YES to new friends.
Connections
and
Voices
YES to letting go
and reaching out
and diving in
YES to pushing and stretching
and finding your words
and sharing them here
with us
I am in awe. I am absolutely amazed. I am dancing in my tragically unhip shoes over here, starting to get back a little bit of that spanky and delicious, and all because of you. YES, you. Out there. The ones who have come here to read and write for 10 days. How did you do it? Aren’t you tired? A little tired of Momalom? A little tired of reading? A little tired of blogging?
Well, none of that matters right now. Not in this moment right here. Because in this moment right here you can sit there and say, we did it. We challenged ourselves and we created something larger than our own little blogs, our own little worlds. And that’s really the point, isn’t it? To make something bigger out of all this time we spend online. To connect to something, to someone, to someones, in a collective way.
So, thank you. For saying YES to Jen and me. To saying YES to Five for Ten. To saying YES to yourselves and each other, every day, for the last 10 days. I am honored, and humbled, that we could host this small, but mighty, event.
As a token of my appreciation, I am going way, way outside of my comfort zone, by posting a little video message. YES, a vlog…but it’s going to have to wait until later today. My morning has begun and I am already behind, as usual. The only reason I’m telling you now is because I know you’ll hold me accountable, and I need that. So check back later for a glimpse of the me behind the screen (eek, now I’m totally nervous). And hopefully it will make you feel just a tiny portion of the !!! that’s been with me and Jen for the last 10 days.
**********
Did you buy Aidan’s book? Are you itching to read it? She’s the inspiration for this topic of YES. For this feeling of YES, we can. She has generously donated a book to us for Five for Ten, and we will award it to the strongest Yes post out there. So if you haven’t already, link on up…and please say YES to patience as Jen and I catch up on all of your wonderful posts.
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thanks sisters for challenging us. I thought long and hard on these blog posts and loved having “homework” and reading as many posts as I could.
As daunted as I was by all this, it has been great. The topics, the writing, the commenting have all been really wonderful. I’m disappointed I don’t have way more time – there is lots more that I would still like to read, and I would have liked to have dedicated more thought and time to my own posts. But I’m SO glad that I did it anyways. Thanks momalom.
.-= macondo mama´s last blog ..Dear Monster: Your birth story =-.
YES! You are so right – this has been an incredible feeling to connect with so many. It has been challenging (and I still feel soooo far behind), but it has been so very rewarding.
Thank you both so much for creating this event and connecting us all together. We truly are kindred spirits and I am so thankful for all of this!
.-= Shawna Cevraini´s last blog ..Surrender =-.
Thanks for letting Life in Pencil be a part of this challenge! It was a lot of fun, and it’s always great to be introduced to new writers in this crazy blogging community.
.-= Elizabeth @ Life in Pencil´s last blog ..Identity Crisis =-.
Reading all these incredible posts was even more fun than writing them. And I LOVE when someone tells me what to write about.
Thanks for sponsoring this event. It was a great success.
.-= Sue Campbell´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.
Five for Ten really has been amazing. It brought each topic to life for me–seeing them from so many sides, so many voices, yet there was an undercurrent of similarity to it all as well. I’m so glad I happened upon your website in time for Five for Ten. Thanks for this great idea :)
.-= Jenn M´s last blog ..Oh, Yes- You’ve Discovered My Nemesis =-.
Yes to reaching out and diving in, love that!
.-= Suzicate´s last blog ..Freaks, Geeks, And Squeaks =-.
It has been a privilege to be a part of this gathering of people whose views both echo and challenge my own. I haven’t made it through many of the entries, but over the next couple of weeks I plan to go back and read some of the posts I missed. Five for Ten aptly demonstrates how thirsty we all are for community and fellowship. Thanks to you both for facilitating it.
.-= Gale @ Ten Dollar Thoughts´s last blog ..New York State of Mind =-.
Yes to that and yes to you, lady. Yes to you!
.-= Kristen @ Motherese´s last blog ..Yes. (And Life After It.) =-.
Oooh a vlog! I’m thoroughly intrigued. I’d like to know if you’re anything like I’ve imagined you to be in real life. NO pressure ;-)
YES to 5-for-10! Thank you for providing us the space and the opportunity to connect. It’s incredibly !!!
So very delighted to have been involved. That the two of you shared this with all of us, that everyone shared this together, has been amazing. Wonderful, enlightening, full of tears and laughs. Really. Yes!
Can’t wait for that vlog, I’ll be checking back all day!!
And tired…yes, but in a good way. Fulfilled and tired all at the same time.
.-= Christine LaRocque´s last blog ..Good enough =-.
This was a time in my life that was already full. But I’d “asked” for a community…and then, there you were. So how could I pass up the opportunity?
