Monday, September 20, 2010

Time to Celebrate!!

I passed a bit of a milestone a few weeks back:  On September 1st, 2009, I officially started this blog! My husband had been encouraging me to exercise my writing skills, and assured me that this would be a great way to start.  So, nervously, I did!!

I thought I'd post that very first entry today, as a belated anniversary celebration. I must tell you, I was TERRIFIED!  I figured no one would care about my silly stories, and I felt so vulnerable sending them out into the blogosphere!  I was so sure I'd get nothing but negative feedback, I initially disabled the comments option.

What I found, instead, was this lovely, encouraging blogging community that has been so wonderfully supportive through every step of the way!  Thanks to ALL of you!  I really, really appreciate it!

So much has changed in just one short year since I started this blog.  A year ago, I had just moved to York, PA, and my Dad was relatively healthy, living a happy life of retirement with my Mom in Florida.  Today, I live in Nashville, TN, and my Dad has passed away.  I'm so grateful I was able to record some of the wonderful memories of Dad on this blog, for all eternity.  Although he never read any of my stories, I'm certain he'd be proud of the words I've written here.

So, here it is, my first entry, from one year ago.  Can't you just HEAR my knees knocking?...


In The Beginning...


So, I've decided to join the ranks of Those-Who-Think-They-Can-Write-And-Who-Also-Think-That-Others-May-Even-Want-To-Read-Their-Stuff! Thanks to my husband Alan's gentle urging and reassurance that my technologically-challenged brain can actually maneuver this baby, I officially throw my hat into the literary ring.

So, here's my story: I'm a 45 year old white female, raised in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. It was in school there that I received my first creative writing assignments and discovered that I really enjoyed completing them. In seventh grade, my english teacher read one of my fiction essays out loud to the class. I was both mortified and completely jazzed. My mom bought me a thesaurus for my birthday. I was going to be the next Ernest Hemingway.

Then I was cast as the lead in Nordonia High School's musical production of "Anything Goes." That was it. My thesaurus never stood a chance. I became a musical theater major at Syracuse University, graduated, and began my quest for the great Broadway Stage. What I didn't figure on was how miserable I'd be living in New York City. I hated it. I gave it a few good years, did a few decent shows and somehow ended-up moving to Orlando, Florida. I spent sixteen years there, thirteen of them doing the Terminator 2/3D show at Universal Studios. It was a fantastic, awesome gig, and I loved every minute of it.

But, my stud of a husband (you'll hear more about him in later entries) got promoted, which brings us here to our new current residence in York, PA. So, with the lights of the theater fading behind me now, I keep spotting that old worn thesaurus out of the corner of my eye. It beckons me to give my first love a try. I decided to listen.

The name of my blog is a nostalgic nod to something my grumpy, old, Irish dad used to say. He had a lot of sayings: "Hit the Bricks!" (Get Out of Here!), "Tough Tarantula!" (Sucks to Be You!), or "Not too shabby!" (You did good, kid. I am proud of you!). When he was fishing off the deck of his beloved boat, a can of Pepsi in hand on a sunny afternoon, he'd lean back in his chair and say, "I wonder what the poor people are doing today!" But my favorite Jack Donnelly quote growing up was the classic, "Anything Fits a Naked Man." Simple, but true, no? Hard to complain when you're in need!

It is with that quote in mind that I undertake this new adventure. I'm just going to test the creative writing waters once again, naked as I am! Hope you enjoy...

34 comments:

Daisymum said...

Yeah! Happy 1 year Bloggerversary! I have enjoyed reading every word! What a year you have had Joan! Keep On Blogging!

Andi said...

Congrats on 1 year, I am happy to have been reading for nearly all of it! Keep on truckin..sorry I could not resist adding my own nostalgic saying!

Anonymous said...

Oh Joan!!! I loved this!! I'm so glad you decided to write! Happy 1st Birthday to your baby blog!!! Did you blow the candle and make a wish? I sure hope you did! stick around, please~! I sure could do with some heart-tugging motivation and inspiration from you, again! STAY. Tight hug!!!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Happy blogoversary!You've come so far. We're all lucky for that.
xoRobyn

Shan said...

