What’s your favorite blogging style?
As a reader, I mean.
Because me? My favorite - to read and to write - is regular old life updates (aka lifecasting). I find them to be simple, fun, and one of the things that blogging is really all about.
The thing is, though, lately I’ve found myself having trouble writing these types of posts…mainly because I seem to have adopted the idea that these “dear diary” posts are…well…narcissistic. Like, who really cares how I spent my day? Or what’s bothering me? Or what I ate? I’ve somehow convinced myself that my blog posts have to be filled with more content of substance and importance…
But you know what? From now on, I’m going to write with a who cares mentality. GML isn’t a news magazine…it’s a blog.
A blog about meeting life.
So dear diary, here’s how I spent the past few days….
On Friday I hopped on the train after work for a less-than-24-hour stay in PA. The reason? Chrissy’s bridal shower, of course 
The shower was at the Valley Green Inn in Philadelphia. It was the perfect spot for the afternoon wedding celebration, complete with mingling, scrap-booking, and plenty of cupcakes.
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After the shower I headed right back to NYC to make it back for FreelyBe’s first hosted event for MATTOO. The event was a huge success - especially considering we put it together in just about one week! Stay tuned for a full event recap later this week on FreelyBlog.
Sunday was a jam-packed day, but a great one. After an amazing service at Liberty Church, some of the FreelyBe team and I headed to Tapeo 29 for brunch with the MATTOO team.
Tapeo 29 is a Spanish Tapas restaurant nestled in the city’s Lower East Side. Their brunch menu included a dozen or so options that come with home fries, toast, two drinks, and dessert for just $20 (which, in NYC is quite the deal). I went with the Flamenco Eggs: Eggs in a chunky piquant tomato sauce on a bed of sautéed vegetables & chorizo.
SO good. The home fries were a mixture of veggies, white potatoes and sweet potatoes (win), and the veggie/chorizo combo pretty much rocked my world. NYC brunch at its finest, for sure.
After brunch we headed to the Brooklyn Tabernacle to hear Gungor play, which is now one of my new favorite bands. You could literally feel the presence of the Holy Spirit!
Fast forward to today, where I can’t really believe the weekend is already over 😕 I kicked my morning off by kicking the habit with two fully packed meals.
I can honestly say it feels so good to no longer be spending $20(+) a day on food! It is seriously such a freeing feeling - I actually didn’t realize how much bondage I was in for the past few months by dining out so much. Thanks, FreelyBe 😉
And now, here I am, finishing up blogging on my lunch break (because that’s what you do when you don’t buy lunch, obv) and about to head back to work. So dear diary, I’ll catch you on the flip side.
xoxo G
I like Dear Diary Style but I also like informative posts too. It’s a nice combo to see how someone spends their life but why they do it too.
Looks like you’ve been having fun and I’m super jealous of your trip to Brooklyn Tab. That’s one of my favorite places in the NYC area.
it was my first time there and I LOVED it!! The presence of the Holy Spirit was so strong…amazing…
I LOOOVE Gungor! The first time I ever saw them was in Atlanta at the Passion conference. Amazing. Absolutely amazing.
I’m with you on the regular old life updates. I find it really interesting how people’s everyday lives can be so varied and yet so similar at the same time.
I love lifestyle posts. But not to the point where I want to know when someone went to the bathroom, ya know? It needs to be a good balance of knowing what to share. I blog mainly for myself and if other people like it then great! But I always try to add some good informative posts in there too because I think it helps keep me growing and accountable as well.
I love lifecast blogs too. Mine definitely falls in that category and sometimes I feel awkward about it as well, but in the end it’s all about what we like to write, right?
The shower looks gorg!
My blog is for sure a lifecast, I am glad someone likes reading this style because sometimes I wonder if people are totally board with that style? I really like reading about people lives too rather than just reading recipes or workouts. I am loving your dress, you look beautiful!
what a FUN weekend girl!!! I am dying to come visit you for real. I hope life is wonderful for you!
