Blogoversary- Giving Back

If you've been keeping up, you know that today, 4th September 2011, is my 1st blogoversary!!

I'm delighted (and surprised) to have made it as far as I have, with as much success as I have had, especially in the past few months. I started out my endeavor small, although I'm still really not all that big. To this day I bring in fewer than 200 people, some of them just dropping in, but as a blogoversary thing, I've checked on some stats recently:

In September of 2010, I brought in a total of 183 views, and December 187. Those were my highest traffic months, the only ones more than 80, until April 2011. Just yesterday I brought in 105, and the day before 189. My followers? Most of them have started following me since June & July. I've also set up a Facebook fan page- almost 50 likes already. I'm tickled! Numbers, numbers, that's not all that matters, though.

Before March there were absolutely no comments- content or not. I was writing simply because. I cared about my numbers, but I didn't know if people were reading. Since then, I've gotten 362 comments- yes, I've gotten some of the spammy ones, but I've gotten a lot that have content too. Some have made me laugh, some have made me cry. That people care, and leave comments with content that can evoke emotion...it's really nice.

I've also been more engaged on Twitter since my blog has been more engaged. Through my blog and through Twitter I've met more people that I never would have met otherwise- after all, they do live overseas, or out-of-state. I love having conversations with them. Some of them are the best friends I have.

But that's enough of that, right? Blogoversary- It's more of a type of birthday, but for a blog. But my blog doesn't want any type of gift...rather, it wants people to give back. Read on to see what I mean.

As part of my "blogoversary" one of the things I want to do is start a blog hop of my own. I know we all see blog hops, and one of the things about the blog hops that I see here in the US is that they tend to be "giveaway" related, or that you are "required" to visit about a billion other blogs, even those that link up after you, meaning you have to keep visiting the hop repeatedly after you link up until you've visited enough people to meet the requirement...a bit tedious? They also require that you follow the host, and the host tends to be a giveaway or coupon blogger, who only posts giveaway or coupon blogs...which clogs up the feeds...my feed has been clogged with giveaways and coupons for goodness knows how long. I attend them because I like finding new blogs. Sometimes I happen to find new blogs that I like there, by chance, so I continue to link up in hopes of finding blogs I like.

Well, it's high time I start one of my own...

Seeing as I'm all about doing things for other people, and helping people out, this is my idea-

I want you to do one good thing for someone, no matter how small- hold a door, lend a dollar, fix a meal, talk to someone who looks like they need a friend, help unpack a box, write a letter, donate some clothes that you haven't worn that are still in good condition, anything you can think of, and write about it. Each week, after you've done something little, write about it- what you did, and what came out of it- if you don't know, then write that, because sometimes you don't know- and link it up to the hop. We'll each be able to see the good things that someone else did, and even if you didn't do something, I'll encourage you to link up to a blog- because what matters is that we're making a connection. I would like everyone to do something little, and write about it, but I won't require it. I would like you to link up a blog about something small you did, but I won't require it. I will encourage you to visit someone else, but I won't require it.

In order to give people time to do something and write about it, I'll leave it open three days- American Monday to American Wedensday- that's Aussie Tuesday to Aussie Thursday- and like I said, even if you don't have a chance to do something every week, you can still link up. I will say that even doing something with or for your family members does count- spending a day out with the kids counts, for example.

The idea of this, really, is to do something that makes someone else feel good, or that helps them out. If you didn't know already, that's something that I'm really enthusiastic about. Just the effort is really important to me, because I know that not every effort is going to be successful, but trying is what really counts. I also know that not everyone has a lot of spare time to do something like this, but I would like to encourage it. Therefore, I'm not making it a requirement, just a request. I will probably debut the hop not this week, but next week- just to get some ideas and feedback on it- after all, it is a new-ish idea. I'm open to what people have to say.

I'd like this to be a way not only for people to be introduced to other people's blogs, but also for people to see what others are doing. All small things make a difference.

~"Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something." -Author Unknown
~"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." -Mother Teresa
~"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -Mahatma Gandhi
~"I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back." -Maya Angelou

Grateful for the words

This week I'm grateful for the words to be able to say this:

The ability to read
The books that I have to read
Blogs to read
Bloggers who write things I like to read
Paper to write on & a computer to type on
People who read & some of whom appreciate what I write
The ability to make it all out and make it all make sense
The chance to take all this, and turn it into an opportunity to meet people from all over the world, share with them, and grow as a person
Being able to see an entire year as a blogger, realize how much I've grown, how much I've changed, and how much there still is to learn about
The words to be able to say what I need to say, communicate, get things across to someone, be understood, and be able to say "thank you"

This week, I'm grateful for all my bloggy friends & for my blogoversary, I want to thank them for making it all worth so much. I'm grateful for all the reading & writing opportunities that have happened, and everything that's come out of this. Much love to all of you!!

