernails never are.

2) I am the only one who ever turns off the upstairs bathroom light. I do so at least ten times a day.

3) I never go to bed before 11 p.m. unless I’m sick.

4) I do a Google search on my friend, Lori Bumstead, regularly. We became friends in second grade, but drifted apart eventually. I still wonder whatever happened to her. (Google has been unhelpful in this quest for information.) Lori, where are you?

5) I used to write songs in college. Once I wrote one called “Dead Butterflies” which was complete nonsense.

6) Almost every one of my elementary school photographs shows me wearing orange, usually orange polyester. I have never willingly worn orange since (except for that college talent show in which I wore orange polyester and white go-go boots in a crazy humor attempt).

7) I still miss the television show “thirtysomething.”

8) I am on a never-ending quest for the perfect healthy muffin recipe. I love muffins but no one else in my family does. (What’s wrong with them.)

Consider yourself tagged if you haven’t yet done this fun little exercise. You’re it!

I’d like you to meet a new friend of mine, Linda. I call her “Linda from California” because that’s where she’s from. Linda and I met at Mt. Hermon’s Christian Writer’s Conference last spring when she sat down at my table at lunch. Later, we realized that we have some things in common: four kids, for starters. And we’re both aspiring writers, knocking on doors and hoping someone will buy something we’ve written.
Anyway, Linda started a blog . . . and now, all she needs are some readers. So, won’t you go over and say hello to Linda? Tell her I sent you. Her blog is called Spilt Milk.

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I have a reciprocal blogroll . . . that means if you link to me, I am happy to link to you. If you are already linking to me and I haven’t returned the favor, please let me know so I can fix that as soon as possible! Thanks!