Tell Me Something Tuesday: Blogging routines

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general.

Join in by answering this weeks question in the comments or on your own blog.

If you would like to join TMST and receive periodic emails of upcoming topics, please fill out this GOOGLE FORM. TMST is a laid back meme – join in or opt out depending on your interest in topics or schedule.

Question: What is your blogging routine?

Answer:

via GIPHY

At the best of times, I had a very loose blogging routine. I'm a pantser. I think of what I want to say, type it out, post it. The most ahead I've ever been with drafts is about 2 weeks - and that was rare. 

I usually carved out a few hours every morning to visit my favorite blogs. 

If posting my Tell Me Something TUESDAY on a Wednesday is an indication - these are not the best of times lol

I read exactly 2 books in all of October, none so far for November (although I did just start an audiobook so there's still hope!) so there is zero blogging routine in my life right now. I'm trying really hard to keep up on my visiting though. I haven't felt like being online but I miss you all too much when I don't to stay away. 

I'm really curious if it's just fatigue from world events, I'm done blogging or I just need a break. Time will tell I guess.

So if you're looking for blogging routine tips - don't look here. Ha! 

*NOTE - to show just how bad I am doing at this blogging thing right now. This question was moved to December and I didn't even notice despite being part of hosting the meme 🤣

I'm leaving this up though because the question for this week is - What books are you looking forward to reading in Winter 2020/21 (December - February)? and I've got nothing. 

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Tell Me Something Tuesday

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general.

Join in by answering this weeks question in the comments or on your own blog.

If you would like to join TMST and receive periodic emails of upcoming topics, please fill out this GOOGLE FORM. TMST is a laid back meme – join in or opt out depending on your interest in topics or schedule.

Question: Have you found any new interests or hobbies during the covid lockdown/stay at home orders?

Answer: Yes! And thank God because all my usual hobbies have flown out the window lol

In no particular order….

PUZZLES: I used to hate puzzles. I have zero patience to sit in one spot for hours and I get frustrated easily if I can’t find the right piece but being locked down for several months with nothing to do changes things so now I guess I’m a puzzle person 🤣. I’m even stocked up and ready to go for the winter with several new puzzles.

That reading unicorn one is my favorite and I think I’m going to frame it. And the woodland creature one (bottom right) is a vintage puzzle from Kevin’s childhood that is missing ONE PIECE. There was another 1000 piece puzzle that was missing 3 pieces. I’m still scarred and bitter about those. 😠

CHALK ART: My friend does a lot of chalk art and I always loved her pictures so I started doing some in my drive way. I have zero artistic ability and basically copy hers or stuff I google. It’s fun though – especially listening to the comments of walkers passing by. It seems to make people smile and we need more of that.

SEWING: I really can’t call it a hobby because I’ve used my machine handful of times. Like a lot of people, I had grand visions of making masks and saving humanity but quickly got confused and overwhelmed lol But I have used it! I did make a few masks and I’ve repaired clothing and even Kai’s crate when it had a tear. I think I’ll get back to it this winter when I’m stuck inside because of the cold (& probably another lockdown order) or maybe try my hand at a few Christmas gifts.

COOKING: I’ve already posted several pics of my cooking experiments but I’ve been venturing more into cooking things that used to intimidate me – like breads and using my Instant Pot more.

VIRTUAL FRIEND MOVIE DATE: I’ve always watched the Christmas Hallmark movies and talked about them after with my friend Jen. But during lockdown, we started making a weekly movie date to watch the movies together. We quickly ran out of Hallmark movies and have branched out to series binges, reality shows and now circling back to Hallmark (& Netflix, Lifetime, Prime) now that it’s the holiday season again.

Speaking of – 2 thumbs up to our first holiday movie – Holidate on Netflix. 

CUTTING HAIR: And definitely not a hobby - I hate doing it - but I have learned to cut Kevin's hair lol

Have you tried anything new during *sweeps hands* all of this? 

Tell me Something Tuesday

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general.

Join in by answering this weeks question in the comments or on your own blog.

If you would like to join TMST and receive periodic emails of upcoming topics, please fill out this GOOGLE FORM. TMST is a laid back meme – join in or opt out depending on your interest in topics or schedule.

Question: What do you do for fun when you aren’t blogging?

Answer: This is a super timely question! Lately, I’ve been doing everything EXCEPT blogging lol

If it weren’t for the TMST weekly prompt, I probably wouldn’t be posting at all! I’m so unmotivated with reading/blogging so here’s what I’ve been doing (love to do) instead…

Gardening is one true love hobby. More than reading. I had HUGE butterfly gardens in FL and I’m having to start over from scratch out here in WA. Our yard in our new house was literally a green strip of grass.

On the plus side – you can grow almost any plant out here but on the flip side – the ground is hard clay and rocky so it will take me years to improve and it’s a bitch to work with. Oddly, there are very few plant nurseries out here so I’ve turned to catalogs. But I’ll work around it and hopefully get some wildlife visiting my yard next year.

This winter will be for improving the soil.

Cooking is one of those hobbies that I get all enthused about but have varied success and get bored with (meaning lazy/flustered) after a while. I think living in WA and the cooler weather motivates me though.

I just bought a bread machine and have been testing out recipes. So far I’ve made white bread, dough for rolls that I finished off in the oven and  pumpkin spice bread.

I also made the most delicious pumpkin waffles from this Smitten Kitchen recipe last weekend. I made pumpkin cheesecake in the Instant Pot (recipe from Dessert for Two) yesterday but that has to sit overnight so the verdict is out until we give it a try tonight.

Ripley & Kai! Having pets is what keeps me moving forward. I neeeeed them in my life. I love Figgy, of course, but he’s just as ornery as me lol and would love if I hid the day away. After losing Fonzi, life was so empty. Ripley & Kai get me up and out – both physically and mentally.

They have to exercise so I go hiking and get outside in ways I wouldn’t on my own. They continually push me out of my comfort zone and having to feed, take them out and train them keeps me out of my head when things are bleak.

I’m definitely the kind of person that needs animals in my life.

I have a few more hobbies I've picked up recently but I'll save those for next weeks TMST question: November 10th Have you found any new interests or hobbies during the COVID lockdown/stay at home orders?

What about you? What are your interests outside of blogging?

*P.S. Could you let me know if the font looks super tiny to you. I can't tell. It says normal size in draft and preview but then looks smaller on my computer. I don't want everyone having to strain their eyes.