1. I’m writing this from a local coffeeshop, having just endured my annual Lady Appointment. Ladies, you know of what I speak. It’s just part of being a girl, but NO fun whatsoever. So I celebrate being done (and my bravery while getting stuck by a needle) I got myself a second breakfast:
And yes, that IS the biggest chocolate chip cookie EVER. My plan is to eat part and give the rest to my kid after her lunch. We’ll see if that actually happens. I know, greediness is NOT very ladylike.
2. In other lady news (I have no idea why I’m using that word so much, sorry) our hen Pretty Chicken, despite doing everything she could, was not able to hatch the eggs she was sitting on. Which is such a bummer, because she worked so hard and was isolated and suffered and then it was for, well, not much at all. (Can you tell I have become a BIT codependent with this chicken? No? Oh, good.) We still need more chickens, though, so yesterday my husband went out and bought eight more pullets (teen chickens) which are now in the shed, away from the rest of the flock until they get a little bigger. So cute, right?
My daughter has already named one Fuzzy and another one Peep. Personally I am lobbying to name some of them after my fave GMA folks: Robin, Sam and Josh. No one else likes this idea. But watch: I will prevail!
3. Here’s something NOT very ladylike: having a dirty mind. Which is what I was accused of when I said that the candle mold with my daughter’s new Play Doh bake set seemed, to me anyway, quite…male. My babysitter looked at me, eyebrows raised: “Oh my God, I never would have thought that!” Never?
I’m going to stop writing about this now.
4. My kid was sick earlier this week, and I had one of those not so proud parenting moments. If you’ve been there, you know it: for the second night in a row, it’s about 3 a.m. and you’ve already been up to bring water, check temperature, administer medicine about four times since going to bed at 10pm. You’ve JUST managed to fall back asleep and you hear it: “Mama!” I was just so, so tired. I looked at the ceiling, there in the dark, and thought, “I can’t. I just can’t. I’m done. I quit.” And again: “Mama!” And what did I do? I got out of bed and went to her. Of course I did. But it’s that moment before, when I just felt like quitting, that shames me now. Even though I get it, and I know I’m not alone. At least, I hope not. Like Mariah Carey famously said, pre-breakdown, “Sleep deprivation is REAL, people!” Indeed.
5. Finally, a question for you guys. I’m still trying to work out the BEST way to do this whole social networking thing, and I think as a result I’m doing too much. There’s Twitter, which I adore, and Facebook, which I don’t. Tumblr fascinates me, Goodreads is overwhelming. And then there is this, the blog, which I am TRYING to keep up but feeling less than enthused about. What are you, as readers, wanting to read online? Blogs? Tumblr posts? Tweets? Nothing? A year from now I’ll have a new book out, and by then I HOPE to have figured all this out. I think blogging is slowly petering out. Or maybe that’s just me? Anyway, any input would be MUCH appreciated. Thanks!
Have a good weekend, everyone!
I am on facebook to much, so I’d love a few more posts on there! Although, i did recently just start up a tumblr, and not knowing you had one lol i’ll be sure to follow it etc.
I love you’re posts on here Sarah, i look forward to reading them every Friday!
Well have a good weekend, and I hope you enjoyed that massive cookie.
Love you Sarah! (: I am on Tumblr ALL THE TIME, it’s so awesome. It’d be so cool if you got one (:
I loooooove this blog so much! and i really love you on twitter! you’re so entertaining(: please keep this blog though! (:
Personally, I like blogs the best. I hope you keep yours up, because I love reading your posts!
Blog & Facebook.
And, re: the sick kid stuff, at least you didn’t say it out loud. No shame in thinking it! Anyone who claims to never have had a thought like that is suspect.
I love the blog! It always makes my day when there’s a new post, more than Twitter.
Please keep the blog! I don’t look at facebook or twitter, but I love this blog!
I love the blog! I find twitter kind of overwhelming and unsatisfying, although I do see the good in the “short but sweet” aspect of it. I like the blog because I feel like I get to get to know you a bit, which is a dream come true for us Fangirl types
Keep the blog! But I also like your tumblr and twitter.
YAY, SO happy to hear from you again. In response to your question, my two ABSOLUTE FAVORITE THINGS CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT is your blog, which I literally look forward to all week, and twitter, because it is so cool to be able to have these quick little tweets from you. I NEVER use facebook, Tumblr is too complicated, and I don’t really even know any other social networks. Hope you keep up the blog and twitter, it means so much!