Happy anniversary! It's amazing how much life changes in a year. Thanks for reposting your kick-off story. I'd already perused it a few monthsback, but it was just as good the second time. I hope you are well.

Hugs :+)

Being Me said...

Gosh and how that year has flown! Isn't a blog a wonderful memento of you? All the best. xo

Jessica said...

Happy Anniversary!! So glad I found your blog. Here's to many more years.

Corinne (aka Rinny of Arabia) said...

Woo hoo! Well done! What a year you've had!

I love your blog. x

Rianna said...

Happy birthday! Lots of love. xo

jel said...

HAPPY BLOGVERSARY
hope ya have many many more ! :)

glad ya start one

flybyhugging

how i met your father blog said...

happy first blogaversary!

ReformingGeek said...

Happy ONE YEAR, and many more!

Terminator gig? COOL.

9/1 was my 2-year. I can't believe I'm still doing it.

Unknown said...

Congrats on completing one yar of blogging! I've enjoyed reading your posts...keep at it!

Dana said...

And look at you now!! You've passed 400 followers!! ...yes, a lot has changed in the last year. (I'm so sorry for the loss of your dad.)

Hope I get to see you Saturday! If not, another time! :D

Unknown said...

Congratulations, Joan! I love reading you; you've got great style!

lifeshighway said...

yeah Congrats! You made a pretty big splash fairly quickly in blogland. Keep up the good work.

Margaret (Peggy or Peg too) said...

Happy Anniblogery.

I always find it interesting to see why people start. You being a writer and needing to write. Me, just the opposite.

Good to see you back.

Anonymous said...

Happy one year blog anniversary! Loved this post and I have enjoyed all of your posts that I have had the pleasure of reading. Hugs!

alexa @clevelandsaplum said...

congratulations on the milestone! it's a big deal!!

Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit said...

Cool! Happy Blogoday. My 12 months is coming up too. Great cause for celebration.

Chrystal said...

Happy first year anniversary!! Keep doing what you love! I love reading your stories! :)

Looking for Blue Sky said...

Congratulations Joan! I'm so glad that you found me, so that I found you :)

Erin said...

YAY! Congrats!
I'm so sorry to hear about your father. You are right, I'm sure he would be proud of your writing and he seems like he was an incredible father . . . well, he HAD to be to produce such an incredible daughter!
Love
Erin

Cheeseboy said...

Congratulations on your blogiversary. I can't believe you have 402 followers in a year! It has taken me forever to get that many. Great to learn more about your history too. Your blog is a favorite of mine. Keep on, keepin on!

themommydaddy said...

Happy Anniversary!

Kyna said...

Wow, a lot can change in a year, eh?

Congrats on the anniversary, you're a success! :D

Pearl said...

SO happy you re-posted that first post. Love it. Love it.

Pearl

Kat said...

Wow, Joan! Happy first Bloggiversary!! This was an awesome post! And so befitting, after everything you've gone through over the past several months, that you actually started it and called it one of your Dad's favorite quotes. I'm sure he WOULD be proud :)

Kakka said...

What a year you have had Joan. So glad you have continued on your writing journey, I for one enjoy visiting. xxx

MELI. said...

congratssssss! :D

Green Monkey said...

.......you had me at "TIME TO CELEBRATE"

congratulations......the year FLEW BY!!!

I love reading you and I'm glad you're sticking with it...!!!

Angie said...

Congratulations! It's so cool, 'cause I remember reading this post last year.

I love that you shared about the big changes that have happened within the year. That's a great way to look at it. I might borrow this idea next Feb on my 2 year anniversary.

Keep writing and we'll keep reading!

Shan said...

Just dropping a line to say that I'm thinking of you. I hope you're doing well... miss reading your posts.

Big hugs,

notesfromnadir said...

Happy 1 Year + 1 Month! Will be back to read more!

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