I’ve been blogging for several years now, but I only became what I’d call a real, dedicated blogger this past summer. That’s when I committed to writing and blogging every day, and I’ve been working to maintain a higher caliber blog (or what I hope it will become one day). I’m shy by nature, and blogging has been a great way to put myself out there, if you will, while still remaining in the driver’s seat. As a self-professed control freak, I really like that. I like to share ideas and I love meeting new people online, and those are great aspects of blogging.
I’m also dipping my toe into the social media side, which is something that really goes against my nature. I joined Twitter last month as another way to promote my blog and meet new people who might want to (hopefully) become readers, and it’s a fun and easy way to communicate. But it also makes my head spin, literally, at times. I have friends who use it to chat all day long, and I know other people who use it strictly as a marketing tool. Right now, I fall somewhere in between the two, as I mention my daily posts, comment on friends’ tweets, and occasionally share little tidbits of my own. I have to be careful, though, because some of my followers are private, which means they have more freedom in what they post. I can have a big mouth online, especially when political and social issues come into play, and since I’m trying to remain fairly neutral and pleasant, I have to refrain from participating in certain conversations that might have me in a tizzy in a private space, like a forum.
I tell you this only because I find it absolutely fascinating that social media has transformed our world, largely for the better, and made it so much smaller. As I am learning more about what it means to blog and write online, my eyes are opening to new ideas and possibilities. I didn’t grow up with much technology (and I had to walk to school barefoot, in the snow, uphill both ways!), but things were changing as I came of age in the mid-1990s. I was in college when the Internet became a “thing” that most people had in their homes, and I remember professors reminding us that it would be a class requirement to have an email address, a novel idea at the time. If we didn’t know how to set one up, they’d tell us, we could just head over to the school computer lab for help. Lucky for me, my Computer Science major boyfriend always made sure I was in the loop technologically, which is one of the reasons I married him. Well, that and the whole love thing.
When Facebook became popular, it was only for college students, and since I was already a graduate, I didn’t set up an account. I still haven’t. It’s weird, I know, but I just never felt like I needed one. Of course I realize that I am probably shooting myself (or my blog) in the foot by not jumping on that bandwagon, and I have been the subject of several mini-“join Facebook” campaigns, but I’m still holding out. There’s something about not using it that just feels right to me, and maybe that is insane. I’ve written about not using Pinterest in the past, because I like to keep some things to myself. And last week, a well-known blogger mentioned that she uses a fake name on Pinterest, to keep her ideas private. I felt a little vindicated by her statement, because Pinterest can be a hot-button issue for some people.
When I watched the presidential debate last week, I noticed lots of activity on Twitter. I realized that major events like that are a prime opportunity to attract some attention, especially if your comment is really witty or snarky, or your handle has a Sesame Street theme (Thanks, Mitt!). But I like to watch television the old-fashioned way, without interruption, so my old-school brain can’t tweet and watch at the same time. I just can’t think of clever things to say. They come later, as I’m thinking about a blog post or writing one.
I guess all this is just to emphasize how much I’ve learned, and am learning from social media, and I know I still have a long way to go. But I like to turn off at times, and keep some things to myself, and for now, that seems to be working just fine.
What do you think? How are you using social media? I’d love to hear.
Before I found a dress that would work for a friend’s recent wedding, I originally had my mind set on wearing one of Anthropologie’s Here & There tees, paired with a funky skirt. I ordered both the plain black tee and the navy with polka-dots, and while they are very sweet and functional as basic tops, they are much too casual for an evening wedding. Still, I thought it would be fun to show how I plan to wear these basic pieces as part of my everyday wardrobe.
With a scoop-neck and ruched sleeves, the tee has a very vintage feel. The reviews said that it runs small, so I ordered a large, though I can normally wear a small or medium in Anthropologie’s sizes. The black tee is probably too big for me and is incredibly long. Here, I have it pulled up a little for a more casual look with this skirt, but if I pull it all the way down, it comes to my mid-thigh and could literally work as a tunic with jeans and a cardigan. I added a large, beaded necklace for a bit of contrast, too.
And here is the navy, polka-dot tee, paired with an ivory lace skirt. The fit of this top is more flattering, in my opinion, and though the design of both shirts is the same, I’m guessing the black material just has more give, since it is easily an inch or two longer than the navy. But the detail of each is very sweet, and Anthropologie has several print versions of the tee that are currently sold out, but will be back in stock in November. This print, in particular, feels very 1940s to me and would work well with many skirts and heels.
Even though I had to scrap my wedding outfit idea, I’m still thrilled with these purchases and I know I’ll get a lot of wear from these blouses. They are just too casual to work on their own as simple statement pieces, which is what I was originally hoping for.
Oh well, live and learn!
Linking up with The Glamorous Housewife.
Our boys discovered Shrek, and rather surprisingly, Rhys has become enamored with dragons. I found a sweet book for him, There’s No Such Thing as a Dragon
And speaking of dragons, Ryan and I finally discovered the phenomenon that is (or was) the Millennium series of Swedish films, based on the books by Stieg Larson: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest. These books and films have been on my radar, but since I’ve spent the last three years either pregnant or nursing or both, I’ve had little time to actually check them out. Netflix is currently streaming the entire Swedish film series, in six subtitled segments, and I highly recommend it! And I’ll be the first to admit how shocked I am to be absolutely enthralled by the entire series and the author, who is equally as interesting as his characters. I’ve borrowed the books from my dad, and I’m working up the courage to read them, since murder and violence are not my preferred literary themes for an evening of quiet reading.
But there is something so intriguing about the seedy side of Stockholm, Sweden, and since my master’s thesis did focus upon the issue of violence in Chicana literature, well, this is right up my alley. Larson’s Mikael Blomkvist and his endless pursuit of justice, via the pages of his articles in Millennium Magazine, are incredibly inspiring to any writer. And what can be said about Lisbeth Salander, the title character? She is a survivor in the truest sense of the word. Plus, she hacks away at her computer like a dedicated blogger, and it is fun to watch.
Dragons have definitely taken over our house for the time being, and we are having so much fun!
