Menopausal Mother

     Welcome to the June edition of Fly on the Wall group posts, hosted by Karen of Baking In A tornado. Today, nine bloggers are inviting you to catch a glimpse of what you’d see if you were a fly on the wall in their homes. 

      I'm still in a "writer's block" funk, so in the meantime, that nosey fly on the wall has seen me skimming through social media in search of something that will tickle my funny bone again. I've also been spending an inordinate amount of time creating Someecard memes from sayings I've found on the internet, and then sharing them on my Menopausal Mother Facebook fan page. If you aren't already following me there, I hope you will, because the page is a sure bet for a few giggles. I also share the work of many of my fellow humor writers there, so be sure to stop by and say hello if you have a Facebook account! 

     Here is a sampling of some of my latest memes that have done well on my fan page: 











     One of the best things that happened this past month was having my article, "Menopause Wrecked Havoc On My Marriage And Sex Life", picked up for publication by Good Housekeeping and Woman's Day. I think the article is very helpful to many menopausal women experiencing the same issues, and I hope everyone gets a chance to read it here: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/relationships/a38903/menopause-affected-my-marriage/






  

     For many of us, this is the busiest time of year. It's also the most stressful. Trying to juggle the everyday demands of work, children, household chores and errand running coupled with extra holiday obligations is enough to make our heads spin (or earn our very own parking spot at the Liquor Mart).  It's nearly impossible to fit in time for decorating the house, shopping for gifts and baking special treats for family and friends.

     This week I'm celebrating my three year blogiversary! There have been so many magical moments since I first started Menopausal Mother on August 27, 2011. Most of the exciting changes have occurred in the past year, and I owe the success of the blog to you, dear readers.

     When I started blogging, I was lucky to receive 25 page views per week. Now I'm averaging 9000-10,000 per week, thanks to you! I've seen my fan base grow through various social media outlets and site subscriptions, and I absolutely LOVE interacting with you on these pages.

     2014 has been an AMAZING year. I set certain goals for the blog that I wanted to accomplish within 12 months. I'm astounded that in the first half of the year, I was able to check off every item on my bucket list.  Again, this NEVER would have happened without your love and support. You have proven to me that dreams really DO come true if we are patient and willing to work hard for what we desire.

     Every time I've been interviewed about Menopausal Mother, the same question pops up: "What inspired you to become a writer?" I can answer this several ways---- the artistic gene runs in my family…..but my hubs will tell you that it comes from my gift of gab. Yes, I'm a chatter box. The truth is, I've wanted to be a writer since I read Island Of The Blue Dolphins in the sixth grade.  From that moment on, I kept journals, worked on school literary magazines and eventually graduated from college with a degree in Creative Writing.

     Unable to find a job in my field of interest, I ended up working as a dental assistant by day and writing fiction at night. Within a year, I met my husband, bought a home and in the blink of an eye, had four children.

     I wrote when I could, filling notebooks with plot outlines, dialogue and character sketches drawn from an overzealous imagination. But over time, the notebooks ended up orphaned and unfinished under my bed, home to breeding dust bunnies and wayward socks.

     My identity as a writer became blurred by the daily demands of raising four, rambunctious children and running a chaotic household. I learned to prioritize the needs of my family, and in the process, lost my ambitions of becoming a writer.

     Twenty years passed before I penned anything other than a grocery list.

     After my father was diagnosed with leukemia, I was motivated to write a humorous story about my family life. I wanted to bring a bit of laughter into my father's world of radiation and chemotherapy. He smiled after reading the first story, and told me that I'd finally found my niche. I made a promise to him that day that I would do whatever it took to ignite my writing career.

     A year later, my father passed away. I pulled out the dusty notebooks and woke my dormant muse.

     I've been hooked on writing ever since.

     The blog has led to numerous online publications, collaborative anthologies, awards and a healthy fan base. This fall,  the promise I made to my father will come to fruition with the publication of my humorous book, "Who Stole My Spandex?"

     Writing has transformed my life in ways I never imagined. Having a creative outlet has eased the depression issues I've struggled with for years and is far cheaper than any therapist. Writing has also been a means to capture in words my family history and the memories that I hold dear.

     It took me many years to pursue my passion and find success, but it was well worth the wait.

     I am a mother. A wife. And now, a writer.










Want more Meno Mama? This week you can find me over at The Huffington Post. Read it here:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-kester-doyle-/the-seven-deadly-sins-of-menopause_b_5714295.html