People sometimes assume that I am making shit up here on Pretty All True.
I am not.
Do I want to tell a good story? Absolutely. I do my very best to share my stories with you in a way that allows you to come into the moment with me.
My posts are not documentaries. I do not walk around my life with a video-camera, carefully replaying the day’s events after the girls have gone to bed. Wait! Rewind that part . . . what did Kallan say there?
Not even.
Many of my posts are about just a few moments in my day that capture my attention.
And when a few moments in my day capture my attention? I take notes.
And then later, I work from those notes to recapture the moment that initially captured me.
Let me show you.
Last night I sat down to play a board game with Kallan, and before we started playing, we had a conversation. When we were done with the game, I made some notes.
My scribbled notes read like this . . .
backgammon Kallan impatient reading great and glorious blog reading comments you wrote it what do they say OMG you are so awesome genius blog OMG I love you BFF you are my idol Kris I want to be you Kris you are the best mother ever Kris I want to write like you genius you are amazing LOL you are hilarious Like you invented we were doing but you’re all brand new SQUEAL reading my comments no is that what they say protest giggling anyone ever say anything negative love everyone not really so that’s meaningful cake
And here’s the story . . .
“Mom, you said you would play a game with me. Put your phone down.”
I scroll hurriedly down the page, “Just set up the backgammon board. I’ll be right there. I’m just trying to finish reading something.”
Kallan starts placing the pieces, “Are you reading your great and glorious blog?”
I look up, “What?”
She continues to slide the pieces into their proper starting positions, “Didn’t you write the blog? Why do you have to read it? Don’t you remember what you said?”
“I’m not reading what I wrote, silly girl. I’m reading what other people wrote.”
“Your comments?”
I put the phone down sheepishly, “OK, fine. I was reading comments.”
“I thought so. What do they say?”
“Doesn’t matter. Let’s play.”
“Let me guess.” Kallan flutters Bambi eyes at me and speaks in obsequious tones, “OMG! You are so awesome!”
Snort!
“You are so awesome and this is a genius blog!”
Snort!
“You are my BFF and I love you and you are my idol and I want to be just like you!”
I am giggling helplessly, “They do not talk like that!”
“Kris, I want to be you!”
“Stop that!”
“Kris, you are the best mother ever!”
“Have you been reading my comment section?”
“Kris, I want to write like you!”
“Seriously, Kallan . . . have you been reading my comments?”
She breaks character and speaks as herself, “No, but that’s how they talk, isn’t it?”
Snort!
She continues as I giggle, “LOL, you are hilarious!”
I roll the dice and take my first turn, still giggling.
Kallan is on a roll, but no dice are required, “Kris, we were doing this blogging thing before you got here, but it’s like you invented it again! You are all brand new and we love you!”
“OK, stop. It’s your turn.”
Kallan does not stop, “LOL and SQUEAL! You are awesome!”
Tears in my eyes, people. So much giggling.
I watch as Kallan takes her turn, “Nobody SQUEALS at me.”
She counts out her move, “Yeah, right.”
She looks up at me, “No one ever says anything bad, right? They all just love you all the time? And they love all the other bloggers too, right?”
“What? Yeah, I guess that’s mostly true.”
She looks at me pityingly, “Yeah, so that’s meaningful.”
Snort!
We continue playing the game for a few minutes, with only the sound of the dice and the clicking backgammon pieces breaking the silence.
“Hey, Kallan?”
“Yeah?”
“Tomorrow, I will have been writing Pretty All True for a year. Every day for a year. That’s kind of a big deal.”
She moves her backgammon pieces triumphantly, sending two of my men back to the center prison bar.
She looks up at me hopefully, “Is this the sort of birthday that involves cake?”
How much do I love this girl?
“Maybe so, Kallan. Maybe so.”
People?
It seriously is my one-year blogging birthday today. I have posted every day for the past year. Every fucking day. I am a tiny bit impressed with myself.
I think cupcakes are in order.
Love you.
And thank you.
Yay! Happy Blog-birthday! I am WAY impressed that you blog every day. That’s seriously dedicated. And I do love you. And squeals. And LOL you are so awesome. And other nonsense things that Kallan things we say! xoxoxoxo
Lindsay -
Kallan can put things in perspective with the snap of a sassy finger.
Not if it’s her own drama, though.
Kallan’s drama is important, people.
Snort!
That’s, like, totally fantastic. SQUEAL!
Happy sighs.
Except for the slow blog-loading thing?
I am feeling very pleased with myself.
Happy sighs.
Hooray! Happy Blogiversary!
Thank you, lovely you.
Thank you very much.
