Thursday, March 8, 2012

Thoughts after a Two Martini Lunch

Today was my farewell lunch at the firm. I had a margarita (one and a half frozen margaritas with a sangria swirl if we're getting specific), and it was a huge mistake, because now I'm just blinking at my screen and the piles of stuff strewn about my office waiting to be packed and the forms I need to fill out and wondering how anyone expects me to do anything productive when I just want to kick my feet up on the desk, lean back in my chair and gossip (and/or take a nap, my insomnia has been Kicking My Ass lately). So rather than risk sending any inappropriate tequila-fueled emails to anyone I work with (though there's no guarantees for my restraint during my exit interview in an hour), I thought I'd write a blog post. Because writing a blog post after drinking tequila is always a good idea. (Actually it's violating one of my only cardinal rules of blogging, but what the heck, I have all these Thoughts swimming around and they need to get out.)

Thought 1: I'm wearing the same navy blue shirt dress and 3.5" inch navy heels I wore on my first day of work. Sartorially, I feel I've come full circle.

Thought 2: I've packed up most of my office and filled 7 boxes. The volume surprised me, though I have lived here Monday-Friday for the last 3.5 years, so I suppose it shouldn't.

Thought 3: I have a highly developed gossip and espionage network throughout every office of the firm. I generally know what's happening before anyone else in my section, including the partners in charge, and it's so fun. The head of my section has walked in my office, closed my door, and said, "what are you hearing from Houston?" I feel like an international spy. I will miss it.

Thought 4 and the thing I was going to post about before I had two margaritas and got distracted: How do you tell friends you've had for years, who don't know you have a blog, that you have one? Should you, even? Is it pushy, like you're trying to imply you're writing something worth reading? Or is it nice for them to know it's there, should they want to pop in and see what's going on?

To make this more concrete, let's say you're me, and you're moving and you have good friends you're leaving behind who are into facebook and other online methods of keeping in touch, and these good friends became good friends after you graduated law school and stopped linking your blog to your facebook page, so they don't know you have one because it's never come up and it's not something you just work into a random conversations and now it's been years and it's weird, but you think there's a chance they'd want to read it? but maybe not. so you don't want them to think they need to read it or anything, or that you're even implying you thought they would because really, it's not like I think I'm denying them something by not notifying them of its existence, but there's a nagging thought that hey, it might be nice to throw it out there if they wanted to stop by.

So... thoughts? Bloggers, how do you handle that? Readers, do you like knowing that people you know in real life have blogs? So many people I know read, and I enjoy knowing that they read (though I'm sure there's a lot more people that I talk to in real life that I don't know read the blog, not that it matters either way, but if you're ever uncertain whether you should mention it, I love knowing if someone I know is reading- if anything, because then I don't tell you the same story they just read and they don't have to pretend like they hadn't heard it before. In fact just the other day a friend mentioned a post I wrote and I was like "wait, you read my blog? I had no idea." and it made me happy to know she's a thousand miles away but we're still connected in a bloggy way). (And I like it when people I don't know tell me they're reading- last weekend a lovely woman called out to me in Nordstrom, as I was walking through on my way to Pottery Barn Kids with the Bear, "I know that baby! I read your blog!" It was a totally random sighting and I kind of felt like a celebrity. Plus, I managed to inspect the contents of her shopping bag and found she has excellent taste in nursery decor, which is important (seriously though, congrats on your little one Nordstrom blog reader)).

I just got sidetracked (what was in that margarita? everclear? I usually handle tequila much better than this...), but hopefully maybe my mini dilemma is clear. Is it weird to have someone you've known for four years say, hey, I have this blog? Is it weirder if they don't?

While I wait for your answers, I think I'll turn to drafting my farewell email and filling out my federal paperwork. Because that's definitely something you should do after a few everclear margaritas.

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Update!

Picture: I call it "Shoes and Boxes," because I'm creative.


Also, for you google reader people, I updated my blog design! At least a little, along with my About Me and FAQ. Just pretend I'm already in Fort Worth- I'm only a few days off and who knows when I'll get the time and inspiration to update it again.

