A lot has changed in the blogging world since I started many moons ago. Do any of you remember the Thursday Haiku Smackdowns we used to have? We used to have one site amongst the original group that hosted the haiku smackdowns and we spent all day writing haikus about photos the host found. The origin of it was at amalah’s and it was kinda short-lived (for VERY good reason). LilZ actually brought that up the other day and asked why we don’t do it anymore.

(answer: putting out fires from fights errupting over haikus is NOT FUN)

And there seemed to be a lot more of those quizzes back then too. Like, what Harry Potter character are you? Or what type of shoe are you? No one does those anymore. I know they get ridiculed a lot but there was always something enlightening about finding out what color you’d be, if you were a color. Or what type of appetizer you’d be (I’m potato skins all the way, baby).

Memes arent as common anymore, either. And does anyone call them memes anymore? MrZ HATED that word. I don’t do them all, but I do like a good one every now and then. I avoid the music related ones because that’s not entertaining when I do it, but I like the ones that give you an easy way to talk about yourself. I mean really, thats what its all about.

And what happened to Blog It Forward? BIF was a day where you listed three blogs you thought other people should check out. And who started that? I don’t know if I every knew who started that. I remember the first Blog It Forward day someone linked to me and then I got like TWENTY hits in ONE day and I was SO PROUD. (That was back when I was on TYPEPAD…were any of you around then?)

What about all the cool photo sites like Photo Friday or Theme Thursday or whatever. You know, the sites that gave you subjects to photograph and you’d post them on your blog? It was great when you weren’t feeling creative but wanted to put something on your site. Why don’t we have those anymore? Or do we and I’m just out of the loop?

And what happened to Oliquig? She was one of my first blog friends and she’s VANISHED.

If you’re an old-timer (Sweety? Zandria?) what have you noticed has changed about blogging? What do you miss? If you’re a newbie, have you seen any changes in your time blogging? Good or bad? I’m feeling nostalgic, humor me.

You know? It’s a small world and I’m constantly reminded of that. Last night, I was talking to one of the soccer moms from LilZ’s team. After a bit of small talk and background info (she and I didn’t know a lot about each other) it turns out that her brother used to live next door to me 9 years ago when I lived 80 miles away.

And then there was that one time I ran into a kid I did a presentation with in the 2nd grade (back home in Knoxville, TN) in the elevator my freshman year in college (in Huntsville, AL). He had moved to Chattanooga after 2nd grade but we both ended up going to the same university which was out of state for both of us.

I was at a wedding in Corinth, Mississippi one time and got talking to a guy 20 years older than me that ended up having attended the SAME catholic elementary school as I did and received his first communion from the same priest as I did.

MrZ found out at one point in time that he was working with someone who had previously lived in the same part of Knoxville, TN as I had.

My friend Stace came into town for a wedding shower a few years ago and got to talking to my neighbor. The two of them had NEVER lived in the same town, yet somehow, through weird coincidences, they realized they still had mutual friends from OTHER towns. Of course, Stace is the kind of girl that can ALWAYS find someone she knows through someone else. She even realized she knew people MrZ went to high school with, so with her? It’s not that impressive anymore. We’re used to it!

And finally? I’ve met several bloggers who have connections to my life. One whose daughters go to the same high school as I did, another whose husband works with an aunt of mine, and still another who works at MY TARGET.

Freaky and cool, all at the same time. I love shit like that.

We were chatting last night about sibling relationships and how unpredictable they are. We have probably had as many people tell us that 11 years apart (between LilZ and NikkiZ) is DREADFUL as we have told us it’s WONDERFUL. I don’t think there is any gender/age difference pattern between siblings that can predict how they’ll get along with 100% accuracy.

The only sibling I have is my brother. I am 2 1/2 years older than him and we got along GREAT growing up. I was always proud of him and wanted to show him off. I didn’t care if he hung out with my friends and I and we actually hung out together many times. I blame it on the circumstances we grew up in. First? Our parents were divorced. When you spend every other weekend changing houses, it makes things a lot more tolerable if you get along, because then no matter WHERE you are, there is someone to play with. Also? We were two catholic school kids (uniform and all) that went to a southern baptist daycare. We kinda stuck out a little bit and sometimes didn’t really have anyone to play with, so we would hang out together. And finally? My Dad’s house (where we were raised) wasn’t in your typical, “Kids on every block” kind of street, so we played with each other during afternoons and summers. Water fights with shampoo bottles and basketball games on the patio. We got along great.

(Don’t get me wrong, we had several of those “try to kill each other” incidents, but for the most part? We really liked each other)

But as adults? We love each other, respect each other, and admire each other, but we are about as different as two people can be. We have grown into very different adults with very different lives. He’s a TRIATHELETE for chrissakes. He’s training for an Ironman for FUN. Can you see the differences already? He has also been very mature about his money, his career and his relationships. I’ve had my impetuous moments with all three. He finds himself keeping in touch with his religious upbringing whereas I’m making payments on my fireside condo in hell (kidding! kinda.) And of course, there is always the difference that I’m ridiculously good looking and he’s a fat troll.

