I just realized that last week marked the eleventh anniversary of Fluid Pudding. Eleven years. According to this article, eleven years is the average lifespan of an online empire.
Sound the trumpets! And, farewell.
(I considered hitting the Publish button just now, but come on. We all know I’m not going anywhere. (I paid for two years of hosting in May. You don’t buy a year long gym membership and then go only once. (Unless you’re me. In 1996. Really.)) Honestly, I hope I don’t throw a big whiny parade for myself when I decide to leave Fluid Pudding for good. I’m just a tiny tiny room in a house that’s entirely too large, and I have no idea where I’m going with this paragraph. I’ve had a migraine off and on for 14 days now. 14 days! It’s hardly debilitating, but I’m finding that I’m spending more time than I would like rubbing my temples and throwing my head from right to left and saying Powder when I mean Dishwasher and pressing metal balls into my neck. Lots of heat on the pillow and cold on the forehead. One of my very favorite people has recommended acupuncture, and I’m about three days away from making a few calls. Are we still inside a parenthetical thought? Yes. Here. Let’s close it.)
The only time I get a little itchy about The State of Fluid Pudding is when I take note of the people who are talking about their brand and their audience and their advertisers. Don’t get me wrong—I love the idea of creating an actual empire by sitting at the dining room table while writing about fingernail polish, but it’s something I’ve never been able to Get. I’m constantly receiving e-mails that say things like, “Are you a food blogger? Then we may have an opportunity for you!” Are you a crafty blogger? Are you a fashion blogger? Are you an educational blogger? Are you a political blogger? Are you a mommy blogger whose kids are between the ages of 4 and 7? Are you a baby mommy blogger? Do you eat hamburgers? Do you drink wine?
I’m none of those things and less. I’ve done some decent things here and I’ve messed up some things here. (Remind me to tell you the story of May 2011 and how I screwed up a relationship that was very important to me. I’m still kicking myself, and I bruise easily.) Full Disclosure: The ads over to your right throw me enough cash to cover my host fees and my domain renewal. I have no idea what that means, other than I’m coming out even.
I’m a little disappointed in the latest Ben Folds Five album, and I’ve been listening to a LOT of Jellyfish.
This morning during my run, I was stopped by two deer, I was entertained by a guy playing bagpipes, and I was yelled at by a goose. Here’s to eleven more. (Years. Not angry geese.)
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I like you. Don’t go talking about closing up shop.
Eleven years, eh?
That’s something!
Oh, I hear you. (Are you not doing Stumbledupon? Are you maximising your SEO?)
If it is any consolation, I’ve stopped reading all of the “brand” bloggers regularly but one. There is no “there” there anymore, for most as far as I can tell; they’ve just become sales media.
I read your blog for the YOU-ness of it. And your adorable girls. I am a longtime reader and have stayed because you haven’t sold out and stayed the same funny, honestly and quirky lady that I found so awesome when I first started reading you. Stay gold!
Amen to S & Kelli!
Just wanted to check to find out if you are also a fan of Bleu. (Ben Folds, Jellyfish……Bleu is right up your alley.) Hoping you already know that! If not: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mjvtzA5pd4&feature=relmfu and http://www.bleutopia.com/ for more….
I love your blog, esp your honesty about being introverted! Hope your migraine goes away soon.
PS–Look for the youtube videos of Bleu playing live with former Jellyfish members–mostly covers of Jellyfish songs!
I’m going to echo the earlier comments that I tend to ignore the blogs I used to love that are now brand oriented.
I would suggest eleven more bagpipes but I don’t think they would mesh well with a migraine.
You have a beach? Or a river, or something?
My full sympathy for the migraine situation. Did that for years; aside from the pain, it’s so disorienting.
I have heard lots of good things about acupuncture. My husband uses it occasionally for joint pain (caused by an uknown allergy…)
Congratulations! I never get those kinds of emails!
But seriously. You’re awesome. Don’t go away.
1.) I’ve been tracking migraines on Facebook and have determined that EVERYONE I know has had them for at least a month so I think aliens are shooting lasers at the earth to make our brains explode
2.) Ok, seriously, the alien ray either just sucked #2 out of my head, or I never had a #2 and have no idea why I even put a #1… shakes fist at aliens
I enjoy your blog so much, and I was very happy to see that you were not closing up shop.
I am a big fan of acupuncture, and I am looking for someone to go to in the Kansas City area (anyone have suggestions?) Here is a link to the acupuncturist I used when I lived in St. Louis (https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncturist/79535). She is fabulous!! I am not sure where you are located, but Maplewood is pretty central. She is very easy to talk to and down to earth, and I really enjoyed sessions with her. That might be because I fell asleep in almost every one, but that has got to say something about how comfortable I was, needles and all.
Feel free to email me if you have specific questions!
That looks like a beautiful place to walk/run, far better than the track.
I feel for you with the migraines.
Yes, yes, yes, go to the acupuncturist asap. The pain relief aspect of it alone is well worth it. Being stuck in a migraine loop is horrible, get well soon.
I am with Kelli et. al. that I find myself abandoning blogs that shift into marketing mode. There are one or two that I read like magazines for information and hence don’t mind the branding, but the blogs I read that feel like a conversation because they feel like talking to a friend I leave when they lose that.
What happened in May 2011?
You are really a wonderful writer and I hope for a lifetime of Fluid Pudding.
Do you get emails for “humorist/philosopher”? – I think that is the category I would apply to you.
Also echoing the “dropped so many blogs I used to read” sentiment. For me, a lot of them just don’t resonate any more.
But you! I still read you! (Cue the 80’s anthem “I’m Still Standing”)!
But…but…did you SEE the Ben Folds video with FRAGGLES???? My inner geeky girlchild heart MELTED when I watched it. I love me some Fraggles.
