grate·ful
ˈgrātfəl/
adjective
adjective: grateful
1. feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness; thankful.
"I'm very grateful to you for all your help"
— From Google Definitions
GRATEFUL
A number of blogger-type folks selected words for the year, words they plan to keep at the front of their brainpans, and see where this particular word consciousness will take them through 2014. It’s an interesting concept, and I’ve enjoyed reading where the 2013 words have led some folks.
Like many bloggers, I struggle with keeping my blog fresh and providing regular posts that will hopefully garner a following. And therein lies my problem, I haven’t defined my blogging goals, — i.e. how large do I want my audience to be? Because if I do define that goal, it means I have to make plans to develop and maintain that audience. And I just don’t know if I really want to work that hard, especially after putting in 10-12 hours at my day job. Yeah, I’m a bit lazy these days, and a bit ambivalent about this blog moving forward. I also struggle with what topics I might share out into the blogosphere that someone — anyone — might even care to read, or more importantly, comment on because that is what blogging means. I put some topic out there, and then hopefully you comment back, that starts a conversation that is productive, and interesting, perhaps even witty and insightful. Yikes, I see some goals forming. Anyway, what I really wanted to do is to tell some folks out in the blogosphere, that I am grateful that they have goals and seem to have their proverbial “pooh” together enough to put outposts that are well written, creative, thoughtful, interesting, witty, insightful, and most of all, make me laugh my ass off. So here’s to my favorites:
- Valorie Hart – The Visual Vamp. She is the epitome of kick ass. Is there anything she can’t do? Event producer, award-winning Tango dancer, and instructor, interior decorator, author, and stylish beyond belief. If this woman is in your corner, you are covered. Her sweetheart of a husband, Alberto, is no slouch, either. I am grateful to know you and call you my friend.
- Another NOLA resident, Cheryl Nichols of A Pleasant House. Lord, this woman tells some truths, and they are stunningly funny and heart grab-ingly (yep, another made-up word) arresting. She has the intestinal fortitude to tell it like it is, or perhaps as it should be. I wish I were more like her. I hope we become real friends in real life. She is my favorite new blog read. I am grateful Cheryl has the guts to say the stuff that rolls around in my head, but am too chicken to put out on the web.
- Victoria Elizabeth Barnes, of the blog of the same name. Whenever I wonder if some decorating idea or project is too much to tackle, or simply an over-the-top, too crazy for words idea, I ask myself WWVEBD? And then, I imagine VEB would decide she was the master over any obstacle (great or small), smarter than anyone around her, and just GO. DO.IT. Whatever “IT” was. She gives me the courage to go forth and do stuff, no matter that I really have no idea how to actually do stuff – Sheesh, we all know I can simply look it up online, I mean, SERIOUSLY, how hard (or back-breaking) can demo’ing and retiling a bathroom actually be? Easy-peasy with VEB in my head. I am grateful to her for her courage to go and do, and be brutally honest about how well her best-laid plans actually went. Oh, yeah, and she says the most insanely wonderful stuff, to the point where I laugh so hard, I cry. Everyone needs this sort of fun in their life.
- KariAnne of Thistlewood Farms – I can’t say I’ve ever had a better cheerleader than KariAnne. You read her blog, and OMG, it’s as if she’s known you all your life. And then there’s her talent and her projects. While we really don’t share the same decorating style or house – hers is a large farmhouse in the country and mine is a small cape cod in an urban neighborhood, I am so blown away by the things she accomplishes, and how she is willing to tell you how she did it. KariAnne doesn’t know me from all the hundreds or thousands of other followers of her blog, but she always makes me feel as if she does — I am grateful that several times a week she invites me into her world to share some of her time and her projects. You are THE ROCKSTAR.
To wrap up this post, my word for 2014 is grateful. I’m grateful to the four bloggers above who do what they do, not only for this audience of one but for the larger blogosphere – we are incredibly lucky to have you around. Yeah, they’re my bloggy girl crushes.
In other words, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to write this blog, and to have the right to write what I want, without fear of censorship. I’m grateful to have the love and respect of a wonderful partner, who supports me in what I do for a living and in my hobbies. I’m grateful to have two amazing Beagle Grrr Girls to snuggle and play with each and every day. I’m grateful to have a job that I love, and that I make a decent living online. And finally, I’m grateful to you out there, whoever you are, that is reading this blog.
If you don’t mind me asking, what are you grateful for in 2014?
