It’s been about 5 years since I last wrote to you (cue in SPCA music for blog neglect). We have a lot to catching up to do!!! I’ve ALWAYS considered blogging as my free therapy and it finally dawned on me, that I needed this outlet in my life again. Last week I announced to my husband, Brett (30 years this summer), that I was going to fire up this blog again and awaited his reaction. His response, “I’m now sure why you ever stopped blogging.” Me neither – so here we are!

Blogging and social media have evolved so much over time as have my personal goals. I’m older (gah 56)…maybe wiser, still not afraid to voice my opinion, but really not one to be confrontational. I try to get my point across without being too divisive today, though I can’t guarantee someone’s feelings will not get hurt along the way. I’ve really never cared if people liked me (pretty much my whole life), and probably care even less now. But I do try my drandest to be nice to all (genuine stuff there). The trending phrase, “You do you” – ya that suits me just fine. What will be different this time around…? I say this now (famous last words), but I’m not in the game for readership this time around. But blogging has always been a journey…you never know where it will lead you! I may write little, I may write a lot..who knows!

A little backstory…I began blogging in 2004 when Brett was deployed to Iraq and I was home in Oklahoma with 3 kids. I jumped into the blog world with a couple of friends from our previous post (who I still adore – Deb & Kathy), then decided I needed my own space. So I quickly jumped into the scene as a Milblogger with a Blogspot called Hooah Wife. That evolved into Hooah Wife and Friends with the tagline, “We don’t drink the kool aid. We pee in it,” (wicked classy I know). RIP Indian Chris, Brainhell and Kathy McKlenney. When we moved to Louisiana in 2007, it was time for a fresh platform…and Kiss My Gumbo was born.

There have been lots of adventures along the way as a Milblogger and NOLA area blogger: 2 Pentagon visits, brand ambassador for several things (with a couple of trips thrown in), blogging for a local news outlet, Vlogger for a national website, passes to this and that, ghost writing/writing for a local magazine, my own company for years, my own radio show, testing online live blogging software that was used in the Olympics (we tested it with American Idol – fun times with Chris Scott & Beth) and so much more!!!

The most valuable take-away was the online and off-line friendships I’ve made along the way. You can’t beat those with a stick! RIP Beth Cleaver – who goes down in history as the mother of all online communities, “The Cotillion,” with the tagline, “Everyone is entitled to our opinion.” Sit back and enjoy this crazy ride called life with me…if you dare!