21 comments:

  1. Ha ha ha ha...don't have an answer to your original question for you yet LL but just had to say this was one hysterical post! Gotta love the mid afternoon booze experience! Can't wait to hear how your evening goes! Hugs!
    Desimom

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  2. This cracked me up. I'm the same way with tequila :)
    As for telling people about the blog, the way I've handled it is to just put it out there very nonchalantly. "I'm going to miss seeing you every day! At least we still have facebook, and I put a zillion pictures of my kids on my blog!" "Oh, I didn't know you had a blog." "Really? I could've sworn I told you about it! Yeah, it's ...."

    Enjoy Fort Worth and exploring your new city! It's my favorite part of moving.

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  3. I know two people who have blogs but do not want me to read it. I always thought it was either because they were actually venting about me or because they had some secret part of their life that they did not want to share with me. In one case, I found the blog on my own and did in fact mind my friend venting about my daughter's first birthday party (her kid got sick afterwards, and I did not provide goodie bags--the horror!).

    Otherwise, when you send your new address info, you can always add a note about if you want to keep up with our adventures in Ft. Worth, you can read all about them here.

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  4. It's always great to find out that someone I know has a blog. It's so neat to get little updates from/about them, and to see what they're thinking about, even if we don't email back and forth a lot.

    So my vote? Definitely do tell! People lucky enough to be your friends in "real life" especially will know you're not trying to be weird or assuming they want to read All About You, etc... They'll take it as you mean it: just a nice thing and way to stay up-to-date and in touch. : )

    Anyway, have fun packing and exit-interviewing under the influence! ; )

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    1. Thank you MJS, this comment made me smile (and then laugh, and my exit interview went very well, except I failed the portion where I was supposed to have all my paperwork done).

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  5. I would add it with your good bye to them. Stop in their office tell them you'll miss seeing them and hope they e mail or keep in touch, and if they are ever interested in keeping up with you your blog address is this.

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  6. btw, I have a blog if you ever want to read it ,)

    www.motherwithoutchild.com

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    1. Thank you mwc liz! And I just realized you're in my area! You probably mentioned that in one of the Fort Worth posts, but they're all kind of a blur. We should have a DFW get together once I get settled!

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  7. I don't think it would be weird at all to shoot a quick email with the link to your blog to some friends that you'd like to keep in touch with - you could phrase it as "since I won't get to talk to you in person as much" or if they'd "like to see updates on the kiddos."

    Good luck with the move!

    P.S. As a grad student...it's not really all that strange for somebody to have had a drink or two or more at lunch. This post cracked me up. :)

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    1. Ha, back when I was a grad student, I probably could have handled it ;)

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    2. Anne and I are grad school buddies (in fact, I found your blog through her). About a year ago, Anne randomly told me mid-conversation that she had a blog, I asked her to send me the link, and I've been a faithful (if not slightly stalkerish) reader ever since! I love reading about all the random stuff and then walking upstairs to talk to her about it in person! ;-) My vote is to definitely tell your close friends...they will love to have another way to keep in touch.

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    3. Haha now I feel like I'm holding out on you! I've been writing a blog mostly for my own amusement for the past couple years, but never shared it because other than a shared love of shoes, organization, and lists I'm not sure we have much in common. I'm not married, have no kids, and I'm a chemist rather than an attorney [though orgo also marred my perfect 4.0 in college :)]. I've loved reading your blog as a great example of a career mom making it all work one way or another. You and anybody else are certainly welcome to check out and/or read my blog if you like - www.lifeinalabcoat.blogspot.com. :)

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  8. Just read the new "About Me" page. What happened to your other dog?

    P.S. Have you read "50 Shades of Gray" yet?

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    1. In short, she has a new mommy. In long, I answered it in a comment on this post.

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    2. And no, I have not, do I need to?

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    3. It is a little outside your typical RRA tastes . . . but, as a connoisseur of romance novels, you might be into it. Total page-turner (and so, so shameless).

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  9. As far as I know, no one in my real life reads the blog except my husband. That said, I'd probably sent them an email (or FB message if you're FB friends) just letting them know it exists... in person, it might feel like an obligation. Electronically, they can check at their leisure and decide whether they want to check in regularly.

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  10. also... love the new blog design/layout/header!!!

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    1. Thanks BFF! Oddly enough, my husband is one of the only people I know well that doesn't read the blog...

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  11. Dude - sangria swirl? That may be the problem...:)

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  12. Aw yay! Being anonymously identified on your blog was almost as exciting as randomly running into you at Nordstrom. Ha!! Good luck on the move! Once my baby is here, I'll definitely be looking to you for inspiration on the whole working mom thing. :)

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