Redefining balance

image source

I remember a time in the not-so-distant past when I considered myself a blogger. Now my blog is but a memory of those days, and my Blogger dashboard is littered with nearly-finished and some just-started drafts that I've been writing for the past few months. For some reason I haven't been able to get from draft to publish. Perhaps it's because I'm out of the habit of writing or simply because I haven't been into it. Lately, I've felt the need to unwind with activities that would get me out of my head; writing, for me, even when penning fiction, does just the opposite. In the past few weeks, I've been trying to push myself to blogging productivity, since that was one of the activities I wanted to better balance this year, but it just wasn't clicking, and then I read this in my blog reader last night:

If you’re a lapsed writer, before you even start exploring writing again or “getting more productive,” you’ve got to take a little action to give yourself a fresh start.  And that action is the simple act of forgiving yourself for the way things have been.     ~ Marla Beck

And it spoke to me, in relation not only to my lack of writing, but also to my goal of practicing balance.

For me, balance no longer means finding time to do everything I "need" or want to do; balance means achieving a healthy mix of work and play, productivity and relaxation to maintain a happy me. The things that make me happy - how I play and relax - aren't always consistent. While blogging/writing was at one time an outlet that created much reward and satisfaction, recently the blank computer screen has been less attractive than the stack of books on my shelf, the piles of photos that have yet to be scrapped, the movies in my Netflix queue, and the "pinned" recipes that remained untested. At first I felt guilty that writing had been pushed to the back of my heart, but then I both accepted and embraced it, enjoying the activities that made me most happy at the time. As a result, I've read some great books, watched more movies in the past few months than I usually do in an entire year, and even made a few great projects... all of which I'm now finally ready to write about here.

So what is the ultimate take-away for me six months into this "year of balance"? It's that balance means different things at different times; that what makes me happy today might not make me happy tomorrow - and that's O. KAY; that trying to force myself to continue a hobby - whether that be blogging or scrapbooking - when I'm not feeling it can make the hobby even less desirable; that there is great benefit in listening to myself and giving myself both the space and permission to do what my brain and body need at the time.

Thus, this is me accepting the way things have been, forgiving myself for diverging from my original path, and promising to continue being honest with myself about my needs. And this is me finally hitting the "publish" button.

Today's post is brought to you by the number 3.

This is my 300th blog post in my 33 months of blogging! 

Blogging as a hobby, I usually save the stats analysis for the websites I have to maintain at work, but the other day I received a comment from a random visitor and wondered how she stumbled upon my blog. This led to a humorous discovery of keyword searches that have directed unknowing victims to my blog in the past six months, and of course, I can't keep it to myself.

Okay, I get the actor and character searches because of those girlie lists I made. But WHO are all these people searching for Spice Girls lollipops, and why does MY blog come up in their search? After quickly Googling on my own, I found that - yikes! - yes, I did indeed blog about them once. Busted.

Other visitors have found my blog through weirder means.

c. thomas howell "deleted scene" "outsiders" "underwear"

If you want to see an outsider in his underwear, C. Thomas Howell is not the one I'd choose.

I know I've talked quite a bit about Patrick Swayze in The Outsiders, and I've even talked about my own unmentionables (wow, that Girl Talk group really got me into trouble), but how this particular search resulted in my blog - not once, but twice - is beyond me. Furthermore, when one puts this combination of terms into a search engine, my blog pops up in the top ten results. Awesome.

how long does a sprained thumb last

Never having had a sprained thumb, and given the fact that I have no idea how long one lasts, I hope this searcher finally made his or her way to WebMD.

Then there's this gem that brought a lone visitor:

telling off quotes with

What does that even MEAN? Who am I telling off, and why am I using quotes? 

Wait a minute. *Gasp*! Does all this blogging about these searches mean that more Spice Girls lollipop sucking C. Thomas Howell fans with sprained thumbs are going to visit my blog in the next six months?! If this describes you, please leave me a comment and let me know who you are. I want to meet you.

***
If you've made it through this post, or any of my other 299 posts for that matter, you deserve a medal. Being that I'm a part-time employee for a non-profit organization, though, I can afford just one. So you'll have to fight for it. Actually, how 'bout we skip telling each other off with quotes, and I'll randomly pick a winner instead. Leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm EST on Monday, July 9th. The winner will be announced during Tuesday's post (7/10).

