Geeky Talks
My brush, literally, with fame (a blogHer tale)
**April, 2013** Hello and welcome! If this is your first time here, I’d love to meet you. I’ve recently written about being diagnosed with Adult ADHD, spent much of last year traveling and went back to work full time as a Program Manager for Media at a large global company. My children are 8 and 6 and I love talking to people with similar stories. Be sure to say hi and pull up a chair. I’ll grab the coffee. (Or tea for my UK friends with milk and sugar.)**
I walked in to the keynote, searching the thousands of faces to find “my people.” I wonder in and out of tables bumping in to elbows and computers. I recognize a few features but I continue to bump, walk, bump, walk looking for my table.
I spot the table of women more familiar than their pictures or email addresses. Vivaciously, as only I am known to do, I yell out, “There are MAH BEESHES! Wuz up Mothah Fuckahs!” I glance around the table taking in each face that I adore. I see Angie, Dawn, Molly, Shonda, Sam and Karen and…. who’s this? I don’t recognize the lovely lady in the red hair so poised next to my flamboyant friends. “Hi! I’m Mrs…” It hits me about the same time Angie pipes up, “This is Ree Drummond? THE PIONEER WOMAN.”
There is a silence and my mouth hits the floor.
I stumble over to hug her, gush, possibly lick her feet. She says in her polite southern accent, “I was just admiring your belly.” I laugh as she touches my two year postpartum belly. “This?” I exclaim, “This is old left over from before.” I can tell she feels bad. She recovers and says, “At least yours is in the front, mine is all in the rear.”
I hug her. I could package her up and take her home with me.
At some point during the keynote I look over and she looks as thought she feels just terrible. But! It’s her lucky day! She’s talking to me. Remember? The girl that did the five most stupidest things possible last year at BlogHer? The girl that went up to four, no five, different people thinking they were OTHER people only to get three sentences in before said mistake person clears up my error?
The girl who spilled, and broke, a glass of wine. Totally sober, mind you.
The girl who says all the wrong things at all the wrong times.
The girl who fifteen minutes earlier asked, “Does this dress make me look pregnant?” only to find out, from her idol that yes! Yes it does.
I’ll never wash the dress that Ree touched.
Thankfully Ree is the kind of classy gal that can laugh with me over this. “Remember that time…” I picture saying to her in a year at the next conference where she wins some more big awards. And then I’ll ask when the lady next to me is due. And it’ll be my humiliation.
To everything turn turn turn…
Pictures can be found on Flickr
** update, it happened again. March 2, 2010
Jul, 28, 2009 Read the Archives 
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Perhaps, she is saying OMG I met Mrs. Flinger!
You know what? I think you are quite the classy girl yourself for being so compassionate about how bad she probably felt.
so excited to have found your blog through PW. cracking up over this story.
Found you thru Ree’s blog….you’re very classy…and you’ve got yourself a new reader!
I totally did that to someone years ago and still feel bad. The only difference? The girl I offended did not even have comfort in knowing it was someone famous like Ree who did it to her.
I’m with you. I would love for Ree to think I was pregnant if it meant she would pat my belly and post about it on her blog. Absolutely worth it!
My thanks to PW for the hook up. Love this story.
It was total friggin hilarity. I started to feel bad for her b/c she felt so bad. I kept assuring you that “it’s only FLINGER! Really! She’s FINE!” She did ask for your email address, but instead, you got a whole PW post. Awesome.
Well, I saw the lovely Ms. Ree but I had no idea who she was. (Yeah, I’m perverse like that. I also never read “The DaVinci Code.”) No offense to her whatsoever, of course, I just haven’t followed her.
YOU, on the other hand, you were at the top of my “Must Meet” list and I had to restrain myself from not just licking you all over. Or something like that.
OMG, my heart about broke for Ree when she wrote about this! She is absolutely dyin’ about it. You give such a sweet account of it. ‘Gonna have to bookmark you now, to catch up on everything you get up to!
Ali in Ireland
Ah, I felt so bad for Ree, then I read yours and that was great! Yep, a new bookmark for me also!
Thank you.
Well, you know, we have ALL put our respective feet somewhere. Mouth, Ass. Wherever.
But I am tickled to have found your blog. So freakin; funny!
I am so glad to finally read your side of the story. Hahaha when Ree mentions you watch out, she’ll crash your server! That is to funny. I love your site, you’ve got another reader.
