I started this little blog six years ago. Six! Can you believe it? I really can't. It sounds like such a long time. Throughout the past six years, so much has changed. I was single, in grad school, living in a rented apartment, and working as an editor at a technology and marketing research company when I randomly decided to try this whole blogging thing. Now I'm married, have a house and a little yard, and work as a copy editor at a food magazine and do freelance food writing. I like to think my blog has grown and changed with me.
There have been ups and downs over the years with how much attention I've been able to pay to this blog and how much I've been able to write, but I'm glad I've kept it going because it has been incredibly rewarding. I've had amazing networking opportunities, I've had awesome job opportunities, I've gotten to review some incredible restaurants and meet the chefs behind them, I've met some of my best friends, and I've gotten to connect with so many of you. I've also challenged myself to try new recipes and new techniques. I've continued to try new restaurants, both near and far. I've got all of these amazing posts that I can go back to and read to remember our honeymoon in Italy, our experience at a restaurant down the street, the first garden I planted, or a beautiful cake I made.
Sometimes I think about quitting. Those of you who blog know what a commitment it is (especially if you work full time on top of blogging). I think about how my photos aren't always the best or maybe no one cares about what I made for dinner on a particular night (even though I think it's the most delicious thing ever!). And I think about the layout of my blog and how I wish I could do more with it. (I intended to reveal a big blog redesign around now, but they are SO expensive. And when I think about all the work we want to do on our house, I can't justify the expense. But I get it, a redesign is a lot of work. I just wish I could trade baked goods for one. Baked goods are a lot of work too.) But when I think about stopping, I also think about what good has come to me from blogging and how it keeps me cooking, baking, and writing all the time and I keep going. And I hope that one day I'll have more time to work on my photography skills.
So for now I'm going to keep it going, but you may hear from me a little less frequently from time to time because I'm also trying to find some balance in my life (as it is you've probably noticed I'm only posting about two times a week these days). I really need to make myself get out and exercise more. As much as baking and cooking help relieve stress for me, so does exercise and I really feel myself needing a mix of both these days. I like running and yoga. I just need the time and motivation to get back into them. And I really want to read some books. I can't remember the last time I did -- maybe on a plane ride. I used to read every night. (Got any recommendations?) I also like going out to eat or cooking something and just enjoying it rather than whipping out my camera all the time, hopping on the counter to get the right angle for a photo, or setting up a light box when it's too dark for natural light to do any good. I'll still be here. I'll still share things that I think are amazing with you. And I'll still try to read and comment on your blogs -- that's a big part of blogging. Building community, supporting each other... and I love it, but it does take time. I'll try to keep up with all of it, but I'll be doing some other things too.
I'm going to end this by saying, thank you. Thank you for following along for six years (or as long as you've been here), for your support, your comments, your advice, and your friendship. I hope to keep this thing going -- even if it's changing in some ways.
