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Zoinks. Sorry you are having such a bad time of it. I think people tend not to comment when folks have lousy days because they suffer from the same thing that B does - they can't fix it so why try. At least, that's what I hope.

I'm always trying to fix people too and I get pissy when sometimes I feel no one does it back. I then beat myself up for being a bitch. I know how you feel. And I love reading everything you write - you can piss and moan or talk about your tampons and I'll still love ya.

I blog because if I didn't, I'd forget what I did last week....

Sal xxx

Since it's "delurking week", maybe today is a good day to comment! I read you for the posts about sick toddlers and mom at wit's end. I can relate to those days with a toddler and a baby at home and it's a relief to know it's not just me and to see some humor in it occasionally.

I think you're my soulmate. You know, in that really uncreepy, unstalkerish kind of way. I recently came to that same realization: What's the main unifying theme in all my problems? Me. (Aw, shit...)

Doing things for your self: The best reason to do them and sometimes the hardest.

I'm enjoying, so I hope you keep it up!

I was going to take Kate to breakfast tomorrow and figured on checking on y'all, then! p.s. I've had the fingernail problem, too, but since I'm a packrat, I pulled out an old toothbrush and then threw it away!

I identify and commiserate with EVERYTHING you have to say, be it witty and sarcastic or about anxiety, stress~full child rearing moments, etc. And I read ALL of it, sistah, I just rarely have a second to comment.

I'm really, really sorry that you are having a rough time. Mebbe you and B can get out for a cocktail and we can visit when D and I are in St. Louis.

I hope things get better for you.

I don't even know what to say. I feel bad because you feel bad and I don't want anyone to feel bad. I want to fix stuff for you (maybe you and I actually are identical cousins) but I'm on the other end of the planet and I feel sort of useless in that regard.

I guess I always think of you as being really strong and you don't need soothing words but that's not right either. Even the strong need soothing words once in a while.

If it's any help, I bought chocolates filled with green booze for you today. Finally found where they sell those things.

I'm like Dixie -- I've always thought of you as really strong; someone who doesn't need support. Whereas me -- I'm not strong. I know that's not true that you don't need support and a kind work now and then; everyone does sometimes.

Also I read your blog for the funny stories and for the not so funny ones. I don't comment much though because you are so much wittier than me. Isn't that silly? :)

Well, you and I have e-mailed, and you know how incredibly connected I feel to you. I truly get you and I think we are a lot alike. And, by the way, today was a shitty ass day for every single person I've talked to on the phone or come into contact with -- without exception. Mars must be in retrograde or some such shit!

It seems to me that there are those of us that care so very much about others and we never want to see people hurting, but really honey....most people don't feel as deeply as we do and they can't relate to our depth of feeling -- our melancholy. Please take heart that there are those of us out here who so value you. And, if you turn off the comments, I will have to stalk you and kick yer ass! That would make me very sad, so to avoid you having to do any backflips, just keep the comments on, kay? I read you every day and I relish the fact that I can comment to you or e-mail you. Cool beanos, man.

I'm not one of those people to whom it comes naturally to just oode sympathy. I just stand to the side feeling incredibly awkward while inwardly thinking of backflips I could be doing but don't quite know how. Eh. The comments, they are a tricky beast.

I read your blog all the time. Many times I have wanted to comment but can't because my school system has the comment section blocked. The comments have to wait until I take my computer home which is once a week. Then I forget. I am thinking about you though.

I read your blog, pretty much daily. I can say with all honesty that I sympathize with your plight, 1000%. My Hubby, while he is getting better with it, does some of the same thing. He does not know how to respond sometimes when I get upset, so he just doesn't. Finally I just had to say "Hold me, dammit!" one time when I was freaking out about something, crying, snot raining down from my nose. Now he is getting better about realizing that I need, at the very least acknowledgement of when I'm having a tough time.

And you do too. :-). So, here's a blog-comment-cyber-hug! You deserve it.

God, I'm so sorry that you aren't in a good place at the moment. I must admit that sometimes I don't comment because I am worried about saying the wrong thing, about sounding trite... which is crap on a stick.

I do adore you and think of you often though

Poppy, I really am sorry that you are going through this. I know that when I am feeling bad, I tend to internalize, and I think I want to be left alone until someone draws me out, and then I let loose on them. Because of my tendency to be insular, and because I relate to having feelings of depression and sadness for no apparent reason, I defintitely tend to shy away from calling attention to it when people who I know are having those feelings. I don't want people to notice when I'm in a bad mood; I assume no one else wants anyone to notice either. See? That's all me! People are so effin weird.

Anyway, I hope that you are feeling better soon, however you get there, and if you are not feeling better by March 24th, I will just have to pour some liquor down your throat and make you laugh till you puke.

