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Plagiarism,internet plagiarism,plagiarizing

Plagiarism ~ Back the Fuck Off my Intellectual Property

by Deborah Cruz 2011/07/10

Plagiarism is NOT what I had intended to post about today. Of course, I also didn’t plan on having my posts, blog title (written exactly as I write mine) and philosophy/mission stolen and passed off as someone else’s. This is the third time in two weeks. I am irate.

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Photo Charlie S/Buzzle.com

Let me preface by telling you that I don’t subscribe to the “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” mentality. I believe that if you steal my intellectual property (written verbatim or closely resembling), you are a thief and, as such, you should have to be held accountable. Personally, I feel like you should be strung up and beaten like a pinata but perhaps that’s just because I am the victim of this despicable crime. Have you not read my About page? Oh yeah, of course you have, I can tell because you have copied my philosophy ( and my posts) but perhaps you didn’t read all the way to the bottom. If you had, you would already know that I do not tolerate…

plagiarism.

So, I am going to drop a little knowledge on you, according to PlagiarismdotOrg (see how I just did that? I just gave credit to the site whose information I am about to share with you because it is their intellectual property, their hard work and their talent. Try it, I might like you! )

What is Plagiarism?

Many people think of plagiarism as copying another’s work, or borrowing someone else’s original ideas. But terms like “copying” and “borrowing” can disguise the seriousness of the offense:

According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to “plagiarize” means

to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own
to use (another’s production) without crediting the source
to commit literary theft
to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.

In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else’s work and lying about it afterward. ( * I think if you put your name on it and not mine, if I wrote it…you lied!)

But can words and ideas really be stolen?

According to U.S. law, the answer is yes. The expression of original ideas is considered intellectual property, and is protected by copyright laws, just like original inventions. Almost all forms of expression fall under copyright protection as long as they are recorded in some way (such as a book or a computer file).

All of the following are considered plagiarism:

turning in someone else’s work as your own
copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not (see our section on “fair use” rules)

Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Simply acknowledging that certain material has been borrowed, and providing your audience with the information necessary to find that source, is usually enough to prevent plagiarism. See our section on citation for more information on how to cite sources properly. (*all you had to do was give me credit for my work.Link to me.Mention me. Something!)

But instead, these people think that my idea, philosophy, blog title, brand and posts are free for them to steal. They are not. If you want to cite @TruthfulMommy or The TRUTH about Motherhood then do so appropriately, if not, I am respectfully asking that YOU BACK THE FUCK OFF MY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY or I will be forced to take legal action.

If you ask me to write for you and I don’t and you “borrow” a post without permission, you are a plagiarist!
If I submit an article for consideration and you decline it but that very article shows up on your site credited to another author, you are a plagiarist.
If my post VERBATIM is on your site without MY permission, you are a plagiarist.
If you are a plagiarist, I hate you!

Plagiarism

*Here is one of the plagiarist post https://t.co/YaD9qpQ compare it to my my post https://t.co/EgXgz9C . Verbatim!!! Feel free to leave comments to let them know how bloggers feel about plagiarist. I have sent them a legal notice to remove my post. We shall see. I will see what happens with the others before I reveal who they are.Plagiarism is NOT a victimless crime.

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2011/07/10 27 comments

Blogging

Throat Punch Thursday~ You Dirty Mommy Blogger Edition

by Deborah Cruz 2011/07/07

written by Deborah Cruz

Lately, there’s been a lot of controversy over the term Mommy Blogger. Yes, I know I should be giving a hefty Throat Punch to Casey Anthony for being worst mom of the century but I think I’ve wasted enough time on making this sad and sorry woman into a celebrity. This is my last opinion on the subject: Casey Anthony is a woman who clearly has problems and has to live the rest of her life knowing that she has let her daughter down; that she will never hold Caylee in her arms again and that no matter what the jury decided, in the American Public’s eye, she is guilty in thought, word and action. In the end, she is alone and she is culpable.

Moving on, as I was saying, the very term

Mommy Blogger

seems to be inciting revolutions. I am a Mommy who is a blogger. But I don’t blog about JUST being a Mommy. I am a human, with a vast array of thoughts and emotions. I have 38 years of life, experience and wisdom to share. I am worth more than the sum total of all my parts. It’s really disturbing to me to hear Moms who are bloggers disgusted and disgruntled by the fact that they are called mommy bloggers. It is said in the blogging community almost as a dirty word or an insult.

You know how you hear that teachers are not being paid very much and you think “what? These are the people educating our future” and then you think to yourself, “These people she be paid a million dollars a year.” They ARE making a difference. This is how I feel about Mommy bloggers.