What are you playing for? A $10 gift card to Barnes & Noble!

Good luck!

If you're new to this corner of the blogosphere and want to check out more, here are the three posts that people most frequently take a Second Glantz at:

Another List

Still Alive, Still Obsessed

The creature from the hall floorboard

#SummerBlogSocial: Waxing Philosophical

It has been so nice meeting new bloggy friends through this #SummerBlogSocial, as well as connecting with old bloggy friends that I haven't talked to nearly enough this summer. I'm looking forward to making (notice I didn't say "finding") time this weekend to travel the blogosphere and catch up with all of you.

Thank you so much for the supportive comments on Monday's post. They meant a lot, and they actually bring me to today's blog post.

• What are your overriding goals for your blog and social media presence?
• As you reflect back on your time blogging, tweeting and Facebooking, what has surprised you most?
• What 1 aspect of blogging and social media is your favorite?

My favorite part of blogging and social media (not surprisingly, nor uncommonly) is the community I've found through both. It was such a surprise to learn that I could become close to people I had never before met in person, but that's exactly what's happened through my blog, Facebook, and Twitter. Whether I'm tweeting with a "virtual friend"about the latest Twilight movie, being buoyed by reading her supportive blog comments, or giggling with her about her latest Facebook post, I know that THIS is the reason I (attempt to) keep it up, even during those times (like this one) when it feels impossible. This is also the reason that my goal is simply to keep doing it. So what if I'm never the next Mama Dooce? The friendships I've made and continue to make far outweigh virtual fame and glory.

#SummerBlogSocial: Bloggy Goals

Shortly after thinking about my future corner of the blogosphere, I heard about this online blogging event, Summer Blog Social, which I thought could help me redefine what being a blogger means to me at this time in my life, as well as give me the opportunity to meet other writers who may be going through the same blogging existential crisis.

Today's PromptWhere do you see your blog in 6 months? How about a year from now?

Six months from now, I would like my blog to resemble what it was in 2009 at the height of (what I define as) its success: a medium by which to tell stories, reflect on both the monumental and monotonous moments in life, practice writing, and - most importantly - connect with other bloggers who I adore. I want to stop the mind games that I often play with myself these days, make the time I owe myself to write no matter how crazy busy life is, and again feel the joy that blogging once brought me. My ONE goal is that at the end of six months posts galore will fill the pages of my blog.
Because of the nearly inactive state I allowed my blog to succumb to this year, it's difficult to imagine what my corner of the blogosphere will look like 365 days from now. I hope it has the fun tone it once had, rife with pictures and videos, contests and giveaways. More than anything, I want it to be something I'm proud to share with a (semi-)wide audience. If we're refraining from censoring ourselves, I'll admit that I'd also love to blog elsewhere in a professional capacity, whether that be linked to my current job, guest posting, or getting paid to write content.
So now that it's out in the blogosphere for all to hold me accountable, I guess it's time to work on making it happen!

My future corner of the blogosphere

Here I go blogging about blogging again... but I've been spending a lot of time thinking about my little corner of the blogosphere and questioning where I want to go from here.

I started blogging in January 2007, very sporadically - and privately. When we made a long-distance move in September of the following year, leaving behind all that we had known for the past decade to live in completely unfamiliar territory, I took the plunge and went public, thinking that my blog would be a great medium to keep friends and family abreast of all our new adventures. My blog started gaining momentum that November as I became a more active blog reader and started making bloggy friends (many of whom would soon become friends, minus the "bloggy" prefix), found memes (I never did get the hang of the "wordless" part of Wordless Wednesday), and got a feel for what my little audience enjoyed reading most. By 2009, I was a blogger, having gone from writing 15 posts in a year to well over 100. Blogging was among my top five most favorite things to do, and having finally found my blog's voice, I felt fairly decent at it.

As 2010 began, I started feeling an increased pressure to keep my growing audience, people who were there for very different reasons. I felt as though because I had attracted some of my readers to my blog through a scrapbooking class, I had to blog more about scrapbooking... but would that put off my readers who were there only to discuss writing? And were my "IRL" friends bored and waiting to see the next set of goofy pictures from our travels? In addition, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt if I didn't post regularly, apologizing to my readers so profusely that it was like I thought I had denied them air. My blogging persona quickly became a hot mess, and as a result, I started blogging less. Add to that a period of time when life (e.g., moves, layoffs, family emergencies) took over everything else, and my blog quickly entered the territory of "practically nonexistent." In seven months, I have written only 20 posts, most of which reflect not me, but a desire to put something on paper so that I can begin to reconnect with the people I miss.

