I’m talking to YOU. And you. And you. You too. I see you looking.

If you’re reading this, I’m asking for your help on behalf of Kevin from Always Home and Uncool, his family, and all other families affected by Juvenile Myositis.

You’ve probably never heard of it, but for some families, Juvenile Myositis, an autoimmune disorder in children, is front and center.  This is not happy fun times, you dig?  You can find out more in Kevin’s latest post.  No little ones should go through something like this.  No families should.

Pepsi is giving away a 250K grant and you can vote (see below) to send that money to Cure JM to fund research to help make Juvenile Myositis a memory.

Today is the LAST day to vote, and this proposal has to be in the top 2 to win the grant money.

They’ve *just* slipped to number 3.

More votes are needed.

Luckily, you can help EASILY. And you can vote 3 times, in 3 different ways, right now.

Please vote 3 TIMES today, before midnight EST:

1. Send a text vote: Text 100850 to PEPSI at 73774 (standard text messaging rates apply)
2. Use the Facebook app: http://bit.ly/CureJMonFB
3. Vote directly from the Pepsi website site at http://www.refresheverything.com/makejmamemory

And please share this with anyone you can. Pass it on.

This is easy. It will take so little of your time, yet make such a difference.

Thank you.

Hodgepodge of things to share…

First and foremost, there is a wonderful update by Peter Mayhew about Anissa – she is going home!  That totally made me cry big, fat tears of joy.  Please read the update and pass along the good news in any way you can – on your website, Twitter, Facebook, shouting from rooftops, etc.  We need to spread this – ANISSA IS GOING HOME!

The tweet announcing she’s left the hospital is here. RT that sucker!

Additionally, we need to do everything we can to  help them now, again.  The copays for her outpatient care are $100 a day.  Anything we can donate to The Mayhews right now will be of great help to them.  You can click here to access their Paypal donation page, or click the image below.

*****

Of much less importance, I have another two posts syndicated at Blogher: Falling Happens, But Jumping Takes Courage and The Not Good Enough Mother.  You may or may not have read them here, but if you have a chance, I’d love for you to check them out and leave me a comment over there.

*****

I’m also excited to share that I’ve started a new job as Nashville City Guide Editor at The Savvy Source. They are still looking for Editors for other City Guides (you’d provide regular info on preschool-age child-friendly activities in your town) for the following places: Berkeley, Charleston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Halifax, Honolulu, Houston, Indy, KC, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Minnesota, Northern New Jersey, OKC, Pitt, St. Louis, Toronto, Vancouver. If you’re interested, Tweet @whithonea or email him

*****

I’m also contributing to Room 704 in its new, monthly format. (Officially, I’m Visual Editor/Cartoonist, but I’m submitting posts, as well.)  Check out the February issue!

Whew.  This really cramps my sitting-on-my-ass-doing-nothing style.

What have you been up to?