Sometimes I think folks also don't comment on the bad because it can piss people off worse. The Gee I'm sorry doesn't cut it. Its sort of like when you walk by someone saying how ya doing...they really mean hi.. the other party can take it as no true comment.
Even what we say back is possibly really mean I am truely sorry for your sickness, headache, infestation of boogers etc, its sounds lame, trite, stupid.

Mostly I feel like what I say people think is lame so I don't say anything. Cop out? Maybe but it's the truth. I stick to the mostly light stuff on my site because I"m sick of the NO response.

*sigh*

I do really love your site & I think you're more than a persona. Come over and let's drink margaritas. Even in January. :-)

Well. I am posting to admit that I share character flaws 1 & 2 with you, completely. I'm also a member of Anonymous Co-Dependents of The World. Add a touch of well hidden need-to-please-everyone and sprinkle some very-much-so-manifesting-problems-with-authority-figures on top and you've got the pretty picture of me. Bwahaha. Don't even get me started on my need to start so many things only to never finish them. Craftsschmafts and all.

I love reading your stuff (and I sure read everything that comes on this site, I get withdrawals if I don't) partly because you talk about things that I recognize. And things that I only wish I could recognize. You're very much a real person and I idolize your talent of writing about real things.

I've told you before why I don't always comment so there you have it. But on a more serious note I think it's grand that you posted this post especially. I was kinda wondering when you'd be faced with the whole "Poppymom personae" thing vs. your real self and how to handle the blog and the comments and everything that comes with it (and the book!).

You're one of the sanest people I know, I shit you not. Keep being real Robyn and keep on rockin'!

mwah,
Nonna

I am sorry that things are shitty.
I want to comment more, I'm just really inarticulate and you are so witty and the words just seem to come to you. . .
Plus I so rarely get to converse with other adaults, I'm afraid it will just come out "is today a yucky day? Let's watch tubby-tubbies. Maybe seeing noo-noo will cheer you up" because I am so used to dealing with my 18 month old. But I really am sorry that things aren't going well.
I especially felt for you the other day when you were talking about Clara Jane and her molars. Pixie (that's my daughter) just got in her upper back molars. It was a nightmare. I wouldn't wish that grumpy-whiny-toddler experience on anyone.
And I know all about the husband that thinks that his laundry floats to the hamper and his dirty dishes just clean themselves. My husband is the same way.
I hope that everything gets better for you.
And I hope that you make it through January. I am starting to think that I have a January curse. I haven't had a good January in years.
I wish you well.

Robin, I'm sorry you had a bad day the other day. It really sucks, and I hope Clara Jane is feeling better.

That said, at least you GET comments. I don't want this to sound rude, so please excuse me in advance if it does--I don't mean it that way. You're upset about blog comments? This seems like a much bigger deal than it needs to be. Are you having the winter blues or something? You seem to be having more bad days lately. Not that you're not allowed, don't get me wrong, but when you're letting blog comments get you down, it might be time to look at what is causing that. Hang in there.

Crap, I just read what I wrote above, and now I think it sounds mean. Because I am a paranoid, neurotic idiot, I will attempt to clarify.

What I meant was, that's why I stopped blogging. I was tired of part of my self-worth being made up of how many comments I got that day, or the quality of my comments, etc. I decided that comments should not mean that much to me, and they certainly should not reflect on my worth as a person.

I certainly hope you don't think that a lack of comments means that people don't care about you or that you are worth less as a person. Because that is most definitely not the case.

Um, L., you might want to go back and re-read the numerous parts where I mention that the blog comment thing really isn't the deal. It's in this post, and the one from Thursday.

Robin, I'm just catching up on your blog after a few days of being sick.

I'm sorry you're going through a rough spot and poor Clara Jane is so sick. Not having any children myself, it's hard for me to relate to the child being sick thing but I've been sick myself lately and I do know it's a crappy thing to go through.

Please know that although I don't often comment I read your blog daily when possible and I cheer you on when things are good, laugh when you are funny (which you so often are), and sympathize when things aren't so good. The blog world is a cool thing because people let you into their lives by sharing life with you. It's nearly impossible to care about what is happening to a person who's live you read about daily.

You guys are in my thoughts and prayers. I hope it gets better very soon.

Michele

Um, yeah, I got that it wasn't the comments per se, but your feeling that you have to keep up a sunshiney persona. I don't have much problem with reading comprehension.

Honestly, I don't comment a lot when you are having bad days because most of the time you don't respond back to comments. I'll refrain from commenting on the response this elicited.

I hope you feel better eventually, and find out what it is that is really bothering you and causing your non-"Mary Motherfucking Sunshine" days. I think I'll refrain from commenting from now on.

I don't comment because I feel like I want to do handstands and backflips but I don't know how, and saying "Oh man, totally," gets old, even though that's what I say when I read. What you might not realize is that the reason I read your blog is more because you're not super-sunny-mama all the time. Thank God.

Shit, a lot of my friends read my blog everyday but do not comment. But I've learned to live with feeling unpopular...I know they're there for me, but they're just lazy asses.