Friends Friday: Finding Balance

"I think this [balance] is one of the hardest things for us as bloggers to deal with."

                                                                    Katy Rose of Moldy Chic

Me playing dress up. Dress: DIY plussize skirt/ Hat: Vintage/ Shoes: Cougar/ Necklace: Vintage

Blogging is my one true love. Of course my life a uni is fantastic but it does not compare to the fun dialogue I get to be apart of here. The past two/three weeks have been full of house matters, a sick family member, lengthy school assignments, and  sleep deprivation. While all of that sounds insanely depressing fear not: it isn't at all! Because of the life matters I have I will not be posting consistently til March 21st.You can gather that I have a work hard, play hard mentality but how does that factor into my blogging you may wonder. Katy Rose, the founder of Friends Friday, in all her clairvoyance generated these questions at the right time. 

1. When it comes to prioritizing your life, in what place does blogging fall? School and life come before everything else. When I graduate next fall I will be the first person in my immediate family to graduate from college directly. It is not only a huge achievement but also adds some pressure. Also graduate school is in my future which is scary to just about everyone I talk to that doesn't have a masters. Go figure. Life has been a tad rough and family always comes first. Recently my grandmother had a stroke and while I haven't been trekking up north to visit her I have been taking time out of my weekends to be with her and my other family. She is progressing well! Thank you for all the well wishes on Facebook and Twitter. So the "sad" truth is that blogging does not come first. I don't think it is all that sad though. Blogging does often come before going out to the club, or cleaning (I hate doing it).

2. We all wish we had more free time to dedicate to blogging and all it entails. What are your tricks for taking advantage of the time you do have to be as productive as possible? When life isn't insane like it hasn't been I block out my time on to-do lists. They are my best friend! They help me see everything I have to do and synthesizes it. I also carry a notebook around and use the notepad phone ap to write down ideas and things I see around. By nature I am an "idea man" so writing down all of them is important to me. Sometimes they are blogged about and sometimes they are not. Writing down ideas saves time later when I only have a few hours to write a post.

3. Have you discovered any short-cuts that makes blogging easier or more time efficient? Planning out blog posts ahead of time is a big help. I don't know of too many bloggers that start the night before to work on a blog post anymore. Think of it as a good term paper: Regardless of the grade you get it is a more satisfying experience if you plan out the paper and think about it.

4. Do you have an editorial calendar or something similar that helps you plan ahead? I tried very hard to plan out my posts but it never works so that is when my hand to-do lists come in handy! The editorial calendar, if mastered, is an amazing tool that helps you be a savvy blogger. That being said, I am working on my own and sticking to it.

5. If time wasn’t an issue what you would be doing on your blog (or for your blog) that you aren’t doing now? I would do focus on design. Currently I am working on a brand new blog. YES EXCLUSIVE NEWS! It will have a slightly different focus and so I feel a new blog site and name are required. It is almost at the part of coding and crafting. I am excited and nervous about the decision to design from scratch. It is another reason I have not been on my posting game.Also time would be spent on responding to commenters, I love you guys lots!


To all my blogging friends out there: How do you do it all and still live, work and play as you should?

Life is beautiful, let's share a little. 

Joy D.

Friend Fridayz: But I look good, don't I? pt.1

This week we are discussing blogging and body image.* And in all honesty I am very excited to answer these. Also, by 5pm (Est) tomorrow I will have videos of the start of my 60 day challenge to eat better and exercise from home. I feel that they both have similar distinctions although I don't want to get "sexy" just for the sake of this blog. Each year I set physical goals for myself to achieve, this is by far the most ambitious. The goal with this project is to enlighten my readers through my You Tube the difficulties and rewards of treating your body right. And there will be a return to the video outfit post! 

An old outfit vlog post. Just a preview! 

Body image is something that the fashion industry stills struggles with. I could spend a whole week on the general opinion of fashion models as more luxury commodity than people that could receive injury from eating disorders. So how does a blogger tackle this subject of body image? I think it is much easier for fashion bloggers to say: "F this, I am doing my own thing!".  Fashion models, editors, designers, and all the other hard workers in the industry don't really have that option. So let's keep that in mind as we progress, shall we?

