Local Blogger Rushed to Hospital

Blue Springs, MO

Local near-celebrity, Mary Beth Sutton, known for her blog, Mary, Me was taken by ambulance to the hospital on Monday after suffering what she described to followers (before calling 911) as “traumatic heart attack symptoms.”

After testing, doctors at St. Luke’s South determined that Ms. Sutton had no heart problems, and had most likely experienced a panic attack.

In the interest of being thorough and avoiding a med-mal lawsuit, St. Luke’s staff asked many questions.

What had she eaten for breakfast? What medications did she take? What was she doing when the symptoms started? How would she be paying for this visit?

Ms. Sutton explained that her morning was normal. She’d made herself some buttered toast, took a selfie with it, and posted to social media. Then she worked out to a Sweatin’ with the Oldies video, took a selfie, and posted to social media. Then she went to Starbucks, taking a selfie in the car, then another one with the barista, and in the car again, this time getting the temperature gauge in the shot, and posted each of those.

Ms. Sutton stated that once home, she trimmed her toenails and jumped in the shower.

"And that’s when the trouble started."

“Your symptoms started in the shower?” asked the photogenic doctor.

“Well, yes. I love your scrubs. I was shampooing my hair and wondering if I should change my facebook profile picture again when I realized I forgot to take a selfie of my toenails. Suddenly I was short of breath and lightheaded and my heart rate got weird. Totes weird.”

“I see,” said the doctor. “I’m going to recommend rest and I want you to seriously consider counseling.”

“I don’t nee- Wait! That would make for a great blog series! Mind if I get a pic of us by the EKG equipment?”

Ms. Sutton got the photo, but did not get counseling, justifying her actions by saying, online, "It's social media or cat collecting or self-medicating or something, you know? And hey! I refuse to let my followers down! So here's a selfie of me drinking some water - enjoy!"  

A Year of (Almost) Daily Writing

Today I’m joining a blog hop with a few friends from My 500 Words. Nearly a year ago to the day, I saw Jeff Goins’ call to join his challenge to write 500 words every day for 31 days.

Well, someone has to watch me, so I signed up.

The accountability mattered. Whether I shared my daily words with the group or posted only my word count or just popped in to cheer others on and share a laugh or three, I wrote every day.

Come February, most of us decided to stay, and the challenge was on to write every day of 2014.

From location to writing levels, we are a diverse and friendly and seriously supportive group. We have members everywhere.

We have some excellent writers, and it still sometimes blows me away that they even acknowledge me, let alone the gentle kicks in the butt I get when they know I need them.

We have watched others start their first blog or get an article published for the first time or finish their umpteenth novel, and we celebrate everything.

We have shared the hard stuff, too. Some members divorced this year, some lost loved ones, others suffered serious health issues. When down in the weeds, this group rallies together and tries to pull you out.

Most of you know I spent the month of September on the Oregon coast. One plan was to work on the novel I’d started in June. Never in a million did I think I’d ever want to write a novel. Look what these people did to me!

While chatting online one evening, Tonia and Roslynn decided to join me on the coast for a long weekend. Then we invited Laura, who lives near Portland. I was excited and also hoped I wouldn't run my introverted self into the forest and hide until time for them to leave.

Shortly after Laura decided to make the trip, I received an email from Pat, the editor of Not Your Mother's Book on Working for a Living (we had biz, ya'll!). Turned out she hits the coastal towns often. She agreed to join our meet up.

These stranger-friends arrived and rather than wanting to run into the forest, it felt like a reunion with long-separated friends. Tonia put the guilt on us if anyone wanted to go out before writing. She taught me better discipline. We wrote, we shared our writing with each other and critiqued for one another. We walked and talked and ate and laughed a lot.

Laura Hile and Pat Nelson

Tonia Hurst and Pat Nelson

We didn’t realize until departure time that only Tonia and Ros had met before this weekend.  That’s how easy it was.

We were no longer stranger-friends. None of us.

Tonia Hurst and Roslynn Pryor

Did I write every single day of 2014? No. I missed some days. Did I write anything that might change the world? Nope. I wrote some pretty good stuff and I wrote some stuff I should just burn. But I wrote. I wrote a lot. And I met good people that I never would have crossed paths with if I hadn't joined the challenge.

To the entire group, and especially the members who encouraged me to keep at it, may you find just the right words in 2015.

Write on.

Here are a few friends who took up the challenge a year ago. Check out their blogs and spread the love!

