The Life of Bon: My Blog is Solving All My Problems...

Sunday, October 12, 2014

My Blog is Solving All My Problems...



... but seriously.  It really is.

I feel like lately whenever I have a problem, I just take to my blog.  I pose the question and the answers come pouring in from intelligent, experienced women all over the country.  It's wild!

For example:

+ A month ago I asked you all why there weren't as many comments on blogs as there used to be.  I was floored when over 150 comments came rolling in about why there are no comments.  Talk about the irony!  I heard a lot of great reasoning but the two main reasons that appeared again and again in the comments was #1- It is too hard to comment on blogs and #2- It's frustrating to comment and never receive a reply back.  I am hoping that I fixed problem #1 by installing Disqus, although for some I may have made it more complicated.  All you have to do is sign on once through Disqus and then you can always comment on the blog after that.  I know it's a pain, but it's also awesome because then you get replies to your comments emailed to you.  It's awesome!  (A question for my Disqus pros out there... I have always had comments on my blog emailed to me so I can see them as they appear.  Disqus still emails me the comments but now it says every comment is from myself.  I can't tell who has sent the comment unless I go to the actual post and look at the comments through there.  Any suggestions?)

As far as problem #2- I am trying to be better about responding to comments.  I am so grateful to you for the thoughts and insights you leave on the blog, on Instagram, on Facebook, etc.  I read every one.  I have set aside 20 minutes every day to respond to comments.  Sometimes that is not enough time to respond to all the comments.  My blog is taking up an increasing amount of my time, and while it is so exciting and I'm so grateful for its growth, I also have to protect my time with family.  So 20 minutes of responding to comments, and if I don't get to them all, I don't get them all.  I hope you understand.

+ After I wrote this post about not getting a discount at H&M, many of you stated that you would go to the store and explain the situation to get the discount.  You gave me the push I needed, and I went to H&M Monday night and the lady who worked there was nice as can be.  She rang up my order, put $16 back on card and told me she was sorry.  I used the $16 to buy a Halloween costume for June and now all is right in the world.

+ Thank you so much for all of your comments on my post last week about low milk supply.  I am constantly amazed at the community of support there is in the blog world.  I received so many comments on that post and couldn't respond to them all, but know that I read them and was so grateful for the support and ideas.  A little update since that post- things that have changed since reading your comments:

1)  I changed my birth control to the mini pill- progestin- only pill.  I'll give it a few weeks and if it doesn't seem to help I may look into an IUD.
2)  I have figured out a way to pump in between first and second period the days that I work- eliminating the six hour stretch without pumping that was making my body all sorts of confused.  It's pretty awkward, I'll admit.  I sneak out of first period as soon as the announcements come on- a couple of minutes before the bell rings.  I pump in the English meeting room downstairs while kids are switching classes (I sit there with my back to the door, scared out of my mind that some seventeen year old boy is going to somehow come bursting in by accident.  The door is locked, but I freak out the whole time anyway) and am back upstairs to teach second period right as the bell rings.  It's only about eight or nine minutes of pumping, but it gives me about an extra ounce those mornings and I am hoping it helps my body more fully understand what is up.
3)  I am taking fenugreek.  So far I haven't noticed too much of a difference except for, yes, I smell like maple syrup.
4) I'm drinking more water.

I still don't feel like the supply is where I want it to be, but it seems to be increasing a little and I feel happy that I'm taking steps in the right direction and making some progress.  Nothing feels worse than feeling helpless.  Thank you all so much for your comments and suggestions.

+ And now,  a couple more questions I pose for you.  Question #1-  I am in the market for a new pair of tennis shoes and I have my heart set on a pink pair...  Tell me, which one of these is your favorite?

+ Question #2- If you are trying to pass in the left lane of a two lane highway and there is a car in front of you that is going the exact same speed as the car in the right lane is it appropriate to honk?   (Longest sentence ever!)  Not a mean, hostile honk, just a friendly beep-beep- I'm- behind- you- and- you- should- get- over- honk?  How long do you have to be behind the car before it is appropriate to honk?  Your answers will settle a very important debate.


40 comments:

  1. Hi Bonnie :) i love your blog and i really look forward to every post! I'm proud of you for going to H&M and getting your money back! Can't wait to see June's costume. That kind of thing really bothers me and I would do the same. As far as commenting goes, disqus is really frustrating if you're on an iPad. It blocks mid-sentence and most times I end up giving up on the comment I'm trying to leave. Today I persevered though just to leave you with this last bit..For your second question...I don't think you should honk at all (even though I'd really like to), I think it's more appropriate to flash your lights at the car in front of you. I live in Europe and that's what people do here!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think your BFing changes will make a difference. Just give it a little time and don't stress. I bet it felt great getting that $16 back!
    #1 - the sprint shoes
    #2 - I don't honk, instead I flash my lights at them. Honking should be reserved getting someone's attention in a more urgent or dangerous situation. In some areas flashing lights is dangerous because of gang activity, but you're probably fine where you live. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unfortunately, honking always comes across as road rage to me. If only there were different horns to use! I wish a beep-beep could read as ,"excuse me, you are going a bit slower than I would like. Could you please move to the right?". Oh, and disqus really sucks from my phone...great on the computer!

