Per Chilihead‘s instructions, I’m going to share a little “behind the blawg” info today.
It’s like “Behind The Music” on Vh1.
Only I don’t sing, I’m not famous, and I’ve never spent thirty days in a rehab facility for “exhaustion.”
But other than that, it’s totally the same thing.
And I’m using Chilihead’s questions as prompts because, well, I’m lazy.
How did you start blogging?
I had been reading blogs for awhile, and at some point about a year and a half ago I started to think that I should be writing down all my Alex stories – especially since any form of scrapbooking makes me want to use a large soup spoon to pop out my eyeballs.
Plus, I’ve always found my family to be hysterical, and I wanted to get our admittedly Southern sensibility “on paper” so that one day all the future generations can look back over the stuff that I’ve written and rest in the peace and the promise that they come from a long line of crazies.
Finally, D. really had been encouraging me to find a hobby. It sounds selfless, I know, but the fact of the matter is that he figured that if I had a hobby, he would have more time to play Xbox.
Now, of course, I wish he’d play Xbox more so that I could blog more.
THE IRONY, IT IS RICH.
Did you intend to be a blog with a following? If so, how did you go about it?
Um. NO. I never intended to be a blog with a following.
And I’m not sure I even like the term “following” because it makes me feel like some sort of cult leader. However, if I did have a cult of my very own, we probably wouldn’t do much besides watch a bunch of reality TV and eat fried chicken, and really, what’s the harm in that?
Honestly, I don’t think I’ve been a very strong promoter of my blog at all. I told my colllege friends and family about the blog about two months after I started it, and I only recently told my friends here where we live. I am very shy about it for some reason, and if anyone happens to mention my blog in front of me, my first instinct is to pray THAT I WILL SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST.
Unfortunately, I missed the day of superhero school where you learn how to do that.
So I don’t really know how the “following” thing happened. Unless people were lured by the aforementioned opportunity to watch lots of reality television and eat fried chicken in a cult-type setting.
Because who could possibly resist such a tempting offer?
What do you hope to achieve or accomplish with your blog? Have you been successful? If not, do you have a plan to achieve those goals?
Oh, it’s so kind of Chili to assume that I have goals.
Much less a plan.
But seriously – the primary thing I want to achieve with my blog is just to have fun with it – to leave a legacy of laughter for Alex and any other young’uns that might come our way. I want for it to always, always be real and welcoming. And I want for it to be a testimony of my faith in and my relationship with God. Because I love me some Jesus.
Has the focus of your blog changed since you started blogging? How?
My first post was about tile and vomit.
So I’d have to say no.
What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started?
Nothing. I’ve had a blast trying to make my way around the bloggy learning curve. And I’m grateful that I was blissfully ignorant about the traffic that would eventually come my way – because I think the expectation of having lots of readers might have changed the tone of the whole thing.
Assuming that I actually have, you know, a tone.
Which may be a bit presumptuous of me.
Do you make money with your blog?
Not yet [she says, wringing her hands and laughing maniacally].
But I have received some fantastic cleaning supplies.
Does your immediate or extended family know about your blog? If so, do they read it? If not, why?
They all know about it. Most of them read it. Some of them don’t – because they’re too busy doing things like “caring for their family” or “making a living” or “staying fit and healthy.”
Or because they’re technologically challenged and don’t know how to turn on the computer so that they can visit my BLOGSITE on the WIDE WORLD INTERWEB.
What two pieces of advice would you give to a new blogger?
1) Write frequently in the voice that’s distinctively yours.
2) Comment on other blogs as much as you can.
And I have to add:
3) Don’t post anything you’d be embarrassed for your grandmother or your kids to read. Because the stuff you put on your blog (or someone else’s comments) will never go away, and you might not want Memaw or Junior quoting it back to you one day.
I’m just sayin’.
You can check out other “behind the blawg” stories over at Chilihead’s place. Or better yet, write one of your own and add it to the Mr. Linky.
Have fun, y’all!
I love your blog and read it every day. You absolutely crack me up!
I started reading you shortly after you started. How well I remember the tile and vomit story.
The rest is, as they say, history. I’m afraid it’s time to come out of your shell, BooMama. LOL
My word, your blog is a phenomenon!
“I’m not famous” – liar! You, by far, are well known in this blogging world AND you’ve been in Southern Living. If that doesn’t meet some of the qualifications for famous, then I don’t know what does. And you just had to know that vomit and tile would send you straight to the top of the charts, Boomama! I mean, it’s real life where talking about here and people love to hear about real life!
And in addition to cleaning supplies, you’ve gotten the Glory CD AND an upgrade in the concert. So see, you’re really getting some good stuff, and as you probably know, you can use the that stuff for your Behind the Scene Vh1 production which is probably already sitting on some producers desk as a MUST SEE TV show soon.
I think that your word for shy is a nice thing we call modesty. You are a cult leader girl!
