The Blog Blahs are a real thing. Truth: everything that once seemed fun will, at some point, feel like a grind. Bloggers begin questioning what to do with their piece of the web, a practice that, unchecked, leads to questioning the purpose of life.

Not really. Or at least not much.

It does get monotonous at times. Lonely at other times. It always feels self-indulgent to me, even when I’m holding firm to my party line, This is where I practice writing.

And then something fun comes along, and while, yes, the fun thing may be a tad self-absorbed and self-indulgent, it provides a much needed shot in the blog arm. This week, the shot came from my friends, Elaine from The Miss Elaine-ous Life and Heather from Theta Mom, who are Old School Blogging again.

My blog has been on the back burner – no, not even on the stove – this week… and last week. When I saw the Old School posts, I had to fire up the burners and join the fun. This month we’re all answering the following questions. Read on, and if you’re a blogger, consider linking up at Elaine’s or Heather’s.

What Were You Doing 10 Years Ago?

This question required math. More math than I was prepared for since I was momentarily stumped on the current date. This is what happens to old people, right? We get stuck at a certain age, and it’s nearly impossible to accept that it’s 2013. My great-grandmother’s voice echoes, Oh, my, my. I don’t know anything about these VCRs. Why don’t we listen to our programs on the radio?

After some struggle to identify the date, I then had to think back to 2003. What was I doing? At that time Mark and I lived in, and were constantly renovating, this house:

This was actually taken in 2004, when it snowed on Christmas Eve… in Houston.

I had my own copy writing business, no kids, and so much free time. When I think back to all the free time I wasted, I feel nauseated.
 

What Are Five Things on Your To-Do List?

:: Schedule P’s birthday party
:: Make a long overdue hair appointment
:: Finalize summer schedule
:: Get squeaky brakes checked
:: Research for an article
 

Five Snacks You Enjoy

Just five? I do love some snacks…

:: Chips, of almost any kind, particularly if they go well with guacamole
:: Apple, with or without peanut butter
:: My new addiction, HONEST Tea’s Pomegranate Blue HONEST Ade
:: Popcorn
:: Nuts and/or trail mix (even better if you sneak some chocolate in there)
 

Some Things You Would Do If You Were a Millionaire

Gee, I’ve never thought about this before. Hahahaha. It’s one of my favorite – and possibly, one of the most dangerous – games to play. I think it’s unhealthy to spend a lot of time dwelling on what-ifs, but it’s perfectly reasonable to spend a little time dreaming, right?

I would… share huge chunks of cash with my family. And I would take them, and my best friends, on fabulous trips. I’d put even huger chunks of cash into a charitable foundation. I would have a house on the Pacific Northwest coastline. I would never have to worry about paying for my kids to get braces or go to college. I would have a full-time masseuse on staff.

Oregon coast, where my millions will be spent on a house.

Some Places You Have Lived

Texas. All Texas. San Antonio, Austin, Ft. Worth, Houston, Austin again.

Texas Forever. (Anyone else desperately miss Tami Taylor and Tim Riggins?)

Austin is dear to me, but it’s no secret that I would love – really, really love – to live in a place with green plants and summer temps that don’t melt off your face. But, I love my family more than I love rain and lush greenery. It’s close, but family ekes out climate. So here I am. In Austin. Until I die of heatstroke.
 

Some Bad Habits

I don’t have any.

I lie sometimes. That’s one, I suppose.

Seriously, I may have some rotten habits. For example, I cuss. Coincidentally, I now have a nearly-four-year-old who screams, Oh, dammage! when he’s mad. I hope his teachers haven’t figured out that he thinks that’s what I’m saying when I say, Dammit!

I eat way too many sweet things.

I’m a terrible – TERRIBLE – phone person, and therefore am out of touch with some people I would love to talk to much more often.
 

Some Jobs You Have Had

:: Lifeguard (Please don’t run around the pool. I am seriously considering buying a whistle to take to the pool this summer.)

:: Camp counselor (Bagged a husband at that job.)

:: Event planner and continuing ed manager at the United States Professional Tennis Association (I am a horrid tennis player.)

:: Community Relations Manager at Enron (Yes, that Enron. No, I had no idea about any of it until it was much too late.)

:: Freelance writer. (I am currently figuring out how to make this job work for me again.)

:: Mom. (The only job I promise I’ll never quit.)

Alright folks, that’s it for the March edition of Old School Blogging. I had fun – hope you did, too.
 

I wonder…

:: What were you doing 10 years ago?