    ReplyDelete
  4. 1) I like the GOrun 3 shoes best. Now I want them and the entire outfit that's also on the site.
    2) I think honking would probably make them slow down to irritate you. (However, you could then slow down to get behind the person in the other lane, then pass that person to speed up in front of the original pasee😉)
    Or they might see it as what it's meant to be. It really depends on their attitude that day.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Flash your high beams! In a friendly way...

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have no answers to ur questions, I just wanted to comment that I read your post. Is that too weird??

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't think it's ever appropriate to honk unless an accident is about to happen, or you're at a red light, it turns green and then you can do a friendly honk.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love that you've added Disqus to your blog! More and more bloggers are doing it and I'm wondering if I should to but I have no idea how!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I agree. Flash your brights. I honk as a last resort :). I choose number three on the tennis shoes list! Good luck with breastfeeding. I got sick at about 2 months and lost my BM supply and ended up quitting.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm still confused about why your Disqus comments are being e-mailed to you like that. Did you ever contact their support about it?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Isn't blogging great? I have found myself finding so many real life answers from my blog! I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Disqus is my fave!!! And I HATE left lane dwellers but I have no solutions for you. :( Sorry!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. To be honest, if someone honks at me while I'm passing, I'll sit there and run the same speed so they can't pass because that upsets me.

    ReplyDelete
  14. The IUD is really amazing but I had horrible side effects I had to have it taken out. I got painful cysts each time I ovulated. The worst pain I have ever felt in my life. I didn't know it was possible to feel that much pain. And you have cramping for at least 3 months after. Not trying to scare you, just giving you info. Once I took out my IUD the painful ovarian cysts stopped. I recommend the ring.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love this post!! I feel like my blog solves my problems sometimes too!! Here in South Dakota, no one really honks unless you are a butthole. Ha but seriously, if someone honks here it is the most surprising thing ever. I was in tears when I was driving in Indiana one time because people were honking at me! (Don't judge)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh I enjoyed this post

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Nicole! Thanks so much for the comment! So annoying about Disqus being that difficult on an ipad- I suspect it is that way on a mobile device too. I wish I had a better solution, but I don't. Blogger needs to get their commenting crap in order- it's not that hard to comment on other social media sites, it shouldn't be for a blog! So with the flashing your lights, do you find it effective in the day too? I tried it, but it was day and the people didn't even seem to notice.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I ended up getting the sprint shoes- good suggestion! Does the car notice if you flash your lights in the middle of the day? I have tried that but the cars never seem to even notice the flashing.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Boo disqus on phones! I wish there were so better suggestions! And yes, I wish the honk could be read as friendlier. I think we need different types of honks, don't you agree?

    ReplyDelete
  20. LOL On the slowing down after a honk. That has definitely happened to me before. It has also happened when I've flashed my brights, though, and it drives me crazy! I don't think it's rude to tell a car that you are in a hurry and they are in your way. It's the pedestrian equivalent on an "excuse me" and you never see a pedestrian just stand their ground and refuse to let someone pass.

    ReplyDelete
  21. But do people notice in the day? I never see any kind of change when I flash.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Interesting! I am all about giving a little honk honk if the light is green and it drives me crazy when other people don't. I wish there were more clear cut honking protocol!

    ReplyDelete
  23. It was really easy! It was just a code that I had to put into the layout. It took me about 20 minutes of fiddling around. It has definitely helped my commenting a ton!

    ReplyDelete
  24. So these Skechers are for breast cancer awareness too! And if you flash in the middle of the day do the cars still notice?

    ReplyDelete
  25. No because I'm super lame like that. I need to do it. I haven't found that their site is very user friendly- that is the one thing that is really driving me crazy with Disqus.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thank you for the well wishes! I have a good friend who had her baby the day after I had June and she's done BFing too. Sometimes that's just the way it goes. I'll keep at it for as long as it's working, but I'm not the type to insist on doing something ridiculously hard just to say I did it. We'll formula it up if necessary.

    ReplyDelete
  27. YES! The best! :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Well at least we can unite in our disdain for them! I once went on a date with a guy who was dwelling in the left lane and I was so embarrassed because he was so clueless that there were cars trying to get around him. Didn't go out with him again!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I honestly rarely use their site :P I know that if you tweet to them, they're really great at responding and getting a ticket set up for you that way and then everything is discussed through e-mail I think! I know when I wanted to change my profile picture over there it took FOREVER to figure out, and I still haven't managed to change my password :P So the actual site I'm not a fan of, but the coolness on the blog I am!

