Hey folks! The site was finally moved over to the server to prepare for years of pod casting and video making and all kinds of fun so I transferred the domain name www.agirlnamedwendy.com from Blogger to the hosting site. Please update your bookmarks to the www.agirlnamedwendy.com if you had previously been using the .blogspot.com address. If you are subscribed through email or through Google you will need to resubscribe on the new site.
Thanks to everyone for your understanding while the site has been going through such a big change! I love you all!
Click here for the new site!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Things Never Go According to Plan
I had it all worked out. The new site was all set up, the blog posts were all copied over including photos and the last thing I had to do was switch the domain over. I did that at around 5:30AM. I updated the DNS and then I waited. It was supposed to take around 2 hours but took 9 hours. Then, my hosting company screwed something up during the transition and some databases got deleted from the server.
Long story short, I've got them working on it and I'm just waiting for it to be resolved, so I'm sorry that the new site isn't working right now! But, I had to post this so that I don't accidentally miss a day and I wanted to keep you guys updated.
Long story short, I've got them working on it and I'm just waiting for it to be resolved, so I'm sorry that the new site isn't working right now! But, I had to post this so that I don't accidentally miss a day and I wanted to keep you guys updated.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Is it Summer Yet? Plus, a Bloggilicious Update
I know that I have no right to complain about winter. We have had such mild weather this year and really, it could be much, much worse. Regardless, I find it necessary to have a bit of a February whine about how cold it is today.
I just got back from a bit of a grocery shopping trip and it was cold outside. My hands were freezing and the wind was cold on my face. I had to squint the cold out of my watery eyes. I have grown to love walking with Darwin in the stroller more and more, but days like today make it difficult to enjoy. Darwin was bundled up all cozy and warm but I didn't do as good of a job bundling myself up.
And so my thoughts have turned to blog-thoughts the last two days. I have been thinking a lot about what to do with the blog next. There was a podcast idea floating around, there was the idea of doing maybe some videos and I have come to the conclusion that I should try a little bit of everything to see what I like doing, and of course, to see what you guys like!
The new site is being worked on still. It was really awkward and unfortunate when I discovered that I would have to manually reformat all old posts on the new system, and individually re-add photos to over 200 posts. Then, it was very exciting finding a workaround for it and having the entire thing done in just 20 minutes instead of the projected 20 years I estimated it would take me. Truth be told, I'm almost positive that I have done as much as I can on the new system and any kinks will have to be worked out once I do the switch over. In fact, perhaps I will do that tonight when all my dear lovely readers are asleep. Hmm.
Once the site is all switched over to the new system and the kinks are all worked out, I will be able to launch my first podcast. It will just be a short, simple hello to my readers to test it out first, and then I have some cool things planned -- interviews! It should be fun and educational. I want to interview people about their lives, or about their hobbies and things they are knowledgeable about.
About video - I was wondering what I should do for videos. I mean, I'm sure it's fine to just talk to the camera like it was a blog post and then upload it to YouTube and be done, but I'd like to do something different maybe, for some videos at least. I was thinking of doing a time-lapse of me drawing a picture so you could watch the entire hours-long process of me creating a drawing in just a few minutes. I was also thinking of maybe doing regular 'episodes' with different segments but don't quite know what those segments should be just yet.
So, I'm asking you, dear readers - what would YOU want to see in a video? Either contact me on Facebook, send me an email at ganiggle@gmail.com or leave a comment.
I just got back from a bit of a grocery shopping trip and it was cold outside. My hands were freezing and the wind was cold on my face. I had to squint the cold out of my watery eyes. I have grown to love walking with Darwin in the stroller more and more, but days like today make it difficult to enjoy. Darwin was bundled up all cozy and warm but I didn't do as good of a job bundling myself up.
And so my thoughts have turned to blog-thoughts the last two days. I have been thinking a lot about what to do with the blog next. There was a podcast idea floating around, there was the idea of doing maybe some videos and I have come to the conclusion that I should try a little bit of everything to see what I like doing, and of course, to see what you guys like!
The new site is being worked on still. It was really awkward and unfortunate when I discovered that I would have to manually reformat all old posts on the new system, and individually re-add photos to over 200 posts. Then, it was very exciting finding a workaround for it and having the entire thing done in just 20 minutes instead of the projected 20 years I estimated it would take me. Truth be told, I'm almost positive that I have done as much as I can on the new system and any kinks will have to be worked out once I do the switch over. In fact, perhaps I will do that tonight when all my dear lovely readers are asleep. Hmm.
