Whoa Nellie! This past week I woke up from one of my many naps and, lo and behold, there’s a whole pile of likes and comments for my post This Will Happen to You. What in the world is going on here? During my sleep time, Word Press had Freshly Pressed me! In two days, I got over 1400 hits. Holy crap! Now what do I do?
Well, I’m a curmudgeon so, naturally, I find a way to complain about it.
Before I do that, let me thank everyone on my blogroll, my followers and readers. In particular, thanks to all my regular responders – from Le Clown and A Gripping Life; As I Age, Carrie Rubin and Diane Henders; to Madame Weebles and Harper Faulkner and all the rest. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
The post was based upon an incident that happened to me. I sold something of sentimental value and regretted it instantly.
On Freshly Pressed, I was labeled as “regrets” and squeezed between a post on depression and the presidential debates. So the top three posts to greet you in FP-land on Monday morning were the trifecta of mental illness, regrets and foreign policy. I wonder if the editors at Freshly Pressed felt that your Mondays were starting off too cheerfully.
The editors at FP assured me that my views would drop off rapidly and I would return to the anonymity to which I belong. [FP didn’t say that but it makes for a good story.]
From my perspective, my top three posts so far have been on misgivings, animal contraception and alternate names for death. If I can add ones on the bubonic plague, irritable bowels and the joy of macro-economics, my job here may be done. Until then, I’m left with the paradoxical task of being grouchy about being pleased. This goes in stages:
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Pre-FP:
FP’ed:
Post-FP:
Curmudgeon at Large 
I’m glad grouchy people have been given their due and got you FP’d. It’s not that I dislike happy people, I just find the grumpy ones more honest.
Well done. One hand clap for you!
I accept the one hand clap in preference to a one hand slap in the face.
Well said so I can be well-aimed. No slapping.
I’m giving you a slow clap. It seems appropriate.
A slow clap for a slow man.
Thanks for the shout-out. That is what they call it, right? I’m not really up on the jargon.
I love it when someone I follow gets Freshly Pressed. “Oh, you just found this blog? Well, I found it months ago. I’m a regular. Please take a seat on the hard chair at the back of the room. Us regulars get to sit on the sofa.”
Thank you; I enjoy your blog as well.
Good for you! I have been following your for sometime, and you are certainly deserving. Enjoy your fifteen minutes of fame.
DS
Thanks. Fame is fleeting.
wow 1400? I wet my pants if I get 20 views/comments and none are death threats. Well done Your Grouchiness.
Thank you. I can assure you that the stats are returning to normalcy.
Everyone should be able to complain about their Freshly Pressedness with such eloquence as you, CaL. I myself was FP’d four days after my baby was born, so my gripe is with the timing. One can only be excited about one major thing at a time. Gah.
A new born always takes precedence. Now I’m being called eloquent. My face is red.
Love your curmudgeoness. Glad u were FP’d coz ur damn funny and it made me find you
Thank you for liking all things grouchy.
Absolutely super! Looking forward to some wonderful grouchyness about the holidays. All joy in being a cantankerous, but loveable, coot. HF
Thanks, HF. I’m working up my best Bah! Humbug! rendition.
Belated congratulations on your FP! You really make me laugh, Curmudgeon. It is a pleasure to be one of your regular readers. I was relieved to see that post-FP photo of Statler, though, I was a little worried that you would be less grumpy permanently. Phew.
Thank you very much, MW. Only today, I went out and started beating my toes with a ball-peen hammer to make sure that I would stay grumpy (and in a lot of pain).
That’s the spirit!
Love your curmudgeonly point of view. Not too snarky, not too angry, it’s just right. Like porridge when the bears are out for a walk. Keep on writing!!
Hmmm, porridge. Thanks for the comment.
Congrats!
Thanks. How’s the improv business?
Now the world will discover your curmudgeonly brilliance! Congratulations!
Not sure about the brilliance but thank you for the kind comment.
Congratulations – your new-found fame is well-deserved! Your readers will stick around when they realize what a great blog you have, and I’m sure Hollywood will be contacting you shortly to begin a bidding war for your Fallen Arches series.
And thank you for the mention. As one of the “little people”, I was preparing a sordid “I knew him before he was famous” tell-all post, but your gracious acknowledgement forestalled it.
(Kidding. Seriously, thanks for the mention.) 🙂
I got a call from Hollywood. It was Hollywood, Alabama and they want their trailer home back.
DH, I truly enjoy your posts. Who else can yuck it up about three growm women acting like little girls traveling across Canada?
C-a-L and Le Clown, I know we’ve only known each other for what, like one or two days, but I think I am in cyberspace-love already. You are a real pair of gems. 🙂 And C-a-L, congrats on being F.P. You are a funny, miserable, smart, miserable, endearing, miserable old bugger.
Thank you very much, Fern. You hear that, Clownface, we’re a pair of gems. I’ve never been in cyberspace-love before.
Me either. So I guess we’ll see how this works. I’ve always wanted two men. 😉
I’m so thrilled that the people at Freshly Pressed finally came to their senses and gave you an award, even though I’m sure it’s killing you. If anyone can master the art of being simultaneously grouchy and pleased, it’s you.
Congratulations, Curmudgeon!!!
Oh, and thanks for the shout out. It’s an honor to be one of your regular readers. : )
Thanks so much, AGL. You’re right, being both grouchy and pleased is giving me pains.
I’m sticking around! This is just my style! And I use exclamation points too much!!!
I’ve noticed that!!!
Haha. That is so true. I remember my plummet after two days of FP bliss. My stats looked like two skyscrapers on a prairie. But you’ll snag some ongoing followers, because your content is so funny. I especially loved this line: “So the top three posts to greet you in FP-land on Monday morning were the trifecta of mental illness, regrets and foreign policy.”
Thanks so much for the mention, by the way, and for including me on your blogroll! My own blogroll is beginning to look like a never-ending scroll. 🙂
Two skyscapers on a prairie – that’s it exactly!
So much for short-lived fame. I am most pleased to have you on my blogroll.
As I am you on mine. Now enough of this mushy stuff. Back to the grumps.
C-a-L,
As a regular reader, I know your tactics… You thanked Le Clown… When in fact, you blamed Le Clown for your new found fame, and loss of anonymity. Le Clown has large shoulders. Dump it all.
Le Clown
Your Magnificence should know that I wrote the article before we found each other but, yes, I still blame you.