Hi there! I'm Mindy Kay Smith- the Thoroughly Modern Mommy. And this is a project about teaching women through honesty, humor, and hope that they are not alone. (alliteration intentional.)
My Curriculum Vitae says I'm a performing arts teacher. When I get paid to work, it's generally in that area. But several years ago, after an unsuccessful year of trying to get pregnant, I started to write. I wrote down the story of our journey in trying to conceive (or TTC for those of you visiting from that world. I'm sorry you're in that world, by the way. I hope we can make it a little easier together.) The most tangible result was a now-finished, ready-to-send-to-agents memoir. I'm hoping that one day in the not-so-distant future I can send you the link to buy it on Amazon. But in the meantime...
The other result was realizing I had a love for writing.
ThrlyMdrnMommy.blogspot.com is where I've been developing that love, and my craft.
I've been writing on my blog since my daughter was a few months old. Sometimes it was as close to adult interaction as I could get while we waited for Daddy to come home. I wrote because it helped me.
It turns out that I was also helping others.
I used my blog as an outlet to share my daily struggles and victories as a Mom. I also shared experiences with infertility, mental illness, and adoption.
And it started to get attention.
Over the past month, I've done a few interviews and gotten a few more followers and realized- it's time to make this thing big. I want to reach as many people as I can. I want to let them know they're not alone. And I want them to laugh. With me, at me, whatever.
ThoroughlyModernMommy.com will be different.
There are a million sites out there dealing with infertility, and parenthood, and adoption, and depression. This one will be different in four ways.
1. My blogs address the topics with both sensitivity and humor. I've seen one or the other. Having them together is rare.
2. I'll include resources for people looking for help. Note: I will not be providing this help myself. I am not a doctor. I am not a therapist. I am just a person who unfortunately had to learn a lot about these topics. I will not attempt to give you answers to your personal situation. But I will list straight-forward information. Terms about infertility. Different types of adoptions. Help lines if you're in crisis.
3. This site will NOT include an online community. I know these communities are helpful for many. But I also know that sometimes you just want to know what kind of pregnancy test is best without hearing 27 stories from strangers about the bizarre things that worked for them.
4. When it comes to infertility, adoption, and depression, I am no longer "in it." I will always be a person who suffers from depression, but have been healthy for a long time. I will always hurt from infertility, but am no longer actively trying to conceive. I will be a part of an adoptive family forever, but am no longer going through the process. This is an important difference, because it allows me to focus on telling stories and relaying information.
So, what's the money for?
I want to make ThoroughlyModernMommy.com the fun, inviting site that Moms deserve. This means a great web designer. A talented graphic artist. Marketing campaigns. And equipment that can handle all that. (I'm writing this to you live from my acer aspire one.)
Thank you for taking the time to read all this. I welcome any questions or comments you have about ThoroughlyModernMommy.com
But in the meantime- it's beautiful outside! Go do something fun!
I'm a Mom. If you've gotten this far down the page (thank you!) you probably picked that up by now. I'm making arrangements for childcare throughout the month of June so I can work single-mindedly on making this a fun, informative, attractive site. But let's be real. If my daughter needs me- because of illness or sadness or loneliness or whatever-ness, that will come first.
I have a strong track record of successful projects as a teacher and producer in the New York City area, even since becoming a Mom.(I was playing Corie in "Barefoot in the Park" when our daughter arrived. Surprise! But the show went on.) I am confident that I'll be able to produce this project as I have so many others. But is it possible that the timeline will need to be adjusted? Sure.