Things I Know- I have a blog

Another mostly lazy week. We did move most of the stuff back into my room, except the crap I'd like to weed through first to pull out the stuff I don't need. No pictures- lots of boxes and mess. Once things are sorted...maybe. There's still a lot of work to be done

Things I know:

• When you have no timeline, you lose track of time. I wrote a calendar for September and started it on the wrong day. Seriously. *facepalm*
• My blogoversary is on Monday. Wheeee!!!!!!!!
• It takes a lot of work to move stuff back into a room...more than it does to move stuff out of a room. Especially when it's the same room. 
• People don't always respond right away. Be prepared for this. It's because people usually have lives. Unlike you, Ashley. Get a life, Ashley!
• It's not very nice to berate yourself. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen. See above. 
• I like research. I don't hate research. In fact, I love research. I hate statistics. For the longest time, I thought I hated research, when really, it was the statistics part that I hated. Thank you, Dr. Bron, for helping me sort through this dilemma. Now I can actually say I love research!!! (She sorted it with me on twitter...thanks!!)
• People can care-more than you think- through a computer or phone- overseas or a few states away. The internet has broken down walls, county lines, state lines, and country borders. There are no longer the same boundaries as before- just remember to keep some boundaries. Boundaries are good, just be reasonable. 

And that's all. Being cooped up isn't really doing much for my knowledge. I don't know much more than I did last week. At least I know something....

Huzzah!!!

Day 30: To Infinity and Beyond!

Day 30: A dream for the future beyond next year...think long term

I've known this one for a very, very long time. I've written about it many times. Some people are probably sick of hearing about it, so this will be very brief. This is the final day of "30 Days About Me," appropriately asking about what will happen beyond here. I know I've missed some days- I've had a few people say they want to participate, and I don't have the comprehensive list on my blog, but if you want all the prompts to do a 30 days about yourself, you can find the list linked here, and although you won't be able to link up to the posts for the month of August, it'll give you the opportunity to participate in a 30 day writing thingy.

On to my dream for the future.

1) I want to see Germany, Austria, other parts of Europe like London, Paris, and maybe other places like Norway, Iceland, but the main place that I would absolutely love to go, if I ever had the chance, would be Australia. I'd also like to see some parts of South America, Canada, the Caribbean, (not Central America though), maybe the country South Africa. Not an exhaustive list, but the highlights.

2) I want to have a nice place of my own, not necessarily with a family- however, if I do ever have kids, they would probably be adopted- heaven forbid if they end up with my genes. I don't want kids like me. They wouldn't be very happy, and they'd have a lot to worry about.

3) Learn German. I'd love to become fluent, but that, I know, is rough after the teenage years because of brain plasticity. However, if it can happen, I would love it.

4) I want to pay off all my debts and still be able to afford to live comfortably. Being a social worker, I know that's gonna be rough. I'll have to work it out somehow. I'll probably end up working two jobs anyway, because I don't like downtime.

5) Move away from Texas. I know it's where I live and all, but it's not where I want to live forever. I'd also like to travel the country before settling down, and see all the sights that there are to see, in every state. Road trip, anyone?

6) Feel better....for good. Not just avoid bad days- I know they happen...but avoid the depression. There's a difference.

7) Find someone who cares about me genuinely. I doubt this will happen, but it is a dream of mine. I don't believe that everyone has a soulmate- really, I don't.

8) Now that there are 7, I have to reach 10, so I need a few more. Let's see. I would love to see both my brother and sister graduate from college, even though my brother is currently no longer attending college. I'd love to see them get married (my brother is on his way there) and have families of their own, and have happy lives themselves.

9) I'd like to find a niche. A place I belong. Somewhere I can feel comfortable and be myself. A place where I know I'm accepted, and where I don't feel I have to bend backwards to be someone else, or wear a mask or façade to fit in. Friends and everything will be there.

10) I'd love to meet all my bloggy friends. That means all the ones from all the corners of the world- readers and bloggers alike. I want to know who it is that likes what I'm writing, as well as the ones that I'm reading. I want to meet them all!!

THIS IS PERHAPS THE BIGGEST DREAM OF MY ENTIRE LIFE:::::
My dream, my biggest dream, is that I will become a LMSW. For those of you not educated in the lingo of Social Work, that means a Licensed Masters' of Social Work. This would require a second degree- probably about 2 extra years of schooling, which I hope to complete at UT Arlington- and further licensing.

This is my goal for the future. To help as many people as I possibly can. I know I can't help everyone, but I can at least make a difference with the ones I can reach. Each one that I can help makes a difference. That's what counts.

Procrastination- I'll do it la...

I know for a fact that I am extremely horrible with procrastination- as evidenced by my many all-nighters typing and researching papers that I had substantial time to complete reasonably without all-nighters. Of course, the worst assignments are the ones that you really have no interest in.

For me, those would be like....assignments dealing with the legal system, economics, cars, that type of stuff. I still, though, even procrastinate on stuff I don't mind writing about, like social work, or writing blogs! I'm deeply interested in psychology, and I put my psychology assignment off until the last minute.

The thing with me is, even though I often procrastinate, somehow, I almost always manage to pull off whatever it is that I needed to do-- and do it well. In high school, I might have waited until the night before to create that book on the parts of language and their function in the book we were reading, with examples, but I made a pop-up book, with examples and very deep explanations, and got extra points for creativity too! I have many a time waited until the night before, pulled an all-nighter, and received a grade that was at least satisfactory, if not excellent.

