Friday, January 3, 2014

Asked and Answered

So, here's a couple of questions I suppose every blogger has to answer when they start a new blog:

What is this blog about, and why are you writing it?

(Or in less polite terms, why should anyone give a crap?)

So glad you asked.  The main reason I'm writing this is for posterity.  I want to have an account of this time for my own benefit, and so I can share it with the handful of people in our lives who have been interested.

Also, I've gotten so much help and inspiration from other people's blogs - learning from their experiences; benefiting from their expertise, successes, and failures - the online collaboration that has informed my lifestyle recently has been so immensely helpful, that I feel like it's time to become a part of that conversation, instead of just eavesdropping (like the introvert I am).  I feel compelled to chime in with my own wisdom, to gather together some of the resources I've found helpful (into a place that allows a little more narrative than Pinterest), and to offer my experience (be it success story or cautionary tale) for others' benefit.  I haven't the foggiest clue if anyone beyond my closest friends and family will enjoy my musings and antics, but that's not for me to decide.  I wouldn't feel as well prepared to take on home ownership if the author of even one blog that I've been following had let her humility or self-deprecation prevent her from sharing with the rest of us.  So, rather than keeping to myself, my intention is to open up, invite complete strangers into a small corner of my world, and let you the reader decide if I have anything worthwhile to offer.

 Is this the most gorgeous dresser repo ever?  I can't get enough of LiveLoveDIY.
 Is this the most gorgeous dresser repo ever?  I can't get enough of LiveLoveDIY.


That covers the "why..." how about the "what?"

Having just bought a house, most of what I write (at least for the first several months) will be about home improvement projects.  There will be several gallons of paint, even more coffee, and more than a few power tools, I can guarantee you that.  I'm a huge fan of re-purposing, DIY, and doing the unexpected and unconventional, especially when it comes to this sort of stuff; so you will probably see me try and fail at creating a number of things that may have been easier, faster, and cheaper if I had just bought them outright in the first place.  But for me, it's not about "having" stuff.  It's so much more satisfying to know that the things I have were a labor of love; to be able to look at a piece - a painting, a table or chair - and see beyond the object itself to the story behind how it got there: the months of saving my latte money to afford it, the years of waiting to stumble across "just the right thing," the four layers of blue paint under the final and "right" shade of aqua...  This is what I love to do.  These are the things I like being good at.

After a while, the home improvement projects will start to taper off and become fewer and farther between.  When that happens, there are a number of other topics I'll probably start writing about - everything from cooking, to spirituality, to last night's UFC event (did anyone see Weidman v. Silva II last weekend?  I'm still cringing over that ending...)  I know it's a bit of a blogging faux pas to cover such a wide array of topics, but I think somewhere in there is a cohesion of elements that will speak to some particular audience - even if it's only my mom.  =)  I have a vague vision, but I'm more interested in seeing where this blog takes me, as opposed to the inverse.

I expected to see one girl break another's arm... and instead I saw one guy break another's leg.  Not okay.
Won't you join me on my journey?

2 comments:

  1. Hi Lauren! It's me! I felt inspired to come over and see what you're up to after your comment today and 4 posts later, I'm still reading your blog. Your posts remind me so much of myself when I first started just 2 years ago. You definitely have a voice, and I think you'll do great things. Stick with it. You'll be glad you did. Also, VERN!! Fancy seeing him here! :)
    xo,
    Virginia

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    1. Hi Virginia! You're so sweet for dropping by... it's like having a celebrity here! Thank you for the kind words and encouragement; it really made my weekend. I hope it's okay that I stole your picture - I couldn't help but mention Vern at least once, I mean... it's Vern. Come on! He's gorgeous! I always give credit where credit is due, so I promise I'll never snag a photo from you without linking back to your blog. I may even end up sending more traffic in your direction that way... you know, if my mom clicks through, lol. Thanks again!

      Lauren

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