So very glad you were kidding with the farewell. I have zero interest in brand bloggers, and am always happy to read your posts, even though I seldom comment. Migraines are horrible; hope yours goes away soon.
Happy anniversary! I’ve only been hanging around for about 3 of those 11 years – long enough to be glad you’ve no plans to desert us. Hope you’re able to lose that headache in the VERY near future.
11 years, way to go. I have been reading your website for 3 years or so. I am not sure how I found it, but I very much enjoy it!! You are a knitting/spinning website.
I love your blog, and I don’t comment often, but I read every post. I love that you’re just you and not the branded YOU. I don’t read even a fraction of the blogs I did back in the day because of that ‘build an empire’ mentality. I like that you’re only a 90-minute car ride away and I recognize some of the places you write about. When I’m in the STL, I fancy running into you, though I’d probably hide behind a potted plant or something lame if I actually saw you. (Note: I’ll be at Sub Zero and the Fox for Avett Bros. on Saturday.) Anyway, thanks for doing what you do and giving us a glimpse into your life. I love your writing and your honesty and all that. I hope you never close up shop.
Now, you know me. I don’t write too often about things you *must* do, because there are plenty of people out there who probably have the right to do that, and I don’t, even though we’ve swapped gifts and I want to treat you to Vegemite on Turkish bread and a flat white, and you want to treat me to fish tacos, but you *must* go to the acupuncturist. I had a knee reconstruction in 1996 and fell off my crutches. Needless to say, it was ugly. The only thing that stopped the pain & swelling was those sweet little needles. Go, you must.
Also? You stop writing, I cry. That’ll be really ugly.
And this is why we love you.
I *never* (well…almost never) click on linkies, but I clicked yours! That sounds kind of wrong. Sorry.
p.s. Don’t quit (us)!
I just started acupuncture yesterday! I’m hoping it will help *my* migraines–help kill them off, that is. It was pleasant but so far inconclusive. Still hopeful! Good luck with yours.
Happy Anniversary! Don’t leave…. I will cry. Have you had your thyroid checked? I get migraines for days at a time, too, and had all kinds of other crazy symptoms for quite some time. I thought I was pre-menopausal even though it would be a little early for that. Turns out it’s my thyroid.
Eleven years is a mighty long time. My folder of daily reads is getting smaller and smaller and smaller, but you’re always there – I appreciate that you keep it genuine, even with this post.
I’m a migraine person, so I know how very different the path can be for each person, but also how fully awful it is when you’re in the midst of it. Right now my only cure is an Imitrex shot – a self-inflicted acupuncture, if you will.
Happy anniversary to you. I raise my glass and hope for many more words to come.
I sure hope you don’t bid us all farewell. You do have faithful readers who have enjoyed traveling along with you. :)
As a long-time reader, and obsessive proof-reader, I feel compelled to point out the egregious typo you let slip by in this post: “…when I decide to leave Fluid Pudding for good.”
“When” clearly needs to be changed to “if ever” or “on the off chance that”, and followed by another parenthetical thought “(which of course I will not)”. So there!
Other than that? All of what all those other cheerful people above me have had to say on the subject. We love ya, Miz P.
OH OH OH, and also — SweetTango Apples! I finally found some!!! Took a heck of a lot of doing. Produce guy at the store the ST website said might have some in my area said “Sure, right over here — they’re called “Sweeties”. “Uhm, I don’t think…” “Here, let me cut you a piece to sample — they’re really good, right?” “Uhm, well…” It tasted quite a bit like a Red Delicious if you ask me, which he didn’t, so I meekly thanked him, and pretended to start bagging some for purchase. But wait! What’s this?? Three apples in the same bin as the “Sweeties” looked very different. Different PLU number, and they said “Sweet Tango”! EUREKA!! I grabbed all three, bruises and all, and mentioned this disparity to the produce guy on my way out. “Eh, that just means they’re from a different packer. ” (We’ll see. We’ll see, won’t we, my pretties) At more than a buck an apple, I sure was hoping they’d be good, and they ARE. Way different than the “Sweetie” he sampled for me. These have a much more “Mackintosh-esque” quality (No, I am not good at distinguishing and/or describing flavor nuances. Why do you ask?) Much more like what I think the first good apples of autumn *should* taste like. At a dollar apiece, they won’t likely become my apple staple, but they sure do make for a nice treat.
And that’s not the only thing I’ve learned from you over the years, so you just keep right on blogging, Missy — your loyal followers, we need you!
Thanks, Ms. Pudding, for always making me laugh!
I’m still traumatized from the last time you flirted with closing up shop, so please, don’t even joke! You’re my favorite OG and I hope to be reading Fluid Pudding posts for a very long time to come. No pressure.
To quote from the movie Galaxy Quest, “Never give up! Never surrender!” (I’m a Trekkie sci-fi cornball and this movie pokes great fun at us…I feel it important to point out I’ve never been to a convention though)
Love the mittens. Hate that you suffer with migraines. Proud of you for 11 years of F.P. Thankful for your advice and encouragement to start blogging myself.
Ok-seriously-I don’t comment much…but I have been reading you since I was on bedrest with my first-and she will be eight! I echo everyone – you are unique – that is why SO many people read you! Plus you can compile all of your years of blotting into a book and that will pay for your retirement. On the migraine- did you try the relpax? What aboutt benedryl with the other meds? When all else fails ER get some tortal- or whatever the latest cocktail is- why go thru the pain! I am on day 7 of this migraine -so I may be on my way. When the weather changes a migraine always ensues- that and the kids freak out!
Yours in pain
Charlene
I bought a gym membership and never used it. My mom freaked out when I got it and went to the gym to try to get it cancelled. I was too embarrassed to ever go back and still had to pay the monthly payments for a year.