Or when you realize that there are entire countries where men think women are useless and have no voice. No opinion. No merit. It begs the question, how the fuck do you think you got here? There are entire continents that don’t want baby girls. But baby girls grow up to be women and women have babies. Babies perpetuate the human race. See where I’m going with this? Mommies are what make the world go round. Mommy bloggers share these experiences.

Mommy Blogger

So,when I hear a negative connotation associated with being a Mommy Blogger, it pisses me off. I work hard on my blog. I pour my heart, blood, sweat and tears onto the page to share with my readers. It’s not always about babies pooping, first days of kindergarten or photos of how cute my kids are. It’s not always gushing. Sometimes it a woman on the ledge sharing the deepest recesses of hardest moments of life. Sometimes I blog about how current events are effecting the world. Other times I use my life experiences and education to help my readers broaden their horizons and open their minds. Some days, I am pure sunshine and rainbows and am here to make you smile and laugh heartily. Either way, I think I serve a purpose for my readers and I know having the opportunity to share serves a purpose for me.

The worst part is that not only is the term Mommy Blogger used in a derogatory way, it’s used most often by other bloggers. Worse still is the jealousy and competition that comes, not only from traditional journalists, but that from within the blogging community itself. I have met some amazing Mommies who are bloggers. I have learned so many important life lessons by sharing a community with these wise women…these mothers. But then, every once in a while, I see envy and competition raise it’s head. Is this where the negative view of Mommy Blogger is derived from?

The Throat Punch this week goes to self-loathing Mommy Bloggers and all those who think that just because a blogger is a Mommy that she is less respectable than any other writer in social media. Shame on you! We are Mommies who Blog…hear us roar! And just because we share about parenting, doesn’t give you carte blanche to know every single thought we’ve ever had or the right to delve deeper than we are willing to share.

What is your definition of a Mommy Blogger? Are you a Mommy Blogger? Are you embarrassed to be called such? Or are you loud and proud? Love to hear your thoughts.

If you want the badge,grab it on the tool bar under buttons

Proud Mommy Blogger

2011/07/07 28 comments

Chicago, Facebook Live, Throat Punch Thursday,Brittany Herring, Hate Crime, Donald Trump

Throat Punch Thursday ~ When Bloggers Attack Edition

by Deborah Cruz 2011/06/30

written by Deborah Cruz

Throat Punch Thursday ~ When Bloggers Attack Edition

Yesterday, I caught a tweet between bloggers referring to the Guardian’s article about Heather Armstrong’s ( @Dooce) trip to Bangladesh with Every Mother Counts. Of course, I read the article and to my dismay it was a condescending piece of crap. I have been following Heather’s recount of her trip to Bangladesh on her blog. I have been touched by the photos, moved by her words and called to action by what she saw.

But the Guardian article basically threw bloggers, and Heather Armstrong in particular, under the theoretical bus as being pompous westerners who have no business and no understanding of the situation. We are humans. We have empathy and compassion. No worries that we need to be warned “bloggers are firmly discouraged from poking paupers with sticks and asking people to wave their stumps for the cameras”. We may not be rich enough to save the world with our money, nor do we pretend to be but we have a reach. We have followers who listen to what we say and if we can bring a situation that needs attention to the light, what is wrong with that? We are trying to make a difference. We are proactive. Heather Armstrong is being the change she wants to see in the world. She got up off her ass and made the trip to Bangladesh to experience the situation firsthand so that she could give an honest , firsthand experience to the world. Obviously, this all disgusted me. It seemed to hurt and outrage Heather, as was evident on Twitter. I don’t blame her. What joy do journalists get from spewing condescending comments geared towards bloggers like venom? Does it make them feel better about themselves? Do they think it’s funny? So, to the Guardian..oh yeah, and especially you Rowan Davies, you get a Throat Punch for being a completely condescending, not checking your facts asshole.

Throat Punch Thursday ~ When Bloggers Attack Edition

As I was reading Liz at Mom 101 perfectly written and poised post about WHY bloggers share the stories, I was touched by the support and the community we bloggers have with one another, for one another. She touched on how we can make a change in the world and how the world changes us, from a personal perspective. I thought to myself “Thank God, a voice of reason. Retribution and understanding!”

But then the day got even more bizarre. I came in on the middle of a Twitter conversation between Heather Armstrong and Anna Viele ( ABDPBT). I have read both ladies and think they are both good bloggers, in their own right. I’m not going to comment on the conversation because I don’t know all the facts, all I know is that it got really ugly really fast. There was hurtful things said and not really by the two involved, it was more by the people watching it go down and throwing in their two cents. I thought two grown women should be able to handle their own disagreement. I’ve been the one attacked for having the unpopular opinion, so I know how that feels. No BUENO!

