I was stoked to help Linda out with SoCS while she is on vacation for a few weeks up until she asked me to write an introduction post. I had difficulties with my own “about me” page, much less saying hey to all you lovely folks and letting you know who I am and why I’m here (not sure I even know that… well, actually, I know why I’m a guest here at Linda’s blog, I’m just not sure I know why I’m here, as in the big HERE, you know?). I was thinking I was smart by having someone else go first, but then Pav went and threw up that post yesterday and I realized it probably wasn’t the best idea to let him go first! (Great post, by the way)

Speaking of Pav, it’s pretty funny in a weird sort of “holy shit the universe just did that” kind of way that Pav and I were selected to help out. Pav’s blog was one of the first I really got hooked on when I started reading blogs, and his writing adventures actually started me thinking it was something I wanted to do and probably could do. He is also the one who led me to SoCS, so I have a lot to thank him for. Thanks Pav!

I’ve always loved writing but it wasn’t something I thought was a “thing for me” so I never pursued it. I wrote some poems in high school and started what I thought could be a pretty great book probably ten years ago, but I didn’t jump in with both feet so it sort of fizzled and died as those pesky things are wont to do when you don’t put time and energy into them. The thing that really started my thought process about writing was when my sister went back to college and ended up sending all her papers to me for editing. I’m probably one of those really weird people who likes the edit process, although to be honest, I’ve never tried to edit a novel, so I’m not sure I really know what I’m in for. Does it count that my sister got A’s on all the papers I edited? Probably not…  Anyway, when she ended up graduating and going into a line of work she was passionate about, and not only that she was thinking about turning her senior thesis into a book and asked for my help, I said absolutely but I also did that sister jealousy thing where I told myself I could do what I love too!

I jumped into my blog in May honestly believing I wasn’t all that creative and wondering what the hell I was even thinking. Since that scary moment when my finger hovered over the publish button wondering if I should or shouldn’t, I’ve managed to surpass even my own expectations and found a pretty great blogging community on top of it all. If you want to check it out, I’m over here at This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. It’s a crazy mix of flash fiction, poetry, ramblings about running/exercising, and being a Mom to three pretty great kids.

Introductions aside, I decided to jump right in, so I’ll be first out of the gate this week with your SoCS prompt. I’m looking forward to interacting with all of you and hope I am an acceptable substitute for Linda while she’s away.

Thanks for the trust, Linda! May you not live to regret it.