Linzé Brandon at Butterfly on a Broomstick

Vanessa Wright at Humouring the dark
Stella Myers at Stella’s Starshine
Amy Bovaird‪ at Amy’s Adventures
Crystal Thieringer at Muse and Meander
‪Roslyn Prior at Pushing the Bruise
Becky Williams Waters at A Novel Creation
Laura Hile at For the Love of Storytelling
Tonia Hurst at The Vast and Inscrutable Imponderabilities of Life

http://www.melindalancaster.com/2015/01/the-blessing-of-getting-stuck.html

The One Thing All Women Who Die Alone Do

You can call me the Enchantress

Last night I was on Facebook and saw one of those “suggested” posts. I usually ignore that stuff.

I mean, if I want to spend money online I’ll go to gap.com or amazon, not the land of nuttiness. I read links from those I follow, but otherwise I prefer to just pick up a book.

But this one caught my eye:

“Women who die old and alone all do this one thing.” 

Yeah, they failed to properly capitalize the title.

It was a tempting headline. I almost clicked. But I saw that new sidebar thing that tells me Bob just scored two points in Words with Friends and Patty likes Jim’s picture and Jill joined a group for people who like to join Facebook groups.

I could not bring myself to read “Women who die old and alone all do this one thing” because everyone would then be notified that I’d read it and think AHA, I knew she was lonely and afraid of dying alone!” 

So I just pondered what that one thing might be that old and alone women do. And how they define “old” and “alone.” Eighty? Ninety? One hundred? Does single mean alone? Or is that reserved for old women with not one relative or friend?

I’m just gonna say I may be of a certain age, but I am not old. I am single, and I live alone, but I’m not alone.

Anyway. What could that one thing be?

Hoarding cats?

Eating at Waffle House?

If they’re alone, how would anyone know what they are all doing?

I had to stop pondering to meet up with my coaching group, and as I got on Facebook to go to group I saw this headline:

“3 Things That Repel Men.” The link was to the same website that knows what old women do when alone.

At first glance I thought it was enchantment.com. 

It was actually enchantmen.com. Enchant Men. Oh boy, now it was pretty clear that by “old and alone” they mean single.

After the coaching session, instead of starting my homework I googled the website so I could get the scoop without it being announced right there next to Cathy watched a cat video!

The articles linked on Facebook weren’t there. It’s just a video. A very long video about how to snag a man.

You know, all the authentic things that lead to lasting love, like what colors to wear, how to pretend interest in boring things he likes, stuff like that. But they don’t give it all away in the video, because they want you to pay for these insider secrets, and that shit ain’t cheap.

It’s 320 bucks, but hey, a low low price to pay to learn how to trick a man into loving the person you are pretending to be so that you won’t die alone because you did that one thing.

Alone meaning single. Not alone.

Don't Scan Me When I'm Gone

I just read about a business that offers a “fresh interactive service to family and loved ones to keep memories alive.”

They make a stainless steel plaque with a QR scan code to attach to your headstone. Then anyone with a cell phone(a smart one) can scan the code, which will send them to a website with photos and stories about you. They can also POST COMMENTS INSTANTLY!

Turns out that the “quality interactive web page” is a Facebook page.

I have a few questions.

What does QR stand for, exactly? Queerly Revealing? Quack Radar? Can anyone buy this and attach it to the dearly departed’s headstone?

“Coach Smith. He wasn’t very nice. And he smelled funny.”

“Here’s Aunt Matilda, who invented prostitution.”

Oh, the trouble it could cause. 

What if you accidentally stuck Uncle Harry's scan code on Aunt Helen's headstone? It could create horrible misunderstandings on Facebook. Imagine that.

Maybe you could just put the obituary on it, which would be cool for future generations to see. But how long until scan codes go the way of the 8 track tape and VHS? Or film? Remember needing film in order to snap a photo?

I imagine visitors placing flowers on a grave, and saying “What the heck is that?” and some guy trimming weeds in the cemetery replies “That’s how people used to find information on their deceased loved ones…and family...and complete strangers.”

It just seems wrong to me to be browsing (and “posting comments instantly”) on Facebook while visiting the cemetery.

If you like this idea, why not just make your Facebook page public before you croak?  Easy peasy - those at your grave who just can't help themselves can search and find it. For free. No QR scan code required. They can check in to see who checked out.

I want my Facebook page to go before I do. I do not want it resurrected for profit or keeping memories or anything else. Period. 

What do you think? If Facebook is here to stay, how long do you plan to have a page?