I guess my qualm is with the fact that we lost sight of the original issue. We, as bloggers, should have been supportive of one of our own going forth into the world and trying to make the world a better place rather than attacking one another and taking sides about semantics. And if there is a disagreement to be had, have it in the privacy of email or DM. Why do it so publicly? It only stands to humiliate and anger. I understand completely, Heather and Jon taking a stance on the situation, as it was directly pertaining to their lives. They have every right to defend themselves against insults. But what was all the name calling by people who I am not sure were aware of what the original issue was ( people who were not directly involved int he conversation)…the condescending and nonfactual article by the Guardian! So, again, I am giving ANOTHER Throat Punch to the Guardian for inciting a riot within our blogging community. Can’t we all just get along and spread bloggers peace to the world?

2011/06/30 12 comments

Blogging

Mommy Bloggers of the World Unite

by Deborah Cruz 2011/06/22

written by Deborah Cruz

Call to action: Mommy Bloggers of the world Unite.

I have the greatest job in the world. I am a Mommy. On top of that, I am a Mommy Blogger; triple bonus. I adore my life on most days. I can’t even tell you how much I love combining two of my greatest passions in the world. But there is only one problem, financially speaking, being a Mommy blogger is almost as thankless and unpaid a job as mothering. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE doing both (on most days) but thus far it seems there is a lot of assumption that I owe people something.

Mommy Bloggers of teh World Unite, bloggers, mommy, social media, blogging

Photo courtesy of Google image/ Photographer name not available

I love being a Mommy and parenting. I may not be paid in money but I am certainly compensated in hugs and kisses, “I love you”s, pride and joy. There is something about giving and receiving unconditional love that transcends any monetary value. It is truly priceless. So, really, parenting may be some of the hardest work that I’ve ever done but it is not without its reward. It has changed me in ways that I could not have ever fathomed and it has made me a better person in the world. Truly.

Being a Mommy blogger, I really enjoy meeting new people and connecting via social media. Seriously, these connections have saved my life on many occasions. Being able to share my journey of motherhood through blogging has been a dream come true in many ways. Many of the Mommy Bloggers that I know are quite frankly brilliant. These women know the ins and outs of social media, can light up Twitter like a Christmas tree, get a cause out on Facebook in lightening speed and blog change better than any so-called professional. It’s because we have learned by hands on experience. We are living social media. For so long, moms have needed a connection to the outside world while being home all day with little people. You can’t teach the social media savvy we have. It comes from experience and a place of authentic enthusiasm. We love what we do and we are good at it. We are influential through our connections via our loyal blog communities, our Facebook friends, Twitter followers and all the other social media outlets we allow ourselves to become productive members of on a daily basis.

Mommy Bloggers of the World Unite

My issue is that for some reason, many brands think that we should work for free. It’s insulting! I have been approached to write dissertations in exchange for lip-gloss, spread drug propaganda for FREE and plaster my sidebar with widgets in exchange for dildos. What am I? A whore? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for supporting a brand that I love. Hell, I’ll shout it from the rooftops. Why wouldn’t I spread it like wildfire if I had the world’s best camera or tried the universe’s best weight loss program? I’m not greedy. I want to share the good news with my friends, family and readers.

But if I take the time and effort to truly experience your product/brand and write an honest product review don’t I deserve to be paid in actual money? Seriously, you are not my children so you can’t pay me in hugs, kisses and ‘I love you’s. You will never compensate me in pride or grandchildren. No thank you on the dildos, lip-gloss and the toilet paper, for that matter. And if one more person asks me to write a post for coupons I may reach through the computer and across the Internet and choke someone out. If I do it for free that’s called a favor and I’m pretty sure that we are not friends, so what would motivate me to write about your product for free? Would you ask your doctor to operate on you, as a favor? Would you ask the waiter to let you have your food gratis, as a favor? Would you ask your dentist to do your root canal, as a favor? No. Hell no, you wouldn’t and you’d feel stupid for even considering asking it. But why is it OK for you to ask me to spend my time, my effort and my skill doing you a favor? Bloggers are people too. We deserve to be paid for our skill, for our marketing capabilities and for our reach. Because remember, we have something just money can’t buy..loyal readers, earned trust and WE CAN BLOG IT with integrity.

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Image of Rosie the Blogger, © Michael Licht

So, fellow Mommy Bloggers please stand united with me and demand that you be compensated for your time, your effort and your skill. Let the world know that we may be cheap but we are not easy and we’re certainly not free. Every moment a Mommy blogger spends writing about your brand is a moment we are sacrificing with our children and that time is precious and should be compensated accordingly. (*Thank you Lauren for reminding me of that important point.)

Mommy Bloggers of the World Unite

Button can be found under the “buttons” tab at the top of page.

