Blogging is a lot like running, Really, seriously alike. I think they are soul sisters or something. Of course you can just focus on the tiny details like the fact that one is done while sitting on your ass and the other done while moving your ass and so, how could they possible be “soul sisters”?
This is how:
The beginning of both is hard but fun. You have to figure stuff out – widgets, breathing, uploading, pace, watermarking – in figuring it out and going one step further – your first photo up there! First mile! You get this crazy little high that pushes you through the next bit of frustration.
And then something happens that throws a wrench in your wheel.
For blogging, it’s often seeing your stats for the first time: YOU MEAN THE ONLY PERSON READING THIS IS MY MOM?! And then for running it’s, well, for me this past week it was getting sick. I got sick with a cold or something and then sick with the blah’s and then when I coulda-shoulda gone running yesterday, I had some time because Mom (the sole reader of this blog) had taken the kids for some fun-jacational (educational+fun=fun-jacational) activity and so I had something in the area of 4 hours to myself. What did I do? I freaked out about the remaining $2,010 I have to raise, of course, and spent most of my hours plotting out how to raise this.
Patti, The Inestimable Guru-Goddess of Fundraising gave me a ton of tips and I’m simply awash in gratitude. So, too, did Anne-Marie from our LLS Team.
Things I’m planning on doing to raise the money:
- hosting a donation-giveaway on this blog – when you donate, you get an entry
- donation-appreciated Party in the Park – Mikey cooks up some mean stuff – maybe he can donate some of his skillz in exchange for people donating?
- door-to-door letter drops!
- that ringer-thing like Salvation Army uses, in front of Safeway?
- donation box at Mikey’s shop, at my brother Dana’s coffee shop
And so, with that, I will leave you. I am trying to stay calm about all of this. Remembering my reason – Oliver – and our kids that get Leukemia as well as everyone else that battles this and other cancers – is my inspiration – keeps that flame under me and moves me to action when otherwise all I’d do is see that $2,010 and my difficulty in “running” more than 3 miles and raise the white flag.
Holla!
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(ahem) my fundraising page at Team in Training: $5! $20! $50! $100! Or hey, $500! $1,000 even! It all goes to cancer research and finding a cure and is tax-deductible.
and…now, if you’ll excuse me, I shall post this and go for a run at the gym.
Meriah Nichols is a counselor. Solo mom to 3 (one with Down syndrome, one on the spectrum). Deaf, and neurodiverse herself, she’s a gardening nerd who loves cats, Star Trek, and takes her coffee hot and black.
