Aloha and Mele Kalikimaka everyone!
One of my good friends just discovered my blog. She came up to me at church and said, "I can't believe you blogged on vacation!" like it was the lamest thing in the world. She also said, "I would never have time to blog every day!" Again, lame-o, get-a-life implications.
To that I say, "I blog, therefore I am."
Which is to say, "I write, therefore I am."
Which is to say, "I breathe, therefore I write."
I write like my MIL talks. I can't stop. The words just tumble out. It's my air. It's the only time the heaven's open up for me. It's my grail.
So a big MAHALO to all of you friends, fans and followers who read me and appreciate the air that I breathe and feed my dream and pat me on the back for dreaming it. I send you all glittery, magical Christmas wishes.
A special thanks to my BBFF, Lisa the Funny Farmer, for discovering me on Mormon Mommy Blogs and telling me I was going to be a star. And thanks to my brothers, Stephen and Eric, who read me daily and tell me I'm brilliant and funny and mentally unstable.
But mostly a big mahalo to my CWT (my creative writing teacher) who first told me I could write and that I have things to write about and who still encourages me today.
One of the things my CWT always encouraged me to do was PUBLISH, PUBLISH, PUBLISH. He once gave me an assignment to submit a story for publication to a magazine. I submitted a Christmas story to the New Era.
Ten years later I got a check in the mail for $1.50.
Ten years after that I got a phone call from my sister. She was screaming her head off so I could barely decipher her words, but it was something about her visiting teacher had just come over and read her a story from the New Era that sounded startlingly familiar. Sure enough it was my story.
Once I scraped my chin of the floor I screamed my head off too. (And then I felt famous for a second.)
I thought I'd share it with you (since it's Christmas and since I want to feel famous again for a second.)
Click here to read my New Era Story.
And don't forget to have a Merry Christmas!
25 comments:
Love it! The perfect Christmas story! How wonderful! I'm so glad that happened to you . . . and, yes, that's why we're all here--because you have air that is so darn breathable! Keep breathing!! Merry Christmas and Melekalikimaka!!
See-when people say, "I can't believe you blog," you respond with a disgusted, "I can't believe you don't." And if you're you, you can throw in the part about how it's made you famous:)
PS-I just read your story and totally cried. But in a good way:)
Quite honestly, I feel lucky to know you. You are that talented and fun.
Loved the story. It was twenty years ahead of its time.
Bumper sticker time: I breathe to blog!
Merry Christmas, my friend.
love the story... how can you NOT blog with all the good stuff going on in your head?
I need that bumper sticker Jami!
I sent a group of poems into a poem anthology, but never heard anything since. Oh well, I'm sure the payment was getting the book— which I never bothered to get.
Merry Christmas, Dummy! :)
I'm going to go check out your story now, but before I do - Merry Christmas!!
Also, my SIL said the same thing to me about my blogging and I said, "well, I don't know how you find all that time to scrapbook." Then I stuck out my tongue at her. Ok, I'm lying about the tongue part (you must be rubbing off on me).
That was a beautiful story. Was it true? Did it happen to you? I think I'll read this one tonight to my kids.
Great blog post, great story. Thanks to your CWT for turning you loose for all of us to enjoy. Merry Christmas.
Aloha everyone. What a wonderful Chritmas eve day. My house is clean and I'm fully recovered from my cold and fever and my shopping is done and my Christmas cards are almost done and now I get to come see all my friends here in my comment box.
Heidi thanks,and thanks ror breathing. And Barbaloot, thanks for crying. ;)
Barbaloot, I love that come back line.
And thanks Jami, I want a bumper sticker too. I'll stick it on my computer screen.
Thanks T and Alyson. Alyson, that is A PERFECT COME BACK LINE. Especially if you stick out your tongue. hee hee Yes the story is true. It did happen to me. That gives me chicken skin to think you'd read it to your children tonight. You are such a good friend.
Thanks Sabra!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. And Cajoh, hope you get your poems published. Maybe you should self publish them on your blog.
I totally did not have time to read your blog yesterday. I will say 20 hail marys right after this.
I want to say I'm the reason your good friend found your blog. Ha ha ha. She was surprised, because you had never told her that you blogged. I felt somewhat more in just because I knew. ha ha ha.
"sconestf"
I love scones. How did you know?
I am always amazed at your ability to share.
Not just your happy moments and make believe happy moments.. but that sad moments too.
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
PS.
You are my favorite famous person that comes from Laie.
Aww Crash, thank goodness you blog- what would Kute Kasey done without those Kute Kupcakes on her birthday? and those would have never been possible if you did not blog!! so don't ever stop because she has got another year and a half there and I might need your talents again sometime. I am glad you are feeling better and feeling ready for Christmas. I hope Santa leaves an extra gift for you for being such a saint to have your IL's there for sooooooooo long! I'm going to read your New Era story right now- can't wait! Merry Christmas Crash and Crash's family!
I agree. I feel like I can't breathe if I don't get to write regularly.
We lived through some dire times. I loved your story. The family christmas party was alot of fun last night. We missed you and your family but we saw a ton of pictures of the family reunion with you all there. Have a great Christmas. We all love you back in the hood. Stephen
Debbie, what a beautiful story...I must admit, I cried. I am grateful for people like you who are able to share such touching and impactful moments of their lives.
May you be filled with the Christmas Spirit through the up-coming year and be blessed for all you give to others through out the year - whether it be tears, smiles or loud and hearty laughs!
Thanks Crash, what a beautiful story. A very merry merry Christmas to you.
Merry Christmas Crash! Thanks for sharing your talent with us! I am so lucky to have found you!!! Thanks Sandi for telling me about Crash! Merry Christmas everyone!
I'm a day late and a dollar short, but I couldn't leave this comment box without saying, Shame on you, Mariko and Thank you so much Swirl and Stephen and Sandi and April and Pat, and AMEN Melanie J.
I am so thankful to all of you too!
I LURVE YOU DUMMY!
Oh Tamners! I LURVE YOU TOO!
I'll try not to take your name in vain anymore.
verifier says ampblog. WOW! I bet that means there will be ample blogging in 2009.
Okay, so I'll flatter myself to think you included that statement so I would comment to defend myself. I think after the "I can't believe you had the time. . ." I said, "but it was obvious you were having plenty of good quality vacation time, or you wouldn't have had such great material to write (so well) about," and then I added you that "you must write this stuff very quickly," which implied that you were very talented, which you are, because the reason I don't have time is that I would labor over every sentence until I had squeezed every ounce of humor out of it. I've been thinking you could publish a David Sedaris-esque collection of short stories. And I've told several people how funny your blog is and that they should check it out. And, I know from personal experience that you not only have a life, you have several very fascinating ones. So, I hope my words spoken out of blog envy are forgiven. :)
I am so glad that you write. I found you on mormon mommy blogs and have been a humble follower ever since. I love how you write and I think you are so funny. Thanks for keeping it real.
I love the New Era story! How awesome that it was published!
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