You ask: You know, you write two blogs…and you have a busy life, and sometimes you sound a little overwhelmed. I love your blogs, both of them; would it be a terrible thing to combine the two? (and hey, it would be easier for ME to “read all about it” in one place…I’m just saying…)
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I tell: I used to have only one blog, but for awhile, I was a paid blogger for ClubMom.com. That’s when I started the diet blog. When ClubMom.com discontinued its blogging program (along with almost everything else), I moved the diet blog to its own domain. I kind of like keeping my diet self separate from my main self. So, sorry, you’ll just have to go on clicking twice, I guess. (I think a lot of the diet blog readers don’t read this blog, for what it’s worth.)
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You ask: What three recently released movies would you recommend? Who are your favorite authors?
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I tell: “The Secret Life of Bees,” “Changeling” and . . . uh, I’ll have to get back to you on that. I’m looking forward to “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.” I also wanted to see “The Duchess” but it didn’t open in wide release, alas.
Favorite authors: Jodi Picoult, Elizabeth Berg, Anne Tyler, Jane Smiley, Jane Hamilton, Annie Dillard, Anne Lamott, Madeleine L’Engle, P.D. James, Mark Helprin . . . oh, and so many more. I am also on a Dean Koontz “Odd Thomas” kick. I tend to like reading everything an author has written, one after the other, though that isn’t always possible.
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You ask: You, like me, have big kids and little kids. Do you ever feel guilty about the attention the little kids get and need while the big kids seemingly languish in their bedroom listening to music, even though it is by their own choice (or dare I say command)?
I tell: There’s no shortage of Mommy Guilt around here. I actually wish that my little kids AND my big kids could have more undivided attention. The big kids can’t remember being the “only” kids . . . and little kids have always competed in a crowd. I hate that the big kids don’t want to do things “with the family” anymore. They’ve always been homebodies anyway and now, when given the chance, they’d rather stay home than do things like going to the fair.
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You ask: What is it you do for a living. You talk about working all the time, but not about what you actually do.
I tell: I work for a very large website that caters to moms. I’m a Community Moderator, working behind the scenes. I work forty hours a week, split shifts, so a normal day has me working from noon to five p.m., then from 9 p.m. to midnight.
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That’s all for tonight, folks!
Actual Unretouched Photo 
This is not a particularly deep question, but I’ve always wondered how you cook your steel-cut oats. I know you love them, and I do too. But, they always burn when I make them.
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I was wondering if life is easier for you when your husband is not a pastor.
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I love Odd Thomas too! The last book, not as much as the first ones, but still good.
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My diet self deserted my main self and took off on her own. If you see her blog out there hanging around yours, let me know.
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Thanks for answering! I have to admit, I sometimes FORCE the big kids to participate in family outings just to assuage my own guilt, whether I think they are going to enjoy it or not. My big kids CLEARLY remember being the only ones and, man, do they live for the glory days LOL.
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I love the Odd Thomas books, too. I read all the Twilight books in about a week. I kinda go on reading rampages, when I can’t stand to not read. Then, I take a short break, and then it starts again. I wish my son would get the reading bug…
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“I am also on a Dean Koontz “Odd Thomas” kick”
Mel, I read ALL the “odd thomas” books earlier this year. I am a HUGE Stephen King fan and when I ran out of King a friend suggested the OT books. I’d be curious to know your thoughts.
Funny side note – my daughter ‘rescued’ a puppy from the APA for her birthday in May and the dog came named Stormy. We didn’t change it, and I dubbed her Stormy Lewelynn!
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Hmmnn, ask and tell—quiet cool blog!—
so can i ask? that togetherness picture,,, are they all urs? ( family?)
Just curious–take care.
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Oh yea! I’ve been wondering (curious) for the longest time about your job. Thanks for telling us because I’m not sure I would have ever worked up the courage to ask you!
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What are your cats names?? Luke could only remember one so then it started a heated debate in our house. 🙂
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Hey–I just started working as a moderator/discussion leader of a moms support website. This is just on a monthly basis kind of pay, but I’d love to pick your brain sometime on getting people to participate and attracting people to your site! That’s neat–I had no idea that’s what you did!
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If you could spend a weekend with five people–dead or alive– who would they be? What would you talk to them about?
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I’m answering: I was wondering if life is easier for you when your husband is not a pastor.
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In many ways, yes. In some ways, no, because he works much longer hours now. (Strange, but true!)
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Asked: Mel, I read ALL the “odd thomas” books earlier this year. I am a HUGE Stephen King fan and when I ran out of King a friend suggested the OT books. I’d be curious to know your thoughts.
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A novelist at a writing conference I went to recommended Dean Koontz and said to start with Odd Thomas. I really liked the books, read them very very quickly. (I only read the first two. The others are waiting for me.)
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Asked: so can i ask? that togetherness picture,,, are they all urs? ( family?)
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Yes, all the kids in the pictures are either mine or are me. 🙂
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Asked: If you could spend a weekend with five people–dead or alive– who would they be? What would you talk to them about?
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My dad: I’d ask him all the things I never asked when he was alive.
Now for the alive people: My college buddies I haven’t seen forever.
(I’d rather see alive people, I think, than dead ones, at least right now.)
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