Introducing … Chirping Monkeys

No, you didn’t read it wrong. And no, I did not start a garage band in my spare time. But I did help nudge the birth of a blogger. Chirping Monkeys is the brainchild of Most Excellent Friend Chele, sometimes known as MonkeyGirl. You’ve seen me post about her and if you read my posts’ comments, you’ve no doubt seen her there, too.

Apparently, she’s been coveting This D*mn House (the blog, not the house – she has a perfectly wonderful house, complete with inground pool) as I learned in her initial post. And based on her most recent post, she could qualify for Houseblogger status! Like me, she had to warm up to the idea of hitting publish once she’d started the blog, and then to even telling anyone of its existence.

Unlike me, she didn’t wait almost a year to do it! She “officially launched” today. (I felt particularly honored because she sent me an email on my birthday almost two weeks ago to tell me that she’d started it. Does that mean I’m its godmother?)

She’s a talented and creative gal, afflicted with the same adult ADD that often sends me bouncing like a pinball. And, she's a camera-slingin’ stepmama who just got her Nikon (BabyNik) returned to its holster. So I’m looking forward to seeing some interesting imagery along with the amusing commentary. (And you know you are, too. How can you not visit a site with a name like Chirping Monkeys?)

You see, MonkeyGirl and I go back, waaay back. (Or at least as far back as a couple of 29-year-olds can. Ha!) She is one of my Circle of Eight from high school. And while we were always close as kids, and then through college, I think we’ve grown much closer as adults. (Or at least for two women who try to pass as adults on a daily basis. I think we both have two 17-year-olds living just below the surface who never fail to leap into action when we’re together. It seems to be something about that particular circle that brings it out in all of us.)

So close that I was maid of honor for her and Mr. MonkeyGirl’s nuptials a few years ago. So close that we now jokingly refer to our collective sensibilities as “the brain” since we so frequently share thoughts and build on one another’s ideas. (Some of this communal brain has been extended to our scrapbooking contingent. You can always tell who controls it by the sheer volume of pages they complete or by the creativity present within the pages.) It’s a soul sistah-hood.

In early 1998, she introduced me to scrapbooking. It’s an interest we share that brought along some excellent side benefits: more wonderful new friends and a stream of pictures and stories that can keep me laughing for days.

So 10 years later, I've attempted to return the favor with something I hope will have a similar effect. Welcome to the Blogosphere, my friend!