Six years ago, when I first found out I was pregnant with twins, I started a blog called Jane’s Calamity to document my experiences and keep friends in the loop. Less than a year later, I took my blogging over to Babble, with a new blog, dubbed Baby Squared. I didn’t have time to keep up both blogs, so Jane’s Calamity went by the wayside.
But I’ve decided to bring it back. Because “Jane Roper” just doesn’t cut it as a blog name.
I figure no matter what life throws my way — twins, depression, a kid with leukemia, tsunamis, plagues of locusts, etc. — “calamity” will pretty much cover it. It suggests calamitous things of a more lighthearted nature as well: mischief, chaos, bad jokes, inane cultural commentary and whatever else comes into my small head.
And whither Baby Squared, you ask?
Well, the fact is, I’ve been thinking about bidding adieu to Babble for some time, for a couple of reasons, namely my own writing/career priorities, and the fact that Babble has changed quite a bit since I first started blogging there, with ever-more emphasis on winning the most possible clicks with every post. It’s just not my thing.
And now, with our new cancer-ish reality, I would prefer to blog in a more personal, non-commercial space. (My most recent post over at Baby Squared will probably end up being the penultimate one.)
So, welcome to Jane’s Calamity, y’all. Sign up for updates via email over on the right, follow me on my FB page or Twitter, or slap me up on one of them RSS thingies, and hang on tight.
Yeeeeeehaw!!!
Welcome back! 🙂
One of my new favorite blogs! Looking forward to following you here.
(And may not all of your adventures prove calamitous.)
I second that Korinthia!
Following over from Baby Squared. I love your blog name. It covers everything in life, just like you said.
it was totally time. i will be along for the ride!
I respect your decision and support you.
I am looking forward to following along! xoxo
Longtime fans remember Jane’s Calamity with great fondness. Woo hoo! Screw Babble!
I loved Babble through my pregnancy 5 years ago and the nursing time after I gave birth, but it is NOT good anymore. You were the only blogger left on there worth reading so I will happily follow you here. I adore your writing style and your candor.
Best wishes through all the challenges that life is handing you right now.
Glad you are moving away from Babble to a more personal site. I love your writing.
Good for you. New journey, new home.
I love that you’re back, Jane. You will rock this the way *you* want to rock this, and that’s the way I want you to rock this.
Sending love and support (and other goodies) to you and the family!
Jami
Yay!! Now they won’t bug you to make those damn little slideshows so that you get more clicks each time. (Not that you did much of it, but the rest of Babble…ugh). You’re free!
Exactly. 🙂
Jane, I think this was the right call (voting, ads, etc at Babble). Your writing stands for itself . . . no need for those bells and whistles at this point.
🙂
I’m with you!
Great idea to leave Babble. I’m sure you are grateful for the platform they gave you- and I am grateful for their introducing me to you, Rebecca Woolf and Katie Allison Granju, but it is a hot mess over there now and has been for about four years. So many ads, infotainment posts and click-bait. I don’t begrudge Babble whatever success it has accrued, but I find it a very unpleasant destination these days. Good luck to you here! I’ll be following, and wishing you the best with all your challenges.
Great decision!
I found it eerie this morning when I realized that your last post before this ‘Calamity’ was on the subject of being brave.
Good for you! You are my favorite blogger on Babble and the reason I go to it daily. I wish you well on your new blog and of course to you and your family.
Welcome home. 🙂
Been thinking about you the last couple of days. So happy to find you here.
And what Korinthia said!
Glad I found you! You were pretty much the only thing I read on Babble anyway! Maybe make a facebook page for this and post when you make a new blog so I will remember to check this!
Hi April — I actually do have a new Facebook page set up, where I’ll post when I write something new here. You can click on the link on the upper right (that ugly “Find me on Facebook” button, or just go to: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jane-Roper/384602331674
Thanks for staying along for the ride!!
Good for you! Hope you are hanging in there…
Hi Jane, I’m a new mother of twin girls and just finished reading your novel. Brilliant! Though my girls are only 5 1/2 months, I can already relate to so much of what you described. No doubt your experiences as documented in the book will continue to inspire me throughout my journeys with the girls. (We too feel funny calling them the “twins” since they are already such different little people!)
I also wanted to say that my thoughts are with you and your family as you adjust to Clio’s diagnosis. My twin Lucy was diagnosed with a rare metabolic disorder called PKU at 10 days old. Her body is unable to process an amino acid called Phenylalanine found in all foods with protein, which left untreated causes severe mental retardation. While we are so lucky that her condition is treatable with a medical formula she will drink for life along with a very restrictive diet, I remember how completely stunned I was and how hard it was to adjust to the fact that life with our girls would be very different from what we imagined. A PKU mom told me the condition eventually becomes your family’s “new normal.” I hope that at some point soon your family’s situation will somewhat become your new “normal.”
I look forward to your future blog posts!
Ever since I read your post about twins being a “funny kind of abundance,” I’ve been hooked (my twins are 13 months old). I haven’t read your blog for a while and am sitting here stunned by all this news and I’m so sorry to hear the turn your life has taken. But I have to say your attitude is amazing and I’ve always felt that a sense of humor will take us far in life. I look forward to following you here and wish you and your family all the best. You are in my thoughts.