Blog envy

What would Freud say about that?

I didn't start this blog to be rich or famous. But I have to admit, I suffered from just a triffle bit of Blog Envy when I read the account of Dawn Meehan in the Chicago Tribune, the mother of six with no formal writing training who has stumbled into the media spotlight for her witty blog chronicling the escapades of her children and her everyday brush with insanity. (No, I am NOT going to link to her site.) She is being swarmed by literary agents, media, radio stations, even Good Morning America, who have branded her the darling of the blogosphere comparing her to "the legendary humorist Erma Bombeck."

I never read much Bombeck, but I've read plenty of humorous writers. There's a lady in North Carolina, Laura Snyder, who writes a column Laura on Life that is run in 40 small papers in 22 states. She e-mails me (and a bunch of other editors) her column every week. She has the same self-deprecating style of humor. I haven't seen her on Good Morning America. And I used to run a column from a school board member in Lincolnshire on mothering, called momologue. Her dream was to be the next Erma Bombeck. Her stuff was good, not great, but plenty witty. So why Meehan?

As I read the words of King Solomon in Ecclesiastes this morning, a partial answer came to me (besides pack journalism):
"The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong.
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all."

I have nothing against Meehan. I wish her success. Solomon goes on to say "to accept his lot and be happy in his work - this is a gift of God." And I can say I am generally happy with my work. Still, if time and chance were to wink in my direction ...

OK, I will give you the link to her site now (like you don't already know it) www.mom2my6pack.blogspot.com