Something exciting happened, you guys. And it was something I’ve never done before.
At long last, I was finally able to meet a fellow blogger in the real world!
Thank you so much, Dawn from Tales From The Motherland, for driving all the way to my home to meet me and my baby boy!!
Meeting someone in person whose writing I’ve consumed for quite some time is a very odd, exciting experience. There was this collision of worlds as I tried to piece together Dawn’s voice and mannerisms with her presence on the page. There was a mixture of intimacy and understanding along with this semi-awkward (for me) getting-to-know-you-phase.
It’s hard for me to meet new people, and that’s why blogging is extra special to me. Through my blog, I get to “meet” people and delve into meaningful conversations right away; I get to skip the meaningless (for me), anxiety-ridden chit-chat and get right to the point. Plus, there’s the added bonus of being able to take extra time and compose and edit exactly what I want to say.
Finally meeting Dawn in person was pretty awesome. Because we dig each others’ writing, we already knew each other on a deeper level, and getting to see each other face-to-face added another layer to our relationship.
Dawn and I talked about a bunch of things in our too short visit (which means we’ll have to do this again sometime): blogging, family, living in the Pacific Northwest, raising kids, blogging, both of us being mental health providers at times in our lives, blogging. I got to pick Dawn’s brain about moving forward with blogging (however that may look for me) and about her recent success on The Huffington Post (go read one of my favorites here!), which is much deserved.
At one point, Dawn commented (and I’m paraphrasing) on how we all present a certain self in our blogging, and that she appreciates it when that self lines up with the self we present in person. I’m glad that she thought that my writing matches how I present myself in person – I really appreciate that feedback. It also got me thinking about how rapidly my self is evolving, especially since becoming a mom, and how that is reflected in my writing. Basically, my visit with Dawn gave me the kind of feedback I’d never had before, and really got me thinking about my writing and inspired me to keep on working at it, even if it’s only in 20 minute increments while my little man sleeps.
Dylan’s still not sure about our redheaded visitor…
So thanks again, Dawn! I’m so glad we finally got to meet and I am happy to call you a friend – both online and in person. If y’all haven’t read her stuff yet, I highly recommend you check her out. You won’t regret it.
(Here’s Dawn’s post on our meeting, in case you missed it.)
Psychobabble 
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How exciting to see your post pop up in my mailbox! Since our meeting, I’ve thought of a dozen things I wish we’d had time to talk about. It’s so true that there’s that weird “Hey, I know you… I’ve read so many things about you, that I know you…” and the reality of what isn’t on the page– the nuances and intimacies that come from being with someone face to face.
Thank you for all the kind words here. It means a lot to me that I helped you and your writing, even if in only a small way. I love reading your work, M, and the feeling is entirely mutual: I’m happy to call you a friend. And yes, we will indeed need to do it again! ;-) Big snuggles for yummy boy. xox
Oh there’s definitely a lot more to talk about. Next time, for sure!
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