I'm the New DC Empty Nest Examiner at Examiner.com

It's been a busy week, one where I did so much writing that I'm at a loss for words to use here.  So, I will put in a gratuitous plug for my new "column" at Examiner.com where I am the new Empty Nest Examiner for Washington, DC. 

I can hear you... "How is she going to manage that when she can't assemble two sentences a week here?"  The answer?  Incentive.  I get compensation, distribution of the content that I produce and visibility.  Besides, this is my place to discuss my personal experiences while there it's about all Empty Nesters.

Here's an example of a topic I would not raise on my Examiner.com page:

As a joke (I'm sure) my middle child - SHARON - got it in to her mind that I wrote about her sisters more than I  wrote about her. "SHARON", I said, "That's because you don't cause me any problems."  I thought that ended the discussion.  But no... SHARON's "friends" apparently ran some algorhythm or something on my blog and came up with some ridiculous statistic that supported her claim. SHARON who is, truly, a reasonable kid 92.391 percent of the time, shrugs it off, but her friends persist.  SHARON, honey, what kind of friend tries to drive a wedge between a mother and her child? SHARON, get some new friends. 

Still, I feel compelled to provide my own proof that my daughters are treated equally here and elsewhere. First, I have all the worksheets (and adding machine tapes) from every Christmas since you all were born to prove that I spent the same dollar amount on each of you -- even if it meant pulling out one of the presents or tossing three pennies into your stocking to balance things out.  To all you kids, did you ever wonder why some of you got pennies and foil covered chocolate coins in your stockings?

Second, here is the wordle for my blog.  I believe a picture is worth a thousand words. Please note that I mention someone named Joan and someone else named Jack, more than I mention you all.  (Click on the image to enlarge it.

So SHARON, whom do you trust?

Comments

[Sharon]

Hahaha, I would also like to add that you mention the granddaughter more than any of us. Considering that we have a combined 69 years on her, this blog was started before her parents were married, and we can bathe ourselves, I think we deserve a little credit :-D

Yes. Yes you do. But she doesn't talk back to me. LOL

I love you.

[jujube]

Congratulations on your new writing job!

I just found your blog this morning by googling "empty nest holidays" and after reading two entries, including this one, I know I am going to add you to my feed reader.

I love that you added pennies to make the $ amount come out even, lol.

[Hummingbird]

Thanks, jujube. I'm happy to have you!

[Muddy]

I have a daughter who is 18 and a son who is 16 and I can so relate to sorting through gifts to make sure that everything equals out one way or another...down to the things appearing in the stockings. Ha!

[Shannon]

I am laughing so hard here. I'm one of four girls. I know my mom talks to and of my sisters more than me.... But 92.9 percent of the time, I don't give her any trouble (which is more than I can say for them!). Last year I was talking with a friend of mine. She has four daughters who are now well into their 60s. "At what age does the bickering end?" I asked. She just smiled, "It doesn't." My two girls, after opening exactly the same number and type of presents Christmas morning, proceeded to fight over a book of stickers I threw into one of their stockings to even up the score (from last year no less!) and a harmonica for about 2 hours.