1. Cookies are my kryptonite. I have a wicked sweet tooth, regardless, but my particular downfall is cookies. It doesn’t help that I make some incredibly delicious ones, if I do say so myself. I was all kinds of proud when one of the kids’ preschool teachers confided last year that the box of cookies I gave them at the holidays was their favorite.

2. I love classical choral Christmas music. I could happily listen to my St. Olaf Christmas Fest CD from Thanksgiving until New Year’s. And don’t even get me started on a good men & boys’ choir.  And yes, that is somewhat in conflict with the whole “we’re raising Jewish kids and not celebrating Christmas in our house” thing.

3. I have toyed with the idea of becoming a Spinning teacher. I would have to get in WAY better shape before I would consider doing anything about it, but I think I’d be good at it. Or maybe I’d just enjoy creating different playlists for different rides.

4. My random, recurring celebrity fantasy/daydream involves having [insert current celebrity of choice] over for dinner. I have no idea why. I can’t decide if that says something kind of sweet about me, or if it just means I’m getting old and need a much more adventurous fantasy life. Either way, it’s kind of embarrassing.

5. In the last month, I have at least a dozen pictures of myself. This is absolutely radical to me. I’m not sure I have that many from the rest of the entire year. I give all credit to my new iPhone and the self-facing camera, as well as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, which make taking a picture just part of a status update. I almost never give my “real” camera to someone else and ask them to take a picture of me. But the iPhone makes it so easy to snap a picture as we’re going about our day. Not many of them are exactly frame-worthy, but I’m glad that it’s so easy to finally have some pictures of me and the kids.

Though I will say, there are few things as alarming and hideously unflattering as turning on that camera and have it facing you from somewhere under your chin. Yeesh.

Point is, I’d like to change that. And because I love structure and peer pressure and external motivation sources, I signed up for NaBloPoMo. You can, too, if you’re so inclined. I hear there are prizes.

I hereby commit to posting every day for the month of November. I’m looking forward to it, though I know some days will be winners and others… less so.

A question for you, dear friends, is whether you think I should try to apply a theme to my daily posts for the next month? And, if so, what should that theme be? It could be a topic, like gratitude or challenges. Or, it could be something like posting at least two photos per day, or a self-portrait a week, or something. Alternately, of course, I could just go hodge-podge and post whatever strikes my fancy each day.

What say you? What do you enjoy reading or seeing in this space, or what would you like to see me try?

Fellow Boston-area twin mama Jane Roper, published author and Babble-Voices-blogger, interviewed me as part of a new series she’s doing on her blog, Baby Squared.

Is it weird that, as a kid, I always wanted to be interviewed for a magazine or newspaper article? Thanks to twins and the blogosphere, I can check that one off the bucket list.

I’m, like, famous and stuff.

I’m getting my site a bit of a facelift in the next few weeks, and there are two things I would like to add.  For the first, I’m asking for your wit and creativity.  I feel like I need a tagline. “Goddess in Progress: …. what?“  Can someone please sum up my life and nearly five years of blogging in a single, pithy phrase?  I hardly feel like I need to say that snark, sarcasm, and/or self-deprication are appropriate and welcome.  Ideas?

The second request is even a little bit more awkward for me to ask, but I’m going to do it anyways.

What are your favorite posts that I’ve written?

I know. I feel weird even asking. Except that I sort of want to make a “best of” page that would be a good jumping-off point for someone new to the blog. And I know some of these (almost 900!) posts were good, and some of them resonated with people. But I feel like I can only sort of guess from my own perspective, which is not necessarily the same as you guys out there reading (and I’m super grateful for you, have I mentioned that recently?).  So, if you have a post or two that stick out in your memory, please let me know.

Thanks!

Anyways, here I sit, reading blogs in the wee hours of the morning, only to find out via Sarah that it’s DeLurker Day! Whee!

But I want more than just comments. I’m going to blatantly steal a page from Kristen and turn this into something positive.  There is an awesome blogger and scientist and mom, WhyMommy, who I met very briefly in passing at the Nikon Party at BlogHer in August. She was all but bouncing, because she was cancer-free.  It was a wonderful thing to behold.  Well, cancer is a bitch, and has returned. UNCOOL. FUCK YOU, CANCER. But that will not stop the wonderful WhyMommy from getting the word out that there are women out there dealing with the effects of cancer treatment who need lymphedema sleeves and can’t afford them, and their insurance doesn’t cover them (Fuck you, insurance!).

So, here is my request to you: please leave a comment today! For every comment I get on this post, I will donate $1 to Crickett’s Answer (up to 200, if I get anywhere near that far).

Leave a comment today, even, ESPECIALLY, if you have never left one before. While it is gratifying to talk to someone I haven’t seen in a while (or meet them for the first time) and have them say, “oh, I read your blog!”, it can also be a little strange.  Because unless you leave a comment, I have NO IDEA you’re there!  Please, shed your anonymity and say hello.  It gives me a warm fuzzy, and today, it will do even more than that.

At a loss for what to say?  Tell me what you do when you can’t sleep, or share a funny sleepless-related story.

While I will get out of bed, I otherwise sort of keep up the pretense of it being nighttime. I don’t turn on a lot of lights, I mostly just putz around on my computer.  I could turn on the TV and catch up on the episode of Top Chef that’s waiting for me, but for some reason I never do.  Not in the middle of the night.

Have fun, share stories, and let’s use the magic of the internet to turn comments into something real.

