Old School Blogging Style

I started blogging in the fall of 2009. It seems like a long time ago, but some of the big name bloggers have been doing it since 2006. So clearly I’m behind the times. Blogging has changed a lot over these years, both in content and in its marriage to social media. It used to be that blogging memes were all the rage. You know – memes? It’s when you answer a bunch of questions about yourself, and then pass it on for someone else to answer?

Well, Elaine at The Miss Elaine-ous Life has brought back Old School Blogging meme-style. Once a month she hosts a link-up where she posts the questions, and everyone who wants to participate can link up to her blog and then we can all read each others’ answers. And this month I get to co-host it with her! (cheers, confetti)

This month’s meme is a bit long. 27 questions in all (!!) And while I hold no particular illusion that anyone wants to know that much about me (by the way, have you read my 332 page memoir?), I have still endeavoured to answer all the questions faithfully. If you’d like to participate, I’ve included the questions at the bottom in convenient “copy and paste” format. AND the linkup is right there at the bottom too. Ready, Set, GO!

1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?

Need I state the obvious? Or I have I not talked about it enough yet? Ahem. I published a book! It’s over there in the sidebar.

When I first started wearing deodorant, I was so proud of it, I carried my new bottle of “Tess” downstairs to where my parents’ guests were, hoping they would notice that I had it. I kind of feel that way about my book. I want to carry it around, hoping people will ask me about it.

And yes, I do realise how insanely dorky it is to want people to notice you’re using deodorant. I never had many points in the “cool” department.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn’t make any New Year’s Resolutions last year. But I did have the goal to publish my book -a chapter at a time on my blog at first, and then in print form. I did that. This year I have some vague goal to run more and embrace life. I’m hoping that having a writing studio will help to separate my online life from my family life, sparing my kids who deserves more than I give them.

(I’m currently typing this on the sofa while ignoring my kids).

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes! My friend Keely gave birth. She squeaked it in before the new year. No one that lives near me though, which is really sad because I can’t kiss any baby faces. I’m on the cusp of leaving the baby-making years behind and entering the grandparent years. Not me, specifically, but some of my college friends are grandparents already. I’m trying not to cry.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

My grandmother died in Minnesota right before the end of the year. I had not seen her for many years because of the distance, but it’s always hard to lose a grandparent. She was my last grandparent alive and that makes me sad.

5. What countries did you visit?

France and America – nothing out of the ordinary.

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?

I think I would like to have a serenity I didn’t have in 2013. I would like to be more present in what’s going on around me. I’m usually too anxious and hyper, trying madly to do the next thing and be everywhere at once. I no longer had any time for my yoga class, if that gives you any idea. I would like to be still.

7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

December 5^th because I published my first book and achieved one of the a life goals I made when I was a teenager. I don’t remember a single other goal other than get married to an amazing man like the one I found, and live in Boston – which I’m not likely to ever do.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

With 27 questions, things are bound to get redundant. See answer just above.

9 What was your biggest failure?

I don’t think I failed at anything. So there! Ha! I might have stumbled or fallen down, but I didn’t stop or run backwards. That means I did not fail.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No. A huge blessing, right?

11. What was the best thing you bought?

A new Mac. My dog chewed through the cord of my old laptop and my husband tried to splice the two ends together, but he ended up burning the computer. So I got a new one. 😉

12. Where did most of your money go?

This is a great question. Food. We can easily spend 2-300€ a week on groceries if I don’t go to the discount store. That’s up to $400 a week. But the discount store doesn’t have school supplies and computer ink, gluten-free foods, frozen foods or alcohol-free wine. So although I usually try to go to both, I just go to the expensive one if I’m limited on time.

13. What did you get really excited about?

Need I say it again?

14. What song will always remind you of 2013?

I am soo not hip on songs. But I guess it would be Norah Jones, whose CD I listened to all the time. Yes. I still listen to CDs. See what I mean about being behind?

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:

– happier or sadder? Happier . . . I think.

– thinner or fatter? Oh geez. You have to ask this question? I’m not sure actually. I always hover around _ _ (cough)

–  richer or poorer?  I guess poorer? We’re still paying off our trip to the States from this summer. Every single person I talk to in France is having money problems because it’s just so darn expensive here. Grocery coupons don’t even exist – I mean the kind you can cut out of a newspaper.

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Exercise.

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Eat mindlessly without tasting the food.

18. How did you spend Christmas?

In the usual way. We opened Santa’s presents here at home, and then we went to my in-laws for lunch and more presents over there. We Skyped with my family over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

19. What was your favorite TV program?

I don’t watch TV because I don’t want to see my favorite programs in French. I watch American TV series on DVD. We discovered “Castle” this year.

20. What were your favorite books of the year?

The Divergent series, although I’m not crazy about the last book. I will finish it, but I’m having so much trouble getting into it.

21. What was your favorite music from this year?

This is a redundant question, I think. Don’t you?

22. What was your favorite film of the year?

Oh films. We so rarely get out. I was really excited to see Hunger Games on the airplane, so I’m guessing that’s it.

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 44 in November, and I asked to not have to worry about dinner. So my husband did an amazing job of cooking, and the kids gave me such great homemade cards, I laughed and cried at the same time.

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

I don’t think it could have been more satisfying than it was. Really and truly. Or – maybe a vacation in France with my husband and kids. This just always makes me so happy as we connect and spend quality time and explore my adopted country.

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?

Yoga pants and “making an effort.” I started tutoring at a private school so I had to start “making an effort.” Blouses and make-up. You know the drill.

26. What kept you sane?

My private Facebook group.

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.

I lived another year – not just survived, but truly lived. And each year in this incredible life with my loved ones is a precious gift I’ve been given.

Okay! Now you’re turn! If you’d like to participate, here are the questions for you to copy:

1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

4. Did anyone close to you die?

5. What countries did you visit?

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?

7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

9. What was your biggest failure?

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

11. What was the best thing you bought?

12. Where did most of your money go?

13. What did you get really excited about?

14. What song will always remind you of 2013?

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:

– happier or sadder?

– thinner or fatter?

– richer or poorer?

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?

18. How did you spend Christmas?

19. What was your favorite TV program?

20. What were your favorite books of the year?

21. What was your favorite music from this year?

22. What was your favorite film of the year?

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?

26. What kept you sane?

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.

And here is the linky-link! Just put the link to your OSB post with all those answers (you can skip a few – we won’t tell). And then be sure to visit a few other bloggers who have linked up. And we promise to come visit yours too!

Image credit: yarruta / 123RF Banque d’images

Comments

I love to hear from you, friends. You can comment using the box below or your Facebook profile. But FB doesn't notify me of new comments, so if the post is more than a week old and you want to make sure I see your comment, it's better to use the comment box. Merci!