Some kids just keep landing on their feet.  After 25 years in absentia, they're coming back. I'm talking about the Cabbage Patch Kids™® After their heyday in the 80's (if you don't remember standing in line for them for hours on end, think playstation2 at Christmas) There were mom's who actually fought each other to get just the right "kid" for their little darling.

These cuddly, wuddly loveable kids hit the skids after their fad ran its course. Coleco (the first mass producer) went out of business, then Hasbro and Mattel both took turns trying to mass market the dolls, but they never again captured the hearts of children or their early days "no two alike"  feeling.

Until...now! Play Along® Toys,a division of JAKKS Pacific, Inc.  are re-introducing the Cabbage Patch Kids™® for a new generation of children and also for their parents, who so fondly remember these dolls from their own childhood. Ultimately, its been speculated that the dolls are hitting the market, with the hopes that they are an antidote for those, ahem, "bratty" type dolls and will give kids a break (albeit somewhat suspicously (the kids have their own website) from the "plugged In" world.

This fall, Limited Edition 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch Kids™® will be landing on store shelves for a limited time only. Unlike previous re-introductions of the kids, Play Along® has stayed true to the original look and themes of the dolls.  In essence, these are the original "kids" and they are available in stores for the first time since their debut in the early 1980's.

Each of these "kids" is an exact reproduction of an original- achieved through the use of the orignal molds, sulpts and exact materials used in the classics. They each come with25th Anniversary "birth" certificates with their original names,  and adoption papers. Each Cabbage Patch Kid also has a special 25th Anniversary Xavier Roberts signature, and a "silver anniversary" baby spoon. The "kids" will retail at $29.99. Not too high a price for all those great memories! You can even post your favorite memories of the Cabbage Patch Kids™®  at their Anniversary Web Site, which will open on September 1, 2008.

I got my hands on this precious fellow, courtesy of the folks at Play Along®Toys. Want to get your hands on this Limited Edition?  To enter to win,

1. Subscribe to my RSS feed
2. Post a comment telling me you've subscribed and  about your childhood memories of Cabbage Patch Kids
3. Follow me on Twitter for regular updates
4. Giveaway closes 10/01/08 at 1am EST

You'll have to wait a while for the Anniversary  Kids to hit the shelves, but remember...they're only out there for a limited time!

So Happy Birthday Cabbage Patch Kids™®  and here's to another generation who'll fall in love with you!

Tags: 25th anniversary, birth certificates, cabbage patch kid, cabbage patch kids, coleco, exact materials, exact reproduction, silver anniversary, Xavier Roberts

Caution is a disease that affects almost everyone. From politicians, to generals and yes, even bloggers. Most of us don't want to offend anybody.  Its been said that even the great novelist E.L. Doctorow wouldn't publish some of his stories until "certain" relatives had died. He wrote fiction! So, when thinking about the notes I might put into my current work, I've come up with the following humorous, but not so lighthearted disclaimer.

Some identifying characteristics of persons mentioned or portrayed, and some names have been changed or even obscured to prevent divorce, hate and repudiation as well as to keep them from killing or suing me.

A little over the top you say? Well maybe. But, if you're a first person blogger, there seriously are ways to keep the spark in your writing and soften the blows. And in doing so, avoid hurt feelings, loss of employment, abhorrence, divorce and friends who will never speak to you again.

1. Write. Lots of bloggers stress out, making themselves almost insane with fear before they've ever written a word. All this pre-angst is virtually unnecessary because as we all know, "most first person narratives suck". If yours sucks, nobody's going to read it. Its far easier to do the work, before fretting about it. Problems will only arise if your writing is spectacular. If you're blogging for free, don't post pages full of bile and venom about a horrible breakup without first getting feedback from someone with a more judicious outlook, someone removed personally from the situation, or someone with a legal degree.
2. Get over wanting to be the "popular" kid.  If its your goal solely to be nice, hold hands with all your best bloggy friends, sing a chorus of kumbaya and go write a cookbook. Or don't blog. Principles of good journalism (and after all blogging is a form of it) require a healthy dose of cynicism. To be accused of cranking out acres of nothing but PR "sweetness" and "light" can be quite an insult to even a freshman blogger. Look at it this way. Would you rather be known for being a revealing,candid, authentic blogger, or, be called a really nice, story teller?
3. Analyze. Sometimes, when you're writing a personally revealing entry, it becomes appropriate or even necessary to show your article to the real-life versions of the persons you've depicted.  Let them read what you've written. Let them edit you if they feel its necessary. For example in my own blog, I use pseudonyms for all of my family, except myself. I am very mindful and still am careful about publishing entries which might offend them or be just plain "wrong" in their opinion. The same can be said about work and other business relationships. Don't trash someone because you're angry and rush that post to publication.
4. Paper Roses. Personal, from the heart pieces are in finality about you. No one else. Take into account the other person(s) desire not to be mentioned. They might not mind your gut wrenching honesty if they're not personally outed in the process. Its easy enough to drop specific references and make re-writes before you hit the publish button. Don't simply assume that everyone wants to be written about and will appreciate your "honest" portrayal.
5. Consult a professional. Be clear with your motives. Revenge, raging anger or the desire to equally humiliate or worse aren't good reasons for post publication. Remember, you won't be able to fully ever retract what you say. If you think your spouse, kids, mom, dad or siblings might be uncomfortable, confounded, confused or just plain mortified by what your are about to potentially publish, think about whether its worth the pain it would cause you and/or your family.
6. The facts, just the facts. The legal eagles out there will tell you that in order to win a lawsuit a plaintiff must prove that a writer (blogger) lied with malice and they must of course prove the damages. No, I'm not a lawyer, and I don't play one on television. If you have doubts about anything, consult the proper legal counsel. Personally, I'm a notorious pack rat. I save pictures, emails, articles, diary entries, letters...anything that can substantiate my memories.
7. Physician heal thyself. No body wants to read a "poor poor pitiful me" post, let alone respond to it. Question your own motives and actions, challenge yourself and even trash yourself before you hit that publish key. Once you've finished writing your post, save it. Hold off until you're really ready for the fallout. Maybe you'll end up posting and deal with what comes or maybe you'll decide not to post at all. The act of putting your angst or honesty into type is quite cathartic in and of itself.