    ReplyDelete
  30. My hubby swears that people do notice because the lights aren't usually on during the day so when they flash its noticeable then. I'm not completely sold and to be honest, I would probably just tailgate a bit til they moved (if they're going under the speed limit or something). Thanks for writing back! Lots of love to you and your family!

    ReplyDelete
  31. They notice most of the time. If they don't notice then you know that they are just can't drive! Haha!

    ReplyDelete
  32. This is my first comment on your blog, and I"m going to use it to talk about IUDs. Ha! But for reals, the Mirena is the best thing in the whole world. I was a raging monster emotional roller coaster beast on the pill--even in the lowest dosage forms. Mood swings, depression, I just couldn't handle it. With an IUD, I feel like myself again, and I never have to remember/freak out about taking the pill at the same time. Plus, where we're spacing babies like 5-10 years apart, it's a nice long-term peace of mind. Also, I nursed for 18 months (AKA not long enough in my book :() and never struggled with supply, so at least for me, the IUD was a great solution for breastfeeding birth control. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  33. My midwife assured me you can just pull that thing out yourself when you're done with the IUD! In her words: "I'll take it out for you no problem, but if you want it done free, just find the strings and pull it out yourself." If you're pretty familiar with your anatomy it wouldn't be an issue at all, although I know some women probably aren't as comfortable with that kind of thing.

    ReplyDelete
  34. First off, there is a lot of information in this post. I love it. I need to figure out what's going on with my blog comments. I used to get tons of comments and now I rarely pass 3 or 4, it's frustrating, maybe I should try disqus.


    I love my IUD, but I have no idea what it means for nursing moms or if you and G-man want more kids within 5 years. I am on year 3 with Mirena and it is AWESOME! It's changed my life :)


    Lastly, I never honk. Unless you're at a green light and the person in front of me obviously has no idea it's green. When people honk at my on the freeway, I always think there is something wrong with my car. I've pulled over twice before and checked my tires because of honks, when there was nothing wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I have to admit....I'm a pretty slow/speed-limit abiding driver (I'd probably drive you bonkers :) ) But I'm also a nurse, and I've seen enough awful traumas to acknowledge that driving really fast is unsafe! Unlike speedy walkers, speedy drivers are putting others at risk. There are traffic laws, and if someone is going the speed limit, you don't have an automatic right to get around them. I think most drivers probably realize you want them to get over, but choose to stay in the lane because they don't want you to fly down the highway (for your own safety, and theirs). ....but to be clear, I'm not talking about 40 mph on the highway grandparent-type drivers! Just normal, speed-limit following, safe drivers.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Well I'm not one who just stays there. I try to get around and get out of other people's way. i try to be courteous but when people flash lights or honk at me that upsets me because I feel like they're being rude. Like I said, I don't lolly gag. so if they are being rude to me it upsets me so I stay there for a while.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Disqus is GREAT! It makes commenting as a visitor to the blog so much easier, in my experience. I'm much more likely to comment with disqus because I know I'll know if the blogger replies, with a lot of other comment setups I don't ever find out if there is a reply.

    And I agree with several of the comments below, I don't honk. But I don't hesitate to flash my high-beams at the car in front of me. It's rude to sit in the far left lane if you aren't actually going faster than the lane to your right.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Sooooo here goes another comment all about singing the praises of the IUD... But really, I struggled with the pill (all of them) and was like borderline insane because of all the crazy hormone shifts... When my doctor suggested the IUD I was really nervous about it because we don't have kids yet, but surely want them and what would that mean... But I love it.


    The insertion (I have no clue what Dr.s would call it) is certainly uncomfortable, but once it's in you're good to go. Literally, that's it until it's time for it to come out... I mean, I love low maintenance anything. The day of the appointment you'll have some cramping, but they say post-childbirth makes things easier because your body is more accustomed to things. I had two very light periods after having it put in and haven't had one since (over 18 months) and my doctor says as soon as it's out things will resume as normal. I can't say I'm there yet (to the removal and resuming part) but we will surely be there before the five years is up and my doctor says that no big deal at all.


    It's been a win-win is mostly the point here! :)

    ReplyDelete
  39. Discuss actually makes it harder for me personally because my work blocks it for some reason. So I just go on my phone when I want to comment. No biggie. Anyhoo about the old boob pumping thing. First, I have no kids so this is coming from that perspective. But I had a teacher in high school who I now assume had a similar problem to yours. She flat out told us that our period was unfortunately at the time she needed to pump and so the door would be locked during the class change until she was done. She was usually done by the time the bell rang and she would unlock the door and we'd all file in. As far as I know no one made a big deal. I think in a way it made a few people feel important to be let in on this and help her out in a way. Also no one acted like a fool in the hallway probably for that same reason. And there were a few fools in that class. Have a lovely day!

    ReplyDelete
  40. I have heard that root beer helps with milk supply because of the yeast! Worth a shot! :)

    ReplyDelete