I love your blog the most im totally not a facebook or tumblr person.
I love it all! But I have been reading this blog for ten years and it’s my favorite, I look forward to reading it every week! I mostly read the blog and twitter during the week!
I LOVE YOUR BLOG, Sarah (sorry for the extreme capitals). I don’t always comment but it ALWAYS brightens up my week. Of course I also heart your tweets and everything else!
i love your blogs!!!! i read blogs and your tweets the most!
Hey Sarah,
WordPress has a great community of writers and avid readers. I think it’s a great site for that, especially if you want to get more into social networking. Tumblr is okay, its “mircoblogging”, it can be a little spastic. Twitter is awesome! It’s easy for you to connect with people. Love your blog! Hope this helps!
I vote Blog and Twitter!!
One Short and One Long.
I love your blog. Like the rest of your fans, I look forward every week for the Friday Five. You’ve done your blog for nearly tweleve years, and it’s become almost like a journal for your fans to look at; I would hate to see you depart from it. As for your other social networks, I don’t really care if you update your Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr as frequently. I like the blogs better because they are more personable and fun to look forward because they are longer than Twitter posts.
Please keep blogging!
I love your blog (especially the Friday Five) and when you talk about books you are reading.
I don’t tweet, and I don’t know what Tumblr is yet.
Sarah, first I must say that I love this blog. Your blog inspired me to start my own. Somedays, I struggle to find things to write about; and right now I am unsure of who my audience is. So I am trying out different things.
As a freelance writer, I use social networking to promote my work and keep track of friends. First, I started with Facebook. I recently deactivated my account to take a hiatus. Also, some were telling me that I was putting my life in danger by being on FB.
I have a LinkedIn account that I barely keep up with. Also, I just started using Twitter and a professional page on Google+. Twitter and Google seems a bit complicated. Maybe I’m the one doing too much.
You just have to find a balance, and this is hard at times.
Don’t worry Sarah, you aren’t the only one who would think that play-doh looks quite male!
As a long time reader I would love if you kept this blog especially if it’s a choice between this, Facebook, Tumblr, etc. I’m not really a fan of tumblr and couldn’t really care less about Facebook these days. Keep the blog and twitter (since you love it) is what I vote.
Out of all the social networking things you do, I enjoy the blog the most. I dont know why, since it takes the longest to read. But, I think you are really funny
And I completely love reading what you write! So please, I beg you to not stop blogging here!
-Katy
Please, please, please don’t stop the blog, it’s like my little pleasure when I’m bored of working and need something else to refresh my mind! I adore it!
Coming at you from across the pond my the way!
James
xxxxx
I love reading your blogs! I definitely wouldn’t want you to quite writing these! Each site has its own purpose. Facebook I think is too outdated for a public figure to reach out to their fans such as yourself. Although its great for family and friends and to stay in the loop. Twitter is amazing for your little outbursts of fun little tidbits throughtout the day. I literally just scroll through my twitter feed but if I see WHTG cover I stop, read, & laugh. I believe this is a quicker way to get in touch with your fans, because most people check twitter more than fb. & its good to know what everyone is talking about with the trending topics. I feel as if pinterest is too complicated and is more for personal use for your own interesting things not to socialize a network of people. Tumblr is great for showing people interesting pictures & quotes maybe quotes from books you are reading. I love the line of celebrities reading you and laurie halse anderson are posting. I hope this helps.
Tweet tweet!!!
First, I simply adore your books. I have every one of them.
Now, my vote is blog. I dislike Facebook and I don’t even have a Twitter or Tumblr. So you’re not alone on the whole social networking thing. It IS just too much.
And the first thing I thought when I saw the cupcake was male anatomy too!
Well, I’ve been away so this is a tad late & I guess you don’t need me to say it because lots of other have as well: please keep your blog. I check it daily & read it whenever you post and have just caught up with it (was away without a computer, can you believe it?) so please?
A fan from waaaay back in the day!
THE BLOG MUST STAY.
I love the blogs and facebook updates since I don’t use Twitter or other social network sites. Just figure out what works best for you and your schedule!