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2011/06/22 46 comments

Blogging

BlogHer 2011~ Preparation Meeting Opportunity

by Deborah Cruz 2011/06/19

written by Deborah Cruz

Fast approaching is BlogHer 2011. If you are a serious blogger, as I happen to be, you know what this conference means. It is the social media/blogging event of the year. It is the conference where bloggers from all walks of life and different niches from around the globe come to fine tune their craft, share experiences, meet other bloggers and to see and be seen. The opportunity to meet with the brands that support bloggers and to network will be plentiful. With over 3000 attendees expected this year at BlogHer, the potential for making introductions, building relationships and increasing your social media reach are endless. Who wouldn’t want to spend a few days in San Diego spreading the social media love?

BlogHer 2011~A Matter of Preparation Meeting Opportunity

I, personally, am looking forward to meeting all of the amazing women who I have had the infinite pleasure of getting to know through my blog community and via social media.Finally, the opportunity to put a face with the ladies who have shared laughs, tears and everything in between with me. It is strange how you can get to know someone over the internet, develop a relationship, build friendships, earn trust and respect and never have even met them in person.They say you only get one chance to make a first impression. I feel like BlogHer is a great place for a first date meeting of all the favorite people that you’ve never met and has the potential to be the ultimate first date for great brands to meet amazingly talented bloggers.

I’m a bit of a social butterfly and I can’t wait to meet all of my friends who live in my computer:) If you are going to be in San Diego and you see this face….

BlogHer 2011~ Preparation Meeting Opportunity

Please come up to me and say hi! Truthful Mommy wants to meet you! I’d love to meet all my friends I’ve made through my blog, on Twitter and Facebook and finally, put a face to all the lovely words that I’ve read.

2011/06/19 9 comments

Blogging

Five Fabulous Bloggers

by Deborah Cruz 2011/05/25

written by Deborah Cruz

fab five bloggers

Thanks to Trop50 for sponsoring my writing about fabulous bloggers. This year Trop50 is granting 50 Fabulous Wishes. Click here to enter for a chance to win $1,000 to celebrate a friend with a refreshing attitude about looking and feeling fabulous!

I have been absent from my weekly Fab Five Friday due to the fact that I have been running an entire month of bloggy love. I’ve been sharing amazing bloggers with you every Monday thru Thursday in an effort to share my favorite reads with you. But I have a mother of all Fab Fives today…right smack dab in the middle of the week.

krysta,my life in food *Krysta of My Life in Food is an amazing food blogger but she also blogs about life and her family. She is an absolute sweetheart and can cook like the love child of Paula Dean and the Barefoot Contessa. I love visiting her blog because it is great recipes for every woman. They may look gourmet and even taste it, but Krysta breaks it down so that even the most amateur cook ( like myself) can whip up a respectable meal for their family. She’s a little hidden gem blog that I look forward to visiting as often as possible, now I am sharing her with you. I am serious when I tell you, you MUST follow her. She really is too awesome not to…and adorable, did I mention how adorable she is?

*Melissa of Married my Sugar Daddy is truly one of the most entertaining bloggers I read. She writes with wit,charm and honesty. The combination is magical. You will find yourself laughing, crying and shaking your head in complete agreement with her posts. She is a talented writer and you will thank me for introducing you to Melissa and her tales of marrying the love of her life, Sugar Daddy, and living her fairytale; which includes children, no sleep and a constant state of wondering if she’s doing it all right. My kind of fairytale!

*Josh of Dad Street My name is Josh, I’m completely and utterly in love with my children and when I’m not drooling over them I’m doing one of the following: drinking wine, taking pictures, playing with my iPhone, listening to an audio book, trying some kind of new food, surfing online, sleeping, watching TV, yappin’ on the phone, and last but not least trying to spend quality time with “The Boss”. Oh, and I’m extremely sarcastic so please note that about 92% of what I say is crap. True crap but crap nonetheless…

What’s not to love,right? So, if you are not familiar with Josh, please do yourself a favor and stop over at www.DadStreet.com and check him out.

*Cecily of Uppercase Woman (*These are Cecily’s words not mine) Cecily Kellogg is a writer. She also deeply loves using the worst possible language, she’s unapologetically fat, a feminist, a former drunk and junkie with fifteen years sober, a wife, and a mother of the most beautiful little girl in the world. She’s also very liberal (there are drag queens more politically conservative). She’s also famous in the most obscure way she could find: as @CecilyK on Twitter.

I think Cecily is awesome because she is honest and forthright.I have gotten to know her best through Twitter and it has lead me to her blog.It is all very transparent and I love the fact that she lays it all out there for us to read. She is unapologetic in the best possible way.I love no B.S. and she certainly delivers. If you want to be engaged, entertained and feel like you are part of a conversation and not just a third party observer…Cecily is your blogger.