I absolutely agree with Aimee’s assessment, BlogHer is what you make of it.  Everyone’s experience of the weekend in New York was a little, or a lot, different.  Some people went to every single session, some went to none at all.  Some spent hours on the Expo floor, some skipped it entirely.  And on and on.

I had my own set of hopes and expectations, that were probably somewhat different from many others.  I wasn’t there to actively network and promote my blog in the hopes of amazing new opportunities and a dramatic spike in traffic.  I’ll write more on that in another post, but I am not currently and do not wish to become a “professional” blogger.  And I’m happy with that.  Oh yes, I made business cards and I gave them to people.  I absolutely welcome new readers and new friends, and even fun opportunities when they arise.  But that wasn’t my overarching goal when I got on the train Thursday afternoon.

I went because I thought it sounded like a whole lot of fun.  I went because I didn’t want to read about it and be jealous because I didn’t go for another year.  I went because a weekend in New York without any kids was just what the doctor ordered.

I enjoyed some sessions more than others, but am glad that they’re all available as liveblog entries and (if not now, soon) podcasts, so I didn’t really miss any of them.  While I have a hard time putting into words exactly what I learned and took away from the experience, I can certainly say I got a lot out of it, even if a lot of it was self-reflection.  But there’s really something about being in a space full of people who blog, on such an amazing range of topics with such completely different approaches, that’s pretty powerful.

I got over any awkward hesitation and made it a point to introduce myself to the women behind some of my favorite, what I would call “A-list”, blogs: Sarah and the Goon Squad, Mom 101, Amalah, and many more.  I had read each of them, in turn, write something along the lines of “please please please just say hello,” and so I did.  And they were all nothing short of lovely.  I saw Aimee in one of the photography sessions and recognized her instantly, and ran over to give her a hug, finally meeting in person someone I’ve been commenting back and forth with for years.

I had awesome roommates in Caro, Kami, and Amber.  I got to spend lots of quality time with Charlene and Cindy.

I shook my booty on the dance floor with Cheryl.  (Seriously, if you’re considering going to BlogHer, you should do it just so you can hit up Sparklecorn).

I shook my booty on the Expo Floor with Christina, Liz, and Kristin. (God help me, there’s video.  I’m the short, fat one who almost won.)

I went to a party that had firefighters as eye candy, and admit to some confusion as to the social expectations.  Were there supposed to be dollar bills involved?

I saw the Sun from the Jimmy Dean commercials, as well as Elmo, the Pillsbury Dough Boy, and some possessed rabbit from a video game.

I witnessed and tasted something made by Charm City Cakes.

I saw the Pioneer Woman.

I brought home an extra suitcase full of free stuff, mostly toys for my kids.

It was exhausting, it was fun.  It was imperfect, but it ran amazingly smoothly.  I had substantial anxiety before I went, but felt surprisingly at ease once I got there. I felt just as welcome as anyone else. I am absolutely glad that I went, it was worth the time, energy, and money.

Will I go back, year after year? Well, probably not. I can say with almost 100% certainty that I will not be going to San Diego for BlogHer ’11, awesome though it sounds.  If, another year, it wasn’t on the opposite side of the continent and the timing worked out? Yeah, quite possibly.

And if you’re thinking about making the trip? I say go for it. Have a blast, introduce yourself to your favorite bloggers (in a friendly, non-crazy way), chat with people you’ve never met, and shake your booty whenever the opportunity presents itself.  You won’t regret it.

Here you go, the final card. When I saw that picture, I knew I had to use it. The faces are too perfect. Rebecca all cheesy, Daniel with his mouth wide open (the boy can’t keep it closed!). A fun moment.  Happy Holidays, whatever your celebration of choice may be!

I ordered the cards from Shutterfly and they came very quickly. Names removed in post-production, of course.

I had some ideas when I set this theme, of things I could do to get my kids to laugh.  Turns out I didn’t need anything contrived, and the giggles presented themselves to me quite easily.  Why?  Because Gramps was here.  My dad is really great with my kids, and loves to do any number of things that make them laugh.  Here’s just a couple of examples…

Giggling with Gramps from Goddess in Progress on Vimeo.

Next week I’m setting another editing challenge: Short and Sweet. How much of a story can you convey in 30 seconds or less?  That’s right, half a minute.  Pick one small point/story/theme, and get out those virtual scissors and be ruthless in your editing.

OK, yeah.  You could just take a super short video clip, too.  And I won’t call you a cheater. At least, not to your face.

And, so, I’m turning to you guys and repeating a call for questions!  I loved it last time, and there are still some lingering questions unanswered from the first go around.  So, please, ask me some questions and give me a nudge for something to write about!  Anything about me or the kids or anything else you’ve wanted to know or want to hear my take on?  Ask away.

- – -

OK, in truth, I’ve been doing a little bit of writing, just not here.  I’ve kind of been obsessing on the sewing front, and instead of totally changing the focus of this blog, I started a separate one just for craftiness.  If you feel like geeking out with me, do come on over to www.teenytinyquilts.com.  But if quilting ain’t your thing, I won’t take it personally.  It’s only less than a week old at this point, but it’s another outlet for a different side of me.  Got to reclaim some non-mommy aspects, right?

Some clocks blinking twelve
Guess we lost power last night?
I blame new Fios.

I don’t remember
turning off my computer.
Now it won’t turn on.

Photos! Videos!
Nothing is backed up, ‘cept blog.
Kicking myself. Hard.

Apple guy tells me
Trick to reset the power.
Magic solution.

Backup in progress.
One-hundred-forty-nine gigs
Takes a long damn time.