My method for studying for tests is simple- read along as we go through the lectures, and follow the sequence in which the slides appear, then the day before the exam, go through and read all the slides (use acronyms for things that are a list that might be more difficult to remember), then- immediately before the test, as I'm getting prepared to begin taking the test, glaze over the text or information to see if there's anything that I didn't remember, or that I had trouble sorting out. Then, during the test, I end up raising my grade several points just by remembering those topics that I skimmed over just before. It's almost like an epiphany- "Oh my gosh, I remember seeing that just a minute ago when I was studying!" It's a tactic that works well for me, but of course, not everyone.

Some people require time and patience to get through their assignments and do well. I don't have the attention span for that kind of thing. Some people work 10x harder than I do over an extended period, while I work 10x harder at the last minute. Of course, if they tried my methods of learning, they probably wouldn't learn much. I absorb information quite well, or so I hear, while others have to repeat the information and use it in a hands-on setting. I'm very glad I'm not this type of person, and I'm very sorry to those that are.

Thing is, the second type actually tend to succeed more in college (how I've done it the past 2 years, I have no idea, but I know it didn't work the first 4 years!). They're the ones that put in full study time (often suggested to be 3 hours of studying for every credit hour the student takes- for those that take a full load, that's a lot of study hours!)...and I just don't have the time of day nor the patience for that much study.

When I do study, it's very rigorous study that would probably be difficult for those other types that have been more successful than I in college. They need a plan, a system, a goal, and can often find one, while I find myself dragging around, at the last minute, in my mind panicking because they already have things worked out, while I don't even have a topic yet. Last semester, I had a research paper to write, and I ended up changing the topic countless times, while others already had their papers half written, or at least well-developed. I failed greatly on that assignment (so it was a success....at failing). Somehow, by the grace of a higher power or just pure luck, something, I have no idea what, pulled my letter grade from an F to a B, and I have no idea how, but I won't complain!

I've learned from my experiences, and I try to do more things ahead of time, instead of waiting til the last minute, although that is still the main strategy I use for testing. I sometimes finish my papers a week or two in advance, I sometimes write them on the day they're due....it depends on how much motivation I have.

I think motivation is a huge factor in procrastination. If someone is not motivated to do something, as I am not motivated to do research at all, and therefore procrastinated more, then they often won't do it til they have to. For me, it's a pure lack of desire for me to try, even if it's something important, just because I'm disinterested. Those who can power through that amotivation- I admire you.

Good thing is, I think in the future, I'm actually going to enjoy the things I do, and get intrinsic rewards from the interactions I have (who cares about the extrinsic anyway?). I already feel good when I come home from my internship after a great session. Speaking of my internship, that's something I didn't procrastinate on....I enjoy it, and finished all my hours earlier this month! High level of motivation, high level of participation, low level of procrastination. Anyway, I think this is something that will be key when it comes to me obtaining and maintaining a job. It's a structured setting, but the things I can control and help with make me feel great about what I'm doing. I know social work is a very underpaid and understaffed profession, but I'm really more concerned with the intrinsic rewards. I may not live in a mansion, I may not have three cars, but all I want is:

1) A place to live that isn't infested or disgusting- can even be small enough for just one person, as long as it's liveable
2) A reliable mode of transportation
3) ehhhh I guess I need food, right?
4) Most clients might prefer for me to be clothed when I visit with them
5) Feeling good about what I'm doing, and the feeling that there is some good, some value, to my work
5) A laptop, cell phone, and good internet connection- aren't I allowed to be at least a little greedy?
6) To be able to come home at the end of the day and know I was productive and useful
7) Medical stuff taken care of

As you can see, I really only want the basics (except for the laptop, cell phone, and internet, just because they've become a staple for me), and I'm more concerned about how I'll feel when I come home at the end of the day. That is going to be my motivation for doing my job well- others may only do their job well because they know at the end of the day they're going to get a paycheck, no matter how much they hate their job. I know that they may have material things, but they don't get much intrinsic value out of these jobs. Who really wants to be miserable the rest of their lives just so they can earn more money? Not me!

So I'm not procrastinating anymore when it comes to my [future] profession. I've done a lot better- I'm more timely, I have a motivation to get up in the morning and do what I need to do and dress nicely- instead of just blue jeans and a Tshirt. I take care of myself as best I can so that I am able to do my job well, and communicate with clients in the appropriate way. I take care to look at the things I need to look at regularly, like the NASW Code of Ethics, the most important literature in the social work profession. If I was going for a boring, boring major (or at least boring to me), I would have no motivation to get up in the mornings, I'd feel awful as I did the things I needed to do, and at the end of the day, I'd be dissatisfied. So there would be no meaning in it for me, no reason to *not* procrastinate, and I would likely spend half my life on edge because I'm always pushing deadlines.

I think I'll be happy to stop procrastinating, it'll make things much less stressful.....but, since what I'm doing now interests me, and is working for me, I don't see a need to change it now.....I'll work on it later.