NaBloPoMo | BulgingButtons

November 18, 2014
by BulgingButtons 2 Comments

Is It Really Only Tuesday?

I’m ready for the weekend. I feel like I’ve put in a full week already, but a glance at the calendar (as if I really have a calendar) confirms that today is actually only Tuesday. Dammit.

Like most people I have certain little routines and rituals that take me through the week. Yesterday I decided to revisit an old one, the Monday night Weight Watchers meeting. Oh yes I did.

I’ve been watching myself balloon up to a scary size with a correspondingly scary weight, and I’m tired of it. My giant sweatshirt doesn’t look giant on me, but it does make me resemble a giant. My airline seatbelt days were looking like they were on the path to extender city, a destination I would rather avoid.

There is no shame in going back, at least that’s what they say, because face it, most people who lose weight don’t keep it off. They count on people going back. They make good money on us.

The way I see it is this: I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again, and one of these times it will stick. Maybe it’ll be this time. I would like that a lot. So here I go again. Wish me luck.

Another Monday night tradition has become tv watching. I know I said I was going to reclaim my time, but I’m hooked on both Dancing With the Stars and Sleepy Hollow.

Good thing we have a DVR, because by the time the meeting was over and we had cooked dinner DWTS was almost over. We got comfy and started watching the recorded show from the beginning. By the time it was over, I was ready for bed. Sleepy Hollow would have to wait until some other time.

And writing? What about writing? Um, well, uh… there hasn’t been too much of that lately. Aside from blog posts, that is. I’m terribly behind on my word count for NaNoWriMo. I’m starting to feel like it’s NaNo-NoGo or NaNo-TooSlow. I’m not giving up, though.

Then there’s all the usual stuff that happens in a week. Mine all sort of seemed to happen yesterday and today. I’m beat, I truly am. I did have some great conferences with my son’s teachers this afternoon. They told me things that I already knew, but it felt good to hear it from someone else.

There’s more, too, but I can’t keep my eyes open. Maybe tomorrow I’ll edit this post and maybe tomorrow I’ll decide that it’s garbage, but for tonight it’s my daily offering.

November 16, 2014
by BulgingButtons 12 Comments

Too Many Posts?

I’ve been posting each day during the month of November. It’s not because I’m simply bursting with information and ideas which I absolutely must share with you all. I mean sure, there’s SOME of that, but that’s not the real reason. The real reason is NaBloPoMo.

I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I’ve made a commitment to blog every day during the month of November. I did it last year, and really enjoyed the process, so I figured, why not do it again?

I love blogging. I tried it out just for the fun of it, and wasn’t really sure what to expect. BulgingButtons is actually my second attempt at blogging. I figured it would be a nice outlet for some of my thoughts, but honestly, I didn’t think I would stick with it for long. I figured I would write a couple of boring posts that nobody would read, then pack it in due to lack of interest. After all, that’s what happened with my first blog.

I was so wrong. I haven’t lost interest, and neither has my audience. It has steadily grown, which I love. I love that there are people on every continent who have stopped by BulgingButtons, and that there are loyal readers in so many different countries. I can count on people in France, India, Greece, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, The Bahamas, Vietnam, and several other countries to stop by regularly. Not only do they stop by, they leave wonderful messages.

Of course there are lots of readers here in the USA too. I feel like many of these readers have become friends in a way. I read their blogs, if they have them, and they read mine. We reveal bits of ourselves through our writing, and we recognize commonalities. We also appreciate and respect our differences. We cheer each other on in good times and offer support in bad times. We have formed a community. What an amazing outcome.

So what’s the issue? Well, I’m wondering if posting all this content is just too much? I know I don’t read nearly as many blogs as I would like to, there just isn’t enough time in the day. When I post brand new content each and every day, I feel like a lot of what I’m sharing is being passed by, even by loyal readers. Most people have limited time to poke around any one particular blog, so they’ll read the most recent post, then move on to the rest of their life. I get it. I do it myself. But what if yesterday’s post was the one that you really needed at this moment?

Posting everyday hasn’t been difficult for me. There’s usually SOMETHING on my mind that I can write about. But I wonder if I SHOULD post everyday. Am I leaving people in the dust and fumes of my high speed blogging? Come December I’ll slow it down somewhat, but how much remains to be seen. I would love to hear your thoughts on the topic. Please drop me a line and let me know if you take the time to read old posts, or just read the newest unless something really grabs your attention. Thanks for the help, and as always, thanks for reading.

November 1, 2014
by BulgingButtons 8 Comments

Welcome to the Crazy that we Call November

The trick-or-treaters are all gone, and only a few candy wrappers were blowing around the empty street this morning. I’m debating whether to put away the Halloween decorations today or wait until Monday. It seems like they should stay up through the weekend. I even hit the half price section of my major discount retailer this morning for a few strands of orange lights and a three foot tall monster yard decoration. Oh, and a couple of bags of half price candy. We ran out last night and I’m a candy addict, I admit it.

So now that another holiday is officially in the books, the craziness that is November begins. We start the month with the vestiges of Halloween, and the candy and mess (think rotting pumpkins) it leaves behind. As soon as we get that all put away, we turn our attention to Thanksgiving. Who will be coming over, what dishes should we serve? And if you live at my house, how shall we prepare the turkey? Fried, smoked, or roasted? Decisions, decisions. Then, the day after that’s all done, as we’re enjoying leftovers, we turn our attention to Christmas. Up goes the tree, and out go the crazy black Friday shoppers. No offense, but I enjoy sleep way too much to get up in the middle of the night to fight crowds and spend money. No, thank you.

Mix into all of that a little thing called NaNoWriMo, where you challenge yourself to write a whole novel in November, and another little thing called NaBloPoMo, where you challenge yourself to blog everyday, and you have a recipe for madness. The really weird part about it all? I did it last year (oh, and threw in a very early Chanukah to boot) and honestly, I LOVED it! I blogged everyday. I wrote a manuscript of over 50,000 words. I cleaned up from Halloween, celebrated Thanksgiving, celebrated Chanukah, and prepared for Christmas. I also taught full-time and parented a teen and maintained a relationship with my fiance. I rocked it!

So here we are back at November 1. I’m in a new home, but everything else is the same. Do I think I can do it again? Why not! I won’t know unless I try, so by golly I’m going to try. Hang on to your hat, because November is here!