Less than two years ago, I didn’t know what a blog was. My son Jason told me if I were to become an author, I needed to blog and hashtag. I had just left my beloved place of employment after 38 years of non-stop fundraising and campus building and found myself adrift.
In addition to blogging and hashtagging, he told me I should “Airbnb” the guest house to keep my mind off unproductive musings. I had no idea what Airbnb was until I found myself as my own Airbnb guest house cleaning lady. That didn’t last long. Jason also said I needed to get with technology and respond when someone “friends me.” I have friends, why do I need to friend again? How does one do that anyway?
My persistent son set me up with a “domain,” which was not to be my personal kingdom, but instead a website. Who knew?! He put me on Instagram, Linked me in, and told me to tweet… or twitter…WhatsApp, tweets, and twits….lots of stuff to do. To make matters worse, I had to Snapchat… Good God, is that a fast-paced conversation, or snappy – as in snazzy – chatting? Then along came the need for things like hashtags, Mailchimp, and GoDaddy (sounds kinky to me!) So, I had to learn to think and speak a new language to survive, and to communicate in soundbytes and emojis 😳 or…I would become irrelevant.
I grew up with life quotes to inspire, like “When one door closes, another opens,” “A rising tide floats all boats,” and “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again,” as well as some not so inspiring from my cowboy husband such as when spotting a skinny girl, “She looks like the running gears of a hungry katydid!” Or, in reference to a few bozos in my life, “Their necks grew up and haired over and their brains didn’t develop!” To communicate in my new world, I had to get with the program, so I called my young twin marketing friends and they came to the rescue. #rescue #twins #friendship
With friends in my corner and between travels to meet new clients, I began to write, and with the encouragement of my old but newly “friended” friends, Bobby and Carol, who called me each day to nudge me with “How many words today?” I hunkered down and got serious, ignoring flight attendant announcements to turn off electronic devices. My seatmates looked on as I pecked away on my new MacBook Pro. I was in the game. In between writing, I researched app thingies in order, to order, Uber rides, and I tackled texts and conversed in ideograms, thumbs ups, and smileys. I was hanging with the 20-year olds, as forgotten memories took shape at 30,000 feet.
So, when would I find time to blog when keeping up with social media appears to be a full-time job for an aspiring author? But I stayed with it and, drum roll, please….my book will launch in February 2019 (I have the advanced reader copies in the hands of reviewers, so friends, ❤️who were friends, 😊who are now likes, 👍 kindly pray 🙏 for me)! The other day, my old friends Edyta and Daryll said they missed my blogs and that I should post more. WOW! I think they may like what I have to say! This kind duo insisted updates on my little Christopher’s health be forthcoming, speaking with love and kindness, making my day. I am on it now sweet friends, soon an update on my miracle boy, I will make hay while the sun shines…cuz….YOLO! #lindaslife!