Once the site is all switched over to the new system and the kinks are all worked out, I will be able to launch my first podcast. It will just be a short, simple hello to my readers to test it out first, and then I have some cool things planned -- interviews! It should be fun and educational. I want to interview people about their lives, or about their hobbies and things they are knowledgeable about.
About video - I was wondering what I should do for videos. I mean, I'm sure it's fine to just talk to the camera like it was a blog post and then upload it to YouTube and be done, but I'd like to do something different maybe, for some videos at least. I was thinking of doing a time-lapse of me drawing a picture so you could watch the entire hours-long process of me creating a drawing in just a few minutes. I was also thinking of maybe doing regular 'episodes' with different segments but don't quite know what those segments should be just yet.
So, I'm asking you, dear readers - what would YOU want to see in a video? Either contact me on Facebook, send me an email at ganiggle@gmail.com or leave a comment.
Friday, February 10, 2012
5 Months Later
5 months ago today, I experienced the tragic loss of my first and only true love. I miss Dave every day and he is woven into every moment I spend with Darwin, every dream I remember upon waking, every piece of art I create and every thought that goes through my head. I think about him constantly and the pain, while a bit duller now than it was 2 months ago or 4 months ago, is still constant.
Yesterday I was in the car with my grandmother. Since I lost Dave, she has been the one person in my life who knows what it's like to lose love to death because 15 or so years ago my grandfather died. While driving around the city she asked me "Do you get lonely?"
The answer, of course, was "Yes". When you go from being in love and having that person you share a life with around you all the time, to being alone with a baby most of the time, it certainly takes a while to get used to the intense quiet. Most days, the only human interaction I have with other adults comes through Facebook or text messages or the occasional phone call. "I miss Dave a lot", I told her.
I feel like this particular brand of loneliness can't be remedied. It's not as simple as just spending time with friends or family more often. Being lonely is not a happy state to live in, but when I consider the alternatives, it's the right state to live in. "Do you still miss grandpa?" I asked her.
"Yes", she responded with no hesitation and it made me happy. Although part of me hoped she would answer "No" because it would mean that there was a future end to the pain I feel for Dave, another part of me dreaded the possibility that there might be a future day when I don't think about him as much. The "Yes" came with the relief in knowing that I will continue to miss Dave. It's not a happy feeling, to miss someone so much, but it is a connection I have to who he was and to his memory that I never want to give up.
Yesterday I was in the car with my grandmother. Since I lost Dave, she has been the one person in my life who knows what it's like to lose love to death because 15 or so years ago my grandfather died. While driving around the city she asked me "Do you get lonely?"
The answer, of course, was "Yes". When you go from being in love and having that person you share a life with around you all the time, to being alone with a baby most of the time, it certainly takes a while to get used to the intense quiet. Most days, the only human interaction I have with other adults comes through Facebook or text messages or the occasional phone call. "I miss Dave a lot", I told her.
I feel like this particular brand of loneliness can't be remedied. It's not as simple as just spending time with friends or family more often. Being lonely is not a happy state to live in, but when I consider the alternatives, it's the right state to live in. "Do you still miss grandpa?" I asked her.
"Yes", she responded with no hesitation and it made me happy. Although part of me hoped she would answer "No" because it would mean that there was a future end to the pain I feel for Dave, another part of me dreaded the possibility that there might be a future day when I don't think about him as much. The "Yes" came with the relief in knowing that I will continue to miss Dave. It's not a happy feeling, to miss someone so much, but it is a connection I have to who he was and to his memory that I never want to give up.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Vaccination Day
Darwin had been due for his vaccinations for a while but life got in the way and we didn't go until today. Well... he did awesome! I wasn't too worried, because I know my little man is a tough little champ, but he hardly cried! He was more surprised than anything, and pretty much ruled the entire visit. He was weighed and measured, and was perfect on everything. The nurse commented on how alert and reactive he is and how good his hand eye coordination is.
All in all, Darwin is amazing! After his appointment we went to Aunt Viv's house where we had a delicious paleo-friendly meal and I met her friend Michelle who turned out to be awesome!
A good day. Good day.
All in all, Darwin is amazing! After his appointment we went to Aunt Viv's house where we had a delicious paleo-friendly meal and I met her friend Michelle who turned out to be awesome!
