Things I Can't Say

Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom

Blog Friend Feature: All You Need is Love…Outloud

Once again, due to the holidays, Blog Friend Feature is a day early. We’ll go back to the usual schedule of Fridays next week.

This week’s BFF is someone who has been a follower I hate that word loyal reader, supporter, and friend since I first decided to step out in to the blog world. As in, was one of the first ten people to hit that little follow button over there. She’s someone you definitely want in your corner. She’s loyal, funny, and honest.

She actually has two blogs, like I do: one for family and friends and then a second that is her, uncensored: meet Evonne from Jules Outloud.

Wow! I am Shell’s BFF this week. I feel so honored! Momentous events such as this are not ones I expected when I began blogging.

In June of 2009 I expressed to the husband that I wanted to start a blog. At the time I thought it would be a great way for family and friends to keep up with our lives. The husband is a collector of domain names and he just happened to have one laying around with no purpose. He was like a kid in a candy store setting up my blog for me. My first post at All You Need is Love was July 6, 2009. It was nothing special. Basically because I had no idea what I was doing.

Soon I discovered other blogs. As I read and commented on those blogs, those authors began to read and comment on what I wrote. My eyes were opened to the community that comes with blogging and I loved every minute of it. I still do!

As my 1 year blogoversary approached my eyes were opened to something else. I had found my niche! My blog was a “Mommy blog”. I loved telling stories about my midgets, GG and Little Dude, but I began to realize there were things in my life I needed to get off my chest. All You Need is Love was not the place for that.

My mom and her boyfriend had created some drama in my life. I couldn’t blog about it because my Grandma didn’t know her daughter was seeing someone. Yes, my Grandma reads my blog. That is, when her computer isn’t infected by 10,000 viruses! The first time I hinted at him I got a phone call from my mom. I thought she was going to have a heart attack! I also had my days where I just wasn’t feeling like all I needed was love. We all have our days where dropping an F-bomb or 10 2 is the best way to express our emotions. I didn’t think my Grandma would appreciate those words.

As that first year came to a close, I started to contemplate a second blog. One away from family where I could express exactly how I feel and talk about things outside of the mom role. It took me some time to start it because I had trouble thinking of a name. The ideal blog title was already taken (ahem… Things I Can’t Say), but after letting my creative wheels turn a bit, I found what I needed – Jules Out Loud. Jules (a name I use online) because of my love for the Beatles and Out Loud because, well, do I really need to explain that?

I am still working on creating a niche for myself at my second home, but it is very gratifying to have a place where I am free to post what I want. There I feel I can talk about my issues with the human race or I can be serious and share my baby story. I can also complain about my family without them ever knowing about it. I hope!

I love to write and I love have 2 places to get out all the junk that’s in my head, but if I knew then what I know now, I would have done things a little different. Like not tell my family that I blog!

Please leave Evonne some comment love here and go check out one(or both) of her blogs!

Comments

  1. Hi, Shell,

    As always, thanks for introducing us to such a fabulous blogger. I follow her on Twitter so I thought I was following her on here, but I guess I wasn't so, now I am 🙂

    I hope you have a amazingly awesome new year!

    hugs

  3. Evonne is great! I can't imagine trying to keep up with 2 separate blogs. I always just give out a disclaimer to my IRL friends and family and say, my blog is all about me..if you don't like what I have to say then don't read it. Just remember that you have been warned. This goes back to the whole anonymity thing that Shell has. Maybe one day I will start a new one but it is hard enough to keep up with the one I have!

  4. thanks for another great blogger. I can't imagine keeping one blog a secret – I am such a loud mouth!

  5. Evonne provides two of my daily reads 😀 I think it was her kids in soccer 😉 that caught my attention to her family blog. Can't believe it took so long to find her Jules Out Loud (I'm slow like that).

  8. evonne is the best! But even if you didnt tell your family about your blog they may find it anyway, mine did… but maybe other peoples family members are googlin snoopy biznatches hahaha!!!

  10. Congrats Evonne! I wondered when you won one of my giveaways what was up with the Jules/Evonne thing. Now it all makes sense 🙂

  14. Great to meet you! Oh, how many times do I wish I had an anonymous (or at least unknown to family members) blog. I totally relate to not being able to say certain things which certain people may see – it's tricky. I'll be visiting for sure!

  15. I love her blog! Not that you can tell since I've been a BAD friend lately to all…:( Heading her way now!

  17. I'm so glad you featured Evonne because I did not know about the Jules Out Loud blog! Going to check it out now.

  18. I have totally been contemplating starting a second blog lately but I just don't have time to keep up with two

  23. awesome blog, do you have twitter or facebook? i will bookmark this page thanks. lina holzbauer

  24. oh, i love that you call your kids midgets.

    my 'family' blog is a password protected photo site. they get the deets they need there.

    my blogspot? all for me and all anon. it's awesome, isn't it? 🙂

  25. I've been following your 2nd blog for I don't know how long and I had NO idea you had a first blog!