1. Since you started blogging has your image of yourself changed? If anything it has empowered me to be myself more so even if it isn't popular. The body shapes of the more popular bloggers echo that of a more realistic runway model. Who would not be intimidated to be a size 14 in that environment? So yes, I felt a little self conscious that people would not read what I had to say because of my size but I created the blog anyway. I also find inspiration from my bootilicous blog friends and friends I interact with on a weekly basis. 
I am glad that I have not discovered too many bloggers altering themselves physically purely for more readers or for more brands to recognize them. Although, unfortunately, I think those bloggers exist it sets an odd precedent for your readers.

2. Are you self-conscious about any aspect of yourself? If so, do you go out of your way to avoid it or do you post it/talk about it anyway? I am always self conscious about my voice both as a blogger and as a person. I can come off pretty strong willed! And it can intimidate in all the wrong ways or at least that is my perception. No one can avoid who they are without major identity changes. And the same goes for myself, I just try and stay aware of my problems. Subjects of my personal life rarely enter my blog. Maybe they should: I like reading bloggers that are willing to be vulnerable to their audience.

3. Based on how you are feeling now, what do you think the future holds in the evolution of your body image? I had an eating disorder in middle school and high school. That was a struggle I would not wish on anyone. This disorder was considered "acute" by my guidance counselor because I never lost "too much" weight. This is just an example of how complex eating disorders are. Not only stick thin women and men have them. So to deal with it with an absence of psychological help was a true struggle but I came out on the other side with a healthier view on life. That is not to say my mind slips on occasion but I just feel more comfortable with me.
The future will probably see me loosing weight and running a marathon or doing some ambitious task like that. Why? Because I admire bloggers like Leslie Bangs who not only discusses fashion but insists on pushing boundaries and getting fit for her health! If you have not checkout her blog do so here: http://bangsandabun.com/. I am looking forward to this 60 day challenge as well. I started this week with 30 minute workouts in the morning every other day and a shift in dietary habits! Next week, alternating with 45-1hr exercise days I will be doing yoga. I am very excited.

4. Do you photograph yourself for your blog? If so, how do you feel about the experience when you're having your picture taken? If you choose not to post pictures of yourself, what prompted that decision? Yes I photograph myself for my blog. And I have talked about this on my blog before. I had an insecurity as a blogger that would some how pigeon hole myself into a personal style blogger over night. That could not be further from the truth. And while I am behind on my 30x30 postings the project has helped me to look at shooting my outfits in a different way. When I am photographed by someone else I am pretty comfortable. Alternatively, when I am photographing myself it is a struggle. Being my own photographer forces me to wear multiple hats at the same time and sometimes it conflicts with the picture. I like that process and I like sharing that process with my readers.

5. What would you want every person who struggles with body image to take to heart? Size is nothing but a number, do what is healthy. What is healthy for you is the best for you! And you are beautiful person regardless of your size!

If you are a blogger, has your blog made you examine yourself more closely?
If you are not a blogger, do blogs make you reasses your body image at all?

*Thanks again to Katy Rose for maintaining the FBFF group and to all of its participating members who are a constant resource and inspiration. 

Life is beautiful, let's share a little. 

Joy D.

Friend Friday Exclusive!!! In response to a friend pt.2: Why do we blog?

Yay, It is time for another Friends Friday! Only recently have I delved into the world of the online blog event. I shied away in part because it took too much time out of my schedule for something I considered a hobby. A year later I have found a blog event to be apart of: Kendi of Kendieveryday.com's 30x30 which is described as a way to remix your wardrobe and think about how you dress. I thought that tying this blog post with the one from yesterday was a great opportunity. Now I can exercise my belief that the advertising and branding is something that can easily be surpassed if your ideas about what YOUR style is! While I have found my calling to make both a written and physical statement it is easy for others to look at a blog event and have a different agendas. Before reading up on this I had no idea that someone would put so much time and effort into joining and participating in one of these events in order to reap benefits of fame. I am not naive I just think that is a waste of time. There is a lot of us [fashion] bloggers. We all have lots to contribute. Why waste it on a small chance to be famous or reap unlikely financial rewards? This is what I will be discussing this week with some added surprise about my decision to not attend IFB conference. And with all this wordiness I have decided to add a photo from the 30x30 project that I am currently working on through the month of February. I will do my best to take pictures each day of what I am wearing along with my two cents.