BooMama, You crack me up. I think you live up 150% to your rule to “Write frequently in the voice that’s distinctively yours”. :-)
I must admit I don’t care for fried chicken or reality TV, but I do love the South and often find myself laughing outloud as I read your blog. (My coworkers think I’m weird. I tell them it’s the… um, one of my clients… yeah that’s right… no I’m not reading blogs at WORK…)
Oh, Boomama! Hysterical as always. Thanks for the brief history of it all. Please do not change a thing!!
Tile and vomit! I’m still laughing!! Of course, I will have to go back and read it. You making the statement so casually just now is hilarious!
You’re a celebrity in my corner of the world! LOVE to read your blog!
The fact that you could make this so laugh-out-loud funny is EXACTLY why you have a “following”.
Good stuff, my friend.
I’m all up for some reality tv and fried chicken. When’s the party? :)
And I love how I can practically hear you saying every bit of what you posted.
you are always just too funny!!! I love your blog and visit often.. i am one of those tens of people
Thanks for the history! I’m so glad I found your blog and I enjoy reading it. You are hilarious and sound like a great southern girl!
OK, the part about popping your eyeballs out with a spoon at the thought of scrapbooking is something only BOOMAMA could come up with. Girl, believe it or not, you definitely have following as a result of your distictive tone. LOVE IT!
I love your blog, I read it quite frequently! I think blogs somehow appeal to me since I have always wanted to be an author…then I could go on tour for my book and entertain the masses. I am not nearly as witty as you, I might be if I had more time though! LOL
Actually, I don’t even know how I found your blog…hmmmm
I have been a Boomama “cult follower” for awhile now and I was beginning to doubt my cult choice based on the different pj’s every day and bed making skills of my fearless leader; however, this statement “to watch lots of reality television and eat fried chicken in a cult-type setting” reminded me of why I love reading Boomama every day! Thanks for leading us and for sharing your Blawg behind the music!
I used Chili’s questions for prompts, too. And I love your tone and your voice. :)
Oh I agree about not posting anything (even a comment) that you wouldn’t want a family member to read. I did that once. Oooooo, bad idea.
I think I can help you with the combustion thing: it’s all in the activation energy. If you can just get spark enough to overcome that, it’s all downhill from there.
If you can’t find quite enough energy, try lowering the activation energy by adding a catalyst.
You can thank me later.
I LOVE your blog. Thank you for sharing it with us!! You should definitely be making some kind of money by now!!
Loved the behind-the-scenes look and, as always, I love your blog. Your voice/tone/whatever is always just what I need and without fail, makes me laugh.
Girl, you just simply AIN’T right!! And THAT is why we love you so!!! Thanks for gracing us with your bloggerific presence!
I love reading your blog, and stayed because I’m Southern and can so relate to just about everything you write. Then, when it hit me, you are not too far from me…well, it was fate.
Can I join your cult? It sounds like fun! You are the best – the first blog I read every morning! Maybe there’s a support group for those of us with “Boomama Addiction”?
I love your distinctive voice! It’s fun to see the herstory behind your blog. Now I’m off to check your archives for tile and vomit, although perhaps I’ll wait until I finish eating lunch.
My dear. You have a following because you’re friggin hilarious. And because you are REAL. So long live the Boomama cult!
And I had to laugh when I read your “cult” remark, because that’s exactly what I said about the “following” terminology.
Also, your advice was spot-on. Especially #3.
Boomama, thanks for the advice to write with a tone all your own. But, if you haven’t noticed…your, you know, tone. It TOTALLY rubs off on us. We! Cannot! Help! It!
Um, did someone say fried chicken? Because I’m soooo there. Cult or not, it’s all good.
oh, i mean, the humility. it’s almost too much for me. is it true? the saying about ignorance being bliss?
the big head you must get every night before you go to bed.
here i am — commenting on your blog. i’m just a member of your cult, doing what you told me to do.
i can’t remember when i found boomama but i’ve been hooked ever since.
Love it and love you! ! Each day I look forward (sometimes several times each day) to getting a good giggle in from BooMama! It is such great reading! Fun! Fun! Fun! Thank you so much! ! ! ! !
Hi, I’m Kelli.
I’m addicted to BooMama.
(Hi Kelli).
You say that you’re writing this or Alex to look back on… Have you thought about priting out your entries and making him a binder/book/memory thing? You have over 1000 posts so if you leave it for one day when your old and on your deathbed it may not happen. And who knows if the internet site or world will ever crash and then you’ll never be able to get your written stories back.
Just a thought.
Hilarious…..stinking hilarious I tell you!
You are to modest. Thanks for making me laugh every day.
how fun to read.
I love your blog – it is on my must read blogging list everyday! Love the little taste of the South =)
If by “follower” you mean that I live my imaginary life as a Southern Belle vicariously through you (eating fried chicken and talking with Martha) then count me in girl! I realize at some point I may need therapy if you quit writing, but for now I’m content to live in my dream world where this laughter will go on forever. :)
you had me at tv and chicken.
Ahhh, I still remember when I first started reading your blog during the LBY study….well, I don’t actually REMEMBER, but I do think the fact that you loved Paula and seemed like too much fun to miss meant we had to meet. And I’m so glad we did! Nasty La Quinta and all.