Last, but certainly not least,

* Anissa of #FreeAnissa This was me before I got married, had three kids, had a stroke, had a toddler with cancer, started a blog, then had more strokes, and became inspirational. You may not be able to tell from there, but I am totally rolling my eyes. *This excerpt from her About page should give you just a taste of her incredible sense of humor.

I have gotten to know Anissa, as I get to know most of my favorite bloggers, via Twitter and that led me to her blog. Anissa has a unique perspective on life and an equally unique voice in the world. She is strong, smart and just about as funny as they come. She finds wit and humor in the mundane and ordinary. She makes me appreciate the little things by pointing out the triviality it plays in the big picture. She will not allow herself to be defined by circumstances. She exceeds the bar in every way. And for all that she does, she still finds time to offer kindness to a fellow blogger. She is fast becoming one of my favorite bloggers in the blogiverse. Do yourself a favor and go and read her blog. I give you my word, you will be thanking me for introducing you to such awesomeness.

Don’t forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to celebrate a friend with a refreshing attitude about looking and feeling fabulous. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

2011/05/25 6 comments

Blogging

Fabulous Five Friday ~Tax Day Edition

by Deborah Cruz 2011/04/15

written by Deborah Cruz

It’s Friday and that means that I am going to be sharing 5 more of my favorite blogs with all of you.Trust me when I say, these are women that you will be glad that you checked out!

Courtesy Enjoying the Small Things

Enjoying the Small Things~ I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise. I choose to risk my significance; to live so that which comes to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which comes to me as blossom, goes on as fruit. –Dawna Markova Enjoying the Small Things began in 2007, shortly after my first daughter Lainey was born, as a way to combine my writing and photography hobbies.It since has evolved to much more, providing not only an outlet for creativity (without which, I’d go nuts), but a home for the gratitude I feel for all of my inspirations, and most importantly, the moments we share as a family. This January(2010), we welcomed our second girl, Nella Cordelia, and were stunned to learn, upon her delivery, that she had Down syndrome. My world was rocked to the core, and I was sure life as I knew it was over. How wrong I was. Between the outpouring of love and support we received, some hardcore life analysis and therapeutic insights I made on this blog through it all, I have arrived at the very beautiful place of Life is hard. But it’s also amazing, and I will rock the hell out of it.Kelle Hampton is an amazing writer and photographer. She IS my daily read. I look forward to her words and photographs for inspiration as I do the sunrise every morning. She reminds me of a girl I might have grown up with here in the Midwest. She has the words to give life to the giant gestures of love that the rest of us feel for our children, husbands and our lives. She looks at life through rose colored, half- full glasses and sees the beauty in the small things, the simple things, the everyday things. Kelle is a must read. One read and your heart will be stolen forever. You can find her here

Courtesy of Perfectly Disheveled

Perfectly Disheveled ~Hi! I’m Jennifer Brandt a.k.a. J-Ko. I live in Los Angeles and am mom to a ridiculously delicious 3 year old boy.As I watch my son Jonah discover the world around him, I think of my imaginary friends fondly and know that their spirit will always be with me… with us. Jennifer is a single mom of the most adorable little boy I’ve ever seen. Her blog is honest, funny and light. She talks about everything under the sun to do with single parenting and touches on a lot of great tips for today’s moms, women in general and somehow looks completely adorable all the while. When you read Perfectly disheveled, you know that she is the every mom. She is the Mom at the playground, the mom in Starbucks, the hurrying out the door trying to beat the traffic to preschool Mommy. If you’re there now, she’s been there! She tells it like it is, openly and honestly with a little sugar to make the medicine go down. She’s the kind of girl who you could have a glass of wine and an honest conversation with for hours. That’s the vibe her blog gives off too. You can find her here and on Twitter. Now go read her now.I promise you will be thanking me for pointing you in her direction.

Courtesy of Organic Motherhood with Cool Whip

Organic Motherhood with Cool Whip~Ever since I became a mother six years ago, I’ve wanted to write about it. Motherhood is the kind of experience that changes everything about you. It is amazing and wonderful. It is wild and unexpected. It is so incredible and life-changing that it is truly beyond explanation. Before you experience yourself, descriptions of motherhood sound like simple cliché. This blog is dedicated to love, the kind of love that gets you up in the middle of the night. The kind of love that throws up on you and needs its pamper changed and wets the bed. The kind of love that leaves you breathless when it runs out into the street. The kind of love that makes you buy organic smashed peas and animal crackers. The kind of love that changes you forever, for better or for worse, and you are thrilled about it. Naomi is AWESOME. She is a hilariously snarkilicious, salsa diva with a brilliant ability to laugh at the every day situations. You know those situations that make us want to cry? Not Naomi, she can turn that frown upside down and find the funny in it. There is so much to love about her and her blog that the list would be shorter to list what I don’t like. I don’t like that she doesn’t get to post as often as I’d like, instead she leaves me with baited breath waiting for my daily dose of funny.She’s a bloggy sadomasochist that way. But lucky for us, she is so freakishly amazing and apparently has more hours in the day than the rest of us humans. She can be found at SheKnows or today she was here and of course you can find her at her blog and on Twitter. She is amazing. I don’t mean that in the smoke up your ass, I love everybody way. I mean she is really freaking amazing.I heart her hardcore and I know you will too. Not only is she sweet and funny, she has a heart as big as Texas!