A good day. Good day.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
On Blogging
When I started A Girl Named Wendy, I was no stranger to blogging. I had run at least one very successful blog (Ganiggle Knits) and had more than my fair share of blogs I enthusiastically started only to abandon just weeks later.
When I set out to start A Girl Named Wendy back in May of 2011, I wanted to do something that I had never done with a blog. I wanted something that was vague enough that it could grow with me. I figured the problems I had with previous blogs were mostly due to the fact I made them too restrictive. A blog where you can only write about a very specific topic always felt limiting to me because my interests change so often. In the winter, I knit. In the summer, I paint. But, even that isn't always consistent. I am forever trying new things and evolving as a person, so these restrictive blogs were quickly outgrown.
With A Girl Named Wendy, I wanted to have a blog that was just me. My thoughts, my fears, my hopes and dreams. My life. It seems like an easy enough concept. Just treat it like a journal; like a diary, right? Though the concept is certainly simple, the execution of it isn't very easy. In fact, it's scary!
Every single day, I reveal a little bit of myself. When I started this blog I wanted it to be honest, first and foremost, and it has been. I am always open and honest in my posts and that is what people like about it the most. This blog started off as a place for me to empty my brain. Sort of a dumping ground of thoughts.
It's so much more than that now.
Every day I wake up and I wonder what I will write about that day. In a little over a week, I will have made it to 100 days in a row of posting every single day. It is absolutely habit at this point and I am going to continue blogging daily hopefully forever. You, my lovely readers, are helping me stay motivated. Like I said, what started as a blog for me has become more than that. I have had countless emails and heard from so many people that they read my blog every day. That is simply amazing to me. When I started this blog, I had no idea that anybody would even be interested. Yet, there are people who depend on me for daily entertainment, and some have even called me inspirational. At this point, I feel like if I didn't update my blog, I would be letting my readers down and I'm so honored to even have readers that I certainly don't want to do that!
I love blogging, and this is the most personally fulfilling blog that I have ever had, and it's not even a year old yet. I never want to stop blogging daily, but I do want the blog to evolve. I mentioned a few days ago that the blog is being moved over to a new system, but it's more than that. The reason I needed to move to the new system is that the blog will have the expanded functionality of a podcast and I have even been playing around with the idea of experimenting with video blogging. Both of these would add another layer to the blog to make it more interesting, and I think it will help make more people happy. Not everybody has the time or desire to sit and read a long post and might prefer to listen to, or watch that information instead. Plus, I think that would be a lot of fun for me to learn more about and experiment with. It adds another layer of fear as well because I would be putting myself out there in a whole new way.
Originally I wanted to make this post because I have been asked by a couple of people recently if I will stop blogging every day once I reach my goal of 100 days, or my goal of 365 days. It really got me to thinking about the future of the blog, what it all means, and where it's going.
I want you, my lovely readers, to know that I appreciate that you enjoy reading what I say, and that I enjoy writing. There are plenty new developments upcoming to the blog, and I will be experimenting with some new media to help embellish the content you read here and make it more accessible to more people. You are all amazing. Thank you so much for your readership!
When I set out to start A Girl Named Wendy back in May of 2011, I wanted to do something that I had never done with a blog. I wanted something that was vague enough that it could grow with me. I figured the problems I had with previous blogs were mostly due to the fact I made them too restrictive. A blog where you can only write about a very specific topic always felt limiting to me because my interests change so often. In the winter, I knit. In the summer, I paint. But, even that isn't always consistent. I am forever trying new things and evolving as a person, so these restrictive blogs were quickly outgrown.
With A Girl Named Wendy, I wanted to have a blog that was just me. My thoughts, my fears, my hopes and dreams. My life. It seems like an easy enough concept. Just treat it like a journal; like a diary, right? Though the concept is certainly simple, the execution of it isn't very easy. In fact, it's scary!
Every single day, I reveal a little bit of myself. When I started this blog I wanted it to be honest, first and foremost, and it has been. I am always open and honest in my posts and that is what people like about it the most. This blog started off as a place for me to empty my brain. Sort of a dumping ground of thoughts.
It's so much more than that now.