 Bear necklace: vintage from an old friend/ Shirt: Maje

1. With all the blogging events out there how do you determine which ones to participate in and which ones to avoid? There are so many events whether online or offline and it is difficult to choose. There isn't a wrong or right event to go to but there is a wrong or right for your own blog. I have fallen in love with the idea that I can discuss fashion blogging and the fashion industry from different perspectives. Since this revelation of sorts I have realized that certain online and offline events may not help my blog in anyway. I chose Kendi's 30x30 project because it relates to my assesment of my own purchases and the control of fashion media on consumption. This is an idea, while reading Kendi's mission statement, also came through. To be an efficient blogger you have to go beyond what you think people will like and write about what you know or what you are learning.

Sadly, this season, I will not be attending the IFB conference. Life has stood in the way of my presence this season but I give hugs and kisses to those that will be there. I talked to a few bloggers in seasons past that felt that the IFB conference was useless and that bloggers don't really benefit. The same was said of other blogging events and meetups around the city. Call me crazy but I think the meeting of thinkers on the a new subject like fashion blogging is something I always want to be apart of as a blogger. Excluding yourself from the discussion is a little foolish however you blog what you know or like and if IFB or any other event doesn't fit that mold of your blog then it isn't foolish at all.

2. Be honest, have you ever jumped on the bandwagon of some blogging movement/event for the wrong reasons? How did that turn out? I have a strange fear of coming off fake or even worse that I don't care on this blog which is why my blog posts have gotten longer and a little more thought out. That said, I wouldn't involve myself in a project unless I was dedicated and had my own motivations. And my motivations always have to be pure because it would most likely come out in my writing. I have always been one to over analyze something and I think my blog is a good way to work out that issue and to really see if I have something to say or if I am just mindlessly ranting. So, to be honest, I would never jump on the bandwagon for the wrong reasons.

3. How do you give your own flair to a blog event while still maintaining the general mission and purpose? A blog event online or otherwise is really what you make it. Since the 30x30 project is my first online adventure I would like to put emphasis on my small analysis on how and why we buy as fashion consumers. So maybe I am taking a more analytical approach? With an online event you can get pretty creative and as the month progresses I hope to potential grow this idea of fast and luxury fashion consumption. Plus, I always have to add humor to the conversation!


4. When determining the best content for your blog what criterion do you keep in mind? A lighter approach to discussing fashion, art, music, movies, etc. In this way I think I am set apart but it also proves to be a problem. I could have long lengthy posts about the relevance of one collection in Milan but that is neglecting 90 percent of the fashion world. I keep the resources in mind and how much information is out there about a particular subject I want to write about. If there is little to none in the way of information I am more prone to talk about it! I love drowning in resources and sifting through them like some old man in a library basement. With the way I go about discussing the subjects I do on this blog I kind of beg for it anyway.

5. While everything will not suit your blog, how do you try and support your fellow bloggers who are participating in something worthwhile but not your style? I post about what my friends are doing regardless if it fits into the content of my blog. I think support of my friends has always fit in my blog because I don't mind name dropping them and I really love what some of them come up with. Some of my friends are bloggers, artists, musicians, and great people: so why not? I have in the past snuck my friends into the features of this blog like when I had two lovely friends competing in the Sunglass Hut's Full Time Fabulous Blogger competition. I think that is one of my strong suits. Even with this post I managed to fit three posts into one. Don't worry I won't get to out of hand...

As a reader of blogs what do you think about online blog events? If you would like to see the long list of bloggers participating in Kendi's 30x30 project check it out here.
To read more about the wonderful Katy Rose click here.

And for good measure here are the Friend Fridays of the past:
Friend Friday: The Ins and Outs of My Blog
Friend Friday: What is authentic blogging?
Friend Friday: I can do anything you can do better.

Life is beautiful, let's share a little. 

Joy D.