WoWoWow! Thank you all for the feedback on yesterday’s food journal!
Ok, so yesterday reminded me of how much I love the food journal. It is such a great way to reflect on the day! I know I said I was going to do it once a week, but…
I have to admit something to you…this new blogging schedule has proven to be even more constraining! While I really like the format and all the funky new segments, the idea of having to do certain posts on certain days is driving me a lil’ crazy. And the worst part? It’s completely self-inflicted…it seriously makes me laugh out loud to think I believed that creating a specific schedule would “ease my mind” once school starts! Quite the opposite, my friends 🙂 Hence why I tried out yesterday’s food journal to switch things up a bit – I was feeling nostalgic.
Ya’ll – and I feel I can use ya’ll with this crowd, though I never say it in real life, haha! – must think I’m insane for going so back and forth on this, but honestly, I miss the food journal! Although I am a self-proclaimed creature of habit, there was something soothing about being able to write out the day’s eats and all the events that surrounded them. And I kinda want it back!
But I am not ungrateful – I still enjoy the new segments, and I still plan on including them. So here’s the deal – and please bear with me because I know by now it must be confusing.
This blog is going schedule free – FINALLY, she gets it 🙂 No more segment constraints – no siree! Some days I might food journal…others I might do a segment. I think this will be the best of both worlds because I know that the food journal appeals to many of you (and me too!), but on days when I’m a bit busier – because unfortunately, sometimes school must come before blogging – I may do something different. A segment perhaps. A Mish Mosh…or a nice Sunday Brunch.
No matter what, it will be nice to feel like if I want to food journal, I CAN food journal – because not doing it these past few weeks has made me kinda sad! I know it’s my blog and I should be able to do what I want with it, but I was a bit nervous since I went through all the trouble of creating the “new schedule,” and I thought I needed to stick with it to seem more consistent.
If you’ve made it this far in the post, I commend you. And I really appreciate it! I really just needed to get out my thoughts on “paper” – or WordPress, as it were – and I hope that you will all still be willing to read eating bender, even though the author seems like a crazy person 😉 Phew! I’m so glad I wrote all of this down – finally!
One last thing: Are you all ok with this FINAL change?!
So that’s that for now. I do have a review I want to share, but I don’t want it to be clouded by this post, so I will make sure to include it tomorrow – perhaps with a…dare I say it…FOOD JOURNAL?! Who knows…but I’m glad it’s a possibility again!
Hurrah! 🙂
jenn, i do think this is for the absolute best!!! and not only because i would love to see your daily eats 😉 but really, logging your meals & pondering over your food choices & new recipes etc. really is very therapeutic and comforting, i find, and i think it is too easy to feel obliged or tied down when you have a set schedule, and if you don’t manage to follow it for a day or two it will inevitably make you feel bad and unmotivated.. so this is the way!! i’m completely with you on this!
_______________
wholefoodswholeme ~ Thank you so much 🙂 It really helps to hear that people actually enjoyed reading my daily eats, even if they could be repetitive. And I completely agree that there is something therapeutic about the journal and the thought of not being tied to one schedule!
Don’t worry about making changes! I think it’s great you are doing what is right for you! Food blogging should be fun, not something that feels like a chore.
Your schedule with the new features seemed like a lot to take on. I was seriously so impressed that you were able to keep it up for as long as you did. I think your new plan is very flexible and will be more enjoyable for you as the blogger because it will allow you to relax and post whatever you are in the mood to write.
So no need to apologize for the changes. That is one of my favorite things about blogging – the readers are so understanding and just really appreciate whenever you have time to post and don’t mind reading whatever you feel like posting. So feel free to make these changes, and don’t feel bad about it at all! And if you decide to make any more changes, that’s okay as well!
_______________
Foodie (Fab and Delicious Food) ~ Wow, thanks so much for your feedback! I’ve always felt that food blogging shouldn’t turn into a chore. I don’t know what got into me and led me to think that a set schedule wouldn’t seem like too much after a while! Good thing I finally came to my senses 😉
You should absolutely make this blog as stress-free as possible… committing to posting every day is hard enough; dictating exactly WHAT those posts will be makes it even harder!