Every day I wake up and I wonder what I will write about that day. In a little over a week, I will have made it to 100 days in a row of posting every single day. It is absolutely habit at this point and I am going to continue blogging daily hopefully forever. You, my lovely readers, are helping me stay motivated. Like I said, what started as a blog for me has become more than that. I have had countless emails and heard from so many people that they read my blog every day. That is simply amazing to me. When I started this blog, I had no idea that anybody would even be interested. Yet, there are people who depend on me for daily entertainment, and some have even called me inspirational. At this point, I feel like if I didn't update my blog, I would be letting my readers down and I'm so honored to even have readers that I certainly don't want to do that!
I love blogging, and this is the most personally fulfilling blog that I have ever had, and it's not even a year old yet. I never want to stop blogging daily, but I do want the blog to evolve. I mentioned a few days ago that the blog is being moved over to a new system, but it's more than that. The reason I needed to move to the new system is that the blog will have the expanded functionality of a podcast and I have even been playing around with the idea of experimenting with video blogging. Both of these would add another layer to the blog to make it more interesting, and I think it will help make more people happy. Not everybody has the time or desire to sit and read a long post and might prefer to listen to, or watch that information instead. Plus, I think that would be a lot of fun for me to learn more about and experiment with. It adds another layer of fear as well because I would be putting myself out there in a whole new way.
Originally I wanted to make this post because I have been asked by a couple of people recently if I will stop blogging every day once I reach my goal of 100 days, or my goal of 365 days. It really got me to thinking about the future of the blog, what it all means, and where it's going.
I want you, my lovely readers, to know that I appreciate that you enjoy reading what I say, and that I enjoy writing. There are plenty new developments upcoming to the blog, and I will be experimenting with some new media to help embellish the content you read here and make it more accessible to more people. You are all amazing. Thank you so much for your readership!
People Treat You Differently
There have been hundreds of little side effects to being "That-girl-whose-man-died". Some were expected, some have been unexpected. It's been a tumultuous experience filled with some seriously depressing times, some happy times, and a lot of loneliness. There's been paperwork, forms, and applications. There have been times when my mind runs a mile a minute, and other times when I don't feel like thinking at all. I have experienced generosity from other people, and I have experienced people being cruel. I have experienced a lot of things on this crazy journey of grief and growth and I feel like I'm finally starting to level out.
One of the most unexpected things that I have observed comes not from myself but from other people. When you experience a tragedy like I did, people treat you differently and it's in the strangest ways. People feel uncomfortable around me when I really don't think they should. People don't know what to say to me but they always feel like they have to say something. They end up feeling so scared about that potential awkwardness during conversation that they avoid me entirely. That was never what I wanted. I don't want people to feel weird around me. I don't want people to feel obligated to do or say something to make me feel better. I'm still the same person I ever was. I'm still Wendy.
At the same time, I've made unexpected new friends through this tragedy. I have had some great conversations with people that I didn't even know before Dave died. Many have simply contacted me because they read my blog. Complete strangers to me have reached out and it honestly feels good to know that there are people out there reading what I write, and responding to it in positive ways.
It seems weird to acknowledge this, but in a way A Girl Named Wendy has been the biggest help of all these last 5 months. I don't know what I would have done without it as an outlet for almost every detail and emotion in my life, but more on that tomorrow.
Overall, I'm happy that life is returning to some level of normalcy. I have a lot of high hopes for the future and although it's had its ups and downs, although the road has cracks and is mostly uphill, I am in love with this life. With possibility.
One of the most unexpected things that I have observed comes not from myself but from other people. When you experience a tragedy like I did, people treat you differently and it's in the strangest ways. People feel uncomfortable around me when I really don't think they should. People don't know what to say to me but they always feel like they have to say something. They end up feeling so scared about that potential awkwardness during conversation that they avoid me entirely. That was never what I wanted. I don't want people to feel weird around me. I don't want people to feel obligated to do or say something to make me feel better. I'm still the same person I ever was. I'm still Wendy.
At the same time, I've made unexpected new friends through this tragedy. I have had some great conversations with people that I didn't even know before Dave died. Many have simply contacted me because they read my blog. Complete strangers to me have reached out and it honestly feels good to know that there are people out there reading what I write, and responding to it in positive ways.
It seems weird to acknowledge this, but in a way A Girl Named Wendy has been the biggest help of all these last 5 months. I don't know what I would have done without it as an outlet for almost every detail and emotion in my life, but more on that tomorrow.
Overall, I'm happy that life is returning to some level of normalcy. I have a lot of high hopes for the future and although it's had its ups and downs, although the road has cracks and is mostly uphill, I am in love with this life. With possibility.
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