Happy 1st Birthday, Blog!

sarakorbi.blogspot.com

Over the past 12 months, I've learned a lot about the art of blogging. I’ve read numerous articles stating that effective blogs focus on a specific theme, so your audience knows what to expect when logging on. 

This makes a lot of sense.

If only that was how my brain worked, this would be an easy-peasy rule to follow. But my brain is not an orderly, itemized storage vessel of information. My brain does not operate like a library, all neat and tidy, with easy to locate novels sitting perfectly square on well dusted shelves.

No, my brain resembles more of a typical teenage bedroom. Everything is everywhere, with seemingly no logical order; however, somehow whatever you’re looking for is easily found. You just need to look behind the dresser, or under the throw rug. (Try not to trip over the pile of folded clothes sitting in the middle of the floor.)  

Here is my list of blog topics I’ve covered this past year:  

·        Writing Retreats

·        Disturbing Childhood Nic-names

·        Multi-tasking

·        Open Mike Nights, twice

·        Thanksgiving

·        Awesome Manitoba Books

·        Awesome Manitoba 

·        Writing for Kids

·        The Anita Factor Writing Group

·        The Arts and Why They Matter

·        Submitting Manuscripts

·        Receiving the First Writing Cheque

·        Cabin Fever

·        Writing Tips

·        My Kids, a multitude of times

·        Getting Published

·        Excuses for Not Blogging

·        Chocolate, of course

·        Friend Deja-Vu

·        Gratitude, possibly thrice

·        Grammar

·        Childhood Firsts

·        Kids Growing up Too Fast

·        My Possible Writing Addiction

·        Type A Personality, in Remission

·        Family Traditions

·        Santa & Lego

·        Being Barely Foreign

·        The SCBWI          

Should such a diverse list of topics be a warning? Should I change my tactic? Narrow my focus?

I suppose that would be the practical, logical approach.


mathwire.com

Logical. Ick. Practical. Meh. Thankfully, no one has ever accused me of being either.
 

Therefore, I must conclude, (after doing zero analysis, research, or contemplation), that I shall carry on delving into new topics as they catch my interest. Think of a Blue Jay chasing shiny objects. 

Hmmm.  What to write about next?

Life’s foibles? More writing news? Book reviews? Parenting pitfalls?

 

Let me know what you’d like to read. 

I’d love to hear from you.

funny-pix.co

 

Calgon, take me away...

Yes, please take me away. Not forever, just for a night, or a weekend…or maybe, a long weekend. Gasp.

My batteries need charging – like my cell phone, I’ve only got a millimetre of battery-bar left and it’s flashing red.

Perhaps its cabin fever, or maybe I need to escape the cold, or I need airing like an old carpet, or - whatever. I need a break.

I remember a time, pre-kids, when every Friday night, we’d fly out of the city, leaving straight from work, heading for our camp site. The only thing we needed to pick up for a weekend away was cold beer, a bag of ice, and possibly some fireworks.

To clarify, I’m not looking for a camping weekend - I’m in need of pampering a la spa treatments, romantic dinners, and shopping and less Kumbaya campfire sing-alongs, 'smores, and tenting. (It’s January in Manitoba after all.) 

What I would love is a weekend alone with Drew; tanning on the beach, sipping Mai Tais from coconuts, and feeding each other fresh pineapple. Sigh.

This afternoon, I Googled Winnipeg and direct flights to Honolulu. The Google icon laughed out loud. It chortled. Slightly spooky, but I got the hint. An exotic weekend in Polynesian Paradise is not on the near horizon for The Carmichaels. 

Not one to be easily discouraged, I widdled down our options to two front-runners.  

Fargo or Brandon.  

Dream small and you won’t be disappointed, I always say. 

I’m surprising Drew with Fargo, because if we have to use our passports, that counts as international travel, right?

So we're booked in for two nights, possibly three at the Holiday Inn Express, situated in the Target parking lot.

Aah, can you sense it? Romance is in the air.

And won't Drew look cute from his perch in the crow's nest in the pool's pirate ship.

Ahoy Matey.

I wonder if I have time to pick him up an eye patch before we head south.