Writing every day for a year really is an impressive achievement. That’s the challenge for most writers, isn’t it? Sitting down and putting pen to paper/fingers to keys/uh … fingers to touchscreen? And on top of that, you make it good writing. Congrats!
Thank you.
I have tried to make it good writing, but mostly?
In this moment, I am proud of the fact that I wrote.
Thank you.
It is very possible that I have squealed once or twice while reading you. I have just never admitted it before.
Also. One whole year. Posting EVERY single day. That is huge. Big stuff.
And it makes me happy. You deserve cupcakes.
Last thing. You are awesome.
Tracie -
Thank you for the birthday wishes!
I do like to feel awesome . . . this one year mark of posting every day?
I do feel a little awesome.
Yay!
Hey, you, congratulations! That IS a big deal and I hope you have lots of cake!
Dear Kallan and Maj,
In the year that your mom has been writing her amazing and awesome blog, I have grown to love you as much as anyone can love two people she has never met. Thank you for letting your mom introduce you to us.
Adrienne -
It is a big deal.
To me, it is a very big deal. Thank you.
And if they were here?
Maj and Kallan would have sassy shit to say.
But I will just say thank you on their behalves as well.
Love you, babe.
Sassy shit is fine by me.
Now I will resist the urge to be sappy.
Love you right back.
OK, I let you have the last word for long enough.
Whew.
Much better.
Hooray for cupcakes. And hooray for you!
Like, O-M-G, cupcakes for you Kris because you are that fucking amazing!. SQUEAL!!
Seriously though? Don’t stop.
Katherine -
I do like an occasional celebratory cupcake.
Yay!
And I have grown to love this writing thing.
No plans to stop.
Thank you!
Happy Anniversary! One year is a big deal, babe. I wish I’d found you sooner, but I am glad that I found you.
You may not have heard, but I am running for President. I have started a new party too. Cupcakes and Sprinkles Party. Therefore, I decree cupcakes are mandatory on this day.
You are going to be President?
And there are going to be cupcakes and sprinkles?
If I am allowed to scrape the sprinkles off my cupcake . . .
Then you have my vote.
LOL and SQUEAL! *grin*
You’re just all kinds of persistent with your Daily Blogging Promise!
I cheer the day that you decided to post your “stuff” on the Interwebz while you reviewed & shared your past & present! I cheer the day that I fell over one of your tweets & then fell head over heels for your words! YAY!
Congratulations on this Momentous Day! I’m sending you piles of virtual cupcakes – no calories, you know. YAY for YOU! YAY for your Readers!
Snort!
I imagine you all bouncy and peppy and jumping like a cheerleader!
Yay!
Thank you for the lovely compliments and the virtual cupcakes.
And I am indeed all kinds of persistent.
It’s one of my best (and least sane) qualities.
Ahem.
Well hell! Happy birthday Pretty All True and Congratulations Kris on your awesome third child turning one.
Vanita -
The best behaved of my children, by far.
Seriously.
Congrats on the 1 year.
I love the notes you take! I always wondered how you managed to remember what happens. There are so many times that I’ll tell myself to remember something, or even tell my husband, “I want to blog that, so remember it, okay?” and we both forget. Grr.
I’m taking notes on you taking notes.
I am seriously surrounded by bits of paper on which I have scribbled bits of conversations and images and phrases that have captured my attention.
My dialogue notes are my favorites, because I rarely write down much about the scene. Just the conversation in sketchy outline. The conversation calls back the scene for me. Every time.
And thank you for the congratulations!
It is a lovely day.
Thank you.
Happy super awesome Blog-day!!!
Jen -
Yay!
Thank you.
That is a HUGE deal and YES you need cake.
I already ate a cupcake today with extra extra (extra) frosting on it. I musta somehow have known it was your anniversary.
I won’t give Kallan anymore fodder for mocking our love for you. But please know I’m giving you a secretive thumbs-up totally behind her back.
My very favorite thing that Kallan said?
Her dismissive and sarcastic, “Yeah, so that’s meaningful.”
Happy sighs at her smart-ass loveliness.
And I am so making cupcakes.
Yay!
I’m not sure I’ve even posted every day in a week, never mind a year. That’s awesome. I second the cupcake motion..
p.s. You sure Kallan hasn’t been reading your blog?
Kallan has not been reading my blog, but . . .
I do let her read some of the posts (the G-rated posts that involve her and her sister).
And she does sometimes peer over my shoulder until I shoo her away from the bad language.
Ahem.
Silly girl.
In our family – its cribbage. But I get the idea.
Too fun!
Happy Blogaversary.
I love playing games with the girls.
I am especially fond of games that contain an element of chance.
Evens the playing field.
I do like to win every once in a while.
Ahem.