Only you could give such hilarious, creative responses to those questions! I found your blog through the LPM blog; saw the picture you have to identify your blog and had to check it out. Then I read it and was hooked!
You must make some tasty fried chicken, cause you mention it quite frequently! Can I have some?
I started my own blog with the same intentions. Not that my kids will necessarily WANT a play-by-play of their young lives, but, you know. Just in case. I absolutely love reading your blog, even though I am in every way a Yankee. And I would love to come to your house for Fried Chicken!!
(and maybe just a tiny tiny bit of rality TV.)
My name is WeevilMaw and I’m a BooAddict…and if loving her is wrong then I!Don’t!Want!To!Be!Right!EVAH!
(-:
TV? Fried chicken? Boomama? Sign me up…but I’ll bring my OWN drinks, thank you very much:-)
I found your blog through LPM–and then started lurking! I had no idea about the blog world and still have much to learn about this hobby/obsession called blogging. But is it fun!
I’m so glad I found you because you are ALWAYS a good way to get a spot of laughter in the middle of the day. If I was planning on joining a cult, it would be yours–I mean,fried chicken and all! Keep us laughin,’ girl!
BooMama – I still don’t tell most of my friends that I READ blogs! Why? I don’t know…. It’s still a “foriegn” idea to most of my mid-30 friends. :) I check lots of blogs each day with my morning coffee, but I have 3 MUST READS!!! 1. Pioneer Girl – her life is so different than mine. It sounds so exciting – I love her life. 2. BooMama – I can so relate to you! A local girl, sports fan, southern family, HGTV fan…. Your life is lots like mine. I love my life! 3. BigMama – She’s just hilarious – enough said! Thanks for making me smile each day.
I love your advice of “writing in your own tone.” I can tell you have a good tone about you!
My dearest friend has been guiding me through the blog world, as it has exploded while I have existed singly in mommy-land. Your blog is the one we reference the most. I admire your voice and talent. I imagine your “followers” are just as happy to see your posts as we are, and thank God for something new to make us smile. Seriously, boomama, you reach us just like Oprah, reminidng us that we can co-exist in so many worlds.
I began reading you when you did the Bloggy Tour of Homes. I think that’s when your voice began to be heard the most. I don’t stop by every day, but have a good chuckle whenever I do.
Love me some BooMama blog.
What time is the fried chicken hitting the table? That what I want to know.
Love you BooMama, proud to say that I’m a part of your following.
THAT, my dear, is WHY you have a following!
hello boomama! it’s my first time to leave you a comment! you are hysterically funny, and i’m definately adding you to my favorite blogger list. i’m dying to go back and read your first post, “tile and vomit” sounds a bit like my life! and i would totally join your “reality tv and fried chicken cult” i mean, what more could i want from life?
I found your blog last summer through Sarah, via Blair. It was the WORLD FAMOUS catfish post.
Boy am I glad I did. You are a doll and make the computer addictive. Even my little family will hear me laugh in here and say, “What did BOOMAMA say?” I used to feel a little self-conscious when I would say something about my “friend” – meaning you. I don’t feel that way AT ALL anymore. Your writing reveals you as a lovely and sweet wife, mom, friend, daughter, sister, and most important, lover of the Lord. You’re the best.
You’re great boomama – you crack me up, are very REAL and SOOOO FUNNY!!! I love coming here to get a great laugh, a thought provoking post, or to read a great update about someone in the family (or the geese)!!! :)
You definitely write in your distinctive voice. My best friend from high school is from Mississippi and I went to college in TX so I totally get you and I just laugh and laugh and laugh. Plus our boys are the same age and that’s just cool.
Such good advice for a new blogger. It has only been a month for me but Iam having fun with it and just enjoying expressing my feelings and showing off my boy. I never new the blogging world was so big. Honestly I have been blown away by it the last month!
Thanks for sharing your story with such zest! I’ve lurked a few times but haven’t commented. I did pull out your Ocean’s Eleven story for my sister though. She went to Vegas in April and was very envious of your experience.
Blessings~
You make me laugh.
You make me think.
You make me give.
You make me cry.
You make me wonder. lol
You make me do a lot of things—all good.
That’s why I read you.
I’m one of your “tens of people”. You make me laugh. Laughing is good.
I love this post. Thanks so much for sharing your story.
And now, I’m going to have to look for that tile and vomit post!
“I’ve never spent thirty days in a rehab facility for “exhaustion.â€
The celebs need to do their rehab with us SAHM’s. Life with children would straighten them out real quick!
I love the ‘Behind the Music’ nod — very creative. I come to you, Boomama for my daily dose of laughter medicine! Thanks for sharing your voice with us internets.
~TaunaLen
First of all, I’m so glad I happened to come across your “BLOGSITE on the WIDE WORLD INTERWEB.”
Yeah.
‘Cause, I love me some Jesus, too, and I love me some Boomama material, and I love me some Fried Chicken, and I love me some Reality Shows, and I love me some cream cheese and bacon, and I love me some Boo, and I love me some of you.
Glad I’m one of your tens of readers!
Love your show, babe.
Wow! Thanks for all the info. Did you really start only a year and a half ago? That makes my blog feel very insecure! ;)