August 26, 1920 was kind of a big deal in the United States. Perhaps you have heard of the Nineteenth Amendment? Perhaps we have taken for granted we have come so far – women, that is.

Fast forward to March 12, 2010… perhaps you have heard of the New York Times article — Honey, Don’t Bother Mommy. I’m Too Busy Building My Brand.

I should be clear. I am not implying that the article takes us back to the days of Women’s Suffrage, the article is not THAT profound.

I mean, it did only make the FASHION section of the NYT.

The fashion section… b’cuz… ya know, mommy bloggers are cute and trendy like pumps and scarves. Someday we will be “out” like the beloved hoodie. We are as longstanding as a fashion trend… is that what you were saying, NYT?

How cute are we? Passing fancy. Clearly. Since the art of blogging in general has been waning. *sniff sniff* Ahh, the sweet smell of sarcasm.

My point…

As a “mommy blogger”, I found pieces of relevant content in the article… but it was difficult to discern through passive-aggressive commentary. Commentary. Not reporting. To be clear. Joanne at Pundit Mom wrote an excellent post defining that perspective. Then there was one graphic that screamed what the passive aggressive words failed to say.

image credit: New York Times

*eek*

A picture is worth a thousand words. Even if the article contains accurate information, this one image knocks the wind out of the breath in each potentially relevant word.

And I am in a funny spot… being a humor/parenting blogger. My content is not world changing. Unadulterated silliness here. It is created to provide an avenue of escape. Not that I am a bloggy SNL or Mad TV, but I wouldn’t mind if it came to that… Mine is a world of fragmented sentences, run-ons, dangling participles and a few double-negatives. A colloquial blog sure to make sentence diagrammer-people gag or give them a good-sized migraine andwhathaveyou. Not political. Not ground breaking. Not academic. Not even helpful parenting-tips… It’s real. It’s relevant (to those it is relevant to). It’s generating revenue beyond coffee, but not enough to make the house payment. It takes time. It takes effort. It poses challenges to balancing family.

Kind of like a “real job”. Imagine that.

I stay up late. I need to Tweet in the grocery store at times (yes, need… a current contract requires that… not all day, but I tweet info relevant to the contract specs)… Are we forgetting about the BlueTooth device surgically attached to the ear of the guy who is supposed to be coaching the soccer game… who I suspects even wears it to bed? When media covers SXSW why are there no neglected-looking graphics of the families of the men who are there to learn and grow and connect?

(P.S. a trip to SXSW would have ROCKED, btw…)

And I get it. Moms have a distinct role. May women are teachers, but might we find a graphic like that depicting the life of a woman/mother/teacher in a similar article? What’s the diff, NYT?

It’d just be so very easy for me to poo-poo my purpose here on this interwebz. It’d be easy for me to allow that article to let others define me. Mommy. Blogger. Coffee fund. Passing fancy. Destroying my family. Like all types of employment, it affects one’s family. Perhpas it’s because many of us are working hard but the ROI is hard to define?

I have this answer for that investment – it’s an investment. I think of the time I have spent building my brand (if you will), building my skillset… as an investment. There is no college course or degree for this profession. But there are foundational things one needs to do before reaping financial reward. For most of us. There are exceptions. But our country’s heritage is based on the fruits of hard work. And nothing is free. I have never received a free item. My writing takes time. It takes work.

And here is the beauty of the community I embrace. I am not alone in this journey. I am in the company of incredible women. Admirable women. And I am not alone in perspective in regards to this article:

Liz at Mom-101: Honey, Don’t Bother Mommy. I’m Writing a Mildly Annoyed Letter to the New York Times. In this article she provides a kick-*ss list of mommy bloggers who are making a difference. A list that rebuts the living daylights out of that NYT article.

Kelby Carr: Newspaper Bias Against Mom Bloggers

No Time for Flash Cards: Sunday Spotlight

Linda Sellers/ShortPumpPreppy: New York Times Biased Against So-Called Mommy Bloggers

FireMom: Proud to be a Mother Who Blogs

Mona of Kirida.com (@kirida on Twitter) tweeted:

I’ll end with what Mona wrote. Now. It’s time to go put on a hoodie, drink some coffee and … according to the NYT graphic, drive around town with my laptop on my steering wheel. I may go hide too. I don’t usually step out like this. Controversy is not my “thing”. Maybe I’ll go write something funny. Make fun of myself. But first I need to tend to the bills, fold some laundry then walk to the bus stop and meet my kids.

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Mommies, Bloggers, Fashion, and the New York Times: Perspective and is it 2010 or 1910? is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

Well, if I wasn’t full of myself before, I should be now because look who I look like – A LOT… On a likeness scale of 0% to 100% (with 100% being identical twin-ness), me and this hottie are like at 90%:

I. Know! I have no idea who she is, but I don’t care because she’s not ugly. OK, now I know who she is and well, save the inappropriate content – we have something else in common beside our good looks – she’s Czech, and word on the street is I am part Czech too!

I would like to thank The Bloggess for introducing the My Heritage site to me. It is just what I needed to prove to the world what I have been trying to prove since I discovered mirrors — I should have ben a model… at least from the chin up.

Oh wait. Da@# it.

Did you hear that? My ego balloon just popped. I’ll give you 63% of a likeness why:

You can’t unring that bell.

On the brighter side… the My Heritage people did say that if you match up with the same celebrity 2 or 3 times, they are your celebrity twin. I have a twin! I have a twin! She wears the size -4 jeans and I wear the size shutup.

Hey Adriana Karembeul! We look like Geronimo!!!