I laughed so hard, and felt so awkwardly bad for you both
I love that it worked out so well though…with you both being fine about it!
And count me in as another new reader, love your blog!
I couldn’t tell you one way or the other if you looked pregnant because I never got a chance to meet you. And I’m pouting about that right now.
Ree can ask me how many days I’m overdue! if it means all this activity! You are a good sport.
I’m so glad all this happened with Ree
only because Now I can read your Blog.
All things happen for a reason..
Lucky me.. Who Knew !!!!
I would not wash the dress either! Funny story!
You are a class act. What a good heart and sense of humor! I have 3 daughters. #1 looks exactly like me but NOTHING like #2. I still had a pregnant belly after a few weeks of delivering #2, it was so obvious! And yet more than one woman asked me if I adopted #2 and from where!!!! I cried and cursed. #3 looks like #1. Genes…..
Yaay! Another great blog to put in my reader. What a wonderful close to the story. Thanks for sharing.
You got me…a loyal reader from now on. Never knew about you until Ree told the story on her blog. I’ve been there…done that too. *sigh* But I love the story you’ve both told and adore the kindnesses shared.
This story is absolutely hilarious! And all the PW readers crashed your server! LOL. Now you’ve got yourself lots more readers. You are a trip!
Found you through PW. You are pretty classy yourself! Loved your version of your meeting with Ree. I can imagine how Ree felt as I had a similar incident. It might sound bad, but I am glad it happened because it brought me to your blog! Love it! I have bookmarked you and look forward to coming back.
Yeah, I can understand. I still have my baby fat. And my baby turned 32 in June.
Hi, found you through PW, love your blog. Julie
Hi, found you through PW, love your blog. Julie
Found you from PW blog. Will add your blog to my daily reading. You are very funny!
Here from pioneer woman’s place, I loved your version also. I plan to return!
I loved meeting you! In the club room! If you even remember (you seemed a little, well, not sober.) But you were lovely!
I can tell I’m going to love you and your blog! Thanks to Ree, being her real self. Love that girl. And if she could see my tummy, she would have called for hot water, towels and a doctor in the house. And no, I’m not pg. How sweet of you to be so gracious, that’s classy. And I’m with you on not washing that item. You could auction that thing for REEal money! I tried to send this earlier today day but your site was overwhelemed. Now that’s cool.
I am so glad you posted your side of the story. I have done that before myself and I STILL feel terrible. I’ll be keeping my eyes on you. *wink*
I can’t believe she did that to you..I would’ve smacked her.
I’m just kidding Ree!
Your awesome, can’t wait to get into your blog.
...and here I thought I had done the five stupidest things ever….glad to hear I am not alone. Great story. You have another new reader.
You are SUCH a doll and you sound like such a FUN person, too! You were so very gracious to Ree. . . it was so nice of you to let that one roll off, because as you say, but for the grace of who knows, there goes you or me!
Bet you’ve gotten a lot of hits on this one! LOVE your wit!
Ree is so awesome! I hate it for her for what she did and I know she is totally humiliated but now you will become well known because of it.
Oh, the horror! At least the error came from the sweetest of sweethearts. I’ve never read her blog, but I sat in on her panel at BlogHer and fell in love.
I’ve had the same thing happen to me a couple of times. The sad thing is I’m heavier NOW than I was the day I gave birth.
oh wow my husband is ready to have me locked up i have laughed until i cried… what a wonderful happening!!!!! needless to say i came from ree’s blog and will have to come back again and again….
This is the best story ever. I had a similar mistake with a woman in a swim suit. I couldn’t even blame the outfit.
So funny!
Happens to me every time I go out the door. Sometimes I just go along with it, other times I correct them. I’m wistful for the days when it was considered poor manners to mention a woman’s pregnancy before she did. It’s funny once or twice, but when it happens all the time, it gets old really quickly. Good for you for making her feel better.
found you through ree, you are so much better than I, I would have shrugged it off and then ran to the bathroom in tears cursing myself and any other friend who let me walk out in the dress!
THIS would happen to me! I love your account! and I’m going to start reading you more. my thing is if I don’t know fo sho! I aint askin’ or touchin!
Another great blogger! I found you from P.W. like everyone else. You have a really great writing style!
Oh my gosh! My baby turned 20 and I still have my baby belly!! You are so sweet!! I’m going to have to catch up on your blog!! I found you through PW!! Isn’t she a gas!!
You got me girlfriend straight from Ree-ville; and I helped crash your site! “Let me hear a big Hell Yah!”