Love & Help for Anissa

*For updates on Anissa, you can visit her CaringBridge Page.

~~~~~~~~~~

I was going to tell you about how great it is to have my laptop back and tell you a little about what I went through to get it fixed, but being on Twitter more again today led me to learn some awful news about a wonderful lady who is a friend and fellow blogger.

Anissa, of Free Anissa and Aiming Low, had a stroke this afternoon.

(This is her second. You can read about her first one in 2005 here.)

Often when you hear bad news about someone, the first thing you think of is that last time you talked to them or saw them in person.  In October, Anissa, Mishelle, and I spoke at a seminar and we got to share laughs and drinks together the night before.  It was a fabulous time because of the amazing company.

photo credit: Mishelle Lane, © all rights reserved

Anissa is such a fireball and, at the same time, just the most lovable sweetheart you’ve ever met.

This post, at Aiming Low, tells how you can help her and her family – especially if you are in the Atlanta area.  Please visit Aiming Low for this post as well as new updates on her condition and how you can continue to help.

(If that page won’t load for you, it may be getting hit with a lot of traffic, and you can go here for the information it holds, as well.)

If you have a chance, send Anissa love on Twitter – (her handle is @AnissaMayhew) When you tweet, you can use the #hashtag #prayersforanissa so that your messages join together with those of many others thinking about and supporting her and her family.

You can also show your support by changing your Twitter Avatar to a photo of you and Anissa together, if you have one.  If you don’t, you can still show support with your Twitter Avatar by adding a Twibbon to it.  There are currently two available:

For updates on her condition and to leave her and her family supportive messages on the guestbook, please visit Anissa’s CaringBridge Page.

You can also send her messages on or her Facebook page if you’re a friend of hers there.  And by all means, pray, if that is your way.  Remember, if you are in Atlanta, you may be able to help her family in a more practical way (see link above).

We are all used to seeing Anissa’s smiling face online and being entertained by her quick wit, her fabulous humor… and her magnificent rack. (She was First Runner Up in Bewb Fest 09, remember?)

Tonight, many of us are shedding tears and wringing our hands in worry.  She is being showered with love, lifted in prayer, and thought of all across the world.  There is hope, boundless.  There are jokes and stories being told in her honor.  We wait for updates and continue to push our strength out to her and her loved ones.

Anissa, there’s tons of love for you from all of your friends, all over.  We are sending you everything we can, and we won’t give up!  We all know you’d do the same for any of us.

Now get your ass out of that hospital and back here where you’re supposed to be making us laugh, woman.

We love you.

In her honor.

Last night, I saw @mamaspohr’s tweets, and found out that she was at the hospital with Maddie.  I visited Heather’s site and sent her my love.  I was worried, but I was sure Maddie would be taken care of and would recover.

I was wrong about that.  Last night, Heather and Mike Spohr lost their sweet daughter Madeline Alice.

I am choked for words.  But I have plenty of tears.

John and I took a moment out of our morning to pray for Heather and Mike.  We believe Maddie is with God now, but we understand that this is not going to be an easy time for her parents, family, and friends.

It’s not an easy time.  I am heartbroken for this family.

Heather & Mike: we are thinking of you, and sending you all of our love, support, strength, and prayers.

In Madeline’s memory, please support the March of Dimes, which helped the Spohrs during Heather’s pregnancy and Maddie’s hospitalization after premature birth.

You can go here to donate in her memory: Maddie’s March of Dimes Page

UPDATE: If you’d like to do even more, please consider donating to help Heather & Mike with the services at this Paypal account: formaddie@hotmomreviews.com

UPDATE 2: We want to get as many people as possible involved in joining their local March of Dimes walks, coming up, in honor of Maddie. How many of you are willing to walk for Maddie soon? Speak up! We’ll start putting up information on teams that are gathering.
So far there’s this in the Cincinnati area: Sadness in the Blogoshpere

NASHVILLE AREA: If you are in this area, and would like to join our walk team: The Nashville March of Dimes Walk is on April 19th. I’ll be posting more as I get things in order. If it’s at all possible, go ahead and mark your calendars to walk with us.

Once more, for good measure.

Long time readers will
remember the story of
our last, moldy house.

What a trial that was!
We have been in this new home
for a whole year now.

I could never say
thank you enough times to those
who helped us get out.

To all of you who
stepped in to help us move then
and are still around

I want you to know
that I think grateful thoughts of
each of you often.

And now we’ve got a
whole year of new memories
in a better home.

So much has happened
in this year that has now passed.
It’s remarkable.

March 2008………………………………………………………………………………………………………….March 2009

So, once more I say
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you all
Thanks so very much.

Clean the shirts on their backs by putting one on yours.

The putrid piles of
clothing in my house are proof
of this one truth: I

hate doing laundry.
But at least I have the means.
Some out there do not.

The term that is used
is “natural disaster.”
I’m sure the victims

feel anything but
natural picking up the
pieces of their lives.

I have not suffered
severe destruction but
just thinking about

the devastation
after floods, hurricanes, and
twisters, I shudder.

At such desperate
times, I can imagine that
all help is welcome.

Tide is offering
practical help to those who
need it in this way:

You buy a shirt here;
proceeds provide clothes cleaning
service for victims.

So now even if
I am not cleaning my own
family’s clothing…

I can take comfort
in knowing that I’m helping
clean laundry elsewhere.

With a Little Help from My Friends

My mojo read my post yesterday, and she sent me a really bitchy text message:

“Duh, there are lots of really great bloggers around you who might be willing to help you out a little bit until I feel like coming home.”

And, darn that hag, but she’s always right. She’s got the groove like that.

So I asked around a bit yesterday (do you guys realize just how freaking great Twitter is?), and it looks like some really great people are going to help me get through this, while keeping you all quite pleasantly entertained. Each of them is simply fabulous in his/her own way. And I am immeasurably honored and delighted that each of them said yes when I asked them if they’d guest post for me sometime in January.

So, as I bounce around trying to find my motivation, and hammer my way back to producing content I feel like showing you guys, there will be some amazing guest posts here, from those other bloggers.

If you’d like a sneak peek at who’s going to be popping in sometime during January, check the sidebar. I’ll be adding a list of them there as they sign on to guest post.

I’ll still be in and out, making sure you don’t forget all about me in the presence of real talent posting here and there throughout January. Because, let’s face it: Mojo or Nojo, I will have things I need to say.  (That whole “mouthy” thing.)

But they’ll be filling in the gaps I would have otherwise been leaving while mired in the Muck of Blah.

They’re giving to me (and you) of their minds and their time. That’s the most sincere gift you can give a person, quite frankly. I am thankful to them.

And I know you are all in for a treat. I hope you enjoy each post. I know I will.

But how the hell my mojo even got a cell phone is beyond me.

And it’s going to be bothering me for some time.

The Elves Came Early

They told some of my friends to send me things… they all chose things that would comfort me… how did they know? Now these are good friends…

Like my Cheese, Fruit & Cookies-Giving Friend…

She even put in presents for Braden to keep him distracted.


Or my Coffee-Giving Friend…

Gorgeous Tumbler and Charged Card so I can buy coffee and get free internet access at Starbucks. Me time!
*faints*


Or how about my Beautiful Soaps & Chapsticks-Giving Friend?

This was so perfect for me… I have a chapstick addiction. Do you know what I mean? Anyone?


And who can overlook my Chocolate & HooHaa Care-Giving Friend?

Gotta love a pad with BEWBS drawn on the wrapper. Also? Don’t touch my Russell Stover German Black Forest Truffle or you will draw back a nub.

And then I will rip off your nub and bludgeon you with it.

Yes, it’s that serious.


So, Nub Bludgeoning aside… would you be willing to give me a gift? Do me a favor right now and gift me this Christmas by doing something for someone else.

It’s really easy; all you have to do is click a link.

That’s right. I want you to click a link. Until the end of December, every time you click this link, or load any of the other pages on that website, you help earn ad revenue, 100% of which will be donated to a non-profit charity called “To Write Love on Her Arms.” (You can check the charity out here.  Make a donation, buy a shirt.  I’m going to buy a shirt… I’ll post photos of me in it later, even.)

They are “dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for those struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide.”

So, from a person depressed as she’s ever been this Christmas, please click. Click as many times as you feel moved to click, between now and the end of December 2008.

If you click right now, leave a comment on that post, then come back to me and tell me you did it.  It’s like my Christmas present. But even if you don’t feel like coming back, just click anyway, ok?

Merry Christmas, to all of you. And thank you.