Internet Sickness Warning Signs; Reader Question

I think I have a case of Internet Sickness. Here are some warning signs.

You, to your husband: Today was a great Facebook day, if I were that sort of person.
Husband: How so?
You: "Spent today with my beautiful family putting up the gazebo, painting porch furniture, and getting the yard ready for spring. Now my man is grilling chicken and baking bread for our yummy dinner. #IloveSaturdays"
It would be perfect if I had run 10 miles today. Or, you know, ever. I could include that too.
Husband: [Laughing] Step away from the computer.

You keep composing long incoherent rants in your head about food allergy-related food restrictions versus self-imposed food restrictions that factor in economic status and freedom of choice. You realize Speedbump Kitchen has already done this in a coherent, non-offensive manner. You consider attaching Speedbump Kitchen's post on liberty to everything you write.

You're thinking of changing your blog signature to "You can make whatever substitutions you want to in my recipes and you are welcome to share them if you can do so in a friendly, helpful manner.  Otherwise, you are welcome to do whatever you like in the privacy of your own kitchen."

Yeah, not the worst case I've ever seen, but time for a little sunlight therapy. What do you do to cure Internet Sickness?
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So what reader are you all going to use since Google's is going away? I still use iGoogle for my homepage, too, late adapter that I am. Please help me move on.

Recipe Contest

I really want you to win a $500 gift card to Williams-Sonoma! And other fun prizes! So enter the So Delicious Dairy Free 2013 Recipe Contest and then be sure to post all about what you buy with your winnings. You can enter more than one recipe! Or a previously created recipe! The deadline is May 17, so get cooking!

Five hundred dollars!

Hit the Publish Button Already

• The FARE Walk in Pittsburgh is scheduled for Sunday, September 15, 2013 in Heartwood Acres. They are looking for volunteers to help organize the event.
• Online registration is happening now for FARE's spring conferences.
• Here are the winners of the Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis Challenge.
• The Auvi-Q epinephrine auto-injector has been released and it is awesome. I saw a test one and it is so cool. 
• Jerome Bettis is working on an anaphylaxis awareness campaign with Sanofi US, the producers of Auvi-Q. Go, Steelers!
• Sanofi US is also working on a Severe Allergy Awareness Hall of Fame on Facebook.
• This amendment concerning emergency epipens in schools is working its way through the PA House of Representatives.
• It is sponsored by a representative who co-sponsored this bill, which amends the Public School Code of 1949 to add "in school health services, further providing for possession and use of asthma inhalers and epinephrine auto-injectors...."
• It is weird to be all 100% public about blogging in real life and online now that I have my lovely job. 
• People keep talking to me about it. Have I mentioned that's weird?
• I've been hiding from writing here because I can't stop thinking about people reading my blog and making fun of it or judging it.
• I think it's a crock to say that people don't talk about you/judge you. I totally think they do, but you have to get out there and do what you want in spite of it. After hiding in fear for two months.
• Shalini should be a motivational speaker.
• Now I can tell you more things about myself. Like the fantastic PA state representative sponsoring the epipen legislation is my dad.

How rumors get started

Mom at preschool pickup: "Sarah, I need to ask you about the girls' Sunday school class."
Me: "OK."
Mom: "Did you teach yesterday?"
Me: "Yes."
Mom: "Did you...share something?"
Me: "That I...like to cook?"
Mom: "Anything else?"
Me: "Noo...."
Mom: "My daughter told me that Helen's mom is going to have another baby in a couple of months and that you prayed for her and the baby."
Me: "Oh! No, we're getting a new nephew and cousin. We prayed for him and my sister."
Mom: "OH! Well, [daughter] has been telling everyone that you're having a baby, so if anyone asks, that's why. I'm so sorry."

I wonder what else they took away from the lesson.

Things I've learned in the past month

• The toddler stages are some of my favorites.
• A toddler saying "Whoa ho ho" for "Santa" is one of the cutest things ever.
• Speech therapists are miracle workers. At least, ours is.
• My two-year old was the best-behaved child I have ever seen in the candlelight Christmas Eve service. This is in no way bragging because a.) I don't know why he was, and b.) my other three two-year olds had to be removed from their respective services.
• I love reading the same books as my daughter. Yay, mini book club.
• Telling me you're 'one of the good guys' immediately lets me know that you are not.
• I really enjoy serving people good homemade food.
• Getting rid of baby gear is sad, but it makes LOTS more room in our little house.
• Keeping your hand on my shopping cart while I'm unloading it and leaning into my van to peer at my groceries and children is very threatening behavior, sir.
• Major Pettigrew's Last Stand was my favorite book of 2012.
• Dying the day all the out-of-town guests leave was really inconsiderate, Kevin. Rest in peace, little parakeet.
• Buying a new pet bird for the kids two days after Kevin's death was a little fast for Mama. Welcome, Hedwig the cockatiel.
• I love my job.
• I wish I had written this. "Just as I would never dream of going to vegan blog, insulting the writer and demanding a steak recipe… please don’t come to my blog and get worked up about marshmallows or honey in my homemade ice cream recipes." Preach it.
• Copying and pasting a quote from another blog messes up my font settings. 

Allergy ereader and grocery deals

Yes, I am ignoring the stack of Christmas cards I need to address to share:

• A free six-month digital subscription to gluten-free magazine Easy Eats
• Mad Alex Products' going-out-of-business sale
• Gluten Freely's closeout sale (because they are teaming up with Betty Crocker and Live Better America)
• Alisa Fleming's and Hallie Klecker's new ebook, Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free: A Whole Food Starter Guide and Cookbook

You needed to do more shopping, right?

If you haven't got anything nice...

...to say about anybody, come sit by me.--Alice Roosevelt Longworth

Allergic Living magazine is looking for contributors (You can remain anonymous!) for an article about food allergies and marital stress. I mean, I'm sure you and your spouse and in-laws extended family have NEVER had any disagreements about anything related to the care of your food-allergic children, but if you happen to have a friend who has experienced these issues, she could respond. Anonymously.

They're looking for happy stories, too.

I look forward to reading the article and figuring out which contributor is you your friend.

More information and a link can be found here.