Honest to gah, you were one of my favorite people I met this year. Smooches.
I just popped over from the pioneer womans site-read her account and now yours…boy I must be pre-menstrual cuz i have taers running down my cheeks and my lips are quivering…I really feel like I missed out on so much by not attending!
Lovely post
That’s actually kinda awesome.
Sorry we didn’t get to hang out some…
you are so funny!
OMG… you poor/lucky thing!!! Are you upping the sit-ups, or are you going to play on this story and pad out the empire-line dress? You win either way!!
Love the look of your place here… v snazzy!
BB
You are one gracious and funny woman!
Love The Pioneer Woman and love that you let her off the hook!
OMG I was LMAO when I read Ree’s entry and then yours. I’ve been in Ree’s shoes before and I was so mortified by my mistake. Now, even if a woman is so obviously preggers I still won’t ask her about it until someone else confirms it. As for my post partum belly, I have to remind myself to suck it all in when I wear a fancy cocktail dress or a bathing suit.
Good golly Miss Molly but you are hilarious! Thank heavens for the faux pas which introduced you and your blog via PW’s Confession.
Rachel. Lycra only goes so far with a post partum belly. I am proof of that.
Big props to Ree for turning me on to your blog. Humiliation has it’s priveleges…for me, anyway…now I’ve found another blog that I love. Thanks, Mrs. Flinger!!!
yes, I agree with all the above! How cool are you!? I had the same thing happen to me…..only it was 34 years ago…..wow..I never said that out loud (kinda) before….the only thing that upsets me about the whole thing is why didn’t anyone tell you when you asked the “question” what’s wrong with these people?? I would
ve told you & helped you change…..but hey, you would’vehave made Ree’s blog….oh hell it’s worth it! I love you blog, you have yet another person’s bookmark made…...Thanks
yes, I agree with all the above! How cool are you!? I had the same thing happen to me…..only it was 34 years ago…..wow..I never said that out loud (kinda) before….the only thing that upsets me about the whole thing is why didn’t anyone tell you when you asked the “question” what’s wrong with these people?? I would
ve told you & helped you change…..but hey, you would’vehave made Ree’s blog….oh hell it’s worth it! I love you blog, you have yet another person’s bookmark made…...Thanks
You are so gracious and fun to read!
Love it , love it ,love it. Found you through PW’s blog (so that is one good thing to come of the whle situation). I had it happen to me a few months ago at the grocery store and I’m not pregnant, nor have I ever been pregnant. At first I was crushed, but when I saw how completely horrified the “belly toucher” was, the sitaution comepltely flipped. I was hugging her and telling her it was ok. Sometimes I’ll think about the incident and my heart still aches a little for the poor woman. Then I remember that I not so long ago I weighed 115 lbs, not 180. FML.
You are SO gracious! I had a similar situation whilst I was waiting in a VERY long line to vote. I decided to pretend that I was, in fact, expecting and made up a whole pregnancy so I wouldn’t have to make the lady feel bad (and have to stand next to her for another hour), LOL!
very George Costanza of me
Great blog, you have a new reader in me!
Believe you need to combine “in” and “to” into the word “into”, as in I’m sorry I came into this site.
Hilarious! I love it, y’all are both such sweet ladies.
Good luck with the server crash and all the new readers, your world is about to get a whole lot more interesting.
Remember take the good with the bad and ignore rude, tactless people who spread their negativity all around!
What does that comment from “Joyce” mean??? Hope it’s not intended to be as rude as it sounds…
Funny story about you and The Pioneer Woman! Glad I found your site!
I found your blog through PW. I hope you don’t mind me laughing at your story!
My husband’s boss did that to me when we were at a fancy social dinner (asked when I was due) about 1 year after I gave birth. I could have DIED! I look at those pictures now and think I didn’t look so bad. He was a moron! Sorry Bree! I’m a belly toucher too, but whoa! I learned my lesson up close and personal.
jenesgems.blogspot.com
My husband’s boss did that to me when we were at a fancy social dinner (asked when I was due) about 1 year after I gave birth. I could have DIED! I look at those pictures now and think I didn’t look so bad. He was a moron! Sorry Bree! I’m a belly toucher too, but whoa! I learned my lesson up close and personal.
jenesgems.blogspot.com
“does this dress make me look pregnant?” only to find out 15 minutes later that yes, yes it does.
Priceless!
hey, i only just discovered PW and now, you. you guys are all the popular girls who make me wonder how you do it all.
good stuff.
