blogging

Book Fridays: Falling behind

After taking part in BBAW I found myself inspired. I had a lot of good ideas for my blog  and I was excited to dive into writing. As it often happens life got hectic and in an unprecedented turn of events I am now looking at the very real possibility of going back to work full time. I have spent the past two weeks looking at job listings, applying for jobs and even going to a couple of interviews. I am distracted, excited and anxious about these changes I am about to make to my life. My reading has suffered and even though I have plenty of books to talk about I find myself unable to find the words.

Blogging is something that I love and so I try to keep it stress free. Sometimes it’s just not happening and this is one such time. My mind is running constantly, obsessing over jobs I’ve applied to and hope to hear back from. I cannot quiet it down enough so that reading is a possibility. In turn, this lack of reading stresses me out as well. I miss my books. I am in the middle of Six of Crows which I am loving so far. I hope to pick it up again this weekend and get the ball rolling.

The prospect of going back to work got me thinking about how I will balance work, home, and books once I find myself employed. Of course I know that having a job doesn’t mean you can’t read but it’s been so long since I didn’t have all the time in the world that it scares me a little to think that going back to work means I will no longer be spending Wednesday afternoons at the library. The established routines around my reading habits will change.

My prediction is that it will take me a couple of months to find my groove. Perhaps it will take longer. I did not know when I would go back to work. I knew that I wanted to, eventually, but the timeline was fluid. The time feels right and so I am going with that. There is a lot to figure out and extra expenses to consider (enrolling Diego full-time at his preschool and getting an additional car for me) but things are happening. I’ve actually been taking steps which means that this isn’t theoretical. This is happening. Change is coming!

 

signature.blog

Advertisement

BBAW DAY 3: Because of a Blogger

What have you read and loved because of a fellow blogger?

This question has made me realize I need to keep track of who recommended what because even though I know I am constantly adding “want to read” books to my Goodreads I quickly forget which blogger/booktuber I got the rec from. I need to develop a system. Having said that, my brain has proven to not be completely useless for this endeavor as there is one book I can confidently talk about in answer to this question.

Trading Rosemary by Octavia Cade– I know exactly who to blame for this wonderful read: Books and Pieces. I primarily watch her videos on YouTube. Her greeting of, “Hello lovely humans.” is inviting and just perfect. As soon as I heard her talk about this book I bought it on my Kindle and dove right in. I absolutely loved the story.

The next thing I have loved because of a fellow blogger is the #readmyowndamnbooks challenge by Andi at Estella’s Revenge. This make up your own rules challenge has proven fruitful. I have cleared valuable shelf space by parting with some duds I no longer want to keep and I’ve read about 9 books that I owned but had just been keeping as decorations. I now have 5 books left to read! This means I am free to borrow as many books as I want from the library and even purchase a book here and there when the mood strikes.

I don’t have a list of books I’ve read because of these channels/blogs but here is a list of who I watch/read:

Brock at Let’s Read

Ron Lit – her reviews are very scholarly and as I looked at her channel I recalled that I read Carmilla because of her and was not disappointed.

Danika Leigh Ellis

Climb the Stacks

Rincey Reads – I read Station Eleven because of her rec. Another winner.

librarianfanmail – upon writing this I discovered that she’s taking a break from youtube and her content is no longer available but I can’t not mention her. She turned me on to so many great reads!

Brown Girl Reading – I think most of my TBR is her fault! I love her reviews/discussions and she’s been a huge contributor to my quest to read more diversely.

signature.blog

 

Two Years of Blogging!

It’s been two years since I started this blog (originally on Tumblr then I migrated over to WordPress). It feels a bit unreal that I have been blogging for this long as blogging still feels new to me in many ways. I have always maintained that I write this blog for fun, and that is still true. I love to write and this is my little spot on the internet to share my thoughts, photos of my cooking, etc. I don’t often think about my stats but today I took a peek and I was shocked to see that 92 people follow my blog! For some, that’s a small number, but I think it’s amazing that this many of you have found me and followed. Thank you!

I’ve also received over TWO THOUSAND spam messages, ha ha.

Writing a blog has been an exercise in commitment (this post will be #172). I strive to put up two posts weekly. I often schedule these in advance but I fall behind on this a lot. There is a unique pressure that comes from doing something for yourself. I don’t want to let myself down. However, whenever I miss a week I don’t beat myself up over it. Sometimes life happens. We all need a break from the things we love. I think it’s healthy.