My friend Jenny questioned the future of blogs a few days ago, and I agree with her that some of my favorite bloggers have also been blogging less lately. Is it because we are sharing through different mediums, such as Facebook and Twitter, with increasing momentum? Is it that 2011 has been a rough year all the way around and blogging is not as great a priority? Or is the blog a soon-to-be extinct genre? After commenting on Jenny's post, I realized that while I do tend to read Facebook and Twitter more than I'm reading blogs this year, I'm updating as infrequently there as I am here. So what gives? Partly, I think I'm going through a period of time right now when I'm simply a bit more insular, journaling thoughts privately instead of broadcasting them to the world. I think I've also been really focused on making local friends, which has turned out to be a great thing since I feel surrounded by a wonderful community here now, but that has sadly taken time away from cultivating my online relationships. So where am I going? I know that I still must have a desire to blog, even if only subconsciously, as I am still jotting down blog ideas, as well as constantly looking at websites for tips, inspiration, groups to join, and conferences to attend, so I don't think it's time to throw in the towel just yet, but it may be time to take a step back and redefine what being a blogger means to me at this time in my life.

I honestly don't know what my corner of the blogosphere is going to look like in the future. For now, it's enough to have figured out that I definitely want to have one.

Look who's turning two!

This post is brought to you today by the number two.

image source

Break out the cake! It is not only my second blogoversary, but also my 222nd post. I wish I could say I planned that, but I'm an English major, remember?


Kelly from The Miller Mix asked an interesting question the other day: How has blogging changed who you are or how you see yourself? As I was looking through my own posts last night, awed by how much has happened in only one year, I concluded that while my blog doesn't define me, it's a great reflection of who I am. I'm a teacher and a dreamer. I may worry, but I have faith, no matter how big, or silly, my fears are. I'm a 30+ fangirl, and my blog has helped me to not take myself too seriously. It has taught me to be grateful and has helped me to heal. It reminds me to cherish the moments, both big and small. My blog has also helped me to realize dreams, from opening an Etsy store to becoming a published writer. Most importantly, it has connected me with all of you. Thank you for continuing on this journey with me.

To Blog or Not to Blog?

That is the question.

You sit down to write a blog post. You stare at the blank page (or the blank screen, but I have a serious love affair with paper and pencil). FOR. EVER. Nothing comes.

Finally, an idea. You jot a few things down. You spend more time than you are willing to admit writing what amounts to only a few sentences. And they're eh. If you let the idea percolate, maybe it could turn into a good post, but that doesn't help the fact that you still have nothing for your readers today.

This is what last week looked like for me. All week. Resulting in ZERO posts. This frustrating creative drought brought me to a few questions:

• Which is preferable as a blog reader: reading posts on a consistent schedule, even if that means some posts are "blog fodder," or reading only "quality" material, even if that means not knowing when to expect posts to be delivered?
• What are your expectations as a blog reader, and do those expectations vary by each blog to which you're subscribed?

The questions aren't rhetorical; I really want to know what you think, so please share your thoughts in the comments.

---

On a completely unrelated note, my friend Becky has started a blog about the trials and tribulations of the recent diagnosis of autism for two of her kids. Since I have the best bloggy friends in the blogosphere, I was hoping I could send some of you her way to lend your support and encouragement.

Julie, Julia, and me

When I read Julie & Julia as my in-air entertainment last October, it resonated with me in a way I hadn't expected. I thought it would be fun to learn more about The Julie/Julia Project, but I didn't think I'd necessarily take anything away from it. Though I love to eat, French cuisine is not my thing, and while I do enjoy cooking, I prefer the 30-minute style a la Rachael Ray. So I was surprised when I was still thinking about the book weeks later.

Tonight, we watched the movie (Meryl Streep did such a great job, I forgot that I wasn't watching Julia Child), and I finally realized why Julie Powell's story spoke to me. It's what connected Julie and Julia beyond the cooking: writing, communicating with an audience, and their quest to find their place in the world.