Your invitation was so generous. If you are feeling the love, imagine all the people on couches and dining room tables and desks and beds to whom you have given a touch stone in the vast open air of dark space.
Your leap was an invitation and a creation. So many Yes’s turn out that way.
Thanks for including me.
It was a fun challenge…and kind of interesting to have an assignment. I will admit to those in charge – I failed to post a lust post. Maybe I can still get one in…permission for a late pass?
I really enjoyed the connections and the experience, but I also learned to appreciate the day to day blogging I relax and do. Scary how staying home and not having actual professional deadlines quickly leaves you struggling when there is an assignment.
Happy Wednesday!
.-= For the Love of Naps – Sarah´s last blog ..Henry works with one hammer =-.
Sarah, We’ll give you an extension. Lust away!
I’m so glad I participated in Five for Ten. I’ve opened up about things I’ve never talked about before. I’ve read blogs from incredible women. I’ve made connections that I hope will last.
Thanks ladies for the inspiration and push to step outside my box!
.-= Liz´s last blog ..Learning to say yes =-.
This was so much fun. So very !!!. I have weeks of reading ahead of me, but I want to get through as many of these amazing posts as possible. I’m thinking – in all of your free time – you guys should see about turning the Five for Ten posts into a book.
Thanks again for 10 wordy, wonderful days.
Yes to Sarah, whose idea this was more than 6 months ago. We jumped in not knowing what to expect. And it was a great success. So, what the heck, we thought. We’ll do it again. In May. And we did. And WHADDYAKNOW! Success. Community. Kinship. Support. Fun. More than we ever anticipated. So. Yes. To Sarah. And to all of you. Yes.
Yes!
Thanks for the reprise. I was oblivious the first time around! This time? complete engagement. I’m very thankful, Momalom gals.
.-= Leslie´s last blog ..House lust =-.
Hi Sarah & all my fellow bloggers,
I am not at all tired of this experience, but I am a little tired from reading and writing so much (and still looking forward to reading the ones I’ve missed—how have you and Jen done it?)…
I think I might also have a twinge of post-posting-depression? I feel like we gathered our energy into some sort of blogging supernova. We all connected more deeply and affirmed things about courage, happiness, memory, lust and writing… as well as looking at fear, sorrow, loss and exhaustion. I am trusting that I’m not the only one who as felt profoundly affected by so much of what was constellated here.
In fact, I have JUST LOVED THIS, and thank you guys for facilitating this experience. I suspect that all the posts taken altogether still cannot contain what all of us, taken altogether, feel right now.
Thank you, thank you—YES and thank YOU!
.-= Privilege of Parenting´s last blog ..“Yes!” Buby said, “Yes Dahlink!” =-.
yes! to the two of you who made this possible and to all the other participants. i have never done anything like this and have enjoyed it. i had to take a couple days off over the weekend and i missed reading the blogs and posting my own, which surprised me–how quickly i felt a hole where you all had been. so i am very glad to have had this experience and i look forward to checking in with those of you i look for now and continuing to find new friends out there! what a great experience.
.-= kate´s last blog ..lust =-.
“Aren’t you tired? A little tired of Momalom? A little tired of reading? A little tired of blogging?”
NO WAY! I can’t wait for the next challenge! Thank you so much for doing this. I’ve had more fun than should be legal!
.-= Jane´s last blog ..Yes! Yes! Yes! =-.
Can’t wait for your video message, Sarah….
Yes, I am a little tired of blogging. Not in a bad way though…just found it difficult to keep up, but that is just me and my schedule. I am SO GLAD I did this, though…even today, when I was struggling to post my last one b/c of this damn stomach bug that is running rampant in my home! I feel like I DID something….I loved the challenge of writing every other day. It was really, really good for me, even when the posts were not really really good. And the whole thing of all of us writing on the same topic? LOVED IT THE BEST. Idea????? How about if we do a series, where like once a week or maybe even just once a month we do one topic????
.-= Liz´s last blog ..Yes =-.
YES to the wonderful community Sarah and Jen have started. YES to their honest, inspiring posts. YES to the next 5/10! What, 6 months from now? (YES!!!)
I loved this challenge and am feeling some of the post-blog Five for Ten blues. I enjoyed connecting with other bloggers and reading all of the fascinating posts. I learned. I cried. I smiled. I blogged. I conquered.
Thanks so much for challenging me. Looking forward to the next.
Rudri’s Last blog: http://beingrudri.com/2010/05/18/he-said-no/
A HUGE thank you and a BIG HUG to both of you, and Momalom’s Mom (and Momalom’sMom’s Mom?) for the enormous effort and caring that goes into this sort of community undertaking. What generosity of spirit, talent, and sheer determination.
