There's a monster in my living room

As a parent, you realize quite early that there is no dignity you will not sacrifice if it makes your kid laugh his/her way out of a tizzy (or, laugh in general). And so it was that I found myself changing Liam's diaper, grabbing a kitchen spatula from his hand with my teeth, growling, and nodding vigorously enough to make it slap me in the boobs. This is Liam's idea of comedy. I wonder if he will grow up to be a Carrot Top fan.

Everything here is great. Personally speaking, we're great: Liam is walking, which has been a fascinating experience -- you really understand why they're called "toddlers" because the best word in the world to describe the way he roams the house now is in fact "toddle." It's not a waddle, but it's not a smooth walk. He just half-shuffles, half-wobbles around like an old man lost in his nursing home, biting his fingers, then glowing with recognition and hightailing it when he sees something that interests him. Or, he holds his arms out in front of him like he's a zombie and staggers at you like he's after your brains. Dylan can still only walk while holding something. I think he just knows that his balance isn't there, because he seems to WANT to let go, but also seems aware that if he does he will fall flat on his face. The kid doesn't know "slow." You grab his hand to do some laps around the house, and he takes off like Road Runner, which means his head tips forward and his little legs pump like mad and he drags you away at top speed while practically horizontal.

Professionally, Jessica and I have in our hot little hands a copy of Spoiled, our YA novel that's coming out in June. Well, we have the advanced reading copy, which is paperback; on June 1, 2011, or thereabouts, the hardback Real Version will debut. We are very excited. Kevin loved it. I can't decide whether that means actual young adults will REALLY love it, or that we've missed our target demo altogether. But we can't bask in it, because the second book on that deal is due March 15. We don't have an outline yet. We have awards season to fug through, and Fashion Week, and the busiest professional time of Kevin's life. I am not sure how we're going to get there. But at least if we do, it's only a few months of concentrated hell. I'd rather get it over with than drag it out endlessly.

As I try to get back into the swing of things, I have a question for y'all: Should I switch to Wordpress? I'm familiar with the platform, and I can live with either, but it'd change my link and I don't know what it'd do to my picture posts (or how easy it is to import entries from one to the other). Most of the reason I want to switch is that the spam in the comments on Typepad is getting insane (as it was on Movable Type, which we just moved GFY off of; seriously, wow). I have a lot in there from "viagra online" or "generic Viagra" or "air jordans," things that read like normal comments but are not -- but the final straw might be the opus at the end of this entry from a "commenter" named. "WWII's Unit 731:::Tsushogo was a clue from the Gods illustrating their positioning long before it began. Incidentally, the used it to hurt the Chinese and position against future sucess, concealing Japanese atrocities." The name is long, the comment is about a mile longer, and racist to boot -- it's gross. I am leaving it temporarily just so y'all can see it in all it's COMPLETE AND UTTER INSANITY. Most of the spam is harmless (one was even written as though the person had been watching a UNC basketball game) and chatty, if irrelevant and signed by someone named, "Free Cialis." But that one is really bizarre. I'm sick of dealing with all of it and if anyone is still checking into this blog, they're probably sick of it too. Six Apart claims they're trying to fix it all, but do I wait? Is moving really melodramatic and more trouble than its worth? And would people come with me? I don't want to lose any of the awesome people who were my sanity and my salvation during IVF, the boys' birth, etc. Y'all are the best. I wish I'd gotten www.DancingBrave.com a long time ago, or something, so I could just change the redirect. Ah, well. Hindsight. 

Comments

[cmcl]

Wordpress is wonderful, the spam control is great, and you can always set up a forwarder so that people who come to your old URL will be directed to the new one. Why not go whole hog and get your own domain, anyway, like dancingbrave.net, so that if you have to move again in the future people won't have to remember a new URL? You can still use free hosting and just point the domain wherever your blog is.

[Annie]

Wow. Opus is the only way to describe it. I went the bottom of the page and scrolled up. It just kept going and going, and well, going. I have no help on the move debate. I'll follow where ever you go. :)

[Gwen]

After 6+ years of using Six Apart (MT and Typepad), I finally gave up on them this year. I used Wordpress for a bit, and for regular blogging, it's such a refreshing change. (But it turns out I'm really lazy and don't like to deal with coding and CSS anymore, so I'm happily using tumblr instead.)

Anyway, you can switch this site to the free version of typepad and throw up a post linking to your new site, wherever it ends up, so I doubt you'll lose any readers by switching. I say go for it!

[badkittyuno]

Pre-ordered the book on Amazon. Can't wait til it comes out!

[Aisha]

Wordpress is good but the stat is WEAK. Just wanted to tell you I'm adding you to my mommy blogger directory- if you'd like me to change your blurb please let me know! :)

[Dawn]

I love WordPress, and I think if you post the new link here people will follow you over. I've never used Typepad, but even with self-hosting, WP was so much easier to deal with than MT. And I've found the spam control on WP.com to be absolutely wonderful. Love, love, love it.

You can always open up a WP account, and then export and re-import your entries here to see if the pictures come over how they're supposed to - you can do that with a free account - and then make a final decision, if you're really concerned about it.

[Liza]

Wow! That is one epic comment. I kept scrolling, waiting for it to end, but it's like the Energizer Bunny of spam.

[Lauren T.]

I've been reading since you were recapping ER at TWoP, hon. Just let us know where you go! ♥

[Verity]

Where ever you go we will follow, pied piper us over to word press I say. Hmm, I feel like pie.

ps As well as all that work stuff you have to deal with walking toddlers - that is A LOT to have going on.

[supra shoes]

I agree with you . In it something is. Now all became clear, I thank for the help and I hope to see more such articles.

[seo services]

That's a brave attitude you have!

[vibram five fingers]

It just kept going and going, and well, going. I have no help on the move debate.

[vibram five fingers]

The kid doesn't know "slow." You grab his hand to do some laps around the house