Who Knew I was a Multi-Cultural Mom Blogger?

There are some parts of your identity that you take so much for granted that you don't even think about it.  Not really, not until someone or something reminds you of it.

When the natural hair movement started gaining steam, with women left and right shunning their perms and chemical processes for the beauty of their natural texture and all these curly hair and mixed-chick hair products were on every beauty supply shelf - it took me a while to realize "oh, that's me." I've been "natural" and "curly" all my life, but never thought of it that way, it was just my hair.

Recently, I came across a blog that celebrated being a multicultural mom blogger and promoted a network for such moms. This particular blog was written by a White mom with a Black husband and bi-racial children. There were other variations in the network - white moms, Asian moms, Hispanic moms, Black moms - with all shades and races of husbands and children.  Reading over the blog descriptions and author bios, it eventually struck me - "hey, that's me."  Of course, I've known, embraced, touted my ethnicity and heritage all my life, but I didn't give it much thought as defining me as a blogger.

In many ways though, doesn't our race and self-identity affect much of what we do, in ways we realize and in ways we don't much notice. The foods we eat, the activities we enjoy, our holiday celebrations.  Our language and word choice.  Our values and life choices.  It's not good or bad, better or worse.  It's what makes us all different and unique, but in many ways the same.  Beautiful, right?

So, how does this "multicultural mom blogger" distinction define my blog?  I guess in the same way that it defines me.

And now that I have had this "revelation", I'm heading to Blogalicious! in Atlanta.  A social media conference especially for multicultural bloggers.  This is my first blogging conference and I'm anticipating learning new ways to continually improve the blogging experience at Just Piddlin' - for me and you.  Be sure to keep up with me on Facebook and Twitter this week, starting Thursday, for the interesting tidbits I find there.

And while I'm there, of course I'll be multi-tasking as well.  I have a few book signings scheduled for my novel, Life in Spades. At a coffee shop, at a chocolate shop, another coffee shop - ha ha, are you really surprised?  I've got to build in my caffeine into my busy schedule.  Dates, times & locations are listed on my book site - www.francesfrost.com. So if you happen to be in Atlanta this week - stop by and say "hi"! 

Now, off I go to settle my household before I head out of town.  (Hmmm - mom's left-behind list to keep the household together while gone - perhaps another post all together.)