Last Sunday I was fresh of off a day at Milwakee EdCamp. It was an amazing experience full of learning and connecting. There really is nothing like it. It is a teaching and learning process that could rock so many other worlds ie.blogging world or schools. Did I say it was AMAZING!!!! I left there recharged, full of ideas and excited about all I had learned and the people I had met.
I sat down with my cup of coffee ready for a relaxing, do as little as humanly possible Mother’s Day. I also hoped that after weeks and weeks of no having time to share on this space and being reminded by Olivia and Francine (who’s turn it is to post next here) that they had TONS of ideas lined up, I would finally have time to write. So I did what you shouldn’t and opened up my Hootsuite and then my Google+. I’ll just peek first then I’ll write…huh!
Suddenly I found myself drawn to the educators I had connected with on Saturday, wanting to tweet and connect more. I was being pulled away from all my usual friends and chatterboxes that I adore. It was something I had never experienced. Then it happened again. I was off to Google+ following and adding to circles educators that could enhance my learning network and bring a wealth of ideas and information into my life. I smiled and felt a great pride build up inside of me as I connected with others, not as Laverne but as Carrie the teacher. I was giddy.
As I patted myself on the back proud that I put myself out there a little more I was suddenly overtaken by an intense make you lose your breath, OMGAAAAWWDDDD how am I going to do this all. AHHHHHHHHH I’m going crazy feeling. What the h*ll was I thinking? What was I doing? Was I nuts?
My excitedness to put myself out there as an educator had now left me with….
2 Twitter Account….akaLaverne and Teacher Me
2 Pinterest Accounts…akaLaverne and Teacher Me
2 Google+ Account…akaLaverne and Teacher Me
2 Vine Accounts….akaLaverne and Teacher Me
3 Facebook Account….Carrie’s, akaLaverne Page and akaLaverne’s
…are you following me here. Totally craziness … Oh and lets not forget the two blogs I have now.
As my OMGAAAAWWDDDD how am I going to do this all. AHHHHHHHHH I’m going crazy feelings subsided I tried to brainstorm options. Maybe I could put all of the social media from one account on my iPad and the other on my phone…yeah already tried that. It’s not working now. Maybe it was time to merge both worlds and start a new blog as me Carrie and me Carrie teacher…oye I am finally in my first year here at akaLaverne. Move again. Start another wordpress blog and merge over all the Laverne stuff and the stuff from Hold On To Your Chair… HECK NO!!!! Maybe it was time to merge all my accounts under a new name as me Carrie and Carrie Teacher, start a new name for myself. Yeah, I could do that if I wanted to confuse the heck out of all my Laverne friends and then leave all my new teacher friends thinking I was crazy!
My head hurt just thinking of all this and my restful Mother’s Day oye! Well at least I wasn’t cleaning or doing laundry.
Suddenly hours and hours and HOURS of thinking and trial and error and enough are you kidding me’s…to put anyone on the edge a voice whispered to me…
“It’s Time. You know it is. It’s time to do it!”
So before all my courage could leave me and I stopped breathing from fear and fainted…I did it. I changed my Twitter handle to @carriebaughcum and changed my profile to include Special Education teacher and my other blog. I changed one of my Google+ account to Carrie Baughcum and joined my akaLaverne circles with my teacher circles. I changed my Pinterest and Vine accounts and profiles from akaLaverne to Carrie Baughcum and then I hit SAVE on all of them. My stomach curddled and my breathing still was not normal, but I had done it! I had combined my worlds and felt like (between the deep calming breaths I was still taking) I was shouting to the world THIS IS ME! Carrie Baughcum… momma, wife, Special Educator teacher, mismatch sock wearer, word slinger, illustrator, idea sharer.
As the clock displayed 11:00pm I was exhausted, proud and still a bit terrified…but really proud. This Mother’s Day I had done something I NEVER in my wildest dreams thought I would do. I put the real me out there ready to still share as Laverne and the teacher me too.
So while akaLaverne is gone from Twitter she is by no means gone. Laverne and this space are deep, deep part of me. This space is a place where I LOVE to share my voice and create. That can never ever go away.
…but I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Yay for baring it all!
Denise recently posted..PYHO: Diet and Migraines – A Month of GF/DF
Awwww Denise than you so much for your YAY! and thank you so much for stopping by and visiting!
I am so incredibly proud of everything you have done!
Look at the spaces you have created! Look at what you are doing!
Go girl! Keep up the great work!
Leighann recently posted..The Baby House
Leighann you make me smile each time I see that you have visited this space. You’re words warm me and make me feel so proud. Thank you from deep down in my heart for all your kindness and the amazing support you have always shown me xoxoxo
First of all, I’m standing on my chair, screaming my head off, and clapping so hard my hands hurt, all because I’m cheering for you!! And your braverism!! (Word I steal frequently from my favorite musical, “Wicked.”) I LOVE LOVE LOVE that you’re sharing your entire fabulous self with the rest of the world. You have so much to offer, and I’ve told you that a bazillion times because it’s true. Can’t wait to see what fun you will have next.
Secondly, I ADORE the illustrated edition. It’s fantastic! And colorful and fun and OH-SO-CARRIE. You rock, sister friend. XOXO
Abby recently posted..Let The Countdown Begin
Oh Abby…. I know I have told you voer and over and over and over and over again how much I adore you but I am going to tell you again and again and again. Thank you so very much from deep in my heart for always being such a fantastic supporter of me. I am so absolutely giddy with where I am now and so proud. You have so much to do with that my very dear friend! Oh and braverism…I’m totally doing something with that!!!! xoxoxoox
Yay, I’m so happy for you and owning your space and your name! Onward and upward!!
Thank you Greta. It is a new phase for me. Even after a couple of weeks of being me I am still a bit nervous but I am slowly growing into my new skin. Thank you for always being so very supportive!
Congratulations for making things a whole heck of a lot easier for yourself! I’m sure that it’ll turn out perfect!
Jackie recently posted..How to Prepare for Becoming a Parent