On Monday I wrote this post, which I subtitled 'In which I over-share about facial hair.' I wrote it because the incident (in hindsight) made me laugh - if you read it, I hope it did you, too. However, the day after that I went out for lunch with a fellow Moscow-based blogger (you can find her here or on my sidebar; check it out; she's both hilarious and informative) and a couple of others, and as I sat next to her it occurred to me that her frequent sidelong glances at me may not only have been to check that I was listening to what she was saying. She reads my blog, you see. And more than 24 hours had elapsed since my perhaps reckless admission about facial hair doubling as 'sink tidy for snow' the previous day. So...
Apologies Jennifer if I'm wrong in this assumption, but were you checking out the - I can hardly bring myself to say it - moustache situation?
I wouldn't blame you if you were. If the situation had been reversed I most definitely would have been.
In any case, we had a lovely lunch and in the excitement of my ice dipping escapade the next day, I forgot all about my reflections on the wisdom of posting quite that much personal information online.
Until yesterday. Yesterday, The Saturday Times ran a piece which was an interview with US-uber-blogger Dooce, entitled 'Dirty nappies and sex on the sofa - too much information?' (it's online but behind the pay-wall sadly, although if you have a subscription or even better a copy of the newspaper itself, it's in the Life section) and at the foot of the article listed 8 British-based blogs as further examples of the mummy-blog type. Amazingly enough, The Potty Diaries featured in this list, which felt something like winning the lottery, I have to admit.
I do have very slightly mixed feeling about it however, based mainly on the fact that the excerpt they chose to illustrate The Potty Diaries was the very one in which I mentioned my 'snow on the face' incident. I don't want to look a gift-horse in the mouth, you understand, but I think my feelings about this are best summed up by a tweet I wrote when I found out what had happened.
'V Good: The Potty Diaries mentioned in today's Saturday Times (Life). Less good; all their readers now know I have a moustache.'
No, it's all good! Now people know you're human after all and anyway, don't 'they' say that that all publicity is good publicity (or something like that)? How fab to be mentioned in a national newspaper! It could always have been worse... ;)
ReplyDeleteI am a big oversharer - never got me into the papers yet though!!!
ReplyDeleteI think it's fab too - although, yes, a lesson not to forget that what we reveal online is in the public domain. (Still, at least they referred to you as 'Clare!')
ReplyDeleteI think that was the point of the article - our oversharing! At least your extract was funny - I was apalled at the one they took from my blog, totally missing the point that I had shocked myself with my thoughts. Guess that's journalism for you!
ReplyDeleteI'm taking the view that all publicity is good publicity.
It's all good.
ReplyDeleteAnd if they're ever looking for an actress for a feminist remake of Inspector Clouseau, the talent spotters will now know where to come.
It's sensational ! If it makes you feel any better I have taken up wearing my daughter's sweet little hairslides ( sweet when your are 3 ) to keep my hair out of the way when I am working - sometimes to Waitrose too...Bravo on the ST xx
ReplyDeleteMichelloui - because people thought I was a goddess before, obviously... (and yes, it is UTTERLY fabulous to have a mention in the The Times, no doubt about it).
ReplyDeleteTroutie, keep trying is all I can say!
NVG - excellent point! Not sure that will save me from my m-i-l recognising me based on the rest of the bio, however!
WM, and you should. I really didn't take your excerpt to mean that you actually BELIEVED that, so am sure no-one else did. x
Iota, every cloud, hey?
March17th, I can just picture it! (And thankyou).
It's okay, all the readers of the Times have moustaches too.*
ReplyDelete*This may be a lie.
I saw it and have to admit my first thought was "poor 'clare'!" and my second "hang on, I'm sure that's not her name..."
ReplyDeleteAnyway, sorry. I share your pain, or at least I don't, because it's not my moustache in the national press, but go you on getting a mention! (and if you do become a millionaire blogger, don't forget the rest of us!)
*enthusiastic clapping* loved the oversharing! Very funny, a joy to read. Also made me check mine. Yep, off to Boots tomorrow.
ReplyDeletePippa, you are hilarious, you do know that?
ReplyDeletePlanB, millionaire blogger? Ha! No, I think Dooce got that gig already...
KM, you see, I'm performing a public service here! (And thankyou!)