Very much the stuff of YES, YES, and YES again.
Thank you. And I wish you all rest. And many LED lights and sparkling drinks to come.
.-= BigLittleWolf´s last blog ..Why I’m Fond of Isopropyl Alcohol =-.
LED lights! That was the first round’s code phrase, wasn’t it. This time we had chips and dip. What will be next?
This has been wonderful. I marvel at how many incredible voices are out there. Support, wisdom, humor, honesty, clarity, confusion–beautiful writing. Yes, it is all there.
Thanks so much for creating a great concept and getting us all together.
Have to agree with Rudri- I’m having post-Five for Ten blues here. And now, gasp, I’ll have to think of my own topics to blog about!
I loved all your posts, I loved “meeting” so many other bloggers. It’s been amazing and I’m thrilled to have been a little part of it. Thank you!!!
.-= Cindy´s last blog ..Magical Combination =-.
I loved Five for Ten!
I’m so glad I had the COURAGE to join, because I am such a newbie blogger and was kinda scared at first. But it was true HAPPINESS when I realized how wonderful and fun it was, and how friendly and encouraging everybody was! I will always have great MEMORIES of this experience and of all the amazing posts and bloggers I’ve “met”. It has really left me LUSTing for more! YES! to Five for Ten! Thanks so much!
.-= ShannonL´s last blog ..Five for Ten: YES! =-.
OOh! I love vlogs! BRING IT!
.-= Alex @ LateEnough´s last blog ..If You Have A Barney Tattoo, Don’t Despair. He’s About To Go Cool =-.
Thank you for saying yes to a non-mommy taking part in this challenge. I loved getting new perpectives and reading about everyone else’s perceptions of lust and yes. Next time I hope to dive in right at the beginning!
XO
Lenore
YES, I’m tired.
YES, it’s been challenging!
I’m dogonne glad I did it, and challenge away. It has been a great experience, and left me with great experiences!
.-= goofdad´s last blog ..Saying "YES!" =-.
I loved this idea and wished I had found the blog sooner. I’m still reading through the posts from Lust and only 4 so far on the Yes. I want to spend time really thinking through all the ideas that everyone is sharing and giving it my best attention.
This will keep me reading for the next several weeks to catch up.
Jen and Sarah, pure genius.
.-= Kim @ Money and Risk´s last blog ..Financial Security Takes More Than Being Frugal =-.
Sarah, you and Jen did an amazing thing here. As you know, I missed the first round (because I didn’t know about you two then, but there’s no turning back once you’ve been Momalomed!) but I loved participating this time around. I’ve met so many amazing bloggers and writers who challenged me, made me laugh out loud, made me tear up, made me smile, made me think and so many other things.
A big thanks to you both for creating such a wonderful community!
I feel like 5 for 10 won’t be over for days yet. There are so many more posts to read, writers to meet, connections to be made… and all because two sisters decided to try something new.
I’m always along for the ride — then, now, and the next time. Thanks for inviting me aboard!
I second that! I have been so busy posting it’s been hard to read–a la my post–saying yes to one thing means saying no to five others. But thankfully, the posts aren’t going any where.
.-= Heather Caliri´s last blog ..getting to yes =-.
Thanks for the inspiration. I love what I was able to write because of your inspiration and the engaging ideas of so many other writers. And what a great way to find new sources of wisdom and delight.
You both rock. Thanks for giving us all this gift.
.-= Launa´s last blog ..Bonsoir =-.
P.S. in case anyone was wondering, I don’t really look like a green circle monster with extra-long fangs. I’m just really bad with technology, and couldn’t figure out which button to push to make my real picture magically appear.
.-= Launa´s last blog ..Bonsoir =-.
yeah, I at least wish i could choose my monster, if a monster is what I’m going to be.
.-= Heather Caliri´s last blog ..getting to yes =-.
I am new to Momalom – I found your site because several fellow bloggers whose writing I really admire were participating in Five For Ten. I am so glad I followed them here and decided to take my courage in my hands and try and live up to this challenge. Because I have found some wonderful new blogs to read and have read some truly amazing posts.
So I look forward to your next Five For Ten challenge and hope it will not be too long before you do another one
Thank you both so, so much. I cannot imagine how blurry eyed the both of you are after reading so many posts for so many days, all the while finding time to post beautiful writings yourselves.
You two are amazing.
Thank you for challenging me to write. Thank you for introducing me to so many wonderful people. Thank you.
.-= Ali´s last blog ..Yes =-.
