Tag: blog like crazy

I wish I had known then…

what I know now. Don’t we always hear that? Isn’t it always the truth? Years bring experience and experience often brings wisdom. If I could go back, I would tell my younger self a few things:

  1. It always works out. Maybe not the way you had hoped, but it always works out.
  2. The pain subsides and eventually fades. It may never fully go away, but it definitely diminishes with time.
  3. You’ve never been more beautiful.
  4. Don’t dwell on the past. Learn your lessons from it and move on. It does you no good to wallow in it.
  5. Be true to yourself. That’s the greatest gift you can give yourself and others.
  6. Give more than you get in everything – love, charity, forgiveness, etc.
  7. Hold your dear friends close for as long as possible. The years may ebb and flow, but you will always need your friends.
  8. Be thankful – let it radiate from your being.
  9. Ask for help when needed. Don’t try to do everything yourself or hold everything together alone. If you need a hand, a shoulder, a ride – ask. People aren’t mind readers, but they are usually more than willing to help if you ask. And just because they don’t offer doesn’t mean they don’t want to.
  10. Listen to this song and LISTEN to this song. It has more truths in it in five minutes than you may learn in fifty years.

But why?

Photo Courtesy of BuzzFarmers at Flickr Creative Commons
Photo Courtesy of BuzzFarmers at Flickr Creative Commons

I love irritating my husband like a 6-year-old sometimes, constantly asking why every time he answers the previous question. “But why?” Answer. “But why?” Some days he’s ready to throw me out the window.

Today’s “But why?” is about blogging. Why do you blog? I know blogging fulfills different needs for different people. Whenever I attend a See Jane Write event I love finding out what people blog about and why. It’s really interesting to hear the reasons behind someone purposefully taking time out of their day to sit down and write to strangers.

I blog because it helps me get things off my chest – bottom line. I am not a regular blogger (sadly), but when I do blog it’s usually because something made me feel a certain way, good or bad. I would like to become a more regular blogger and blog about more of my passions. I’m getting there…slowly. These days it’s because someone or something either brought me great joy, sadness, or some other reaction. I hate confrontation so I often vent on here.

I am a big fan of bloggers who write to tell a story or educate their readers on particular topics. I know exactly where to go when I need advice on cooking, branding, exercising, writing, reading, fashion, or just need good laugh. One day I hope people come to me for their information on xyz. I’m still figuring out xyz, but if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them in the comments below.

Until tomorrow!

It’s time to get crazy

Today starts BLOG LIKE CRAZY! It’s a fun, 30 day challenge started by my friend Javacia, founder of See Jane Write, a few years ago. During November, we blog everyday for 30 days. I usually start strong and then peter out. Fingers crossed and mind ready to go strong all month long this year! Javacia always gives us great writing prompts to help in case we get stuck, but I want to build off that. What do YOU want me to blog about during the challenge, dear reader? Do you have any questions for me?

I’ll answer one that I asked a few of my blogger friends the other night during our Power Girl Book Club meeting: what is my brand? I’ve heard “You are your brand” numerous times from Chanda, Jennifer, and Javacia, but what did that mean for me? I wasn’t quite sure so I asked a few close friends their thoughts on my brand. They nailed it: my brand is Birmingham and building community. My passion for Birmingham is no secret and I love connecting people with each other and building those relationships. Kyra Sedgwick was The Closer….I am The Connector. So, look for more posts about Birmingham, connecting friends and community, and, of course, unicorns.

How You Like Me Now?

Ayeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was FANTABULOUS! We had a delicious lunch with my dad’s side of the family in Clanton (our norm) and spent time teasing my uncle, playing with tots and teens, and giving my dad and brother heck for anything and everything. I love Thanksgiving. lol! Then we had friends come up for the weekend from Mobile and grilled out another fabulous feast last night. We were all asleep by 9 p.m. It wasn’t the tryptophan…there was no turkey at any of the tables. It was ALL mashed potatoes. My mashed potatoes. With goat cheese. You’re welcome. 😉

Now the boys are playing Call of Duty and Black Ops on the Xbox (friend brought his up…I’ve never really seen or played with one before) and his wife and I are geeking out on laptops and tablets. It’s been a wonderful Thanksgiving already and the weekend has just started. We love these friends and consider them family. I met them through Daniel and they’ve been along for the ride ever since he and I met. We couldn’t ask for better (or more sarcastic – yay!) friends and we adore them. It’s wonderful to spend the holidays with friends and family you hold dear to your heart. I hope you all got to do the same.

Today’s #bloglikecrazy writing prompt makes me soooooo happy! It’s ‘Music Mantra.’ I can tell you right now what my Music Mantra is and has been for a few years now…”How You Like Me Now?” by The Heavy. I first latched on to this song when I was interested in moving back to Alabama (from Northern VA/DC) and landed my current job. It was the first one I interviewed for, it was an amazing opportunity with a great company, and when I found out I got it I was beside myself. As a matter of fact, I was in the car driving home from work when they called to tell me and as soon as I got into my apartment complex I pulled over, got out of the car, and did a happy dance in the parking lot. Then I finished the drive to my apartment, went inside, and squealed and yelled for a good 10 minutes. Then I called everyone I know. I heard the song the next day on the way to work and THAT.WAS.IT. It was mine. I still consider it my song and if I’m ever having an off day or not feeling great about myself or my achievements, I fire it up and I’m instantly transported to that day and time and how amazing I felt about. I also cranked it up to 10 in the car on the way out of Virginia the day I moved back to Alabama. Here you go…crank it up!

Love yourself.
Find peace inside.
Share happiness.

(Author’s note: I will admit that I haven’t listened too closely to all the lyrics or looked them up. I enjoy the chorus and that’s what I use for my mantra – just in case the lyrics are less than stellar. lol.)

Beauty of a Woman

“The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It’s the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows & the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years.” ~ Audrey Hepburn

Today’s #bloglikecrazy writing prompt encouraged us to answer the question “Why Do I Love Being a Woman?” That’s an interesting subject for me –  I wanted to be a boy during my younger years. I am not sure if I had a gender crisis when I was younger or if I just really enjoyed the more masculine toys and games, but I distinctly remember enjoying insects, playing with balls, super hero type games with the local chums, and being very upset that I was a girl. I recall one afternoon throwing a ball against the back of the house and crying for hours that I was born a girl and not a boy. I was a tomboy at heart and I loved it. I have no idea what brought that on, but it was there. I think part of it was not being as girly as all the other little girls in my class and kind of standing out (in the beginning). I was tough; I played tough and I liked it that way. I wasn’t a wuss and didn’t want to be around any. I was into bugs (most little girls were not), I was a huge nerd already (robotic arms and microscopes for Christmas), and I liked playing ball.

All that changed as I got older and I got into the dolls, makeup, clothes, and all that fun girl stuff. But it took me what I consider a long time. So yes, today, I very much enjoy being a woman for so many reasons..the main one being that all those things that made me long to be a boy when I was younger are now just as acceptable for little girls as they are boys. Girls, teens, women are achieving great things and erasing gender lines and boundaries every day. I love that we can now vote, work, even be President. How amazing is that? We are still striving for equal respect and pay in the work place, but we’ve come a long way, baby. We are the whole package – the soft femininity of beauty with the rock solid strength of brawn. There is nothing we can’t do; we can run families, corporations, causes…we can create anything our beautiful minds can think of…we can conquer anything we choose to…we can love like no one you’ve ever known….and we can leave the greatest legacy humanly possible – a child. What do YOU love most about being a woman?

Love yourself.
Find peace inside.
Share happiness.