Curry Mountain Trail - Great Smoky Mountains National Park
May, 2014
(Didn't do much hiking this spring, but this was one trail I enjoyed)
Thank you so much for your
warm reception and kind words for my first post following a long hiatus. I wasn’t at all sure what to expect and you’ve
made me feel very missed. I am grateful
for your support!
Blogging doesn’t have to
be organized or have a “plan,” but I do so much better with all aspects of
managing my life and time when I have some sort of idea as to where I am
headed. Through my four years (yes, I
did pass my four year Blog Anniversary in early May) of blogging, it always
helped to try posting on a schedule. I’ve
always admired many of you and wandered how in the world you have time to write
those long, descriptive posts complete with pictures AND live your “real” life
at the same time. I just DON’T, so
blogging has to have some sort of schedule for when I write and when I post.
My plan is to post early
Monday morning and then again on Thursday.
I read a lot of blogs across many blog communities and my favorites are
those which share the total life of the writer.
To me, there is always a face and a life behind the words and that is
the person I want to know. You may blog
about a certain subject, but for me to read long-term, I want to know about
your life beyond that subject. And that’s
the kind of blog I’ve always wanted to have.
So Monday’s post will always be about our life. That’s why it’s called, “Gains and Losses:
LIFE Through Sharon’s Eyes!” Thursday is
when you’ll get my thoughts and philosophies which you may or may NOT
want!! LOL! I plan to continue where I was headed with my
2014 Mantra (you’ll have to look it up or just be surprised) before I went on
blog break. But now there’s so much more
to write about!
Last week was lots of
fun. We had a delightful cool spell here
in Tennessee which may have been just the break I needed from the stifling
summer temps. Our most fun moment was
taking a birthday cake and totally surprising Bill’s mother at her weekly Bible
Study. She is NOT easy to surprise and
since she doesn’t attend our church, this is just somewhere she would’ve NEVER
expected to see us. This IS the church
in which Bill grew up and they have faithfully prayed for him throughout his
illness so the moments with this precious group of people was a celebration of
more than just a birthday.
So there you have it.
The Plan!
Do you Blog with a plan or do you just write/post when
the mood strikes?
Posts
Well, you know I say I am consistently inconsistent. Periodically I try to be more regular, but it just doesn't seem to work for me.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun way to completely surprise your MIL.
OH---I have so much I could say about this post and the things you mentioned... I SO SO SO SO agree with you. I have blogged since 2006 --but to me, blogging has changed. I have struggled BIGTIME with it the past several months. So many of my 'good' blog friends either aren't blogging now --or are doing what I am doing and that is blogging less and less. (I am only blogging on Mondays and Thursdays now.)
ReplyDeleteThere are so many impersonal blogs ---and so many simple memes (such as Fences on Friday --or Barn Charm, etc.)... I don't really enjoy most memes (although some are good --and they are fine when combined with other things).... I laughed when I recently said: "How many fences can one see over and over --every Friday?" If bloggers like that, then that is FINE... It's just not for me... I want to read some substance. I like to learn from other bloggers. I love to discuss 'stuff' --like this..
I also like to get to know my blog friends and learn about their lives and their families, interests, etc. I struggle with people who say the same things over and over on their posts --and never seem to have anything to blog about. OR--maybe it's ME. It's just not what I want from blogging. Maybe I'm just not interested in reading those kinds of blogs... SO---as you can tell, I've struggled. My blog is my 'journal' ---and I enjoy blogging. SO--I'll probably never give it up... BUT--I need an 'attitude' change within me so that I will LOVE it once again --like I used to!!!!
One last thing before I stop: Like you, I stay very busy--and have so many other interests in life. Blogging 'can' (if I let it) take up so much of my time... Oh Well---I'll work it out...
Glad you are back. I have missed your blogs although I enjoyed your emails.
Hugs,
Betsy
I post when the mood strikes. It's sort of like therapy for me, and the amount of therapy and the days I need that therapy vary...ha!
ReplyDeleteThat was very sweet of you guys to surprise your MIL :)
Sounds like a good plan!!
ReplyDeleteI post what I feel like when I feel like. Sometimes I post a lot during the week. Sometimes I post every other day. I don't really have too much of a schedule except I love doing a garden post each Friday and that is just about my favorite post to write.
ReplyDeleteMy blog has evolved a lot over the years. I end up with a lot of pictures in my posts because I take tons of pictures whenever I do things. It just takes time to edit those down so the post isn't a million pages long :D
Welcome back. I have thought about you different times and wondered how you and your hubby were doing. I'm glad things are improving. I look forward to whatever you decide to share.
ReplyDeleteI post when I have time. Between work, home chores, working out, family, etc... blogging is sadly low on the list of priorities. Choosing and editing photos takes most of my time, and THEN I have to think of something halfway entertaining to write. That's why my posts come out about every 4-5 days. No set schedule - just whenever I can fit it in. Although I'm not a regular blogger, I hope my posts (albeit long and winding) are worth the wait.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're back and are trying to post on a regular schedule.
I like your plan and often wish that I could have more of a philosophical bent to my blogging since I really am a very philosophical soul. But I am always so busy just keeping a nearly daily scrapbook blog of our travels that it never seems to happen. I really look forward to your modeling some of this for me. I do think reading my blog you get to know me and my opinions pretty well since I do include them in what I write. But there isn't as much philosophy or spirituality in my posts as I would like. That's for getting me to think about this.
ReplyDeleteYou type, I read. :)
ReplyDeleteNo plan as is probably very obvious to you, a long term reader! My blog is not far from my mind most of the time and I often think this or that happening would make a good blog post. Those thoughts don't always make it to the blog though. I like to think it is because I have a full life outside of the blog world, however it may be because I put it off too long and the thought gets away or is no longer relevant!!
ReplyDeleteIn any case, I am glad you are back and look forward to reading whatever you post.
Lori
Glad to see you're back, and looking forward to more. We so enjoyed our visit to the Smokies last year. I post a lot, and am trying to feel less guilty about missing the odd days, but I use it to push myself to do more photography, and that works for me. I also enjoy the writing and write some spinoff articles for local newsletters. Some memes have pushed my. Photography in new directions, which is helpful. I started with virtually no personal info, but I'm evolving toward more of that as I feel comfortable with it. Just do what suits you!
ReplyDeleteI think that's a good plan! :)
ReplyDeleteI've often wondered if bloggers had plans or schedules for blogging. I certainly wouldn't want the pressure of blogging every day, as some do. I believe I read your February post in your blog, probably following a link from another blog. I find your weight loss journey inspirational.
ReplyDeleteI try to post at least 4 times a week, but I've started taking Sundays off because I notice less people are reading it then. I load up all my pics after an outing, separate them into posts with titles, then get to the details as I have time. Sometimes I'll do 4 at a time if I have a big chunk of free time and then schedule them for the week. Sometimes I'm dashing it together in the morning before I leave for work. I've always had to be "in the mood" for the creative part of anything I do so adhering to a schedule would suck the fun out of it for me!
ReplyDelete