I'm only human.

Sometimes I feel like a hot mess as a blogger. I'm sitting here w. my cup of coffee (which is turning cold quickly) and jumping from FB group to FB group, I'm trying to get my job-job notes done from yesterday and realized I'm behind on another book review. 

My calendar has notes scribbled all over it. I use pen. It just LOOKS nicer. 

Pencil is great and all, but pen, pen makes it permanent. 

Yes. I use a pen and paper calendar. In today's electronic world. Don't be fooled. Many of the bloggers you admire do it. They're kickin' it old school without you even knowing. 

Ssshhh. It's okay. You can do it, too. I won't tell anyone. 

It's interesting that I started this off saying I feel like a hot mess as a blogger. Because sometimes I just feel like a hot mess as a person. Or a mom. Or just me. Andrea. The hot mess. 

I've got girl scout cookie coordinating wrapping up and I'm done. Spent. And have to buy about 500 bags or boxes for myself. Okay, fine, not really, but anyone need some Caramel Delites? Those are Samoas for anyone living outside of my baker's area. I've got 'em. $3.50/box. Gluten free girl scout cookies? Got those, too. Please save me and take them off my hands. Otherwise I'll be eating them all. Dang it. I do mean ALL. $5/bag. Yes, more money. But they're gluten-free. What can ya do, right? 

I need a massage. I almost went for reflexology this past weekend but then I called and the guy said, can you come after four PM? And I was like, yeah, probably not. But I should have. And I didn't. It's okay. I'll take another hot shower. 

And I haven't worked out since I went to karate with my daughter and the Sensei kicked my butt. Seriously. I'm quite possibly STILL sore. I did CRUNCHES, people. It felt awesome. But CRUNCHES. Holy cow. And I had to partner with him. It was kind of awesome, because had I partnered with my 7-yo I probably would have slacked some. 

Seven. She's seven. Holy cow. 

This morning Bruno Mars was making me weepy-ish. I don't know why, he just was. And thankfully Postpartum Progress came to my rescue. (How many times can I possibly type that word and use the "y" key instead of the "u"? Several. Let's leave it at that.) Anyway, the rescue was with a Warrior Mom playlist on Spotify. It's been pretty awesome so far, despite a few weepy lyrics. 

Did I tell you I'm going to see Bruno Mars when he comes to the Triangle? Well, I am. Totally. And that's what made me download his music. It's really good. I bought my ticket after his halftime show. Good stuff. I'm hoping this will be another summer of concerts. I need those nights. They're awesome. 

Okay, I've decided it's my keyboard cover that's giving me problems here. I keep having issues with the letters y and t and the u. So yeah, must be bunching up or something. 

Back to blogging - can you tell this is a total ramble of a post? - anyway, I'm honored and excited to announce that I'm participating in the 2014 Shot@Life Champions Summit. Shot@Life is a program that works hard to spread the word about the importance of protecting the children of the world, ensuring that they're taken care of and given an opportunity for the best possible health. Best possible life. It's pretty awesome. I'm excited and nervous and thinking that, whoa, this is a totally different kind of conference than any I've ever been to and I have to actually dress nicely and professionally and I hope my old work pants still fit. 

But I'm human. If they don't I'll dig up a skirt and some leggings (it's in DC, in March, I'm not expecting true spring just yet) and make an outfit out of it. I can do it. 

I'm pretty inspired by having been accepted to participate in this summit. Quite often I feel as though I'm a baby blogger. Even though I've been blogging since 2009. YES. 2009. My goodness, I'm coming up on my FIFTH anniversary. Whoa. 

But then I realize and recognize that if I don't put myself out there I won't get anywhere. 

And so I apply for campaigns. Some I get. Some I don't. Honestly, most I don't. 

But I continue to put myself out there. I volunteer like CRAZY. 

If I listed the places I volunteer for you'd fall over. Honest. I always have been this way. My life in North Carolina has consisted of volunteer work from pretty much the moment I landed. Actually, before. I swear it. Crazy? Maybe. But true. 

And it is who I am. 

And some days I don't want to get out of bed but I do because I have to get my child up and at 'em and out the door. And so I do. 

But sometimes I want to curl back under the covers when she and my husband leave. But I don't. Or I do. But mostly I don't. I just keep going. 

Maybe I'm not making mega-money by blogging, but maybe that's alright with me. Maybe I find that putting myself out there is enough - sometimes. It's enough for me, for now. I write because I love to write. And writing this, today? It's a reminder. 

For me. And for you. 

That I'm human. You're human. 

That amazing blogger who writes for Babble or BabyCenter or the local newspaper or website and actually gets PAID? She's human, too. 

She might have the mornings where she wants to crawl back into bed. Maybe she doesn't ever wear make-up, either. Or maybe she does because she has to, it is who she is. 

But we're the same. We're people. We do best by supporting one another, but sometimes we don't have it in us as we're struggling to just make it through each day. And that's okay, too. 

Facebook makes that easy, right? A simple like may be taking the place of real communication, but sometimes, on the days we're sitting behind our screens with tears in our eyes, ratty hair and are still in our pajamas as our coffee gets cold (who, me?) we can click that like and remind our friends we're out there. And we support them. 

Even if our words just escape us. Or we've used them all up for the work we've had to do. 

Because, hey, we're only human. 

Don't forget it. 

Now, go reheat that coffee. You've got stuff to do. 

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