(Dried fall flowers from a recent bouquet.)
Hello, again! I didn’t originally plan to take such a long break, but I did, and it felt really good. Ryan traveled a few weeks ago, and I’m always a little drained after he returns, so I took another week off from blogging, and then before I knew it, almost a month had passed.
To be completely honest, I’ve been feeling some blogger burnout lately, and it’s the first time it’s really hit me this hard. This space is my creative outlet, and while I’ve missed writing, I just haven’t felt like I have much to say lately. I’m still reading other blogs and visiting my daily sites, but I’ve felt sort of quiet recently, and I think that’s okay. Several other bloggers that I love and follow are going through similar situations at the moment, and it’s nice to know I’m not alone.
I’ve decided that I’m going to be patient with myself and only write when I feel like writing. I’m hoping that will be at least once a week, but it might be more, and it might be less. Since I’ve embraced the idea of ethical consumption, I’m obviously consuming less, and I’m most definitely burned out when it comes to writing about STUFF. So much of blogging is about STUFF these days, and it just gets to be a little too much sometimes. I think most of us are doing the best we can, but we can all get by with a little less, too, I think.
This year has been really interesting for me, and when my youngest son started kindergarten, I made big plans to open a store, which hasn’t happened. And then we seriously contemplated moving to another state, and I’m not certain that’s going to happen now, either. I’m not usually so flaky when it comes to making big decisions, but I’ve definitely waffled this year. I think that’s okay, too, and it’s fine to change your mind every now and again.
Whatever happens, I’m still here and I’m still around, just trying out a new and slower routine. Thank you for sticking with me!
(Dried rosebuds in a vintage dish.)
This week was really busy and our weekend will be, too. I’m going to take a break next week to catch up on some things around here while Ryan travels, but I plan to be back shortly. In the meantime, here are the things that caught my eye this week.
President Obama asked, and the press delivered.
People Magazine urges its readers to take a stand against gun violence in the United States.
John Oliver on the Oregon shooting.
The story of a woman jailed for her son’s stillbirth.
Old photographs of people on their lunch breaks.
A gorgeous, eco-designed house in Australia.
Why nobody throws parties anymore.
“But I Want It.” The four basic conversations parents have with their children.
And “Peaky Blinders” is filming Season 3!
Have a great weekend and I’ll be back soon!
(Books for the donation truck.)
As I’m continuing to clean out our house after ten years here, and in preparation for our possible move, I recently thinned out our large book collection. I love a home filled with books and there are many I will never part with, but I also have a bunch of books I’d consider “one time reads” that other people might enjoy. A local charity’s donation truck was scheduled for our neighborhood around the same time, so I filled two large boxes and put them on the porch for the truck to pick up.
After learning more about ethical clothing and what happens to the clothes we “donate” in the United States, I’m reluctant to give to charity trucks these days. But this particular charity specifically asks for books, along with household items, to distribute to local residents. Our local library also takes book donations and even has a drop slot to make it easy. I’m planning to donate a few books there over the next few months.
My parents have a great used bookstore near their home, and they often buy a bag of paperbacks to read, then return them and get others. This is a great option and you can earn store credit for the books you donate. Other places that are in need of books include local schools, nursing homes, and care facilities for older adults. I also have a large stack of fashion magazines that I need to find a new home for, so that’s something else to add to my list.
I’m slowly but surely thinning out our possessions, and I’m happy that some of the things we no longer need will go to people who will enjoy using them.