You know we’ll all keep reading no matter what!!
♥
_______________
Toni J. ~ Aw, thank you so much!
Yeah Jenn! I think this is great. I highly doubt anyone thinks you’re crazy. In fact, I feel like you’ve shown a very sane, rational side of yourself via this experiment: you’re thoughtful, like to take on challenges, and can’t help but think critically about what you’re doing. I think it’s beautiful. I appreciate and respect your openness to new things and your artistic spirit.
Here’s to a rockin’ blog that rolls w/ your mood, whatever it may be!
-Erin
I think the change sounds great. It will be better for you and the blog if you just share what comes natural to you!!!! No matter what you do…you and your blog rock!!!!
Girlfriend, I say this is your blog and you should write exactly what you feel like writing. When we start to write what we think others want to read, it is no longer true to us. I will keep reading, no matter what you write about.
Jenn, do NOT stress yourself out over blogging – do it because you love it; post what you want, WHEN you want; and just have fun!! 🙂 You KNOW that I love/will continue to love your blog, regardless of what/how often you post!
I’ll read your blog regardless of your schedule of posts, so do what you love!!
I am totally with you! I write about whatever strikes my fancy. Blogging should be fun, I think. Anyway, like the others, I would still read even if you wrote your grocery list (hey, not a bad idea!) because I like your blog and the way you write. You’ve proven to be a responsive, intelligent blogger and I look forward to reading what you say. 🙂
Heather
Seriously m darlin, you just BLOG TO YOUR DEAR LITTLE (BIG!) HEART’S CONTENT! I’ll lerve it ALL, nomatter what 🙂
Jenn,
This is your blog, so I say do what is best for you! We will keep reading any way you write it…it’s always entertaining and interesting. I always have a hard time making decisions–I’m way worse than you about that 🙂 So I think it’s great that you are thinking about what works best with your schedule, because this shouldn’t feel like a chore. Have a great day!
I love reading your blog no matter how you choose to do it!!
Am I okay with the final blog format decisions? Hahahaha, that’s funny Jenn. I come here to enjoy reading the way your write and gawk at the yummy food you make/eat. Do whatever you feel most comfortable doing and I think it’s your best choice yet 🙂 hope you’re having a fabulous weekend!
You are not a crazy person, Jenn! I honestly was so impressed that over these past few weeks you’ve had the time to create such elaborate and informative posts (I know I don’t have that kind of time or concentration stamina, haha). So I am excited that you are taking it easier on yourself, and it will be even more exciting to visit eatingbender each day, never knowing what I’ll get! (it will always be good though :)) So enjoy your Sunday, I’ll be looking forward to your future posts!
I definitely say this is YOUR blog and you are allowed to write what you want, when you want!! Blogging should be something we ENJOY, not something we feel obligated to do and only do a certain way. I love your blog and I will be reading no matter what. 🙂
hahah i can’t say ya’ll, either, but i love to type it! if i ever try to say it out loud, my total lack of a southern accent makes it sound ridiculous 😀
i think this is a GREAT idea! this way, you can do whatever you feel like that day and don’t have to feel pressured to make your blog adhere to the schedule you set out. i think this will be even more exciting for us readers, because we’ll never know what’s coming! i love it 😀 your blog is something that should never stress you out, it should continue to be fun for you, and whatever you need to do to keep it stress-free, i say go for it 😀
i adore your blog- it’s always such a pleasure to read
have a happy sunday!
Hahah, this post of yours made me laugh because you have every right to do whatever you want with your blog and I have NO doubt that people (and definitely myself) will continue to read regardless of what format or schedule, or lack therefore, you decide to go with. I loved the new features but I definitely also love seeing your gorgeous eats everyday and am excited that you will be bringing them back regularly! I think opting out of restricting yourself to specific kinds of posts on specific days will be much more enjoyable anyway, that way you can just post whatever you feel like whenever you feel like, and I would say that would make blogging a lot less of a chore.