Courtesy of Scary Mommy

Scary Mommy ~ Jill is a domestic satirist whose candor and wit about the underbelly of marriage and parenting has brought Erma Bombeck-style insights to a new generation of women.Her personal blog, which averages over 500,000 page views a month, recounts with humor and humility the travails of parenthood. It has been recognized with numerous blogging awards, including lucky number 13 on Babble’s “Best Mom Blogger” list. Her Scary Mommy Society provides a forum for other “scary mommies,” blogging newcomers, and smart people with something important to say to share their stories in a community setting. Jill is so fabulously raw that I almost can’t stand it, in the absolute best way imaginable. She is like good coffee; a perfect blend of strong, deep, dark and a little sweet. Scary Mommy is a must read for me because..well, damn it…she’s my people. I can relate to about 97% of what she blogs about verbatim. It’s like someone’s filming my crazy family:) Jill, you are not filming us ,right? Because if you are, Mama needs a stylist. Jill is not afraid to talk about any topic. You will find strength in her honesty and you will begin to crave that feeling of sisterhood and camaraderie. I double dog dare you to try and read her only once…it’s not possible. One read and you will be addicted to the scary. And if you have something on your Mommy chest that needs to be gotten rid of, you must visit her confessions ( don’t worry it’s all anonymous). You can find her here and on Twitter. There’s a little scary mommy in all of us. Go check her out, you will be glad that you did.

Courtesy of The Mommyologist

The Mommyologist ~My name is Mary, and I have been a Stay-at-Home-Mom for four years. Settling into my new role as a mother did not happen overnight for me! In fact, I only recently got used to the transition. I went from being a career woman who was constantly hopping on a plane to some exciting city, to my permanent position as a round the clock personal concierge to a pint-sized future comedian disguised as my adorable little son. Motherhood is great, don’t get me wrong, but it’s definitely a lot harder than I thought it would be. I have finally come to love all of the quirks and challenges that make this the best job on the face of the earth, and I really couldn’t be any happier with my life, but that has definitely taken some time! Mary is the brilliance that brought us “Mom SEXY”. Not only is her blog open and witty, she tells us about all the behind the scenes mommying that your mama didn’t tell you about. Who doesn’t love a woman that tells us her little boy farts on her while he potties? Come on, been there. Done that. And the whole “mom sexy”mantra? This lady is our biggest cheerleader. She is like the little angel in my ear saying ” Come on girl, You look Mom sexy today!WOOHOO!” I love that about her and so will you.She’s a smart cookie with a big personality. She will Zumba with the best of them, get boogers wiped on her, shake it off, drink a big glass of wine and get her Mom sexy on!She’s a lot of fun. You can find her here and on Twitter. Go check out her wonderful blog. I promise she will help you get your mom sexy back.And really, who can’t use a little extra mom sexy pep talk?

These are my fabulous five for this week. I hope that you will check them out. Have a fabulous weekend.

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2011/04/15 5 comments

Blogging

Needed~ Type-A Parent conference pass

by Deborah Cruz 2011/04/11

written by Deborah Cruz

MomImpact is giving away a Type-A parent conference pass and I NEED it. So, I am entering the giveaway. This giveaway that can help put me on the path to realize one of my greatest dreams and exhaust all my potential. I have a dream people, a really big bloggy dream.I have not been to any conferences yet and I really ~~want~~ need to make it to Asheville. This contest is fabulous because I don’t have to beg any of you to vote for me. I only need to share my six word story of why I want to attend the conference. Here is my six word story:

Mommy.Needs.To.Master.Her.Destiny!

2011/04/11 3 comments

Blogging

Fabulous Five Friday

by Deborah Cruz 2011/04/09

written by Deborah Cruz

It’s ~~Friday~~ Saturday and I’ve been away from my house all week and am writing this post while pecking at my iPad in a hotel room while the rest of my family sleeps in but I really wanted to share five more fabulous blogs with all of you.This week’s picks are as follows. Check them out because I promise they are all awesome.

