10 years ago today, on March 18th, 2002, I did something that was unremarkable at the time, but that now, when I look back on it, seems totally amazing:
I wrote my first blog post.
It wasn't on this blog, and it wasn't on the blog I had before this one, or even the blog I had before that one. But 4 blogs ago, before people even started using the word "blog," I started writing.
I thought about copying my very first blog post to show you all what it said, but it's boring and pretty un-funny.
I don't think I could have anticipated that 10 years later, I'd be reflecting on what a major force blogging has been in my life and that it would include:
- Introducing me to some truly wonderful people who I now think of as friends
- Getting me into some momentary yet scary-as-shit disciplinary problems in graduate school
- Strengthening my friendship with my bestie
- Sharing parts of myself and my life that I might otherwise have kept locked up
Even when I take unintentional blogging breaks and remain silent for 1, 2, 3 weeks, blogging is always on my mind. I don't even really feel emotions anymore, I just compose posts in my head as I experience the ups and downs of my life (seriously, do you guys do that? Just me?). Most of what I've "written" in my head hasn't even made it out, doomed to forever remain in my mental Drafts folder. But it's always made me feel good to think of something and know that, if I had chosen to write it down, it might have manifest itself as a well-crafted sentence.
I often forget how truly, amazingly rewarding I find writing. How sometimes when I write even the most insignificant of blog posts, I look at the clock and wonder how it got to be 2 in the morning. I never regret the sleep I've lost - getting lost in the sound of my clacking keyboard as it pierces through the dead-of-night silence is much more fun.
I can't believe that it's been 10 years since I started carving out my little space on the internet. Here's to the next 10. =)
So much Harry Potter, so little time
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Labels:
Harry Potter Festathon
If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you may remember the epic adventure that Lacey and I went on 2 years ago.
It was called Harry Potter Festathon. 2 days, 6 movies, a whole lot of nerdiness.
Well bitches, Harry Potter Festathon is BACK, and coming to you live on March 17th and 18th. Only now there are 8 movies and we've recruited 2 more friends to join us.
There won't be any live blogging this time, but feel free to follow along via the only Twitter hashtag that could possibly be appropriate for this occasion, #harrypotterfestathon.
It's going to be magical.
It was called Harry Potter Festathon. 2 days, 6 movies, a whole lot of nerdiness.
Well bitches, Harry Potter Festathon is BACK, and coming to you live on March 17th and 18th. Only now there are 8 movies and we've recruited 2 more friends to join us.
There won't be any live blogging this time, but feel free to follow along via the only Twitter hashtag that could possibly be appropriate for this occasion, #harrypotterfestathon.
It's going to be magical.
My big debut
Monday, March 12, 2012
Labels:
Stratejoy
In case you haven't been bombarded by my Facebook and Twitter posts today...
IT'S STRATEJOY DAY!!!
First it was very exciting because all the wonderful season 6 blogger bios went up. Here's my sexy bio:
Then it was even MORE exciting because MY FIRST POST IS UP!!! ACKKKKK.
If you want to follow along with just my posts, you can do that here. Though I highly recommend you check out everyone else's posts too because I'm just the first of 7 awesome ladies, each of whom will make their own debuts on a different day this week. They're all going to be amazeballs.
And to clarify, I will ALWAYS be posting on Monday. I am THE Monday girl. Woohoo!
Today has been such a crazy emotional journey with the YAYs and the OMGs and the HOLY CRAP WHAT AM I DOINGs. I think I deserve an adult beverage.
IT'S STRATEJOY DAY!!!
First it was very exciting because all the wonderful season 6 blogger bios went up. Here's my sexy bio:
Then it was even MORE exciting because MY FIRST POST IS UP!!! ACKKKKK.
If you want to follow along with just my posts, you can do that here. Though I highly recommend you check out everyone else's posts too because I'm just the first of 7 awesome ladies, each of whom will make their own debuts on a different day this week. They're all going to be amazeballs.
And to clarify, I will ALWAYS be posting on Monday. I am THE Monday girl. Woohoo!
Today has been such a crazy emotional journey with the YAYs and the OMGs and the HOLY CRAP WHAT AM I DOINGs. I think I deserve an adult beverage.
Drowning
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Labels:
Books
Guys, I have a serious problem.
I'm drowning.
Not emotionally, in a depressed "I can't keep up with my feelings of sadness" kind of way. And not in an actual drowning in water kind of way.
I'M DROWNING IN MY BOOKS.
You see, I read books in 2 formats: actual physical books, and Kindle books. Actual books that I get from the library are wonderful because once I have them, I can keep renewing them forever and ever and there's no rush to read them. Kindle books, however, are not so simple. There are a few types of Kindle books that I read:
- Kindle books that I own. There are very few of these since I don't like to pay for books, which is unfortunate because, like physical books, these are easy to deal with. Yesterday I bought Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close from Amazon because it was on sale for 25 cents. I probably won't read it for awhile.
