Will Today's Blog Post Be Funny or Sad?

It's Day 20 in the Ultimate Blog Challenge and I'd like to say "thank you" to all the new blogs/writers I have been introduced to through this group. You have enriched my last 20 days with your inspired posts!

Today's Topic:

1)What topics or posts have worked to get your readers talking? 

2)Write about the 3 or 4 blog posts that you have received the most comments on.  Were those comments positive or negative?  Were the posts controversial?  Is there a theme of some sort?  Will you be writing more on that subject?

My website is a personal site presented from my point of view as an empty nest parent (yep, that's me sitting in a gigantic nest at the Phoenix Zoo!).  I started it the day after my youngest daughter went to college and the house was officially empty of children.  I wanted to explore my feelings not just about this new status but also write about all the ideas that fill this head of mind, with the hopes that I might possibly be able to sleep through the night once my thoughts were spilled out on the site!  It's been an emotional roller coaster and the words that have followed have also had their ups and downs.....................

In the end, there are two distinctly different types of posts that have gotten my readers talking and sharing: 

• The heart-wrenching posts about missing my children and trying to fill their void brings my audience of other empty nest people to my rescue.  Or they are experiencing the same feelings and are looking for camaraderie and/or advice.  I have no control when these lonely days will occur and they cannot be forced into my foreground, therefore, the posts come out naturally and in rhythm with my heart.  I almost feel obligated to write on these days but its also quite therapeutic for me.  (I recommend writing either in a blog or diary to many of my readers).  But, I am also glad that after three years of being an empty nester,  I don't have these emotional days as often as I once did, because they are exhausting.  I wish you could see me.....I am typing and crying and usually want to nap afterwards. Or have a big glass of wine!
• The second category are when I am feeling a little whacky.  A little wicked.  A little sarcastic. The topics are all over the place....maybe my husband doesn't read my blog, maybe I am heavy and my pants have split in the middle of a meeting or maybe I am laughing about our political system.  The common denominator is they all are humorous and many other people in my "shoes" can relate or have had the same thing happen to them.  Laughing at ourselves and common occurrences bonds the writer/reader and we laugh together...through the internet. Everyone needs a good laugh.  I cannot always write these types of posts; the ideas seem to come out of thin air or......they don't.  It's best not to try to be funny when you're not thinking funny.  (Of course, I cannot seem to find one single example of me trying...unsuccessfully....to be funny. That's funny, isn't it!)   
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• Finally, sometimes I just feel like writing on a serious matter or about politics.  This is dangerous territory because, really, no one reads posts that have opposing views with an open mind.  So, I am just writing for myself.  Which, in itself, is not a bad exercise in itself.  Just don't expect to learn anything from the process.  Negative comments can be hurtful, too. They just aren't my cup of tea.  (Warning, never write a guest post for the Cubs on a Cardinal's fan page......you will learn 4000 new ways to say go f**k yourself!)
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•  Today's writing exercise was interesting....it was fun to think about my blog and why and what I write about.  Thanks for suggesting it!

My Weekend with Mary Anne at The Stiletto Mom

On Saturday morning, I woke up, made coffee and selected one blog to read from "cover to cover" so to speak. Starting from the first post until the last post, I stalked this one blog for the entire weekend. I have to say that this is a really fun exercise and I think I will continue to do it again and again each week. I really had such a hard time choosing who I wanted to stalk.

Since I've decided to do this again, I choose Mary Anne's The Stiletto Mom. This is an obvious choice for me for several reasons. First, she is the first person who reached out to me on an email and told me a few things about commenting and getting more traffic/readers to my site. Second, she added me to her blogroll and I think this was the first person to do so. Third, her blogroll introduced me to some of my very favorite sites, like Steenky Bee and i am bossy. Finally, I entered her Oy Vey contest and actually won (see her Sept 22nd post) a $25 gift card, making this my "first paycheck" for the blog.

I have no idea how I found her in the first place, though. Maybe I just liked the name as I really adore shoes (that's one wall in my closet).

The big shocker: She started writing on on her blog on August 1st, which is exactly when I started. She seems so much more "in the know" than me with the blog world. And it's probably a good thing that I started this single blog stalking with someone relatively new as it actually takes a long time to read each post. I started reading with wine around noon on Saturday and when I was done reading, I had quite a nice little buzz going!

My Favorite Post(s): Okay, I narrowed it down to 4 posts:

1) Sept 2nd: Mary Ann observes a crazy family in a Sushi restaurant, where she hears the Dad say to the kids, "Here's the deal, if we go to a restaurant and you don't like it, STARVE". Very funny story unfolds....

2) Oct 14th: Mary Ann has potty training memories where she tells her son that "The Poo-Poo's have hands" and The Man (her hubby) can't believe this is what's she's telling her son. Brought back many PT memories of my own.

3) Oct 8th: Best Post Pictures! Mankinis in Cabo...need I say more. But my favorite part was how her friends were helping her to get the pictures discreetly (and there's some danger involved, too).

4) Sept 7th: This is the post that when I first read it, I laughed so hard and immediately added her blog to 'My Favorites' list: Mary Ann and The Man were having a difference of opinion about her trash can being left out in the open, so she decides to decorate the can with various themes. My favorite was the 'library look'.

Final Thoughts: I think it's amazing that Mary Anne can work full time have 2 children and write consistently on her blog at the same time. Kuddos on being the Super Mom. I like the way she constantly is upset with Google and the ads they have placed on her site. I totally agree with her about waiting for Christmas decorations going up everywhere before Halloween and Thanksgiving! This is a fun blog to read, so head on over there right now and find your own favorite posts!