What blogger can't relate to Julie's excitement when she receives her first comment from a stranger? Though arguably narcissistic, that realization that someone is reading encourages you to write more. Having an audience also brings with it a sense of accountability. When Julie doesn't follow through on something she's blogged about, she feels like she has to answer to her readers for it. It's what causes us guilt when we go a week without blogging; it's what causes us to deliberate whether or not to push the publish button on a questionable post. Once we finally get an audience, we feel a responsibility to them and don't want to alienate anyone.

Both Julie and Julia had dreams of publishing. Julie had a "novel in the drawer," and Julia worked on her cookbook for something like eight years before it was finally picked up by a publisher. The scenes where Julia receives the acceptance letter for her cookbook and Julie's answering machine is full with publishing offers is enough to fill any aspiring writer's head with daydreams of the same good fortune, but the two women pose interesting questions about writing before their dreams become reality. Julie wonders what makes a writer. Do you have to be published to be considered a writer, or does simply the act of writing give you this title? (I tend to lean toward the latter definition.) Which leads me to ponder another question: what constitutes a published writer? Technically, aren't all bloggers published writers? What about when the intended publication isn't published, as Julia thought would be her case? When Julia's cookbook is first rejected after dedicating almost a decade to it, she asks, what now? That got me thinking about Julie's novel in the drawer and writing that isn't widely read.

With the exception of some writing like journaling, we write for an audience. But if that audience never reads it, it doesn't necessarily mean that those words are wasted. I think about my work in progress. Of course I'm writing it with the hopes that it will one day be published, but I'm fully aware that might not happen. If the novel ultimately becomes nothing but a file on my computer, will I feel as though I wasted the two years or whatever that it took me to write it? I don't think so, because like I told Marla Beck in a recent teleclass when she asked us why our writing project was important, it's a personal goal I've had for as long as I can remember. Even if it never gets published, it's important to me that I'm able to say, "I went after my dream and tried to make it a reality." Moreover, how could time spent doing something I enjoy be a waste? And besides, you never know where that novel in the drawer might one day lead.

So while Julie & Julia was entertaining to read and watch, it really got me thinking about writing, audience, and how both of those things connect us with others in the blogosphere. And of course, you know what I'm going to say next: I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter. ☺

image source

Hello, November!

These trees, full of beautiful red and orange leaves earlier this week, are now a reminder of the impending winter and the holidays that come with it, before which, there is so much to do.

October was eventful and fun, but it flew by so fast, there were a few things on my wish list that weren't fulfilled: fall festivals, pumpkin carving, and pictures of neighborhood Halloween decorations. I look forward, though, to all that November has to offer.

I kicked off the month by taking advantage of the time change and got an early start on hoarding on-sale Halloween decorations for next year.

Armed with window clings, purple and orange lights, glow-in-the-dark pumpkins, eyeball netting, a spooky sound-activated door decoration, and several Halloween-shaped cookie cutters and cupcake pans, I think next year will make up for our lack of holiday spirit this year. ☺

Looking forward, I have several things in the works, the first of which includes getting started on my holiday gifts. I'm hoping to set aside the time to make a good portion of the presents on our list. A firm believer in homemade holidays - both DIY and buying others' homemade goods - I'll be back frequently with some crafty creations. If you're interested in a homemade or semi-homemade holiday, tomorrow's Monday Mentions post will be partially dedicated to some great sites I found over the weekend to help you get started.

In addition to crafting (which will hopefully include some cooking and baking... I don't spend nearly enough time in my kitchen as I'd like), I'm also trying to set some realistic goals for my writing. As of today, I have 8,705 words written (though not all of them are written well). After doing a little bit of research about word count, I'm estimating that it will take somewhere around 40,000 words to tell my story. Thus, I'd like to have ~20,000 on paper by the New Year. *fingers crossed*

In blogging news, my friends April and Kelly piqued my interest in a new class Shimelle is teaching.

Though this blog has become about much more than "just" scrapbooking, I love meeting bloggers and scrapbookers alike, and I'm always up for learning something new. So hopefully, I'll have lots to blog about this month (lucky you).

That does it for me today. I hope your October ended on a great note and that your November proves to be even better.

