An Apology and An Announcement

I've spent the last couple days thinking about this blog: reflecting on what it originally started out as, reflecting on what it's turning into, and I've come up with the following.

This blog is officially 10 months old (ok, almost 10 months old). If you'll remember my first post, it was a proclamation of sorts. The week prior to RISD's creation, I had quit a miserable job. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made, but not entirely expected. I found myself without work, without money and without a plan.

A month later, my husband received a job offer and we scurried ourselves from frenetic and harried Los Angeles down to mellow San Diego, only to be hit with the realization that (1) landlords are unlikely to rent to you if you own a pitbull and (2) we needed to save some cash for our African adventure.

So we moved in with Kyle's parents (who I cannot thank enough).

At the same time, a friend of mine reached out for some assistance with her business and I realized a few things: I was good at it, I could do it from home and it offered me the flexibility I needed to focus on a different business I was helping to get off the ground. Woot!

Suddenly, July was October, and we were in Africa. In November, we moved into our new house (dog included!). And suddenly, it was December and Kyle and I found out we were going to be parents.

2011 was quite a year, folks. It was quite a year.

Which brings me to what I've been reflecting on for the last couple days. The last half of 2011 was all about transition and change and essentially, TAKING ON THE WORLD like a badass! And it was fun to chronicle that journey for the most part. It was uncomfortable at times, and some of the things I've written about that needed follow up haven't been taken care of yet, but overall, I've been loving this blog. And I still do, by the way.

However, in going through old posts, its obvious which were quality and which posts were filler, and I need to get away from the pithy writing. I need to get away from feeling like I have to post every day and that I'm a failure if I don't. And this, of course, brings me to the obvious content change that has happened since we made our big announcement in February.

All I want to write about is my baby. My BOY! I did not expect it to be such an all consuming thing mentally, but it is. I think the all consuming physical part goes without saying.

Things have mellowed out for me and for Kyle, and while we are still trying to figure out life the best two twentysomethings can, I can't deny that writing about uninteresting things, that taking a short cut with content and that putting shit on this blog just to say that I did has been making me feel icky.

It's been making me feel like a blowhard.

Thus, here are the decisions I've made and I know they will affect my readership considerably.

(1) I am done with posting links to this blog on Facebook. I figure if you like RISD enough to keep coming back, you will.
(2) I am done with boring, irrelevant posts. Yes, it will mean not posting every week day. But I feel it will up the quality considerably.
(3) I have to give in to the fact that this may become a baby blog. Or a family blog. And I have to be ok with that and embrace it for what it is: my life now.

It's funny because I find myself asking the same question I did in that first post, almost a year ago...

Care to join me?

Ghetto Hikes Love

A friend of mine from childhood posted a link to a blog this afternoon on Facebook, and to say it made my day is, well, just not enough.

This may have made my week. It might have even made my February...

Folks, if you haven't become acquainted already, allow me to introduce you to Ghetto Hikes.

Photo courtesy of National Geographic

The premise, as written by the blog's author: "I'm 28. I have a full time job leading urban kids on nature hikes. I simply write down the shit they say."

Whenever I find blogs like these, I thank my lucky stars (the same went for Stuff White People Like and Hipster Puppies); I get especially excited about creative premises that my husband and I can enjoy together, and Ghetto Hikes is one such blog. 

If you don't think it's worth your time, why not indulge in a few quotes directly from Mr. Cody's pupils:

"Hey Dustin! Getcha ass ova here! We buildin' bird feeders! Peanut butter pinecone craft time, mothafucka!"

"Mr. Cody, hook me up wit a glue stick. Ima cut and paste this fuckin' orange leaf into my memories book."

"Them sheeps is funny lookin'. Homie wearin' a Snuggie full time."

"Mr. Cody, this sleepin' bag feel like I'm kickin' it wit a big ass loofa or some shit."

Friends, please send some love to Ghetto Hikes... a blog this perfect deserves appreciation.