It takes more than courage to be a first person blogger.  But giving shape to issues, and putting your own personal stamp on them is more than part of the reason you're blogging. Isn't it?

This post is submitted at ProBlogger as part of the August Group Writing Project, Killer Titles

Tags: audacity of blogging, cookbook, e l doctorow, first person, person narratives, problogger

Part 2 of the Series Dot Mom Blogs™

There have been times (more than I care to count right now) when I have been in the audience at some professional conference and just felt the urge to channel Peggy Wood (the Mother Abbess from the Sound of Music), and break out in to the chorus of Climb Every Mountain.  Motivational speakers shout from their lofty podiums "Follow your passion!" "If you think it, you will achieve it." Honesty, I swear to you on my children's heads, if I hear someone else tout that crap one more time, I'm going to jump off the highest mountain!

Which I guess brings me to the whole reasoning for this particular post in this particular series. I certainly can relate to those that I've worked with who say that they wish that they had realized sooner that being passionate about something doesn't automatically mean having the talent or aptitude to be successful at it. And, even having all three ingredients- passion, talent, and aptitude - still doesn't guarantee success.  The surest way of finding your bliss, your life's work, or simply something you won't mind spending 8-10 hours doing each and every day, is to get to know yourself. And know yourself really, really well.

From my perspective, there's nothing easy about taking a long hard look at who you are. After several years of coaching folks on all rungs of the life ladder, I'm finding time and time again, that the ones who have never taken this "inventory" of themselves are the one's who wind up miserable in what they do and more often than not are unsuccessful in their ventures, including blogging. So stand back, evaluate yourself. Who are you, really. What are your likes, your dislikes? What makes your engine crank? What really fires you up? What things are close to your heart? What part of you are you willing to share?

So, here are my tips for getting to know yourself as a blogger.

1. What's your perspective ? Your personal take on what ever you're writing about matters.
2. Focus, Focus Focus- This would be my number 1-10 if I had a top ten list.  Your readers are seeking you out for one reason.  What's your Brand? What's your identity ? (Go back and read my article on BRAND YOU) What makes your blog different ? What makes you the "expert" on the topic ?
3. Find your niche-what can you focus on that no one else is focusing attention on ? What new take do you have on an old focus ? Finding a niche is hot!
4. Keep it simple stupid (KISS)- you're journaling, not writing a college thesis. Most of my articles come in at between a 7th and 9th grade level of reading. At first that really disturbed me. Then I realized, I'm writing to an audience, not for text-book publication. Write for your audience, don't write for the popular rockstar bloggers.
5. Get personal. Build intimacy with your readers. You're building a relationship. You want them to come back time and again. Speak from your heart, your soul, the bottom of your toes. If content is King, then interaction is queen.  Drop the fluff and get to the heart of the matter. This means from time to time you might have to strip your soul bear. But its worth it.

Next- The Technical Stuff

Have you entered the Brand YOU Giveaway ?  If you haven't you can't win. And the pot gets sweeter every day! Click here to enter NOW !

Tags: aptitude, Bliss, dot mom, guarantee success, honesty, mother abbess, passion, professional conference

Or do they? Here's a little heads-up on two upcoming blog event days that are worth participating in.

Blog Day- August 31, 2008

August 31 is  BlogDay. With the birth of BlogDay four years ago, the brains behind the program wanted  to spur bloggers to get to know one another ; become better acquainted with bloggers from other countries, and other areas of interest. So on August 31, bloggers are encouraged to post recommendations of 5 new blogs, so readers can find new places to read.

The Bird is doing her bit too: I'd  like to hear your top 5 new, undiscovered blogs. Post your picks in the comments.

And Blog Action Day, October 15, 2008

Blog Action Day focuses on a specific global issue and asks bloggers the world over to focus on that for one day. Last year 20,000 bloggers wrote with a laser focus about the environment . This year the conversation is focused on poverty.

