Tag: instagram

30 Days of Quickwrites (Typecrafters Challenge)

Hey guys! I know I have mentioned it before but in addition to my normal job and writing in this here blog (some months more frequently than others), I have a little baby side business called Typecrafters.

Typecrafters Logo.jpg

My mom actually got the ball rolling on this several years ago and I have taken it over nowadays. I do a little light graphic design (like business cards) under this moniker, but my main focus is on formatting books for print or for kindle.

Typecrafters InstagramThe reason I’m bringing it up now is that last week I started a “30 Days of Quickwrites” challenge over on the Typecrafters Instagram. Writing can be hard work and I’d love to build a community where authors support each other and help them get over blocks.

I’ve really dealt with writers’ block (even in relation to this blog) in the past, and sometimes just having a little nudge helps get the thoughts flowing. Even if you don’t consider yourself a “writer” in a creative capacity, I have found that writing is so important to success in life. The ability to communicate clearly helps in work and relationships. Too often I just post tweets and some weeks, the longest thing I write is an email for work. When working on a longer piece or a complicated idea (like a book club response, for example), I have actually found more dimensions to my thoughts and opinions as I get it all out.

I have all 30 days already planned out. Some of the prompts will be topical personal reactions, some of them are fiction (admit it, you’ve always wanted to try out fiction) and one of them is even poetry.

If you’re into writing and you want to brainstorm some ideas, take a stab at a few (or all!) of the writing prompts. You don’t have to show anyone and you don’t have to post them anywhere, but I encourage you to write about two pages per prompt.

Let me know how it goes!

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Selfie Challenge Reflection

It always stumped me that Instagram pictures of myself got many likes, compared to the most artistic neighborhood shot, or perfectly edited food pic. After all, that’s what I like to see, and its what my feed consists of! Nope, actually there are people out there who like me for me, and not because of my delicious meals or artful pics of plants.

Selfie Challenge

Participating in Libby’s #xoxoselfie challenge opened my eyes to the fact that, honestly, I love getting glimpses into my friends’ lives, and they probably like getting glimpses into mine. Sure, a picture of my croissant is a glimpse into my life, but it’s easier to make that a “fluff” post as opposed to — BAM– a pic of my face and a little personal update. Selfies are often seen as narcissistic, but aren’t “show-off-y” pics of an amazing brunch just as self-centered if not more so? “Look at what a great time I’m having” can occasionally blur into “be jealous of me,” right? I mean, it’s totally possible I am having a great time and for that matter, too self conscious to put myself in the photo so I let the food/coffee/scenery speak for me.

Especially considering that I haven’t been that crazy about my own looks lately, it’s nice to have that little nudge. “Hey, you’re OK.” A little exercise in self-appreciation when it’s so easy and we are so used to putting ourselves down. My thoughts are interesting. My stories are mine. I don’t plan for my whole feed to consist of selfies now, or ever, but I might just slip in some more personal thoughts every so often.

Monday Ponderings

Hmmm… just a collection of thoughts on this Monday afternoon.

On savoring life: 

As I mentioned in Friday’s post, I am really psyched about the future. However, I know that once my feet touch Californian soil my heart will ache for the life and friends I have now. So, Friday night my girlfriends and I went to Wichita for a bachelorette party for our friend Lisa. (She still has a month until her big day, but perhaps we can stretch the festivities out longer?)

Last week, we got together with a couple from our church and played board games and let our dogs chase each other for a couple of hours. Tomorrow, Doug has his last show (yes, this will be the last one) with I Heard A Lion (if you’re in the Wichita area please come to Rock Island Live for the show) which is very bittersweet as the band has meant a lot to us for over a year and a half now.

I’m keenly aware that sometimes the things I do will be “the last time” I do them as a resident in my town. While I try not to get bogged down in being too sentimental, I do like this way of thinking. I guess anyone could live like this every day, since we don’t know if we will even be gifted with a “tomorrow.”

So, for the blog, I think I’ll do a few retrospective posts on this house, our garden, and time with friends.

On decorating: 

I am beyond psyched to have another blank slate to decorate! We are getting rid of a significant amount of furniture in the next few weeks and will have to make do with bare bones until we figure out income sources in California. We might have to scrape by for a little while, but I eagerly await saving up for a new couch to complement (NOT match) our vintage gray couch, buying a bed frame, and maybe coming up with something new and different for our dining setup. I’m trying not to buy the cart before the horse, but we will be so close to an IKEA it’s hard not to lose myself in their catalog. Not to make it sound like all I’m excited about is shopping. I’m really looking forward to using our furniture, art, textiles, etc in new and interesting ways! The brown dining room curtains may make their appearance in the bedroom, the green vine curtains could be in the kitchen! Who knows, really, since I have no idea what my apartment will be like yet!

For the blog, Look for some hypothetical inspiration boards in this vein!

Once we settle on an apartment I’ll do a post about floor planning, making different pieces work in different rooms, AND my pallet installment will be getting a creative second life (it came to me in a stroke of inspiration!)

What kind of thoughts are occupying you lately?