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LFCA Latest Issue: Friday, September 25, 2009.

Latest Post on BlogHer: Parenting after Infertility.

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Friday, November 09, 2007

Friday Blog Roundup

Alas, having an IF blog win the Weblog Awards this year was not meant to be. It has most likely gone to a worthy opponent, Baldy, and while I would have loved to have the general public's attention to increase IF/pg loss awareness, you can't really argue with educating the world about bone marrow transplants. I'm basing this on the voting since the Weblog Awards hasn't announced the winner yet. So I'm congratulating Baldy. Unless I don't have to congratulate Baldy and he has to congratulate me. Hi, Adrian!

What I do want to say is that your support meant more to me than I could ever possibly express with words. Placing a "please vote" message on your blog, asking friends to vote too, and making sure to click over everyday--it doesn't really matter if I lost; I'm still going to be shoving my message of mandated coverage down the general population's throat this election period. But knowing you have my back...that's what I take out of this. So a huge thank you--to everyone who voted, to everyone who got others to vote, and to everyone who blogged about it. Thank you thank you thank you and thank you.

If I weren't so damn weepy, I would tell you that I'd like to buy you all a Coke and sing in perfect harmony. But I'm crying too hard so I'll just say that I'd like to give you each a hug.

By fuck, I'm hormonal.

Some people have expressed a fear that they're late with joining Twelve and a Half Fighting Back (THFB) or they need more time to write up something about their own journey's financial aspects. Take your time. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Flicka and I have many ideas up our sleeves for this pre-election period. We are essentially reinforcing Resolve's positions while adding the power of the Internet and its organizing capabilities. Resolve is aiming for 1000 letters. I think we can do better than that. If I could get over 1000 votes in one week, I think we can get over 1000 letters in several more. Our goal is to help get The Family Building Act of 2007 (HR 2892) passed in the House. It's to get legislation into the Senate. It's to educate the general population on the emotional, physical, and financial realities of infertility and pregnancy loss.

Some of Twelve and a Half Fighting Back will be done on our blogs. Some of it will be conducted via email. If you'd like your name and email address added to the THFB list, send me an email at thetowncriers@gmail.com. Write
"add me to the THFB mailing list" in the subject line. Or add your email address in the comments below. Become a blogtavist. Use your sliver of the Internet to make a difference.

Waaah, and this is where I get weepy again and say that you've already made a difference in my life. Seriously, I can't get through three lines without getting sniffly.

A short roundup this week--not because I didn't read incredible things, but I need to return to reading Blogtavism links.

Ms. Heathen at Reproductively Challenged had a post about trying to leave infertility behind. She writes about the idea of taking a break: "I decided to stop Trying, and have sex for recreational, rather than purely procreational, purposes. Maybe other people were right - if I could relax a little more, it might 'just happen.' But then I realised that it doesn't work like that. Once infertility has you in its clutches, it doesn't just let you go. I thought I was doing a pretty good job of not thinking about it, but then it crept up on me in the supermarket. In the queue for the checkout, a baby girl looked at me and smiled, and suddenly the grief, the anger and the futility of it all hit me again, square in the guts. And that's when I realised - this isn't going to go away." I'm not sure how one goes about disentangling themselves from Trying. Especially when they're still somewhat trying. The heart can only be tricked so much. And I thought this was a very astute and touching post.

I love, love, love Beagle's recent posts on her private blog about why she hates Christmas and she's bringing them to you on her public blog, Fortune Cookie Follies. Beagle used to love the holidays and looked forward to them every year. And then infertility hit and it became the most difficult time of year. To be honest, it's a very abstract concept for me--as a Jew--because our holidays aren't publicly celebrated so you can hide in your house and ignore it if you choose. And my associations with Christmas are not of the high-stress variety. There are no presents to purchase or family parties to attend. There is simply candy, sparkle lights and music. And...those three things are probably not the things bringing most Christian stirrup queens and sperm palace jesters hours of stress. I think everyone should head over to Fortune Cookie Follies and add their own suggestions on what Beagle should do with the plethora of Christmas-themed child-focused catalogs she receives in the mail each year. Most creative wins bragging rights through the season.

Have a great weekend everyone. I'm hanging with the D.C. Bloggers. Oh, and being a blogtavist. As you should too. Be a blogtavist that is. Unless you live in the area and then you should join the D.C. Bloggers too.

4 comments:

Roy said...

I don't know if I'm in on the whole THFB email thing. I would like to be, if I'm not already. I'm so organizationally-challenged, I could be part of a dozen groups and be confused about each one.

Roy said...

Crap, forgot to add my email address so that it was convenient (I know you have it, but it is so very unfair for me to expect you to search for it when I can just as easily post it for you):
infertileroy@yahoo.com

Tracy said...

Can you add me to the THFB list if you haven't already? You have my email!

xo

Ms Heathen said...

Thank you so much for your comments about my post. I'm still pretty new to this blogging lark, and so wasn't sure whether there was anybody out there actually reading! I'm sorry that you didn't win the Weblog Award - you really do so much in building a sense of community and support for those struggling with IF.