Its's easy to get involved in these two projects.  Simply click on the graphics above, sign up and follow the directions ! Join Me, and over 20,000 other bloggers around the world! Step outside your comfort zone and join me, please? Tell me about your participation in these two events by giving me your thoughts in the comments section below!

Tags: Actions, blog, Blog Action Day, BlogDay, Post

"Inspiration, expectation, exasperation, concentration and wit." Toss those ingredients into the industrial strength wordsmiths blender that is, Barking Mad, and you have this month's Remarkable Blogger©.

One dog, two cats, three teens, one toddler, one Brit and one all American author make for some of the most hilarious posts you could ask for. Add a couple of extremely large spiders and well, just go read for yourself.

I found this blog a few months ago, while searching for new writers. And though it was her husband's post that pulled at my heart-strings, as I've come to know Auds, I've realized the beauty and the stripped bare honesty of the person that she is. Her blogging roots run deep as she details her early experiences with the craft. And like most of us, her baptism was born of necessity to keep far away family and friends in the loop. (Just happened they were an ocean away)

I first discovered blogging about eight years ago when there wasn't much of a "community" to speak of.  It was pretty prehistoric back then, but I kept it in mind as a means to express myself.  It wasn't until the spring of 2005 when we discovered we were expecting our own little AmeriBrit baby that I decided to publicly publish my thoughts as I went through the pregnancy.  My hubby is from the UK and at the time we were going through the immigration process to get his Permanent Residence Card and he was there and I was here.  We were flying back and forth across the pond every six weeks or so, selling the house over there (originally after we married in '03 I immigrated over there but we decided to return to the states for various reasons) and blogging was a means to keep families on both sides of the pond up to date on the pregnancy.  The hubby had also just lost his dad and I wanted to make sure I journaled every single thing I could for the baby.  Besides, I knew once she got here, that I'd be crap at keeping her baby book updated and our initial blog, AmeriBrit Baby, was the ultimate "baby book" for me.  Add to that the fact we almost lost her when she decided to make an unscheduled early appearance, it was a Godsend to be able to update west coast family and Europe family via the net, as well as friends, and others who were concerned.

Never shy about what gets next to her be it, spiders or dogs , or neighbors who whistle too early in the day; Auds gave me the 411 on what her biggest peeves

...this notion of exclusionary cliques and groups of bloggers who are perceived as seeing themselves as better than the rest.  I've never experienced that and from my own experience, I've been embraced by the very women that unfairly get called out as being in the center of these mythical cliques.  Ask me again tomorrow what my biggest social media pet peeve is and it might very well be the fact that Twitter is a huge time suck and I'm addicted!

and addictions are when it comes to blogging.

...I'd have to say Twitter.  I got rid of my blog reader and between my blog roll, bookmarks, and the folks that post blog updates to Twitter, it's how I stay on top of new stuff.  Plus I love the back and forth banter.

I asked Auds who she reads when she's not reading the Bird or Twittering about the Casa. While her blogroll is extensive and I'm ultra sure her bookmark list must be off the map, true to her style, her immediate answer was heartfelt.

Even though I've been publicly blogging for more than three years now, I've only been aware of the awesome "community" of bloggers and writers for just under two.  But since day one I have always read I am Bossy.   Even on days like yesterday when all I want to do is crawl into bed and not do anything except dissolve into the mattress, I ALWAYS READ BOSSY.   Her style is completely her own and she never fails to put a smile on my face.  I think part of her charm is the fact that she writes in third person, her artwork is unique and who could not help but fall in love with her devotional to John Cusack.  Why do I think other's should read her?  Well, one might fall into the depths of a deep depression after watching the evening news, or reading the paper...go and read Bossy, you can't help but laugh and forget yourself and the world for a few minutes.

Defining moments in our blogs are usually hard for us to pinpoint. While our readers can generally take the pulse of a blog post immediately, its often difficult as authors to get a handle on it. Nonetheless, I went to Auds, looking for her defining blog post. I think you'll all agree, the sheer transparency in her writing and her ability to convey what's on her mind and in her heart, though not a definition in total of her, certainly shows her depth of compassion, of hope, and promise for healing.

This is difficult for me because things change from one day to the next around here.  I think everyone who reads the blog knows that right now I'm having a bit of a tough time but I really hope that isn't something that "defines" me.    I am tempted to say "I am THAT Mom"  is defining...but really, it's only a part of me.   However, having said that, I think that post, if we're being singular, has to be it because I know it's possible to make something out of being "THAT Mom."  I've spent the last eighteen years trying to define myself after the loss of a child.  It IS possible and I'm proof of that.

Not just a Remarkable Blogger©, a Remarkable mother, wife, daughter and writer. Pop over and give her a read. Then just try and tell me you don't agree! And don't forget to tell her congratulations!

Wordle courtesy of Wordle.net

Tags: AmeriBrit, blogger, John Cusack, Pregnancy, READ BOSSY, Remarkable, Remarkable Blogger©, Twitter