I love hearing about all the blogger’s lives, so “dear diary” away! lol That tapas restaurant looks amazing. Spanish food is one of my favorites! There is a place by me that serves dates stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in serrano ham, and then drizzled with honey. They are decadent but delicious!!
I love date tapas like that - one of my favorites is bacon-wrapped dates as Alma De Cuba in Philly…YUM!
debbie says
hey girl, we’re all here because we love hearing about YOUR life! “Dear diary” is perfectly fine by me
Ladaaaay you look gorg!!! And obvs so does the bride-to-be. And those desserts. Is it cool that I just invited myself to the wedding? But only to the part with cake. 😉
This post is great! I’ve just newly discovered your blog…having literally stumbled upon it…while “stumbling”. I look forward to reading more about your interesting life in New York!
Yay, so glad you stumbled upon me Alex! 😀 xoxo
I love the “dear diary” style writing! A lot of the reason I read certain blogs is because I want to hear about the person’s life…I hope that doesn’t sound creepy haha. Anyway, you look gorgeous in your pics! Love that dress that you have on for the bridal shower!
Thanks hun! And not creepy at all, I’m the same way 😉
Those are the cutest shower cakes I’ve ever seen!
I LOVE your random short posts, but I love hearing about your daily life too! Maybe you can do both??
You got it 😉
Erica says
Oh no. I’m a lifecaster! lol it’s what flows naturally.
Sounds like you had a great weekend!! I saw Hillsong United in concert this past weekend. It was EPIC. 😀
Awesome!! I go to church there sometimes here in NYC for the worship…it really is amazing.
I’m jealous!!!! Haha!
Erin says
I love lifecasting- my favorite blogs are all a mixture of that and informative recipes/crafts/whatever… some do both every day, some do a few of each every week. But my favorite part is getting to know about my fellow bloggers… so keep the lifecasts coming!
Jenna @ Fit Girl's Martini says
The bank account definitley struggles in regards to dining out. I try to use whatever I have in the house during the week, and go out to eat on the weekends.
And I LOVE your dress! So pretty!
thank you hun!
I definitely enjoy a combination of blog posts. Some informative (like recipes, workout ideas, etc) and some “dear diary” type. And I love your attitude … it’s YOUR blog, you do want you want, girl! 😉
P.S. You’re gorgeous and I love seeing all of your cute outfits!
I like life updates, too. And I adore Gungor. So amazing, no?!!
SO good!!! Even just the instrumental parts were so moving…I didn’t realize how talented they were
I think you should write however feels good to you- but it shows good when the writing is “you,” you know?
I liked reading about your weekend- it sounded delicious and balanced. It’s like a tiny window into what’s important to you.:-)
I like reading lifecasting style posts, especially when the blogger’s life is as interesting as yours. I always enjoy your posts! Me, on the other hand, I think I would make my readers fall asleep if I wrote posts about what I do each day. 😛
Chrissy’s bridal shower looks beautiful! I love those cakes & cupcakes!
Sara K says
Hey! I just found your blog- love all the photos/NYC anecdotes, etc!
Ahhh and I feel ya on dining out…I’ve been trying to do it less because boy does it send my credit card bill through the ceiling (especially since I’m so indecisive and ALWAYS end up ordering far too much)
Glad ya found me, Sara!! 😀
I, for one, genuinely do care about your daily musings. I find that those posts are both the most enjoyable to read AND write.
sometimes I feel so much pressure to sit down and write a thoughtful, articulate, “wise” post — but to be honest, most days I’m just not that wise. Then the entire post seems incredibly forced and fake and ugh. I hate it!
but I digress. you are fabbie fab and please share you “diaries” with us more often
Emily says
i love reading the “dear diary” posts, it’s always so interesting to read about another’s life that is so different from your own. I love NYC and would LOVE to live there one day, as I come from such a small WV town - so reading your posts about your daily life, makes me feel like I’m there in a way (if ya know what I mean) but I also love the other posts, like your “what girls really mean when they say” or the “what a chick flick taught me.” they are always witty, interesting, and fun to read - I think you do a great job at balancing the posts & i always look forward to catching up on your posts!