- Kindle books that I get from the Amazon Lending Library. As an Amazon Prime member, I get to borrow 1 book a month. I can keep them for as long as I want, but even if I finish one in 2 days, I still can't borrow another one until the 1st of the next month. I don't like to get behind on these books because I want to fully utilize this part of my Prime membership, and it's nice to be able to pick out a new book and have access to it immediately (unlike library books, which I typically have to wait for). Sadly for me, my current lending library book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is from February and I don't anticipate finishing it anytime soon. So I probably won't be getting a free March book. Wah.
- Kindle books from the Brooklyn Public Library. Library e-books are tricky. When I get an email that one of my books is ready for download, I have 3 days to download it. Once it's on my Kindle, I have exactly 2 weeks to read it. No renewal option.
Normally this is all fine and well because I read books at lightning speed (according to Goodreads I've finished 18 books so far in 2012 and am in the middle of 5 more). So as the books I've put on hold start coming in, either in hard or soft copy, I adjust accordingly. If I'm reading an actual physical book and a library e-book comes through, I'll temporarily abandon the first book because I know I have unlimited time to read it while I only get 14 days with an e-book. It's always worked out.
However, I feel like I'm on the brink of losing control of my reading. For the first time since I got my Kindle in November, I'm afraid I won't have time to finish something or other.
You see, I got an email today that 1Q84 is ready for download. I just started reading Fire, another library e-book, but I'm confident I can finish it before 3 days from now, the point at which I have to download 1Q84 or I lose my spot in line. The problem is that 1Q84 is over 900 pages long, so even at my current pace it'll take me a bit to get through it.
AND
Because I can go to the library's website to check the status of the e-books I have on hold, I can see that I'm probably going to get The Girl Who Played With Fire pretty soon also. This book is over 700 pages.
I ONLY HAVE 2 PRECIOUS WEEKS WITH EACH OF THESE BOOKS BEFORE THEY DISAPPEAR FROM MY KINDLE.
I JUST DON'T THINK I CAN KEEP UP WITH THIS.
What I need to do is to STOP PUTTING BOOKS ON HOLD. I've turned into a monster.
I'm drowning.
Not emotionally, in a depressed "I can't keep up with my feelings of sadness" kind of way. And not in an actual drowning in water kind of way.
I'M DROWNING IN MY BOOKS.
You see, I read books in 2 formats: actual physical books, and Kindle books. Actual books that I get from the library are wonderful because once I have them, I can keep renewing them forever and ever and there's no rush to read them. Kindle books, however, are not so simple. There are a few types of Kindle books that I read:
- Kindle books that I own. There are very few of these since I don't like to pay for books, which is unfortunate because, like physical books, these are easy to deal with. Yesterday I bought Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close from Amazon because it was on sale for 25 cents. I probably won't read it for awhile.
- Kindle books that I get from the Amazon Lending Library. As an Amazon Prime member, I get to borrow 1 book a month. I can keep them for as long as I want, but even if I finish one in 2 days, I still can't borrow another one until the 1st of the next month. I don't like to get behind on these books because I want to fully utilize this part of my Prime membership, and it's nice to be able to pick out a new book and have access to it immediately (unlike library books, which I typically have to wait for). Sadly for me, my current lending library book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is from February and I don't anticipate finishing it anytime soon. So I probably won't be getting a free March book. Wah.
- Kindle books from the Brooklyn Public Library. Library e-books are tricky. When I get an email that one of my books is ready for download, I have 3 days to download it. Once it's on my Kindle, I have exactly 2 weeks to read it. No renewal option.
Normally this is all fine and well because I read books at lightning speed (according to Goodreads I've finished 18 books so far in 2012 and am in the middle of 5 more). So as the books I've put on hold start coming in, either in hard or soft copy, I adjust accordingly. If I'm reading an actual physical book and a library e-book comes through, I'll temporarily abandon the first book because I know I have unlimited time to read it while I only get 14 days with an e-book. It's always worked out.
However, I feel like I'm on the brink of losing control of my reading. For the first time since I got my Kindle in November, I'm afraid I won't have time to finish something or other.
You see, I got an email today that 1Q84 is ready for download. I just started reading Fire, another library e-book, but I'm confident I can finish it before 3 days from now, the point at which I have to download 1Q84 or I lose my spot in line. The problem is that 1Q84 is over 900 pages long, so even at my current pace it'll take me a bit to get through it.
AND
Because I can go to the library's website to check the status of the e-books I have on hold, I can see that I'm probably going to get The Girl Who Played With Fire pretty soon also. This book is over 700 pages.
I ONLY HAVE 2 PRECIOUS WEEKS WITH EACH OF THESE BOOKS BEFORE THEY DISAPPEAR FROM MY KINDLE.
I JUST DON'T THINK I CAN KEEP UP WITH THIS.
What I need to do is to STOP PUTTING BOOKS ON HOLD. I've turned into a monster.
Why being single is awesome
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Labels:
Single Girl Confidential
It's been a long time since Jess and I have posted in our Single Girl Confidential series. But after a few months of being distracted, we're back for the finale (though we completely reserve the right to resurrect the series at any point in the future).
Today we're talking about why being single is awesome. Jess's post is here.
