Separation

September 7, 2015 by speryea 1 Comment

I am going through a separation. This has been a very trying and challenging part of my life, but it needed to be done. I felt like I was going no where and that I wasn’t serving a purpose. I missed being creative and wasn’t finding joy in every day life.

Now before you start screaming at me, “you only got married a year ago, what are you thinking?!” Let me interject and say, I am separating myself from this blog for now. As you can tell this blog has been a neglected piece of the internet lately. It’s not that I don’t like it anymore, but things have changed and I don’t find that this blog serves a bigger purpose.

I have always loved writing, which is why I initially started this blog in the first place. However, no one prepared me for the downsides of having a lifestyle blog. First of all, the niche is huge, and while there is room for everyone, it’s hard to get your blog known. When you decide that you want your blog to be read by someone other than your cat, social media blows up in your face.

And I’ll say this. It sucks. Don’t get me wrong, I am fully aware that using social media to share your blog is KEY, but it’s so time consuming. Guess what, there are tools out there…Buffer, Tailwind, CoSchedule, etc to make it LESS time consuming, however, they cost money. In the blogging world it seems you have to spend money to make money. For people such as myself who don’t have the means to spend money each month just so some program can Tweet for you, it’s a bit disheartening.

When I first started blogging I was soooo eager and had ideas coming out of my a**. I then learned I could monetize and make money! It was so easy…except it wasn’t. I made maybe .10 cents. This was after applying for several ad programs and spending hours promoting to get more followers. It quickly became annoying.

As some of my readers know, I am a former teacher and these past two years have been challenging. While I don’t want to teach anymore, I still consider myself a teacher. I finally jumped on the Teachers Pay Teachers bandwagon and lo and behold…I finally found happiness. I have been creating things every day…both for Teachers Pay Teachers and my soon to be (hopefully) Etsy shop. Enter Caffeinated and Creative. This new blog actually serves a purpose and I don’t feel like I have to promote it to the point where I am selling my soul. My products are what sells… and makes money, not filling a blog with ads and meaningless posts.

So check out my new blog and make the switch!

If I Could Turn Back Time

August 5, 2015 by speryea 2 Comments

Totalllllyyyy stealing this idea from Kristen from See You In A Porridge. I swear this girl my sister from another mister. Yeah I went there. She is a crazy cat lady like me( I have 3 ), likes tea, books, and after reading her old posts, found her birthday is also in February. Oh and hey…my middle name is Kristen. Anyways…creepy stalker talk aside, I loved the post she wrote several weeks ago “If I Could Turn Back Time”. Basically you recant all your regrets from the past.

This might take a while…..

I’d never ask my mom to perm my hair. It wasn’t too bad, but still.

I’d not dye my hair as much….hello damage.

I’d not get up at 2am every night in middle school/high school to drink orange juice and gorge on cookies.

I wouldn’t have ratted on my sisters…as much.

I wouldn’t have worn socks…with sandals…in Arizona.

I wouldn’t have worn overalls all the time.

I’d lie when my mom asked if I drank at prom. Instead of telling the truth and getting grounded.

I’d travel more.

I’d been nicer to my mom.

I’d go to college somewhere further.

I’d get an intern job or something prior to getting a degree I may never use again.

I’d not date the jerk…or that douche…or that other prick.

I’d take more time to research potential jobs.

I’d press the brake.

I’d enjoy my days of living rent free, having food made, not working…instead of being a angsty teen wanting to grow up.

For more teenage regrets check out my post A Letter to My Teenage Self.

So…if you could turn back time, what would YOU change?

I’m A Weirdo

August 3, 2015 by speryea 1 Comment

I’m a weirdo. I know this. As a kid, being called a weirdo is a put down. As a teen, being called a weirdo is basically the end of your social life. It has taken me over two decades to embrace my weirdness. I’ve learned that every person is truly unique and people should embrace their weird side. Sure, that person across from you on the bus may make weird noises with their cheek every 10 seconds, but it’s what makes them unique.

I am daring bloggers to share their weirdness with the world! Feel free to steal this idea and make sure you let me know. If enough people want to join in, I will host a link up party.

I realize much to my dismay, several things make me seem “weird”. I think of it as being unique, thrifty, and…moisturized?

I have 3 library cards for 3 different library districts. I will drive 35 minutes to one of the libraries. I will there check out more books than one can normally carry. I will pretend I will read the books, but 95% of the time I skim the books or look at pictures (I get a lot of non-fiction books). I prefer my Nook…what can I say!?
Before I leave on a trip, I have to clean really well. The house should look nice…even for burglars.
I knit costumes for my animals. Yes, I am that crazy cat lady. (He is wearing the Jayne hat from Firefly).

I can smell really well. It’s actually a bad thing. If my husband or the dog farted and hour ago….I can tell.
I have more lotions in my nightstand, coffee table, desk, etc. than I care to admit. I have to be lotioned up before going to bed. “It puts the lotion on the skin….”
You know those wet wipes from BBQ and wings places? I steal them like crazy because they for some reason help my eczema.
I am permanently stuck in the 90’s

I firmly believe apple juice is one of my favorite cures for a hangover.
I watch Saved by the Bell or Full House every day.
I get the most random songs from these shows stuck in my head. All the damn time.
I make bacon in the microwave. Apparently this is wrong?

Sorry if you got Radiohead stuck in your head….But I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo.

What makes you a weirdo….ahem….unique?