This week was a week of ups and downs! All told, the scales tipped in favor of great.
:: On Monday The Huffington Post link to The William Morris Project! Sure, they didn’t mention my blog name or even my given name (from now on please address me as “this woman”), but a mention is a mention, right? The way they linked to me made me think of several press savvy people who told me last year that if I wanted to grow, I would have to change my blog name–because it’s a really cutesy name that no reputable publication would want in their archives. Those same people suggested I keep it simple and write under my name.
:: Then, on Tuesday, Apartment Therapy linked to my cola bombs post! They have no problem putting my (admittedly circa 2007) blog name in their archives. (My take on my blog name changes every day. Do I love it? No, not at all. But changing my blog name to just my name sounds doesn’t sound 100% right, so for now it stays.)
:: By Wednesday I was deep in the throes of caffeine and artificial sweetener withdrawals. The headache on that day was so excruciating that I had to take ibuprofen and lay down. When I woke up an hour later, I found Buster watching me from the threshold of my doorway. My furry mother hen. It reminded me of this post.
:: Thursday was the last day of swim and dive camp. The boys are disappointed, but I’m euphoric. No more sitting under the shadeless sun for 1.5 hours every day? Somebody pinch me.
:: I’m going to celebrate my release from summer camps by going swimming at my parents’ pool on Friday, but not before I visit a friend in the hospital. She broke her ankle, tibia, and fibula playing soccer and had to have surgery! Happy, happy to have yet another excuse not to exercise. Kidding.
I’m hoping to spend the rest of the weekend in the pool, soaking up the vitamin D. How about you? Any great plans?
I just don’t understand the brouhaha over ‘Pancakes & French Fries’ . . . the name of your blog is the whole reason I first popped in. It was something different–something with character. But I forget, one is not to have character, right? One must blend. Sorry, my bad! :)
As for me, I’ll be trying to stay cool this weekend . . . lounging poolside sounds delightful! With that, a happy weekend to you!
Haha, Amy. I know you’ve always been against me changing the name. I’m not surprised you still feel the same. :) I have to be poolside…it’s so humid here right now! And since we usually have very hot, dry heat, the added humidity means it feels like we’re inside a steam basket!
Well, you know . . . it’s not that I’m against your name or anything. :) I fully understand that as an author, you will more than likely have to change it . . . simply because your name becomes your brand. That argument, I fully understand–it’s the ‘don’t keep Pancakes & French Fries because it’s silly’ that propels the rolling of the eyes . . .
And good luck with the humidity-yikes!
“… The name of your blog is the whole reason I first popped in.”
Seconded!
Tatertots and Jello is a way worse combo than P&F so I say keep your name! I find it kind of refreshing when a blogger has an original thought for their blog title (I wasn’t exactly Miss Creative with mine).
Hah! Yes, and she’s doing just fine with her blog, isn’t she? Good point, Bec. Of course, now I want to hear the name of your blog…
A mention in HuffPo (as my husband calls it) is awesome! And I always think it’s best to be at the beginning or the end – they clearly thought the link to you summed up their topic quite nicely. LOVE the picture in your post – such total abandon!
Yes, I was pleased that I was towards the end! I’ll bookend a HuffPo article any day. :) That picture of Mikey cracks me up. He looks like he’s levitating!
So funny – I went back and looked at the picture again and it totally does look that way. Now I can’t see it the other way! (Like those optical illusions – is it a young woman or an old hag?)And I too love the blog name – please don’t ever change it to something like “Jules’s Jewels”!
Love your name -keep it. Now people know you, you are becoming a brand, and you NEVER change a brand when people have come to know you.
Just love who you are! Luscious, brilliant, quirky Jules/Pancakes and Frenchfries!
We love you, too.
Thanks, Robin! :)
I’ve never been entirely sure how I found your blog, but I did click on it because of the name (and no, I wasn’t looking for recipes or an excuse to eat carbs.) So maybe you aren’t attracting media savvy types, but you are attracting like-minded people who can relate to your indecisiveness & appreciate your writing style.
Oh, nice perspective, Heather! I like that.
I like your blog name and it’s really easy to remember. So there.
I saw the AT feature and was excited for you! Yay!
I think it’s easy to remember, too. It’s certainly easier to spell than my full name, to which people are always adding extra Ts, if they even get that far.
I like your blog name, too… I love how it ties in with your description, “I write about life, sweet and savory…” and it’s easy to remember.
I was actually thinking of changing my tagline to that.
love the name of your blog although the only time it gets cumbersome is when i’m referring to something you wrote about to the husband (which is often). i may just shorten it to “my friend jules said” :)
our block party last month gave way to friday night potlucks at rotating homes. we gather with the kids and lots of food/drink. last night my neighbor brought out the tequila so we were up pretty late! i did not partake or else the humblebraggers would have heard a mouthful from me…
Hah! Thanks, Roni. :)
Dear This Woman,
I love your blog name and the story of how it came about! Along with the bril tag line, it says just as much about you as your name would, if not more.
But while we’re airing opinions, I really miss the previous look of the blog with the kelly green and the honeycomb background. Snappy (in a good way).
If I could make a blog even half as good as yours, I wouldn’t be so freaked out and procrastinate-y about getting it going! And I wouldn’t name it after myself, either.
Yours truly,
Amy
Hmmm. By Kelly green do you mean mustard yellow? ;) This design is similar to my very fist one, back when I was on blogspot. (I was in a more somber mood then, too.) The two designs I had after that were yellow. In my last design, there was a picture of me where I was wearing olive green polka dots and yellow shoes–maybe that’s what you’re thinking of?
Why in the world where you sitting under a hot blazing sun for 1.5 hours during camp? Don’t you know camp is more for you than them?? The sweet, sweet silence and having the house to yourself is the whole reason for summer camp. :).
Keep the name – I won’t be able to remember a new one!