April Fool!
April 2, 2008 by Deb
Filed under Freelance Writing
Ok. You got me. I’m not really selling FWJ to James Chartrand. Though I have to say, I almost did just to ease the guilt I was feeling after reading all the wonderful heart felt goodbyes. You’re all so amazing and supportive.
Many of you know me and know I’d never part with this blog unless I have absolutely no choice. If I did decide to sell, I’d make an announcement to the community beforehand in case anyone else wanted to bid. And really…going back to publishing? I’d rather stick pins in my eyes. I’d rather scrub toilets. I’d rather work in fast food. Its.Not. Gonna. Happen.
Blogging is my life and I hope to do it for a long time to come. Thanks for playing and I apologize to those of you who were upset by the news. And thanks to James and Jodee for going along with this.
I’m thinking I won’t be able to get away with this three years in a row.
Wait a second… are you… is this… Is our deal off??
Too bad. I would’ve been honored. And worn very thick armor
You do need some new material, missy.
Never believed the announcement. But still glad to read a confirmation that it really IS an April Fool’s joke.
Hah! I was right! I can’t believe how many people here so easily believed Deb would give up FWJ! Even if she was planning on doing something so drastic, we would have heard about it right here.
If you ever get that desperate that you need to scrub toilets, come on over this way!
Glad my instincts were right and it was just a joke. I remembered last year and pretty much figured, though.
I’ve got to admit that even though I didn’t believe it, I did start having visions of what things would be like with James running the joint…. Extremely funny.
OMG that was low. That was really low. And I just checked in to see when your last day was so we could throw you a cyber party.
LOL
As the day went on I started to wonder. James even had an announcement on his web site. Very well played.
Glad to know you’re not going anywhere, Deb!
I’m new to the blog, so I had no clue. I just thought, man, that sucks! And how could I have forgotten April Fool’s?
I’m glad you aren’t going anywhere Deb. I was going to wait until tomorrow to confirm…but I thought I’d check back just once more.
Having the announcement also at Men With Pens was truly a nice touch. Deb, James and Jodee…a well planned April Fools Joke.
The best part?
This was *NOT* my idea. Blame Deb. *grin*
Guilty. James didn’t know a thing about this until he woke up and read the post. BUT he did take it a step further with the post on his blog.
An awesome tag team effort, if you ask me.
I found out about this only this morning…thank goodness I always check my e-mail before doing anything else or I would have been just as surprised as the rest of you.
My being “noticeably absent” first thing this a.m. was due to my having slept in until 6, not due to any cunning planning on my part, LOL!
We’ll have to think of something else for next year.
I didn’t believe at first. I just couldn’t believe you would leave this blog! Good one. My son’s bad news – he is being held back in school. He keeps thinking it is an April Fool’s joke, but no good turn for him.
Grrrrr… You guys are sneaky. James, I’m very impressed with how you jumped right in! Good for you. But Deb, that was just too cruel. We’re in a fight, missy!
kk
Good joke, though I did suspect. Well played, Deb and James.
Well, what a cheek… you obviously devised your little scheme very carefully, what with posting that web writing verses print article the other day!
Hmmm… no more Mr Nice Guy and no more compliments from me to James! And as for Jodee, well I had expected better from you young lady and all that talk about silver crossing your palm when really you were rubbing your hands in glee.
Lastly Deb, you really should know better, someone of your stature, a figure head in the community leading us all astray… Now I shall flounce off in despair, wondering if James will ever offer that high paying gig I was after!
1 – I’m thankful Jodee only wanted silver and not gold.
2 – The web versus print was a true post and a debate on the Internet. No joke there (but nice tie-in, now that I think about it!)
3 – I wouldn’t have been able to hold a candle to Deb running this blog. Her community would’ve burned me at the stake in John’s prediction of one week or less. I love Deb, I like her community, but… well, I’m the “outspoken James Chartrand,” aye? I ruffle feathers
4 – Deb can’t be a figurehead. I pushed her off the pedestal.
5 – All adoration still welcome. I mean… you guys DO still like me, right?
You should have all seen me at 4am today. Deb emailed me – but not quite early enough because I saw this first. I bet money she got me best of all. Now, we do all have to get together and get her next year because almost having a heart attack at 4am is so not fun.
Again, good one though Deb.
I’m still blaming James.
*ducks and runs*
You know what would be really trippy…if you guys switched blogs for a day. Don’t tell anyone, just do it and play eachother. Ha!
I still view Deb as the ultimate blog mother. This is the first blog I ever visited, so I’m kind of sentimental that way.
I did follow the discussion the other day about if blog writers are real writers. It was really good and juicy. I’m spinning my take on it tomorrow.
Maybe you guys should get a routine going. More debates. It’s an excellent way to impart information. Thanks. E
By the way, I know a bunch of you think I’ve been planning this for a while, but really the idea came to me this morning while I was reading Twitter. It was a last minute prank. And really, if my partners in crime weren’t so good actors I wouldn’t have been able to pull it off.
Oh and sorry Jennifer. No more heart attacks, I promise. And it was 5:00 not 4:00. I think.
@James
re: “you guys DO still like me”
…well, you know…as much as we ever DID like you…:) Just joking…
James should thank you for the new readers, too! I had never heard of him before.
Well played, both of you!
@Deb: Whew! I figured if I waited until the end of the day you would tell us it was a joke! We’d miss you too much if you left!
@James: Of course we still like you. Don’t get super sensitive now!
You won`t get away with something like this next year!
That’s a pretty mean joke.
(shakes head) Naughty. That was just naughty.
Glad it did turn out to be a prank because you’d be missed and if you can’t make it blogging the rest of us are screwed!
I was just offered a blogging position that will take up a fair amount of work time and, I kid you not, I checked here first before I accepted to make sure this was a prank! LOL!
Well I certainly had you all fooled, didn’t I… Deb, Jodee, and James??
Yup, I knew all along it was one big ploy and by pretending to play ignorant, I certainly had you all fooled this April Fools, tee hee
Errr…. you don’t believe me, who moi? Honest, I knew all along, I did you don’tcha know
Whew, I’m glad I waited to blog on it. I hate retractions :0) I’m glad to see you’re staying, though it did give me pause since I’ve had a rough month but I’d rather stick pins in my eyes than to go back to stopping online fraud at the retailer I used to work for…
Awe, dammit. I was looking forward to some male influence around here.
You fooled me! James’ blog is great but I’m glad you’re sticking around.
Not funny, just sad…I thought it was mean.
Not funny, just sad…I thought it was mean.
OMG!!!1one
Lighten up, Francis.
Damn, you guys had me left right and center.