Comments on: People treat me kinda special, but it comes with a price

By: Rebecca Smith

Rebecca Smith — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:31:59 +0000

Beth,
It sounds like you have a wonderful family that supports you no matter what. Be thankful for their encouragement and enjoy your role as the prodigal daughter this Thanksgiving.

By: steph

steph — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:02:31 +0000

Beth, I really can’t believe how alike we are. I swear, we could be twins, from your post to what you said in your first comment. WOW.

And because I’m in the same situation as you, like, exactly, I can’t say anything more!

By: Craig

Craig — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:46:06 +0000

My little sister “did the right thing” and got married and had two kid.

My little brother got divorced, but wants to be married and have kids.

I’m married but we don’t have kids, by choice. We got hammered over that for years. One of the first questions my mom asked my future wife when they met and I was out of earshot was, “So, how many kids do you want?”

It hasn’t been easy, but we stuck to our child-free guns and everyone has mostly settled down.

Craig

By: Beth

Beth — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:35:44 +0000

SEE???

Dang it all. I’m going to need therapy again.

Pop, when I write my autobiography, I’m telling them about the emotional scars I received from my father. Sigh.

By: Papa

Papa — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:11:54 +0000

Beth .. You may not believe this but all we want you to do is be happy.

And famous.

And support us in our old age.

Love Pop

By: Lesli Lord

Lesli Lord — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 21:52:43 +0000

Love, love, love the “Get Out of Family Duty Free” card.

By: Beth

Beth — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 21:22:51 +0000

Oh gosh…. I’m embarrassed. Sometimes (like today) I just write what’s on my mind, and I get such amazing support. I almost feel like it must look like I’m fishing for nice comments, but I’m truly not. It’s worth it to remember that I’m sitting in an office that echoes in a house that’s quiet. I just get to thinking about things, and I let fly.

Thanks, really. Thanks, thanks, thanks. Sure wish my diary with teenage angst was on the web way back when. Perhaps I would have had much more support in high school. (That was a terrible time for everyone, right?)

Sara, “What would Beth do?” Really? Wow. Whatever the situation, Beth would probably eat a cupcake first. Or some raw pasta. I wouldn’t recommend that.

By: Moonbeam McQueen

Moonbeam McQueen — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 21:20:03 +0000

Beth, you’re an amazing person, and your family is amazing as well. It sounds as though they realize that you’re unique, and they want you to be happy, whatever that takes. You give them gifts that you can’t see

I’d love to “have the kinds of quiet dreams that my sister has” too. She’s the one with the house, the husband, the 3.7 kids, the financial stability and all those cars in the driveway. Sometimes, I wish that I’d opted for that life, but I know I’d be miserable if I did. I think you would be too.

You love them, they love you. They accept you as you are, and instead of feeling guilty, just enjoy!

Boy, am I wordy today.

By: Sara Best

Sara Best — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 21:16:50 +0000

I’m way up here in Canada and I’ve never even met you but you inspire me regularly to work harder, market my business in new ways and never give up no matter how impossible this industry seems at times.

When I get to that point where I’m fairly certain that I’ll never get any more work and that I’ll have to give up on my business and get a “real job” I always think, “what would Beth do?” and then I go and send out some more emails to potential clients or query letters to magazine editors to dig up some more work for myself. And it usually works and that stops me from giving up that day.

That’s something big.

By: Bill Machi

Bill Machi — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 21:00:25 +0000

I don’t know about changing the world or writing a book, but you’re one h-ll of a writer. You’ve got natural flow, and subtle word choice. You should branch out – short stories, columns, not just the Net – but ‘real-life’ .