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Blogger lost grip in jaws of life

Little known blogger Julie Pippert was swamped by a big wave of life yesterday. When she surfaced---thanks to swimming help by her Labrador retriever---she noticed she was missing a veterinary appointment, two return phone calls, more than half the blogs in her feed reader (count now well over 100), a multitude of email and a promised blog post.

"I think it just sank to the bottom of this vast sea," she said sadly and resignedly, beginning to hum, "My Heart Will Go On," the popular Celine Dion song from the movie Titanic.

The wave, which Ms. Pippert refers to as a mini tsunami, began with over-reaching expectations and overcommitment. "I think a lot of people get sucked under the tide of plans and goals," she said, "Some never come back up. I'm just glad I resurfaced. I'm going to seize this second chance and scale back."

Her scaling back process began yesterday afternoon when, instead of reading the accumulated blog posts in her feed reader, she sat and played a game of Battle At Sea with two six year olds. It continued yesterday evening when she watched American Idol instead of writing a blog post, reading blog posts, replying to emails, or working on any of her articles or stories.

"I know I'm letting some people down, or taking without giving, but I guess fair is a place for ferris wheels, not a state of being," she said, "I want to keep up with everything and everyone but, well, I'm only one person and I guess I have to be realistic. I hope everyone knows I care and am sorry I'm not there right now."

Ms. Pippert plans to spend today having lunch with her daughter at school, attending a meeting, and catching up with laundry, which she refers to as the Multi-colored Menace, and fears its evil intentions with regard to overtaking the house.

"When the laundry gets this out of control I start having nightmares about being attacked by slithering socks wrapping their cottony selves all around me, crushing me. I think I saw that in a movie once, but in the movie it might have been snakes."

Copyright 2008 Julie Pippert
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Comments

Gwen said…
That just won't do, Julie. We need instant Julie, all the time!

(You realize I'm kidding. Deep breaths, friend: don't be tied in knots by obligation.)
markira said…
Love.

How did I go so long without discovering you?
dharmamama said…
When you are fully present when you *do* give, the effect of that giving is a thousandfold over the effect of distracted, obligated giving. Julie - when you "give" with your blog - write such thoughtful, meaningful posts, continue the discussion via e-mail and comments, write another post later after you've thought about it some more - you can do whatever you need to do to fill yourself up. Actually, even if you wrote crappy, meaningless posts, you could still do that. It's *important*.

I think the scale is heavily weighted with what you've given already - you take as much as you need!

(not that you need my permission or anything)
S said…
I've wondered how you do it. Because when you write posts, you do research as well. It's amazing and wonderful and yes, giving.

So rest. Catch up with those real-life demands. We'll be here.

xxoo
Melissa said…
Well..I'm all for a day off.

And it just would be so out of character for me if I didn't suggest a pedicure as well.
Robert said…
Take a day off... take a week off, but don't forget to vote for Barack. We can't have Hillary winning your state... oh, wait, am I using reverse psychology? No, we need her to win it, vote for her... oh, I don't know what I want anymore!

Just kidding. I loved the post, I must say. You do an amazing job of managing time, and we all aspire to do it so well some day.
Anonymous said…
The blog reading and writing will be waiting when you're ready to get back to them. Taking a break can be a good thing.
Mayberry said…
Ms. Pippert -- godspeed with the MCM, and all else!

I stayed up until past midnight last night blogging and whatnot. Dumb!
I would have sent up a flare months ago if I had attempted your schedule for even one day. I mean come on Julie, you're not Superman you know.

Yeah, I stole that from Aunt May, but still...
painted maypole said…
i find that intentionally and joyfully hanging out with children (rather than begrudgingly while thinking of all the other things i "should" be doing) is the best cure for recovery. enjoy.
Anonymous said…
<3 you, especially for today's gift of:

Searing Sam Jackson in my head yelling, "Muthuf*cking socks on a plane!"

Then, like that avatar, he turns to Harry Potter and screams, "ParselSock, Muthereffer - Do you speak it?!"

Ooooo.K. I miss you.
Space Mom said…
Dude, deal with the socks before they deal with YOU!
Anonymous said…
Overly committed. Baby, you just spelled out my middle name.
Jennifer S said…
No, I'm pretty sure the movie was about socks. Which, in my experience, are much scarier than snakes.

Multi-colored Menace. Love it.

Good luck with the swimming.
Anonymous said…
Oh, you just want to show your silly side.

There it is!
Girlplustwo said…
Julie, i adore you. there are only so many facets we can manage in a day. you give every day. what an honor to all of us that is.
Aliki2006 said…
I'm only emerging, too, from some deep underwater place...you handle all you do so well--and you can write amazingly well in the process!
Annie said…
We have the same multi coloured menace - and yet, here I sit, reading!
flutter said…
Oh noes! Not THE LIFE!!!!! NOT THE LAUNDRY!!!!
Christine said…
there is something in the air because this is where i am, too. and god i hate it. i am off to cuddle with a certain 3 year old boy now. one who just said to me "mama why you on the computer and the phone at same time."

ouch.
Liv said…
Ms. Pippert,

Liv thinks that you need to take a break. Not too long, but you need to just be and not worry and not blog if there is no time. Liv would be happy to invent bullshitsical posts in a voice that mimicks your own that outwardly sound as if they are tackling the great questions of our time, but really would sort of be inane and lengthy for no apparent reason.

So, if you ever need a break, kindly submit your request for bad writing to madnessisay at gmail dot com.

lurve,
your pal livi
Kyla said…
Life. Bah. I feel your pain. We had our 4th appointment in a week today. I have a philosophy exam to study for and take, class tonight, several loads of dirty laundry, and a proposal to write for English. Let's not talk about the state of my house. Oh, and the KayTar woke up feverish and OH SO SNOTTY, so we might just be turning our 4 appointments into 5.

Responsibility is overrated. ;)
furiousBall said…
i've just come into your neck of the woods, but i think watching doggies swim is good therapy for anything ever.
SciFi Dad said…
We're still here, and we're not feeling left out.
Mad said…
4 simple words, Julie: mark all as read. We all need to do it every now and then. I've needed to do it three times in three weeks. It happens.
Playing a game with two six year olds and taking some time for yourself does not add up to letting anyone down.

Now go take a bubble bath.
ewe are here said…
I feel this post.

And I don't want to talk about the number of posts waiting for me on my goggle reader right now.
Kat said…
Hehehe. Love it.
I will be doing the same this weekend. Life.
we_be_toys said…
That has to be the best written piece yet, on why we need to step away, from time to time, and carpe real life. Best wishes to you and your Multi-Colored Menace...I have a few accumulations of that scourge myself!
Good.For.You.

Feed reader be damned!

Heidi :)
Julie Pippert said…
This is why I include every single one of you in my prayers every night, "Dear God, watch over and bring on the good life to each and every one of my commenters and may they always remain on top of their socks."

I just feel this whole sock thing? Going somewhere.

;)

Thanks all!
Karen Jensen said…
First: I love any post that begins with a photo of a labrador retriever. Just sayin'.

Also, Chicky Chicky Baby suggests a bubble bath, to which I add, with a nice glass of muscat canelli from Sister Creek vineyards.
Lawyer Mama said…
I just click "mark all read" on my Bloglines, and shove the socks under the bed.
Arkie Mama said…
Brilliant! Even though that slithering sock image kind of creeped me out...
Love this! We all have our days and then it's good to just wipe the slate clean and let it go.

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