**Note: I apologize to my email subscribers if you've been receiving duplicate posts. I've been having a few technical glitches, but they're hopefully ironed out now. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Bloggy break

The next two weeks are unusually busy ones, so I'll be taking a little hiatus from the blogosphere. Additionally, I'm a bit behind in visiting my commenters and new followers *waving hello* but I promise to stop by when I return from my bloggy break.

Take care, and I'll blog with you soon. ☺

Happy blogoversary to me!

To all of you who have indulged my thoughts - no matter how random, silly, or vain - this past year, THANK YOU!

I wrote my first post in January 2007, but being a perfectionist, it was another 20 months before I made my public entrance into the blogosphere. When I created this blog, I was mulling over the idea of starting a small custom scrapbooking business (I got only as far as creating the website), so I thought this would serve as a "behind the scenes" look. Putting my business idea aside for the time being, I didn't know what the blog would morph into. Should it be a scrapbooking blog? A "life update" blog? I felt pressure to force it into a niche, much in the way I felt obligated to post regularly. But the flip side of that was I didn't want to feel pigeon-holed. Ultimately I threw the blogging "rules" out the window and decided to post what I want when I want. Free of limitations and obligations, I'm a much happier blogger. J

So now it's time to celebrate! I have three fabulous gift packs to give away that I think represent my interests nicely, and each comes with a surprise gift. Enter stage right: a pretty-handed home shopping lady...

1. The "Green" Gift includes:

-a reusable coffee cozy from Two Florida Girls

Here's a close-up of the pattern:

Fold this cozy up, stick it in your purse, and use it whenever you go to Starbucks. Fashionable and environmentally conscious. Love it! (This one is so hard to give away because I love the colors, but I cannot forsake my Gator coffee cozy.)

-a reusable canvas bag from Hot Topic

This bag is nice and roomy for a quick trip to the store, and it has a long enough strap that you can carry it on your shoulder. And the best part about the bag is that the proceeds from purchasing it go to helping keep art and music programs in schools, a cause near and dear to my heart.

-a surprise green gift J

2. The Scrapbook Gift includes:

-Pink Paislee Office Lingo Clear Stamps

I absolutely love the stamp that says, "This memory is one of a kind and will never be duplicated. Keep it close to your heart." And isn't that what scrapbooking is all about?

-American Crafts Remarks Sticker Book (Accents Book 1, Color Sets 1 & 3)

So many shapes and sizes, and the colors are awesome!

I purchased these scrapbooking goodies from Peachy Cheap- a site I'm totally addicted to. Their prices are unbelievably low!

-a surprise scrapbooking gift J

3. The Vampire Gift includes:

-a set of Twilight Trading Cards

Did you really think I could have a giveaway without showing some Twilight love?

-a True Blood keychain, featuring Eric Northman (handmade by yours truly)

(front & back pictured)

Note to self: make one of these for me.

-a surprise EDWARD gift J

How to Enter

There are SIX chances to win! For each of the following you do (or have already done--some of you are ahead of the curve), leave me a comment. Each comment is an entry into the drawing, meaning if you do all six things, you need to leave me six comments on this post. Winners will be drawn by random; the first person selected will get first pick and so on. Comments after 11:59 pm EST on Monday, September 14 will not be counted. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, September 15.

1. Tell me what your favorite post is, or just leave me a random comment.
2. Tweet about the giveaway.
3. Blog about the giveaway.
4. Add me to your blog roll.
5. Become a follower or subscribe.
6. Add my button to your blog's sidebar.

*If you tweet or blog, leave me your Twitter name or blog address so I can follow you back if I'm not already. J

And for those of you who are newer readers of my blog, here's a trip down memory lane with my top 10 non-scrapbook related posts (in chronological order because I'm OCD like that) that will help you get to know me a bit better:

Mimi, I've a feeling we're not in Florida anymore

The FL girl and her northern challenges

I figured out Victoria's Secret

I've been tagged

What do a vampire and a castaway have in common?

My name is Cheryl, and I'm addicted to bad TV

It could always be worse

On turning 30

Dear Neighbor

Rock on!

And if you made it this far in the post, you should win a prize just for that. J Thanks for your continued reading. Here's to another great year!

Nablopomo

No, I haven't gone all Mork from Ork on you. That little alphabet soup is the acronym for National Blog Posting Month, and I've decided to give it a whirl.

