blogging

Reading blogs has become my favorite internet past time since last fall. I have always loved reading about other people’s lives and didn’t really understand that the blogging community existed prior to that time. I feel lame sharing a list of blogs on here that are big name blogs rather than trendy up-and-comers, but I’m just beginning to delve into finding other WordPress blogs that speak to me, so this is my honest-to-goodness daily repertoire.

Thought my title was just clever? This website has been the source for quite a few great blog finds.

love taza // A friend showed me this blog almost a year ago now, and I think I’ve read most every post from the archives and continue to read daily. This blog is actually what got me interested in reading blogs, which eventually led me to think of starting my own as a way to document my life. I thought loving Taza (aka Naomi) and her adorable family would mean that I would fall in love with every Mormon family blog I’ve found, it hasn’t proven to be true at all. While I love a lot of Mormon family Instagram accounts, this is the only mama blog I continue to read on a daily basis. I think it’s the colorful photos, adorable children, and the fact that I cannot convince myself that these people are anything but incredibly kind.

A Cup of Jo // This is probably my favorite blog ever. I could spend days just clicking through and reading old posts. It’s intelligently written, insightful, and I appreciate that Jo and her team make posts that are somewhat journalistic in nature, such as her “Motherhood around the World” features. This is a must read.

The College Prepster // In trying to find popular blogs for people my age, I came across this gem. At first glance, I was annoyed by Lilly Pulitzer loving Carly, but when I started reading I found a million posts that were super relatable. Her advice on organization, found throughout her blog and especially in the archives from when she was in college, are very useful.

Peanut Butter Fingers // I came across this blog around the same time as I started reading Love Taza and I eventually realized healthy living blogs are probably not for me. It’s cool that they post really frequently, but I don’t really care to hear mundane details of most people’s lives. However, I randomly checked the blog again in February or so and found out Julie was pregnant and started reading again.

Olive + Tate // This lady is awesome. She tells it like it is more than any other blog I’ve found. I have no idea how I came across this one, and while I don’t relate to her completely, I enjoy every post I read.

Oops. I probably seem like a freak reading a bunch of blogs by 30-something mothers. I swear I’m normal. Mostly.

Until next time!

Several months ago, I discovered the blogging community. I’ve never really blogged before. I had a Tumblr in high school, but it didn’t feel like a real blog or a very positive atmosphere at the time. It was more of a place to complain and feel sorry for myself and others. I ended up deleting the account when John and I started dating because I felt like I was too happy to be there…which is horrifying.

Fast forward a couple years and several attempts at a permanent form of self-reflection (diary, a blog of letters to John, a diary of letters to John, actual letters to John) and still, nothing had stuck. It occurred to me several weeks ago that blogging could bring me a couple of things I’ve been missing in my life.

First, it would give me an outlet to write (permanent self-reflection) and for other people to read. I love thinking introspectively and reminiscing, but I like to have someone listening to me (and to think I had myself convinced for a while that I was an introvert…).

Second, I wanted to rekindle my creative side. I learned a lot of photography and design basics in high school that have worn off since then and that I’d like to gain back. In December, I purchased my first DSLR camera and haven’t taken nearly the number of pictures I would have liked with it since then, so blogging is my new motivation. I’d kind of sort of like to learn HTML/CSS as well, but I’m saving that endeavor for a week and a half from now when I’m in vacation mode. We’ll see how it goes.

Anyway, I’m not quite comfortable in this zone yet. I don’t quite understand how to easily find other blogs I like or to fully join the blogging community.

It’s normal though, I think, to feel like I’m fumbling around.

But I feel like I haven’t found my voice, and that’s the first thing that needs to happen. Something about typing with a keyboard in a Word document (where I draft posts) feels so official and I can’t help but put some thought into modifying my vocabulary and trying for complete sentences. But that’s not quite really exactly me. Then again, if I typed in the “voice” I used while texting, there would be no punctuation or capital letters unless I was mad at you and then I would put periods at the end of each. of. my. sentences.

So apologies in advance if my posts don’t seem to have any general direction or I try to give my perspective/advice and sound ignorant and bossy. I promise I’ll figure it out—it’ll just take a bit of time.

two L allison

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