There are many directions in which I could take this. I could talk about how I relish the fact that I have my entire queen bed to myself (which I do. I hate sharing beds). I could talk about how happy I get every time one of my non-single friends says something like, "Oh, I wish I could join you for ______ but UCH I have to go to [significant other's] family/work/whatever thing that I really don't feel like going to." I can't even imagine not having my life to myself and how frustrated I'd get if I had to deal with someone else's obligations (I have enough of my own, thank you). I could talk about how stress-free it is to NOT plan a wedding, to NOT have a boyfriend who occasionally acts like a jerk and pisses me off, to NOT freak out over what to get him for his birthday.
But I'm not going to talk about those things.
I think we can all agree that one of the best parts of being in a relationship is the feeling that you are not alone. When shit hits the fan, there's someone there to battle it out with you, or at the very least, to listen to you vent, offer advice and support you.
Being single, you lack this extra support system. Sure, we have wonderful friends who can and will help us through anything, but it's somewhat different than having that one person who devotes more of their time to you than to anyone else.
You're probably wondering if maybe I'm writing the wrong post right now. Isn't this "why being single is awesome?" and not, "why being single sometimes leads you to find solace in a pint of Ben and Jerry's?" Don't worry.
Being single is awesome because when you're alone in dealing with the lemons life throws at you, you come out on the other side knowing that you are strong enough to make it on your own. You made that proverbial lemonade, but you didn't need anyone else to help you do it.
Despite the fact that I'm clearly going through some issues with my self-esteem at the moment, I am actually quite confident in some areas of my life. I'm confident that I can make people laugh, if not always on purpose. I'm confident that when I really want to, I can produce a well-written paper or essay (I'm particularly proud of my Stratejoy application).
But at the core of my confidence, and a fundamental part of who I am, is the knowledge that no matter what happens, I will always be okay. Though I certainly hope that I'm not single for the rest of my life, I know that should that be the case, I will navigate the twists and turns and lemons and limes and whatever other citrus fucking fruit comes my way. I will always enjoy my own company, I will always be able to keep myself entertained, and I will always find it within myself to overcome the bullshit.
I know that no one ever died of being single, so sure, you can say that EVERYONE would be able to make it on their own, if forced to do so. But I would argue that most people wouldn't be happy doing it. And while I know a lot of people who find singlehood debilitating and uncomfortable, I think the inordinate amount of time I've spent single hasn't weakened me at all. On the contrary, it constantly forces me to find strengths I never knew I had.
And that, my friends, is why being single is awesome.
Today we're talking about why being single is awesome. Jess's post is here.
There are many directions in which I could take this. I could talk about how I relish the fact that I have my entire queen bed to myself (which I do. I hate sharing beds). I could talk about how happy I get every time one of my non-single friends says something like, "Oh, I wish I could join you for ______ but UCH I have to go to [significant other's] family/work/whatever thing that I really don't feel like going to." I can't even imagine not having my life to myself and how frustrated I'd get if I had to deal with someone else's obligations (I have enough of my own, thank you). I could talk about how stress-free it is to NOT plan a wedding, to NOT have a boyfriend who occasionally acts like a jerk and pisses me off, to NOT freak out over what to get him for his birthday.
But I'm not going to talk about those things.
I think we can all agree that one of the best parts of being in a relationship is the feeling that you are not alone. When shit hits the fan, there's someone there to battle it out with you, or at the very least, to listen to you vent, offer advice and support you.
Being single, you lack this extra support system. Sure, we have wonderful friends who can and will help us through anything, but it's somewhat different than having that one person who devotes more of their time to you than to anyone else.
You're probably wondering if maybe I'm writing the wrong post right now. Isn't this "why being single is awesome?" and not, "why being single sometimes leads you to find solace in a pint of Ben and Jerry's?" Don't worry.
Being single is awesome because when you're alone in dealing with the lemons life throws at you, you come out on the other side knowing that you are strong enough to make it on your own. You made that proverbial lemonade, but you didn't need anyone else to help you do it.
Despite the fact that I'm clearly going through some issues with my self-esteem at the moment, I am actually quite confident in some areas of my life. I'm confident that I can make people laugh, if not always on purpose. I'm confident that when I really want to, I can produce a well-written paper or essay (I'm particularly proud of my Stratejoy application).
But at the core of my confidence, and a fundamental part of who I am, is the knowledge that no matter what happens, I will always be okay. Though I certainly hope that I'm not single for the rest of my life, I know that should that be the case, I will navigate the twists and turns and lemons and limes and whatever other citrus fucking fruit comes my way. I will always enjoy my own company, I will always be able to keep myself entertained, and I will always find it within myself to overcome the bullshit.
I know that no one ever died of being single, so sure, you can say that EVERYONE would be able to make it on their own, if forced to do so. But I would argue that most people wouldn't be happy doing it. And while I know a lot of people who find singlehood debilitating and uncomfortable, I think the inordinate amount of time I've spent single hasn't weakened me at all. On the contrary, it constantly forces me to find strengths I never knew I had.
And that, my friends, is why being single is awesome.