Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Changed the title of this post to keep from getting too many unsolicited hits

Hold on everyone, there's been a change in plans.

So I've been meaning for some time now to write this really brilliant post about Art, spurred by my finishing of The Stranger and thoroughly outlined in my head on the plane from O'Hare to McCarran. It was going to be pithy and excellent, this post about Art, and it was supposed to last me until my next post in mid-June. But here's what happened.

I came across this article.

First of all, I think the article is right on in its evaluation of Mormon housewife bloggy goodness, save for the subtle anti-Mormon slights and the obligatory rip at Utah's superlative anti-depressant prescription rate (think ALCOHOL, people). But second of all, this Nat character sounds intriguing.


Sure enough, she is. She is just like every other delightfully witty, disarmingly quirky, adorable Mormon housewife with a blog, and yet.... and yet, I've fallen in girl-crush with this one. I want her retro-indie style, her post-modern blog layout, her periodic mentions of an unassuming husband, her RIDICULOUSLY FAT BABY. I want it all. Naturally I began to ponder - how do I get me some of this Mormon housewife bloggy goodness?

I figured my own blog would be a good start. Yet I find I am far from where I need to be. I don't use nearly enough paragraphs.

I don't take nearly enough polaroids.

I could really stand to work on the whole stream-of-consciousness listen people this is how it is onomatopoeia social insight conversational tone thing.

It would help to have an unassuming husband and a roll-y baby.

But I figure if I start now -that is, if I get my act together and triple my current intake of housewife blogs, then double my output of housewife imitation posts, plus imbue my thought with less existential and more commonplace, plus stop using the word 'imbue' - if I start these things now, why, I ought to be my own Nat by the time I'm, oh, 25, which should coincide perfectly with my own charming, domestic, polaroid-iffic future! Do I miscalculate?

I debated whether or not I should even provide the link of my inspiration, what with me being a Nat-in-training and all and looking terribly pathetic in the meantime. The switch from occasional, depressing post about humanity to everyday quirky post about Velveeta cheese is not going to be an easy one. But, I figure if I let you all in on my goal, you can help steer me in pursuit of it. If I'm trying too hard, please let me know. These things do take time.

Stay tuned for a delightful romp at Smith's, plus some irrelevant things that are also delightful!

6 comments:

Tiffany said...

Okay, so I was on somewhat of the same wavelength after reading the article you forwarded me, and my conclusion was that I need to invest in a nice camera and some photography lessons. I think the pictures do most of it. Yes, more paragraphs and silliness is important, but I think the pics make or break the popularity of Mormon mommy blogs. It doesn't hurt that they're all terribly stylish in home and wardrobe and eat out frequently, all of which are expensive hobbies, but honestly I think a good camera angle would forgive whatever we lack in chic. In conclusion, I wholeheartedly support your quest because I can never get enough of your writing and the world needs to not be able to get enough of it, too!

Karrot Soup said...

I enjoyed that article recently, too, except for the part where I remembered that I actually hate Mormon mommy blogs. They more consistently make me feel like crap than almost anything out there. It's gotten a little better this last year or so, but...that's my confession. I am SO grateful that our blog really belongs to Scott and not me.
But that really had nothing to do with your timeline and potential absolute sinkhole of cute, chic, pictures of Buddha-style babies. Go for it. Dream big. It's in your genes, you Goodwin girls, lucky you. I will be your most faithful fan.

Joe and Christie said...

I hate perfect mommy blogs.

Okay, I'm kidding.

But not really. :/

They really leave me coveting in the most unattractive way.

That said, I adore Nie Nie and CJane. (But who doesn't?)

Joe and Christie said...

Oh, and I forgot to say--BE YOU! It's definitely enough.

Tiffany said...

Okay, I'm back. I actually really agree with Kristin and Christie, so much so that I already drafted a blog post about my simultaneous affinity and hatred for mormon mommy blogs. Now, about Nat. I actually took the time to peruse late last night and now I understand. Her popularity has nothing to do with photography lessons, you're right. She's a completely quirky nerd of a writer, and yet still manages to come off insightful and poetic at times, and always entertaining. Very different from the other mmblogs I've visited. So, I see why you crush Nat. And, I think you can do even better. Like her, you have the edge, the quirk, and the cute face for polaroid close-ups. You are even better, though, because you write brilliantly and thoughtfully (and with much better grammar), and with not an ounce of conceit. I mean honestly, she is very cute and funny and all, but also a wee bit self-absorbed, no? This is a terribly long comment. All I'm saying is, YES go ahead and be tutored by Nat and etc., but don't try to BE her. You have so much to offer to the blogernacle that I believe would be just as entertaining and endearing as Nat & fat baby, and yet much more meaningful. I mean it.

Mish said...

Great comments, guys! I had no idea this was such a charged subject among you, though I guess it makes sense. Kristin, I know what you mean about the crap-making-you-feel-like factor, and I'm not even a mormon mommy so it probably gets worse, huh.
But I think the positive message we can all come away with here is that we're all fine just the way we are, really! If God wanted us to be a bunch of Nats, he would have made us more like her, right?
Tiff and Christie - I will be myself, don't you worry. Even if I tried to be just like Nat, the real me would probably shine through inevitably anyway, let's get real.