Rest assured, your eyes aren’t playing a trick on you. This is, gasp, a new post!

*Taps mic* Is this thing still on? Hi, hello it’s been a while. Actually, it’s been the longest silence since I started this blog two years ago. (I even missed that anniversary.) I don’t know if anyone still expects for a post to pop up in this space anymore.

Honestly? Somewhere along the way I lost my love for this blog. I got too wrapped up in the idea of needing to fit into this tiny little square of what blogging had become. Of some idea that no matter how much I tried to wear it, it never quite fit me right.

The longer time went on, the more I missed this space and what it meant to me, but the more I also felt like I was stuck. How did I get back to writing and not caring about the number of readers and simply sharing my excitement over the things I loved? I still don’t have that answer, but I think you just gotta start somewhere. So here I am trying.

Since it’s been a while, I figured a catch all kind of post on the happenings of my world would be good for dipping my toes back in.

Watching…Everything in Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan’s filmographies. When I fell down the rabbit hole a few months ago, I really fell down. I am now 100% a complete fangirl of them both (Well, technically I’ve loved Seb since he played the dashing “villain” Carter Baizen on Gossip Girl while I was in high school.) I have no complaints about this path though. They’re both adorable, talented, and on top of it all – good human beings.

Is this me gushing my love over them or them gushing over each other? That’s one secret I’ll never tell. (via)

Reading…Late last year (still weird saying that and meaning 2016) I realized I had been really bad at reading actual books. I wanted to rectify that. I joined Erin’s book challenge for the first time and at the same time, joined a book club. Never say I do things half way. I’ve since devoured three books and am already onto my fourth. Finding myself reading more I do plan to do monthly/quarterly review posts. (Hopefully.)

Eating…Attempting to eat healthy again. I was doing really well last summer and feeling good and then Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and NYE came. Lets just say I ate enough sugar to last me a year.

Debating…I ran my first race on Thanksgiving and I really enjoyed it. If you would’ve told 11 year old me who faked every type of illness to get out of running a mile I’d one day love it, well…I wouldn’t have thought you were in your right mind. Now I’m wondering if I want to sign up for more and make it a thing I do. There’s a series of four here in MN that are all well loved, I figure that may be a good place to start.

Learning…Romanian. I admit, I’m bad at studying. The days I remember to use the DuoLingo app I go all at it with notecards and everything so gold star for that? My favorite thing is that I can say at this stage is “You are not a man, you a boy.” Keeping me salty in every language, alright alright.

Listening…To the Backstreet Boys. I’m seeing their big razzle dazzle “Larger Than Life” Las Vegas residency in about a month. My fangirl heart can’t wait.

If you don’t think I still have this entire video’s dance sequence down 20 years later, you don’t know me at all. 

Loving…All the sparkling water I can get. I go through stages and right now I am all about that LaCroix life.

Bummed…My dream Super Bowl team match up almost happened. SO close. They keep taunting me. Next year maybe? It is in the Twin Cities, so here’s to hoping.

What is new with all of you? Fill me in on all the big things I may have missed!

P.S. – This isn’t my first go around on the perfectionism struggle train. 

Until next time,

During my time spent as a blogger, I’ve found there are many things that keep me involved and in love with the blogging community. While I could write an entire post outlining them all, today I’m talking about the wonderful people I have met.

Blogging allows people from every inch of the globe to connect and build relationships. You can easily make friends with people in Japan, Ireland, or the city next door. These friendships are often built on sharing a part of ourselves online that may not always be seen everyday. We understand each other because of this odd thing called blogging. All of this allows us to build strong relationships through this platform. Which that should be cool enough in itself right? The support that comes with these relationships continuously astounds me every day, and that is the best thing. The friends I’ve made in the blogging community are the most supportive people. Every endeavor I’ve seen a blogger undertake, their blog friends are right behind them going the extra mile to support and build each other up in whatever way they can.

When the lovely Emelia at Dream Big and Buy the Shoes told me she was opening an Etsy store for her prints – I couldn’t WAIT to see what she had designed! If you scroll through her Instagram you will find me ALL CAPS COMMENT SCREAMING for months over her cute prints she designed. I’ve been team Emelia needs to be a party planner since the beginning.

As soon as Emelia opened, I went on over to The Dreamy Details Etsy Page  and realized what a tough decision it was to pick just one. I really wanted them all. From coffee lovers to jetsetters to Swifties, Emelia has everyone covered with a print they will enjoy.

I decided this “Get It Girl” graphic was PERFECT for spring! It’s such a fun and breezy print with these bright colors. In my mind I see it as a very simple but chic decoration for warmer weather get togethers in the porch. I’ll easily be a return customer as I have my eyes on plenty more.

Check out Emelia’s Etsy Page or The Dreamy Details Instagram for a peek at her wonderful prints!

Until next time,

I’ve always struggled with the idea of perfection. Type A tendencies run in my family’s veins. From grandfather to grandchild we all exhibit them in some form. Mine happen to come out during my endeavors. I don’t like to fail. (Does anybody?) I like to look like I’ve always got it all figured out. The person that excels easily. When it doesn’t go that way – as it doesn’t a good portion of the time because that’s life – I get overly self critical.

Blogging has brought these perfectionist tendencies to the surface again. Hard. While we know most things are manufactured to look and feel a certain way, those thoughts still creep up to the surface. That perfect picture. That perfect post. We’ve all aimed to achieve it more than once. There’s plenty of times I find myself falling into the comparison trap and getting frustrated when I can’t get things just right. I’ll even admit I’ve told myself “I GIVE UP!” before stomping away from my laptop or camera for a few minutes while huffing and puffing. (Spoiler Alert: I always come back. I can’t not give it my all.)

I’ve found myself being far too negative instead of cutting myself some slack. I know I’m not your normal blogger with my music and entertainment topics and that makes me incredibly worried that I’m “going to fail” because no other bloggers seem to fall in that niche. Instead of enjoying blogging as the hobby as it has always supposed to have been, I got wrapped up in the details. It’s gotten me stuck in a rut of not knowing what to post and having massive block in writing, pictures, and more.

Guess what? None of us are perfect. We all enjoy different things. I think blogging makes us forget that far too easily. This is my reminder to myself and to you all. Give yourself time to learn and grow. Know you will make mistakes. Stay true to yourself. Remember that those big bloggers have been at it for quite some time and have had their fare share of the learning curve. Tell yourself the amount of time and work that goes into each tiny detail to make those moments seem perfectly picturesque. It’s not reality. Do something only because you love it.

I need to learn to be my biggest cheerleader. Blogging is meant to be fun. I started this journey to share my passion about music with others. It may not be for everyone and that’s okay. If I started to write about some of the blogging common topics solely for numbers, it would be lacking in authenticity. I may also make plenty of mistakes along the way. While I would love for this little space to land me some dream opportunity working with music, at the end of the day I have to remember it’s solely for my enjoyment. Numbers and perfectionism don’t matter near as much as we think they do. I may write music post after music post after music post and as long as I love it, even if it’s getting zero views – it needs to make me happy. THAT’S WHAT MATTERS. Perfect or not.

How do you deal with perfectionist spells? How do you remind yourself what blogging is for?

P.S. – My life has been full of Harry Styles comparisons, buying all the fun patterned boots, and taking interesting selfies.

Until next time,