Blogging has been a rewarding experience for me. I have met people and reconnected with old friends who read a post that resonated with them. Having your words be special or important to others is amazing. Thank you to everyone who has ever reached out to me about a blog post either by commenting, sending me an e-mail or contacting me through other social media. Sometimes people offer words that are unwanted but for the most part I have had only positive interactions with readers.

I wanted to share some of my favorite blogs in the hopes that you will find something new to read about. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate two years of blogging than by spreading a little blogger love!

Bluchickenninja – Emma writes a lot about books but she also shares various random things. I love her concise summaries and reviews of what she’s been reading. I don’t think I’ve ever been bored by her posts. They’re all a pleasure to read.

jakerobertknight – Jake is a writer and he shares his writing on his blog. He’s a wonderful, charming human and I’ve had the pleasure to correspond with him via email about everything from writing to the weather in Australia. He’s working towards publishing his first book and his blog lets you join him on this adventure.

Aisha’s Oasis–  Aisha’s blog documents her life in Egypt. She moved there from South Carolina in order to be with the man she loves. Her writing has a lot of elements that I would equate with magical realism. The way in which she relates her story walks the line between reality and fiction taking steps in either direction at times. I have greatly enjoyed her writing and the story of how she ended up in Egypt is heartwarming and fascinating.

Makeup Muzings – E has been loving makeup probably for as long as she can remember. She hasn’t posted in a while but her reviews are always honest and to the point. I used to love YouTube for product recs but now that it’s all about the money I find that I would much rather hear product endorsements from somebody who doesn’t have a financial stake. She’s also a lovely friend to me.

signature.blog

 

 

 

 

One year of blogging!

It has officially been one year since I started blogging. I originally started my blog on Tumblr but as I learned more about blogging I decided to buy my domain and move to WordPress. Sometimes, when I tell people that I have a blog they make a comment along the lines of, you must have all this time on your hands since you stay home with your son. To them, I have nothing better to do and so this blog is a waste of time. An indulgence. I won’t lie, that stings a little and the vain part of me bristles at the idea that some people view me as a sort of layabout.

In any case, regardless of what others may make of my public sharing of my life and thoughts, I feel confident that through blogging I am gaining valuable, marketable skills that will be useful in my future endeavors. I have learned how to set up a blog, where to find free, royalty free images, how to edit my images using free software, how to customize my blog, and I’m even learning a bit of html. Not bad, for a little hobby that I indulge in late at night when the men in my life are sound asleep.

Looking back through my posts is one of my favorite things to do. Reading how I felt, what we did, and what I thought we would do is both interesting and amusing. It’s been both a challenge and a great joy to write my blog.

As a thank you I am giving away a $20 Amazon gift card to one lucky reader!* All you have to do is leave a comment below. You can also use the contact me form. I will pick a random winner on May 22nd and I will announce the winner on a blog post on May 23rd.

*Must be 18 years or older to enter. Void where prohibited. Open to residents of the United States.

Why I blog

I’ve been blogging for almost a year! I sometimes can’t believe that I have managed to write over eighty posts so far. It’s been a lot of fun for me to come up with things to write about and share my thoughts as well as snippets of my life with family and friends.

Here are four reasons why I blog and plan to do so for a long time:

  1. It’s fun. Blogging can be as serious or as lighthearted as you want it to be. It’s encouraged me to try new things and learn about new things.
  2. It’s a creative outlet. The content of my blog is all my own. I decide what I post and how I post it. I can blog about anything I want, recipes, hairstyle ideas, and even crafts.
  3. It allows me to document thoughts, events, and other interesting endeavors.  My favorite part about blogging is being able to look back. One day, when Diego is older he will be able to sift through our lives through the blog. He will be able to get to know me in a different way. I think that’s a wonderful thing.
  4. I love writing and blogging is a way to practice. Writing, like anything, is something you get better at through practice. I try to write a little every day. My blog is just one of the places I do so. Sometimes I look back on a post and I think about all the ways it could have been better. If I encounter a typo or grammatical error I am quick to correct it. I don’t aim for perfection, but I try to not make any grave mistakes.

When I started this blog, I did so in order to be able to share my life with friends and family far and wide, and with the hopes of maybe sharing it with some friends I made along the way. I like to share experiences, perspectives, inspiration, and photographs. I started this blog in order to document my life as a wife, mother, and eternal optimist. A lot of my posts will be centered around my own parenting wins and losses, but I like to share things that would be of interest to people whether they are parents themselves or not.