Hello there, Mrs. Flinger. You are too funny! Please count me as another new reader via Ree.
OMG! That is hilarious!! LOL!! I’ve done that before, now I totally keep my mouth shut until the lady talks about being pregnant.
LOVE this story! I so needed a good laugh and you and Ree did it!
Consider me a new reader too, via Ree!
Here via PW…loved both accounts of the story. How liberating when we can laugh @ ourselves. Thanks for the tale.
Yeah. Joyce is from Evergreen Baptist Church in OK. I guess she didn’t want to associate with the Heathen Crowd. She could get away with her comment because the 10 Commandments did not include “Thou Shalt Not Be a Rude, Hateful Biatch”.
Those empire waistlines that are popular now are real foolers. I can never wear them. I have a skinny middle but a mongo rib cage that pushes those baby-doll lines right out there into the is she or isn’t she territory. My tactic?avoid! Talk about fall-through-the floor humiliation for Ree! I’m bookmarking you too. Have fun with your new-found fame, Miss Good Sport. Amazing how some of the best things in life come from I wish I hadn’t been there moments.
She totally lucked out when she said that to you. Not everyone is so easy going.
BTW do you watch “So you think you can dance?” You and Stacey Tookey were separated at birth!
I now dream of being humiliated by Ree just to have her touch my dress. I think you should frame it like a hockey jersey.
I am going to chuckle for a week over this.
And how much did you miss me this year? A little or a lot?
Ohhh I loved it that we got to hear both sides of the hilarious story! I have given birth to 6 kids with the youngest being two…my 6 year old daughter asked me the other day in the shower when my tummy was going to be little again…I told her…never! Kim
I read PW’s account yesterday, and wanted to crawl under a table FOR her. And I was so MAD that I couldn’t read your account! Then I find out she crashed your server. Talk about adding insult to injury! You are HILARIOUS. You can thank PW for another reader.
When my daughter was two weeks old, I ran into the mother of an old flame. She looked puzzled and said, “Well, someone told me you’d already HAD the baby.”
She didn’t even have the decency to be embarrassed.
Too funny!! You sure are a good sport, though!
What a great tale. Thanks for being such a good sport. You’ve got a new reader now.
When I saw “Mrs. Flinger” on PW I was like “what!?” I used to read you…really…I’ve got you saved under my fav blogs. You’re local for goodness sakes! Life gets busy & there are just too many blogs to keep up with…so I have to stick to one…because I have mush for a brain most days. And even though I love you & think you were funny, PW is my one (b/c she has cowboys, ya know?) So although it was a odd, funny, awkward story that put you two together…how cool!
You’re both awesome. Sounds like this might have all been a good thing!? 
I’ll try to stop in more often. Take care.
I love your encounter story and have subscribed to your blog.
Such an awkward situation~and SO funny!
I’ve been congratulated on being pregnant. Wasn’t in an relatinship… it was impossible. After he said it, I just laughed it and said, “no, I’m just fat!”.
He didn’t say anything, the woman with him was whincing… I stood there for a few horrid silent moments and then smiled, “well, bye!”. It’s funny NOW.
I now never assume anyone is preggo… even the waddeling-8-month-er friend I havn’t seen in years. “what’s new!?”... “really? CONGRATULATIONS!”. I try to act surprised and then ask if I can touch her belly because, like Ree, I LOVE a pregnant belly!
I did that once and I am mortified still, 11 years later. My excuse was that I had just had twin girls 5 days prior and babies were on my brain! Am sure it is similar to Ree who has pregnant bellies on the brain (hands up if you think she should have another
Since then I have learned that unless the woman in question is wearing a “Baby on Board” t-shirt or I can see a head I don’t comment unless she does first! I have probably offended my share of gorgeously pregnant women since but this way is far safer!
Oh boy. You’re far nicer than I am. Someone once did that to me while I was getting my hair done. It did not go well.
But I am laughing/cringing over here.
OMG, that made me laugh out loud and fall off my chair. I am hocked on this blog.
Tee Hee! Great stories, great times, and woohoo for new readers!
Ahhh… *squishing you*
LOVE your post. PW’s is very funny too! Her poor armpits!
*HUGS*
This has happened to me before but it wasn’t by someone famous which would have made it a lot better and funnier. Of course when the lady asked when I was due I was sitting in a bar with a beer in front of me and a cigg in my hand. I think she had already had way too many that night.