Anyway, love your blog no matter HOW you decide to present it. You are not crazy at all missy!
We def all love your blog so I think it will be great no matter what you do ( falafel hahah j/k)
oh Jenn! whatever you do will be fabulous! it always has been!
i agree with everyone else—whatever you decide to blog about is great! i really enjoy ALL the different aspect of your blog and the surprise of not knowing what’s coming next will be fun! With all the craziness that is coming up for you senior year you definitely don’t want the blog to feel like a job-it should be a stress-relieving NOT stress-inducing activity so do whatever you have to in order to keep it enjoyable for you! And don’t worry, we’ll keep reading no matter what!
Jenn – your blog is one of my most favorites, and I never miss an entry (I may have while on vaca, but I try hard not to!). You always put your heart into writing whether it be a scheduled post or a post like this where you’re trying to decide something. I think writing what you want to write (and have time and energy to write) is key. I think having the other segments in your mind is great – just post them when the idea hits you – whatever day that might be. You can totally combine your ideas based on your needs, and it will be great, and we will all keep reading!
Good good, I’m glad you’ll do the segments on your own time, whenever they come! I look forward to reading 🙂
I think that sounds awesome. It’s like intuitive blogging! 🙂
So glad that you’re gonna start posting your meals again…i was actually thinking of that the other day when I was on a run, “i wonder if jenn’s gonna start blogging her food again..i miss her coffee cocoa pictures…”
hehehe!! Your blog rocks lady!!!
I agree with all the other posters – this blog is yours and it shouldn’t be something stressful. I like your additional segments and I will be happy to read those when you feel like writing one, but I also like your daily food journal so I’m excited that you are going to add it back in! Keep up the great work!
hey Jenn!
I just got caught up on your food journal post from yesterday, and I really liked it… I think you’re one of my fave food bloggers because your pics always look so CLEAR, like you can just reach through the screen and touch the food! lol
hehe anyway, I am glad to hear that you’ll be food blogging more days, but also still keeping the blog’s segments – it definitely makes sense to not constrict yourself to a schedule. and it’s more fun for the readers to be surprised, i think!
so, good balance: keeping the food blogging, but then your extra segments make you stand out more than just the ‘average food blogger.’ love it 🙂
and I just have add to Fit Bottomed Girls… ‘it’s like intuitive blogging”… LOL that totally made me laugh. very true tho!
Girl, you do what you want to do, when you want to do it! We will read it and love it! I promise!
i will continue to read for sure!!! i can’t lie though… i did enjoy the journal post like the old days 😉 this blog should be about YOU though and shouldnt cause stress but should be more of a stream-of-conscious type thing. keep up the FABULOUS work <3
I really believe that the best blog posts are those that reflect whatever is on your mind when you are writing it. If you find it interesting, I’m sure we will, too. I’m glad you’re giving yourself permission to write about whatever you want…we’ll stick around.
Jenn, I went through the same thought process as you: I didn’t want to bore my readers with the same old, same old, but I didn’t want to be limited by “self-inflicted” themes. I think you’ve made the right decision–just make the blog whatever you want and whatever works with your schedule. I know I’ll read no matter what you do:)
To all ~ You are all freakin’ amazing! I mean that, seriously!! I really appreciate all of your feedback – you’ve shown me that I was stressing out way too much about this and I couldn’t be happier with the decision to throw all caution to the wind!! I’m looking forward to this even more now…thank you so much!
i love your blog and I am just reading it for the first time today! I think you should blog however and whenever you want to.. its all yours and its wonderful and format changes would be just as great to observe!
I think this was the right decision and I am so glad you are back to it. I love reading your food blogging!!
And you should always do what makes you the happiest with the blog. It is your outlet!
sweets&sweats.wordpress.com
I just started regularly reading your blog. The one thing that I like about it so much is that it’s always different and interesting. 🙂
[…] I decided to follow Jenn’s lead, of going schedule free! I’m still going to feature the websites on Wednesdays, but not on […]