Emily, thank you so much for this comment! It’s so encouraging to me. You rock
xoxo
Nikki says
I love your style of writing! It’s chipper, inspirational, and I enjoy reading about how different your life is from mine on the opposite end of the country (literally)! I am not a fashion reader, HOWEVER I really enjoy when you bring it in with fab finds and ideas =)
Thanks so much for this comment, Nikki!!
I love your lifecasting style posts. One of the major reasons I read blogs is because I’m interested in how other people live their life, strange maybe, but I think all people are at least slightly intrigued by lifestyles different from their own. I definitely care about reading your “dear diary” style posts!
Sounds like you had a great weekend too
I love reading “dear diary” style posts. Sometimes I get tired of reading too many food blogs, especially when I’m full! All it makes me want to do is eat more hahaha
I can’t wait to read more “dear diary” types of posts from you in the future!!
I am super duper nosy so I love reading blogs to stalk people’s lives!
LOL and that is why I love you 😉
It’s YOUR blog so write how you like! And for the record, I really enjoyed this post
With my job, I travel a lot, so I find myself stopping to grab lunches far too often. I have been consciously trying to pack my lunch each day, and it is definitely saving me $$ and stress!
I like yo lifecasting, too. 😉
AND THOSE CAKES ARE SO CUTE.
I’m kind of a lurker, but your comment about lifecasting really hit home for me. I’ve been taking a somewhat unintentional blog hiatus in part because I feel silly telling people about my rather mundane life… it DOES feel narcissistic, but it’s mostly waht I know and it seems like for one reason or another blogs that lifecast tend to be really popular! Of course I also just haven’t felt like my heart’s been in it enough to blog recently, but the “feeling narcissistic” definitely plays a role (even though I know I enjoy reading lifecasting posts! So confusing).
Anyways, you are lovely.
Thanks for sharing!
<3
n
Hey Nicole, I’m glad to know that someone can relate! I think all bloggers need to come to terms with the whole lifecasting/narcissistic thing at one point or another, and we all might have different feelings about it. But I think it all comes down to one’s intentions - if you/i am blogging for FUN and to be part of a rockin’ community, then that’s all that really matters in my book!
Take care, sweets! Xoxo G
Can’t help but asking, what do you think of the Cliff White Chocolate Macadamia Nut bar? I recently just tried this flavor in the Luna bar but haven’t tried Cliff…
LOVE them!! The Luna ones are great but I’m obsessed with the Clif’s version…they taste like cookie dough! Not sure if they’re 100% gluten free (which I try to stick to these days) but they don’t upset my stomach, and are actually worth the risk 😛
good for you for breaking your eating out habit! my favorite blogging style: blogs that are mixture of life casting and message/topic posts.
Thanks- I’m definitely gonna try it- I guiltily admit I always think Clif bars look like big piles of poop (*sorry, not very lady like!) but I guess I gotta get my head around that 😛
lol! trust me - these ones are delish!
loved your outfit for the bridal shower….I also love your blogging style…you are a gem G
ah, thank you love!
I love reading your lifecasts, so keep it up! 😀
chandra says
I had stopped blogging very often, and have been having trouble getting back into it for the same reason - all I keep thinking is, “who really cares what I do from day to day?” The answer is ME. I care, and I like to have parts of my life documented for me to remember. I’m going to try to adopt your who cares mentality.
Exactly!! It’s so strange too because when I first started blogging I didn’t feel weird about it at all (probably because I had been reading blogs for such a long time beforehand), but recently it’s like “what am I doing?!” Realizing that a huge reason for blogging is for ME - almost like a documentation of my life - definitely made it easier to continue with
Oh, and *I* care what you do day to day 😉