The BIG News!

NO. NO, not that big news. If you are 20-40 years old and have a uterus, people just assume that the word news is synonymous with pregnant.

Well, no. But I did give birth, if you will, to a new Internet domain. That's right, sameoldshannon.com is now a real-life domain. No more of this ".blogspot" stuff. I'm legit now.

Apparently before I didn't have ten extra dollars a year.

Anyway, this is all part of my campaign to make my blog a bigger deal. I have always been sort of averse to the all the shameless self-promotion that goes on in the blogosphere. Like, everywhere you go, you're supposed to be promoting your brand, linking to yourself, mentioning your blog. As in, "Hello, random customer at the grocery store. Did you know that you can pick out a cantaloupe based on the smell? Did I mention my blog, sameoldshannon.com? Anyway, are you collecting the little stickers so you can get cookware for a penny? Speaking of which, will you visit my blog, sameoldshannon.com? Your baby is cute. Sameoldshannon.com!"

No, that kind of self-promotion does not come naturally to me. But I realize that I need to push myself a little and advertise myself if I want to have any kind of readership. This revelation came about in the following way: Remember my friend who I sort of simultaneously envied/ridiculed in my last post? She read the post and wrote me the sweetest, most touching, most honest e-mail about it. And I thought, I am doing my part to bring the world closer together. Okay, not the world, per se. More like the ten other moms I know in my community, and members of my own family.

But, I like to write, and that is a way I can make a small difference. And so, I'm going to step out of character and pimp my blog. Buying a domain was the first step. And I'm getting business cards, so if you know me, be prepared for me to shove one in your face.

According to my stats, I had 800 page views last month. I heard awhile back that the going rate for ad space on blogs is $1 per ad for every 1,000 page views you get. So, if I could just increase my readership by 25%, I'd be on my way to earning a dollar!

And that's where you come in! Would you please spread the word about my blog? Like, send an e-mail link to a fellow office drone who has nothing better to do but sit around and read about the details of some stranger's life? Or find a particularly entertaining post of mine and link to it in your Facebook? Or link to me on your own blog?

I feel dirty just asking. But I also know that the truly influential blogs, the ones that lead to book deals and magazine gigs, don't just happen. Those writers had to pimp it up once, too. I know it sounds like a big fat lie, but I really don't care if I never become as famous as those people. That's the honest-to-God truth. I just want to genuinely entertain and inspire people. Though obviously the prospect of getting paid to talk out of my ass on the Internet is appealing.

Okay, so thank you, in advance, for your help.

Shannon