Courtesy of Google

Jessica Gottlieb~ “Here’s the thing, I’m a mom in Los Angeles. I’ve got two kids, Jane is 12, Alexander is 9. I’m married and in addition to loving my husband, I like him.” I think this excerpt from her bio just made me heart this awesome lady even more. Jessica is one of my absolute favorite bloggers. I found her when I first started blogging and immediately thought to myself, she is my kinda people. She is brutally honest, snarkiliciously witty and hilariously funny. She is the thinking Mommy’s blogger. She says what most Moms are thinking but just don’t have the balls to say. I love that about her and I am sure you will too. As far as I’m concerned, Jessica is 27 flavors of awesome and then some.If you’ve not already checked her out, go…run…do it now. You’ll be glad you did. You can find her here and here and on Twitter.

Courtesy of Bees with Honey

Bees with Honey~ “My husband is my best friend and the love of my life. We’ve been married six years and I thank God for him every day of my life. My other love is my children. They are my world and my purpose in life. Nothing makes me feel prouder than being their mother. Motherhood, with all of it’s challenges, is truly the most rewarding of life experiences.” Bruna is a feisty Italian Canadian teacher, a mommy, a wife and a fierce wine drinker. When you read her blog you will find sunshine. Bruna is positive and a glass half full type of girl.She will reassure you that there is still good in the world. Her positive attitude is contagious and, really, can’t we all use a little more sunshine in our lives? Go check her out.I dare you not to love her. Bruna can be found here and on Twitter.

Courtesy of A Mommy in the City

Mommy in the City~ “I grew up in Tampa, Fl and moved to New York City in June 2010 with my daughter Harlan after being away from my husband MacKay for nine months.I started this website in October 2010 to chronicle my journey with my daughter of our new experiences in New York City as well as share some of my favorite things that I have found while living here.” Lauren is one of the sweetest Moms I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Not only is she a charismatic news anchor type, she is a fabulous Mommy to Harlan, loving wife, Florida girl turned NYC fashionista, and absolutely beautiful inside and out.Her blog is thoroughly enjoyable, chocked full of gorgeous photos, and amazing stories of her new life in New York.I “met” Lauren through Twitter, she read a tweet about how hard it was for me to cope with my husband living out of state for his job and me mothering the girls on my own. She jumped right in and shared words of wisdom and kind words of encouragement. We share this experience but not many people would jump right in and give a perfect stranger a virtual hug.Her words meant more to me that she will ever know. Reading her blog is like that. She is genuine, that is hard to find.Go read her here and get to know her on Twitter.I know you will love her as much as I do.

Courtesy of Straight Talk Jess

Straight talk Jess~ “I’m a Texas girl through and through. Currently staked out in the Capitol City. I’m a wife and mama, a lawyer and a runner. Odd that I “defined” myself with 4 little words. Titles. That’s not all I am, but those are big parts of my makeup. I stay busy and am usually doing 100 things at once (because just focusing on one thing at a time just doesn’t make sense, right? I blame genetics). I don’t walk slowly and don’t take breaks, always on to the next project.” Jessica is my sister from another mother. Not literally, but who else can I curse in Spanish with and she completely gets me. Reading her blog is like having a really wonderful, no awkward pauses, conversation over a great cup of coffee with your sister while the kids play quietly in the same room.At first read, you will feel like you have known her your entire life and you’ll want to come back for more.She’s a straight shooter, funny, real and a little silly.I adore her and you will too. You can find her here and on Twitter.

Courtesy of Mommyfriend

Mommyfriend~” I am your resident Mommyfriend (or Lori in real life). I have been married 12 years to Big Daddy P and have 2 great boys ages 3 (“Little BooBoo”) and 8 (“Boy Wonder”). I work a stressful full time job as a Secret Agent (not really but close enough) and try my best to keep a really clean house between homework and making dinner.” Lori is exactly what she says she is a “Mommyfriend”. I love her attitude. Lori is loving motherhood and her husband and it is evident on her blog. She is witty and adorable. She is peppy and perky and when I read her blog, I leave feeling rejuvenated. Her blog is the blog for every Mommy. She shares the ups and downs of being a Mommy, wife and trying to keep all the balls in the air and she does it all with a smile.You can find her here and on Twitter.Mommyfriend is a friend that you want to have.

These are my Fabulous Five for this week. I hope you check these bloggers out and love them as much as I do!