I really enjoy your blog but, for me, it has very little to do with your books. Don’t get me wrong, I love your books, but as a Los Angeles writer who is from NC, I just adore hearing about your life. I love that you have this quasi-rural, chicken-keeping, small-townish, sweet family world… and then that you go out on book tours where, of course, you miss your regular life but also (I imagine) it must be wonderful to be out doing grown-up things with a different set of responsibilities. To some degree, it is the NC version of my own juggling act (kids/soccer/homework vs. running around L.A. pitching projects and taking meetings… oh and also writing…), and I love reading about what could have been my life. I would miss your blog.
That being said, I am also trying to figure out the best method of social networking. I use Facebook for personal and Twitter for professional… although, as a writer, of course the two overlap a LOT. The way it tends to work out, I’m on Facebook every day. I like seeing people’s new babies and knowing who took a trip to Hawaii and who got a new job. I’m on Twitter a lot less but feel like I should be on it more.
I don’t Tumblr (or even really know what it is), and I have guilt over not doing much of anything on Goodreads.
I LOVE the blog and facebook. But Twitter for me is too much. So many posts I could never follow or keep up.
The mom thing does get better. This week at 4am my 12 yr old was throwing up for the 100th time and said “I got this mom. I don’t need you anymore.” I was so thank ful, I almost cried!!
Keep the blog!! I’ve been reading for six years, and I check it every day, even though I know you don’t post much more than once a week anymore. As for other things, I’m on Facebook ALL the time, but I don’t have a Twitter or anything else. So whatever other social networking you do, I may or may not follow, but the blog is one thing I always look forward to!
I love blog, because it has more in it And I do check it most days
But Facebook is good for keeping up to date, and linking here when you have written a blog 
Blog or Tumbler!
Blogging is NOT petering out. I truly love reading your posts. Please keep them up!
If you really felt the need to switch tech mediums, try getting attached to Tumblr. You can blog (and reblog) and it’s a bit addicting.
I love reading your blog posts! Please keep writing them!
I LOVE your blog- I have been reading it for years. So, that is definitely my favorite form of your social networking. I also like Tumblr. But I’m not a fan of Twitter or Facebook.
I love this blog!!!!!!!!!!! If you absolutely had to quite one thing (this is just my idea after reading what you said) why not facebook? It doesn’t sound like you like it that much, and you have a twitter too which is sort of the same thing. Just my opinion!
PS: I am currently, as I type, eating a deviled egg…and chicken salad. But you inspired the deviled egg part!
keep the blog!
I honestly feel like you should keep up this blog and twitter! I know it must be overwhelming with all of these social networking sites. But to me, Facebook gets annoying, and I love Tumblr but I don’t think it would be a very effective social networking site for your fans. Love you Sarah! ♥
In order of how I prefer to stay connected to you:
twitter
blog
tumblr
Drop facebook. Tumblr is great but I find it too distracting in the sense of, not something to keep my attention. If you’re going to be promoting, twitter will get the word out and the blog could be for more lengthy stuff.
Just my take.
I love this blog, your tumblr and twitter. Your facebook I only check for the link to the Friday Five blog post. Although I love keeping up with you and other readers, those are the sites I like best.
Sarah!
I think you should stick with this blog and if you have an iPhone get instagram!!
I think an overwhelming majority of us want you to keep up with your blog! It’s the best way you keep in touch with your loyal fans.
Please keep the blog! I love learning something new every week about my favorite author(:
I too vote to keep the blog though would like to mention the slew of replies above (the majority of which seem to be in favor of the blog) might be a skewed sampling as all the people responding are the readers of the blog…just saying
None the less, I do enjoy the blog and think it should stay!
I personally love your blog. I can understand how it would be difficult to keep up with, though. It’s just cool. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m the type that loves the author bios on the inside sleeves of books and stuff, and this gives me that same feeling. But whatever you decide, I’ll be following!
The blog! I come here all the time, I swear. Continue on the blog! I love it.
Your blogs are highly entertaining and amusing, Sarah. They give your fans a better look into your life. I love hearing from you. You’re so inspirational, but at the same time down-to-earth. Reading your blog keeps me motivated and determined about my future goals in life (I’m only eighteen). If someone can accomplish my dreams and still be relatable, then I know anything in life is possible.
That cookie looks yummy!
I feel blogs are the best approach for you to come across to your fans, like me. We get to know you better. We hear mention sometimes about your life and the inspiration that it has on your books but we get to know the author behind the books we love. So please keep posting! <3