on blogging, lists and i don’t even know what else

I feel like writing and I have the time (!!!) but I don’t really have a prompt today.  This means I just start typing.  I kinda love this style of blogging – the day-to-day rambly kind.  You don’t find blogs that are rambly anymore.  Everything is sponsored.  I totally get the appeal (and I myself have several sponsored posts lined up in the coming months – there is decent money to be made and some really neat products to review) but some of my favorite posts to READ are the ones that just talk about daily life.  I started reading Peas and Thank You (which is sadly no longer in existence) like 4 years ago during Henry and Clara’s naptime.  I remember putting them both down (they napped at the same time and for like 2 solid hours – it was bliss!), getting an afternoon snack and coffee and sitting down on our futon (miss that thing).  I read every word that Sarah Matheny wrote.  Every single word.  I know nothing about vegan cooking or baking but she had this VOICE to her blogging that just made you want to read more.  She inspired me to start this blog (along with Janetha and Katie).

I rarely have time these days to actually sit down and produce anything worth reading.  I usually find little 5-minute windows of opportunity throughout the day and they all somehow add up to a blog post.  I actually started with the intention of making everything into a LIST.  Like “Top 10 Reasons to Paint Your Nails Blue.”  I can only think of one right now and it’d have to be Carolina Blue and you’d have to be actually attending a game or sitting on your couch (or futon) and cheering the Heels on.  Anyway, lists are like my jam.  I have three lists going on right now.  One for groceries (Silk almond milk, Honeycomb cereal and spinach – staples), one for MoveMore and one for today’s tasks.  Call me crazy but I like to add things like “breathing” or “sex” to the list – things I know I’ll get accomplished and then strike through each item like a champ.  Sometimes I draw little boxes beside each item and then put a checkmark in there, but that’s rare.

I do feel the need to put some sort of image in every post.  I don’t really know why.  In most WordPress themes, you’re supposed to set a “Featured Image” so if you don’t have one uploaded that just stays blank I guess.  Seems like every post should have at least one visual.  When I have Henry sit down to write out a story, I always make him illustrate it.  Mostly because he HATES drawing but is really pretty good at it and I want to encourage him to grow in that area.  He always draws with yellow.  I can have a 64-crayon box (that’s the big one) in front of him and his hand will go for that yellow crayon.  It’s not my favorite (kelly green…that’s my favorite color).  I’m gonna put in a picture right below this just so there is one.

There.

Did you know that I have over 160 drafts in my dashboard.  Mom, the dashboard is the place that stores all my posts. 160 times I’ve sat down to write something and either A) didn’t finish writing or B) felt like the post wasn’t ready to be published.  Sometimes I go back and finish something but 90% of the time I just leave my thoughts sitting there.  I have a recipe for Monkey Bread.  LOL.  Like seriously one of the easiest recipes EVER and one that you can find anywhere on line but I thought it would be worth my time to share because you never know how many people haven’t ever eaten Monkey Bread (you should).  I see that as a problem in the blogging world – too many posts that say the exact same thing.  There are probably 2,000 posts out there with recipes for Monkey Bread but you think your addition of saffron will make someone click on your link.  (Excuse me while I google “saffron” and see if that’s even something you’d put in the bread.  No.  No, do NOT put saffron in your Monkey Bread.)  What sometimes stops me from giving advice on fitness or motherhood or whatever is that while I KNOW these things, I wouldn’t consider myself an “expert.”  Aren’t we all just learning!??!  Do I really have anything new and profound to add??  Don’t most people already know how to perform a proper squat or about teething and ways to soothe your baby??

I’m finding that no.  No, they don’t.  With an endless internet of countless pages, there is always someone out there that isn’t informed.  Maybe I should start writing more about the simple things like how I make my Crockpot chicken or what Microsoft LiveWriter is and why you need it.  Maybe that will be new information to someone.

Oh my word.  I don’t even know what this post is about but Porter just started crying so I must go.  No time to edit – if there are errors, you can fine me 1 million dollhairs.

All this to say, hi.  I love that you read this blog.  I love writing it.  And I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

splendid…lindsay