Words to live by: Intent

The last few years I've seen bloggers choose a word of the year.  I like the concept, but never had a word that seemed right. This year I have a word or words.

intent. intentional. with purpose. by design.

I want to be more thoughtful about my actions in all areas of my life.  I want to continue on the path we've slowly been moving toward. We are pretty good about creating less waste, we use cloth napkins and rags for cleaning. We cloth diaper. We have learned to distinguish between wants and needs and buy so much less than we once did. But there are still the occasional splurges and binges. I want to buy with purpose and try and buy used when possible. I want to find ways to create less waste. We really don't NEED much. I am pretty content with the material things, and would like to purge more.  I want there to be intent behind things we bring into our home.

I eat a lot of junk food.  I have a sweet tooth.  Rob like vegetables, so that has changed my diet some. Last summer we joined a CSA and ate so many vegetables I have never tried.  Who knew I loved beets? I want to be more intentional about the food I buy and prepare. I really do buy into the whole "whole food" movement.  But I am lazy and prepared foods are so darn convenient. The CSA made us eat healthier than I ever have before, I want to continue on that path.

I need to be more intentional with how I manage my time.  I waste so much time checking email a million times a day or facebook when there are no new updates. With Simon and school and being a wife and all the things I have going on I need to be better at using my time wisely.  So working with intent and staying on task when I am at school or with students will allow me to be more present when I'm with Simon and at home, and not distracted. I also need to have purpose with my time on line.  When blogging or checking email or Pinterest or whatever I may be doing, I need to be more intentional with my time and when I'm done, shut down. And then go back to focusing on my family.

We'll see how this all goes.  Nothing is a huge change, but some readjustments to how I approach life.

Welcome 2012.

The Obligatory Year End Post

I was going to write this yesterday. Then decided not to partially because I didn't quite know how to word it or what I wanted to say. So here I am on January 1, New Year's Day. I don't see the need for a recap of my year post, the blog archives are here, and needless to say this has been a life changing year.  I did have a baby after all.

But I also completed two more semesters of my PhD program (only one more semester of coursework) and presented my research at poster sessions at two national conferences. There was a lot of stress - I don't remember the month of March and didn't blog, so I really have no record of what I did.
What I really want to recap though, is the state of the blog. It starts in the summer of 2010 when I went to BlogHer and was so timid I didn't really network like I could have. But I did get new blogs to read and at the start of 2011 I became active on Twitter. In the archives I saw the first outreach of my new blog friends - I ordered Girl Scout Cookies from a fellow blogger. I also started commenting regularly on blogs.  Mostly smaller blogs like mine, and I got responses!  Wow, more blog friends. The summer of 2010 I was also hoping to have a baby, and started reading infertility blogs.  The IF blog community is amazing. Since I never blogged as an IF blogger and got pregnant after only 2 treatment cycles I hesitantly eased into this community.  These women are knowledgeable and were more helpful throughout pregnancy than any book. I found a few NYC bloggers and started commenting some.

Throughout all of this I started getting comments back!

My little blog is read by people, I did install a counter at the bottom, I average a couple hundred views a month. And occasionally I get comments from people I don't know on blogs I've never heard of, so more blogs for me to read. I kind of love blogging.

This year was my fourth blog-o-versary. I have plans for year five. I want to continue to comment on blogs and make more bloggy friends.  I am attending BlogHer again this year (it's in NYC) and my goal is to be less timid. And hopefully meet some more bloggers, maybe get lunch or coffee.  We'll see. I want to get my own domain name, I'm excited about that. I'm toying with the idea of adding adds. I don't plan on ever making a living from blogging, but it's a hobby that isn't going anywhere, so why not profit a little from it? If I can figure out the Amazon affiliate program (it is more of a taking the time to do it) then I can get a bit back from my own shopping on Amazon anyhow. It's really time for me to take my blogging seriously.

This year I noticed the biggest change in how I right. I don't classify myself as a specific type of blogger, I blog about my life since this started as a way to keep my family informed about my exploits in the city.  I am a mom now, so Simon will figure in as heavily as Rob always has.  But with my pregnancy my writing became more of a journal for me at times. I like that record of my feelings.  And because I'm not just blogging for Mom (who doesn't read the words anyhow, she's more of a picture type of gal) and people are actually out there, I have changed to write for my audience, whoever that may be. I want to keep journaling some and write openly. I want to find a way to write a bit about school - in a way that won't get me fired.

I'm excited about how this little blog has changed in 2011 and am looking forward to what this new year brings.

Me.

Today

I am enjoying studying with a rabbit in my lap. He's happy to help me read.


I am looking forward to dinner tonight with friends.

I am happy I have bread rising in the kitchen.

I am tempted to taste some of Rob's apple pie...

I am finally ready to start the draft of the paper I am putting off (one more book at the library tomorrow, which I will add to draft 2)