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2011/04/09 10 comments

Blogging

Inaugural Fabulous Five Friday

by Deborah Cruz 2011/04/01

written by Deborah Cruz

Good Morning, fine folks of the blogiverse. It’s Friday and I have decided that I would like to start something that I will call “Fabulous Five Friday ” or something to that effect. Basically, what it will be is every Friday I will list 5 blogs of consequence. Blogs that I think you should be following or at the very least check out. Some of my favorite reads. I will be honest, it will most likely be a mix of some that you are already aware of, some that everybody already knows of and a lot that maybe you aren’t familiar with. My purpose for this is that I have discovered some absolutely fabulous reads out there and I think you would probably enjoy, as well. My plan is to help you all find one another and make the world a better place:)

MommyNaniBooBoo “I am Jenni Chiu- most of the time, I give you my heart and soul, tied up in a pretty bow, dipped in poop, and then run through the washer on cold.” Her blog is honest, raw and real. It’s is the perfect blend of brains and beauty. Jenni is witty, wise and snarkilicious and definitely worthy of daily read status. Her blog tag line says it all “Not perfect, just right” isn’t that where we all fall on the spectrum if we are brave enough to admit it. Oh yeah and did I mention? She is HILARIOUS wrapped up in deep dipped in chocolate. She is one of the most genuine people out there on the interwebs. I want to give her proper heart hugs on the regular and so will you.You can also find her on Twitter. Go find her now!

A(n)(Un)Common Family “And while being a mom is a huge part of who I am – the part that changed me in ways nothing else could, that made me get in touch with an inner soft side (one that could actually cry!), the part that suddenly realized what true, unconditional love actually feels like – it’s not all that I am.There’s more to me, even if it’s far less adorable than my kids.” Laura’s blog is about motherhood, marriage and how she has evolved over the years while maintaining the woman she was before the kids. It started with adoption and she touches on just about every single issue a mother or woman can face. She shares her soul and knowledge all with a twist of wicked sense of humor. I love her and so will you. You can also find Laura on Twitter.

Parenting Ad Absurdum “An irreverent, humorous and honest look at what it is truly like to parent small children, the highs and lows, the thrilling parts and the not-so-thrilling-at-all parts.” This blog is written by the lovely Peryl, an awesome Mommy to two spirited young boys. On any day you can read about a variety of topics ranging from little vampires ordering blood off the Starbucks menu to the correct protocol on how to name a Canadian baby. No matter the topic, Peryl will deliver it to you with grace and poise. She’s the lady who has the magic touch and can make any pill easier to swallow.Do yourself a favor, check her out. Peryl can also be found on Twitter

Kludgy Mom “(clue-gee mom) is a mom who uses clumsy or inelegant, yet effective, solutions to problems, typically using items that are cobbled together. In other words, a mom who makes things up as they go. A kludgy mom practices the art of embracing a life lived haphazardly. I’m a kludgy mom.” Gigi is much more than just a Mommy blogger, she is a Mommy who is a blogger. But she also blogs about a lot more. She blogs about food, she blogs about parenting, and she blogs about blogging and social media. She is my go to girl for blogging information because aside from a ridiculously off the map sense of humor, she has a heart of gold and is living proof of one of my biggest dreams. There can, in fact, be sisterhood through motherhood. Sisterhood through blog writing. She rocks my world in loads of ways and she will rock yours too. She can also be found on Twitter.

Madame Paradox “Heidi David is a writer and freelance producer. She is the author of an as yet unpublished work of dark commercial fiction, THE FLYING JEWEL; a tale of a traveling circus where the price of admission is one’s free will. Brought up in a pleasant yet dysfunctional suburb of New York, Heidi’s excessive exposure to musical theater at a young age as well as a lifetime of insomnia have contributed to her peculiar world view. Ms. David has been known to take an occasional tango class as well as repel down cliffs, thus defying the centuries old tradition of nice Jewish girls finding excuses to get out of gym class. When she’s not writing or producing, Heidi lives a gluten-free existence in her Manhattan apartment while pining for the bagels of her youth.” Heidi is a writer’s blogger, meaning if you have a reverence for the written word you absolutely MUST give her blog a look. You won’t be sorry. Her words will take you to the four corners of the world, traveling space and time, she will make you laugh and cry. Heidi will take you to the brink of insanity and then rescue you from yourself. Her posts remind me of why I write. She expands my imagination and stimulates my brain, she can do the same for you. Heidi can also be found on Twitter.

These are my inaugural five blogs. They are all amazing. I think you will love them as much as I do. There are no crazy rules or requirements, I only want to share these great blogs with you. Of course, if you want to add me to your blog roll or put a button on your blog (it can be found under the “buttons” tab) that would certainly be awesome.

If you were looking for me this week, I was all over the internet. In case you missed it; I was techy here and then again over here. It’s a new writing opportunity working with one of the ladies I respect most in the blog world, Jessica Gottlieb. I am super excited and hope that you will stop by and check us out. I was spreading the crazy truth about having a second child and sharing my funny over here. Then I was featured as one of the top 500 over here. Not to mention, giving you the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth with a side of Throat Punch on Thursday here! Happy Friday,my Friends!

2011/04/01 28 comments

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