(Sorry, old sibling habits die hard. My first Christmas home from college he hung a sign up that said “Welcome Home Fat Girl.”)

It all boils down to my life being 100% better with the presence of my brother. No matter how we got along as kids, or as adults, I could not fathom what my life would have been like without him in it. I am thrilled that LilZ will be able to have the same gift in his life, whether he sees it now, or 10 years from now, I know he’ll see it eventually. He’s wanted a little brother or sister since he was in Kindergarten and I think I’m more excited about HIM holding his SISTER for the first time, than me holding my daughter.

Lets just hope they dont ever chase each other through the house with kitchen knives like my brother and I tended to do. It can create for messy afternoons.

Man, Mondays are really getting on my nerves. With the soccer and the childbirth classes and the TELEVISION that just HAS to be watched, I’m getting to bed too late after having done too much. This makes Tuesday mornings always mornings of late starts and large quantities of cursing. I mean, it’s 6:30 and I’m still in my pajamas and have done NOTHING to get ready for the day.

Bah.

But, we only have one more childbirth class and then we can have the baby! I’m really glad we took the classes. First of all? Our teacher is really great. She’s funny and entertaining as well as super-smart and informed. I don’t know how much I’ve really learned, since I’ve actually had a child before, but just hearing about it from another real person has kinda changed my perspective on a lot of things. I’m still scared to death, but I have more confidence that MrZ and I will actually survive childbirth, which I was worried about for awhile.

She talked last night about postpartum and the emotional roller coaster it can be. I’ve said this many times to MrZ but I experienced absolutely ZERO “down” sides of postpartum with lilZ. I had a hard time nursing, and that caused me grief, but in terms of emotions? I didn’t cry or get depressed. This time though? I can already tell it’s going to be different. I was not aware of the possibilities of miscarriage or stillbirth with LilZ, so I didn’t spend the 9 months worrying about him. But with NikkiZ? I have spent the entire pregnancy scared she was going to die. Many of you can relate, I know. And typically, dealing with the arrival of something you worried for nine months wouldn’t make it? Can make you KRAZEE and I can already tell that’s going to be me.

Just the thought of holding the daughter I worry about 20 out of 24 hours a day? Already makes me hysterical.

In other words? Pray for MrZ. He’s going to need it.

Every few days I peak at my notify list to see how many people have signed up to be notified when NikkiZ is born. And I have to be honest with you, it kinda freaks me out. I mean, I feel a lot of pressure now to be entertaining, and honestly? I feel like you all are getting jipped. At some point along the way, I did something you found entertaining and you keep coming back hoping for something else great and all you’re getting are posts about my ass and how sweaty it is. I’m sorry if I’m a let down.

But, it made me think of things that I feel are incredibly overated (overrated?) (yes, I know it would be easier to just look it up in the dictionary, but I like to make things really complicated). I am sure I will lose many of my readers after this entry, but I’m sorry, the truth must be told.

• Seinfeld I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Seinfeld never seemed as good to me as it did to everyone else who watched TV. It makes me laugh sometimes, don’t get me wrong, but I was never amazed by it and really didn’t even give a crap when it ended.
• David Sedaris Okay, I’ve read about everything he’s written as of this moment in time, trying DESPERATELY to see what the hell is the big deal about him. Everyone says he’s great, he’s funny, he’s whatever. But you know? I find him boring and his humor predictable. Bah.
• Quentin Tarantino Now, some of his stuff? It was okay. I liked Resevoir Dogs for the most part. And I liked the season finale of CSI but in reality? I found most of it too over the top. Pulp Fiction? I’ve sat down to watch it at least five times and fall asleep every time. Most of his stuff has that effect on me.
• Salon Hair Products. Yes, I know this is going to be met with gasps and cries from the general female population, but for me? After years of buying expensive stuff whenever I could? I am still the happiest with my Dove conditioner and my Tresame Mousse, both 3 dollars a pop. I have tried all salon products imaginable just because I couldn’t afford them for the 7 years I was in college and I longed for the day when I could spend GOOD money on my hair. So, I spent good money on my hair. And it didn’t look any better than when I spent small amounts of money on it. So, I’ll periodically splurge on the neutrogena products, but in general? Hair products are still a 7 dollar or under purchase for me.
• Expensive Wine. MrZ and I went out to eat for his birthday last year at one of the fanciest places in town, and I ordered fancy wine and it was NASTY. ALL OF IT. Now, my boss got me a bottle for Christmas from the same place and THAT stuff was good! But in reality? I’m still happy with box wine. Yes. I said BOX WINE. As in, WINE in a BOX in my FRIDGE. I love the stuff.
• Nicole Kidman. Russel Crowe. Tom Cruise. Charlize Theron. These are all actors and actresses who get praise in all they do and I really dislike all of them. I even boycott Russel Crowe and Tom Cruise movies, they irritate me so much.

There is much more on my list, of course. BUT - I’m worried about alienating too many of you at once. Just be glad I didn’t delve into the world of overrated (overated?) websites. And yes, mine would have been at the top of the list just because it amazes me that more than 10 of you pop by everyday.