Blogger Appreciation Month Week 2 - Maggie Mason: Manic Pixie Dream Blogger?

This month I’m appreciating a handful of bloggers I love and admire. This week, I'm looking at Maggie Mason who writes MightyGirl. Here's a pro-tip from me to you: don't vacuum your computer with the regular vacuum, even if you're using the fuzzy attachment on the end of the hose attachment thing.

Here's another pro-tip: When you need to fish something important out of a vacuum bag (a number 3 computer key, perhaps) use disposable wooden chopsticks. They prevent your dunking your hands in dirt and yuck and you can just throw them out after.

So why was I vacuuming my computer? Because the corner of my home - behind the sofa in the living room - that counts as my "office" has been having a bug problem. Teeny tiny little grey bugs. I first noticed them because I'd be sitting there working at my computer and feel a tickle - "what's this little bug on my hand? Oh, look, more on the computer." I'd squish them and move on. But earlier this week it became clear that the bug situation was escalating so today, I found myself standing in Bug Corner, as it is now known, trying to suck up all the little jerks.

And during all of this - indeed, all week - I've been thinking about Maggie Mason. How could I honor and appreciate her here? And, truly, her writing has made me such a better blogger than I would otherwise be (which is not to say there isn't still some room to grow).

Suddenly I remembered that Maggie Mason once had a bug problem! And she had great advice about how to clean a computer (much more specific than mine above). That made me remember her homemade salad bar (so clever!) and snack dinner (Number 2 in this post but read the rest of it too; I think about number 5 a lot).

As I thought back on so many great posts, I think what makes them all so great is that Ms. Mason shows a lot more than she tells. When she writes about her bug freak-out, she doesn't explain that she was freaked out and analyze the many ways and reasons that's the case, she just freaks out in writing and we get it. Of course that's a generalization and there are times that some explanation is called for (and even then, I think she has a nicely light touch). Still, I think this is why it's been so hard to find ways to blog "in homage" to her - she's just a good writer writing about her life. If I can manage to be a good writer writing about my life, it won't look like an homage to anyone (I don't think), but we can all know that Maggie Mason had a hand in the matter.