If I can create a scrapbook page everyday for 31 days, then posting everyday for a month should be a piece of cake, right? Besides, I'm in good company.

A couple of thoughts as I woke up today:

1. I think maybe, possibly, perhaps (I don't want to admit nor commit to this) I'm becoming a morning person. I'm not sure who I am or where my former self went, but my new self is up and ready (and perky without a drop of caffeine?) well before 7 these days.
2. Having so much to do this week, I decided to play the "bad wife" card and go all frozen dinners on Hubby. While making our selections last night at the store, I was happily surprised to see that Healthy Choice now makes a mostly vegetarian line of frozen entrees. What's exciting about this is that "vegetarian" options in the frozen foods section (where I live) usually consists of cheese pizza. These are healthy, grown-up meals, and the one I had last night tasted great. Thank you, Healthy Choice! (No, I have not received any sort of compensation for saying that; it's my honest, unsolicited opinion.)
3. I leave you with this picture on a not-so-wordless Wednesday. It's the constantly growing list of things I hope to squeeze into my not-so-big carry-on bag. Uh, uh-huh.

I have a bone to pick

Where in the world does that expression come from? Anyone? Bueller?

Anyway, my beef is with Mother Nature. Sorry, lady, you're pretty awesome and all, but did you lose your calendar?

Last time I checked, September 1 was still part of summer. And I don't know about you, but when I learned about the seasons in school, I was taught that summer is warm.

45 degrees? That's not that far from 30 (right, math majors?) and 30 means long sleeves, sweats, and socks. My tank tops, shorts, flip flops, and I have not had enough bonding time yet...

I interrupt this post to report that the heat just came on.

The HEAT came on in SUMMER. I rest my case. Mother Nature has lost her mind.

Have adapter. Will travel.

I've never considered myself to be a low-maintenance traveler. I mean, you don't really expect me to wear the same pair of earrings with every outfit, do you? But I never really thought of myself as high maintenance either. Until preparing for my trip to Portugal.

Okay, first things first. WAHOO!! This time next week, I'll be blogging from the rocky beaches of Portugal. And that is precisely why I have become high maintenance. Blogging.

My first few questions to my dad in preparation for this trip were not the ones out of a hundred questions I should have asked: What clothes should I bring? Do I need a doctor's note for my prescription medicine? Can I bring you any comforts from home? No. My first questions were: Do you have wireless? What kind of converter do I need? What do your plugs look like? Because, you know, I'm not paying $40 per minute to use my phone and I might die if I go 11 days without tweeting. Besides, I have a responsibility to my loyal readers (all 3 of them... I used the all 1 of them joke on Twitter and 3 of you responded, so I must be up to 3 readers now... or at least I was before I recycled jokes that were lame the first time I told them) to take them to Portugal with me virtually.

After a little bit of research and a whole lot of online shopping, I am now properly armed to enter the Portuguese Blogosphere:

(Psst... Jenny. Click on the picture. I figured it out. Aren't you proud?)

Of course, this is in addition to my laptop, laptop charger, camera-to-laptop cord, etc. It should be noted that I also looked into getting a laptop power cord for the airplane (that's how deep my technology addiction devotion to my readers runs), but my crappy cheap flight doesn't have such technology yet.

So now I probably have to pack an extra bag just to carry all my tech accessories, but I promise you, nice-man-who-will-have-to-help-me-lift-my-bag-into-the-overhead-compartment, it will all be worth it-- because now I'll be able to document my trip day-by-day as it's happening, instead of trying to remember the details three years from now when I finally get around to scrapbooking it.

Did someone say free books?

I'm really excited to have found Read Now Sleep Later, a blog about books. Having no more Twilight, Harry Potter, or Sookie Stackhouse books to read (insert whine), I am on high alert for recommendations, and so far, it sounds like frootjoos and I have similar tastes.

Even better, there is a BIG contest going on right now. Check it out here, and you could win a free book!

Pimp my blog

As you may have noticed, this site is in the process of being overhauled. Kudos go to those who worked so hard to pimp my blog: artist Michael Young for the amazing gator graphic and Rachel at Blog Candy Designs for the eye-catching design. Thanks to them, my site is finally worthy of a Second Glantz.