OK, I’ll be honest. I am desperate to find a way to get into Dancing with the Stars, and I was thinking maybe the powers that be might develop a new show called “Dancing with the Look-A-Like Stars” and maybe then… just maybe…

“Hello!” Kelly Preston and “Hello!” 76% likeness!

Lastly – it is an entire collage of my celebrity likenesses! It’s like a fruitcake of Jenny. No… It’s like grab-bag of celebrity Jennys. No… It’s like a collage of celebrities that I most resemble. No… It is absolutely ridiculous. Yes, it is ridiculous I spent so much time on this. Your turn!

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Who am I anyway? is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

We remember you, we miss you and we love you! Though you are missed here, we know you are in a far better place. We are so happy you are no longer in pain. You are in the arms of our Heavenly Father – rejoicing in an eternity with Him.

As we spoke of your death, Joel and Olivia listened. We explained where your soul is now. When Poppy (your son, their grandfather) shared at your memorial he used sea shells to illustrate that our bodies are only our shells. So when we leave our “shells” behind, our hearts go to be with Jesus….

I heard the kids talking in the car – Joel and Olivia with their cousin Cole. They chatted how Gigi died, but they would see you again “when we’re with Jesus”.

A your grand-daughter-in-law (though I never felt separate because of my “in-law” status) I want to thank you for the heritage of belief in God you grew in your children. That seed you planted has bloomed a tree of faith not only in your children, but your grandchildren and now great-grandchildren. My family is blessed by that chioce you made to serve the Lord, and that is the richest thing you could have ever left behind.
Thank you for your sacrifices and hard work. Thank you for working hard to maintain connectedness though the miles apart could have separated. Your early morning birthday phone calls will be missed (like Paul’s birthday today). I will especially miss your giggle and reassuring pats on the shoulder. Also, as a girl from California, your Oklahoma accent has spiced up my ear for words cafe and my own name! Joel noticed at the viewing that you didn’t have your glasses on – he missed that about you…
I want you to know, when all the family got together – we laughed. We cried some too, but I know you loved it most when we all laughed and loved – together… and we sure did that

Gigi Virgie… is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

First, to my adorable, hunky husband – my kids’ daddy. You play, you laugh, you tumble, you snuggle, you tend, you clean, you pray, you cherish our children. They adore you – so does their mommy:) Thank you for serving us beyond the realm of typical “fatherdom”. Thank your for protecting our home, our time, our marriage, our dreams. You do so much and bear so much so that we can have joy in our home. You are loved beyond the realm of words – by the most important people on earth – Joel, Olivia, and Lucy… oh, and me too:)

To my Dad, to Papadaddy. You always encourage. Your joy in my children is a beautiful reflection of God’s joy in his children. You have been faithful in being a godly father to me, and I am so blessed to have that godly heritage to pass on to my children. Thank your for being faithful… to my mom, to your children, and to God.

To my husband’s father, Poppy to the grandbabies. Thank-you for raising a son that brings such hope and love to his own family. Thank you for giving him the heritage of Christ… this has been the richness in our marriage and home…

Happy Father's Day is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

I want to take a moment to remember my husband\’s grandmother – Jewel. On September 5th, Paul\’s grandma had a stroke. She was in the hopsital until the morning of September 10, 2004, when she quietly passed away – her children at her side.

Grandma Jewell is my mother-in-law\’s mother. Grandma Jewell had beautiful blue eyes and a spirit that sparkled just like them. She was spunky and upbeat, always ready to tell a story. She was hilarious, though I don\’t think she tried. Simply, her approach to life and perspective on life drew laughter and giggles.

We last saw her in June 2003. I only have a few pictures of her (the kids always get most of the camera time). I only have a few visits with Grandma Jewel in my nearly 10 years of marriage to my husband, but I have many precious memories of her.

On our last visit, my daugher was just 1 and nephew only a few month older. There were lots of bottles, and Joel had his sippy cups… Grandma Jewel took great care of the tired mommies, and washed every bottle. She was ON TOP OF IT. I see that as a precious gift of time to me, and a special act of love for her great-grandbabies.

She gave us her bed when we slpet at her house. She slept on the couch! I dare anyone try to chanage her 80+ year-old mind!

She was always cooking something up. From what I\’ve been told, she has always cooked and cooked for everyone. Naturally, that is what she did for us. We were a pretty busy group, and couldn\’t always eat at home, but she was definitely prepared – always offering…

She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. One room had pictures of each family. With 4 children – there were a lot of pictures:)

I don\’t remember when I spoke to her last, but I remember the last conversation I had with my mother-in-law before her stroke, only a couple of weeks ago. She asked if I was showing yet. I rememeber feeling touched she asked. She is known for her philosophy on children – they are a lot of work! I wish I could have spoken with her since I became pregnant with #3…

She was a Christian woman who passed that heritage to her children. I admire that and am grateful for that. She raised a wonderful daughter, who in turn, raised a wonderful man who became my husband – my children\’s father.

Her eyes were blue. My children\’s eyes are blue. OK, my eyes are blue, and so were my great-grandmother\’s… But it has always been a point for conversation. Where did their blue eyes come from? I know Joel and Olivia at least got a good chunk of Grandma Jewel\’s striking blue, as well as a healthy dose of her spunk and zest for life.

Today, my husband is in Oklahoma, attending the funeral. I wish we all could have gone. It is probably wrapping up about now. I do not pray for her, I am confident she is rejoicing with and resting in the arms of her Savior today. I do pray for the family, for my mother-in-law and her siblings, for my hubby and my father-in-law. I pray each member of the family enjoys the time they have with each other. It is not often so many gather together. I pray the spirit of mourning quickly passes and that the joy of remembrance replaces sorrow. Knowing where they came from, I\’m certain there will be laughter…..

In Remembrance… is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...