I wrote recently that I needed a bigger village. That I needed more people HERE to be a part of my life because I often felt lonely. Can I say now, that what you guys did here, the people you connected me with and who I now can consider my friends have made me feel like my village is just fine. I have these friends I can now connect with through their blogs, through email, text, FB, etc. FiveforTen was fabulous the first time around and astounding this time as well. Thank you for all you did. All your efforts. All your passion in this world. We all have benefited so much from it.
And thank you for pushing me to write a few posts that I NEVER would have written without this place.
xoxo
just found this interesting blog while reading Islandroar blog.
From the long list it appears this blogging idea is a good one.
I didn’t notice any men on the list and of course I didn’t expect to find many given the mommy blog type title. I just thought there might be a few. If you run this again I’m willing to be your token daddy blog.
.-= lisleman´s last blog ..Two blondes walk into a building … =-.
Thank you so much to bringing me back to the reason why I started blogging in the first place-to connect, to touch, to be myself. To feel, on “paper”. Yes, Yes, YES!!! I love you guys so much!
.-= Kisha Floren´s last blog ..Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn’t have the power to say yes. -Eleanor Roosevelt =-.
You guys created something that was hard not to say YES to! What an amazing experience it’s been – thank you both :)
(and cannot wait to see your vlog!!)
.-= Corinne´s last blog ..{Five for Ten} Courage =-.
Yay! Thank you so much for doing this. Five for Ten has been an amazing kick off to blogging for me. I started just a little while ago and stumbled onto your challenge midway through. I’ve been introduced to fascinating people and people I can relate to, and I’ve read beautiful and funny and inspiring posts. I’ve been starved for an intellectual and creative outlet and for a sense that life (my life) stretches beyond what I do all day in these four walls. I have hope that I might be one step closer. THANK YOU. I think this challenge may have spoiled me, though! It’ll probably feel a little quieter on my little blog now that Five for Ten is over. :)
.-= Anonymous Mommy´s last blog ..Little Twin Plastic Giraffes =-.
I am so thankful I stumbled across momalom and Five for Ten at just the right moment. I’ve truly enjoyed it and can’t wait to do it again. Thank you!
.-= Meredith´s last blog ..Saying Yes. =-.
Thank you so much for hosting Five for Ten! I have soooo appreciated the challenge, AND the opportunity to be directed to so many other wonderful bloggers! You rock!
.-= MidnightCafe´s last blog ..Say Yes! =-.
Yes to community and connectedness.
.-= Nicki´s last blog ..YES – Review of Life After Yes =-.
Woohoo, Sarah on video! Aren’t you awesome? Why yes, yes you are. YES to all of us, working and writing and blogging together. That’s good stuff. And I’m not at all tired of it! :)
.-= Melissa´s last blog ..do you mean it? really? =-.
Yes! And it only just now occurred to me that I never once menti0ned chips and dip in my five posts. Oh, well. Next year, right?? Off to dish up some guacamole and refresh, refresh, refresh my browser as I await your vlog …
.-= Stacia´s last blog ..Five for Ten: Yes =-.
And, thank YOU Jen and Sarah for organizing this. It has been so fun to read your posts and so many other mommy bloggers. It’s always encouraging to connect and remind ourselves that YES, we’re not alone. Yes, Motherhood has a lot of challenges, and YES, we are all over-comers! Looking forward to keeping in touch.
.-= Melodramommy´s last blog ..My Mommy Resume =-.
I have to tell you that I was a little concerned about being able to commit to Five for Ten, but I so enjoyed reading other’s takes on the topics, of pushing myself to write something thought provoking for a larger audience.
I agree with Liz, we should try out a once a month topic, to continue to build community, to continue to push our limits.
THANK YOU for taking this on, for stretching yourselves thin, for your commitment!
It was AWESOME!
.-= Maria´s last blog ..Yes, I can! =-.
I’m echoing much of the same sentiments as the other women here … I was a little nervous. I didn’t know if I could write from prompts anymore … hadn’s for quite some time. And I didn’t know if I could write about (gulp) lust. But I did. And even though it wasn’t the exact post I really wanted to write because, you know, I’m still growing in that area of writing, I wrote a piece I seriously love.
Thank you for doing this. Thank you for stretching me. And thank you for having a chance to connect with both of you and other fabulous ladies. Great idea!!
.-= Hyacynth´s last blog ..Five for Ten: Yes =-.
Thank you guys so so much for doing this. For hosting this wonderful word party for such a great group of writers and thinkers and people. I did not get to spend nearly the time I would have liked visiting blogs and dropping comments, but I am comforted to know that I can come back again and again to these posts and say YES. To the idea of opening up and meeting new souls and sharing this grand thing called life.
I am so thankful to have stumbled upon you sisters. Your support – particularly during this sweet and surreal time – means the world. The world.
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