April 01, 2013

Book Blogger Confessions (#3) - Blogging and real life...

Perhaps this isn't just a Book Blogger Confession post (as seen the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month)... It's also a 3 things: Feature post.

Hosted by For What It's Worth and Midnyte Reader
Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions (politely).

How does blogging effect your *real* life? Are friends and family supportive? Do you find that blogging cuts into family time? How do you strike a balance between the two?

Probably a lot of time is spent blogging and doing things for my blog but that doesn't matter too much to my family (I believe) as when it's a big family thing I put the book and computer away & support my family like they support me with my blogging. Mum sometimes reads my posts and discusses it, she's a Bookworm too! Ashleigh has also seen my blog and read some of my reviews... The guys of the family are less bookish and that means they can't understand as well... Striking a balance between family and blogging isn't so hard- schoolwork and blogging as a balance is harder... Y'know all about that though too! Work & blogging... Do you find that harder as obviously they are closer priorities? Family is the biggest one and it isn't close. If my family need me then I'm not blogging. Blogging may cut into time when I could be having family time but it's great as I'd get fed up of quality time and it wouldn't be quality anymore.
Even if I thought that my family weren't having enough hobby time or enjoying themselves with time for other things due to my actions I would cut down and act... differently. However I don't believe I'm doing much more than other teens. Book blogging might be different (depends how different, eh?) but I don't keep it within my family. I don't want EVERYONE to know but Mum encourages (or rather, does it herself) sharing and even if people don't know they are aware I love reading. Some just think I review, or tweet. Most people know some of it.
I'm at an age where I really am trying to find my... not really 'self' but elements- like hobbies! I'm sort of an ambivert and I can honestly spend whole days offline or whole days online. There's plenty of days that are in the middle but not so much in the holidays! I obviously have, as you'd have guessed by above, school-related things that keep me busy! What are holidays and weekends for then? Pajama days? Yes. Blogging? Yes. Tweeting? Yes. Reading? Yes. Homework? hmm... yes!
If it's a hobby I'm wasting my time with I don't mind. I've done that with people, clubs, other sites and the list goes on. One thing I like about blogging is you don't have to please anyone with 'fakeness'. Many authors and fellow bloggers love honesty & as I'm so good with that I'm using this as a stepping stone.
I hope to have other stepping stones which are things I love as much as this- I know family is one of the things on my path & they needn't be an obstacle. Hopefully I'll take them with me on my various journeys but I can't take them everywhere and all the time! I don't need to find them and turns out...
I didn't need to find you! You found me and my honesty (with added cheese for this confession). Wait, confessions? *cough* The 3 things? *cough*
That was an April Fools- I had two things for you... And this is the next one:



MY QUARTERLY UPDATE! :D (NO-CHEESE STYLE!)

Firstly... I've been having some freebie books and swag arrive recently- not a lot, mind. This means that I'd like to thank those bloggers, authors & publishers who have made it possible. You win some, you lose some! I'm just counting my blessings...
S = Squishy (tweet!)
And I must have some because...
I've got lots of twitter followers & love discussing everything from A-Z (quite literally if you know about April's tradition!)



I've done...
2 x Levels of The Woman Challenge (that's more than half- see SUPER GIRL post + tag, short stories not included)
3 x Book Blogger Confessions posts (including this one! There were 3- don't you forgive me!)
x 3 Thing posts.
and quite a lot of reviews too! I'm ahead of schedule and have read more I expected, here are the reviews - some count towards women author challenge too, doesn't include short stories even if tagged.

I've added...
Feedly to my blog!
Reasons to follow me via feedly (there are 3... can you think of any more? Click to follow!)

I've watched...
Doctor Who
Voice UK

I've read...
16 British books up to last Malorie Blackman month (that basically means I've reviewed all of those- you can expect a review on Wednesday! In the mean time this is my goodreads challenge, also short stories not included!)
12 books I own (does include Challenging Zed & all of these are British, of course!)...

So what next you may ask...?
Reading: Bridget Jones: Edge Of Reason, Black Heart Blue*, Sky Song, Girl, Aloud, Zelah Green (books 1+2), Young Moon, Afterlife Academy and more Avaliable-to-review (because I'm reviewing some of these books somewhere special... this is roughly the right order!)
...Now you're thinking what is also to come is a reveal of where I shall be co-blogging... When I set up a blogger archive you'll find out.

So, how are you?
Leave me your comments to let me know what you've been up to! Non-bookish things are allowed but remember in whatever you want to discuss: NO SPOILERS ALLOWED.
Bookish love ~ox

*that author does love my honesty. I twitter on like I've nothing better to do. I'm not linking another tweet though so you'll have to go & find it if you want it (hint: Louisa).

10 comments:

Karen said...

I just added Feedly. i thought it was going to be a big ordeal but it was super easy and so far I like it.

My husband is really supportive of my blogging. It does take time away from him (although I'm working on striking a better balance) but he's good with that. It's other hobbies that I used to enjoy that I let go of because of blogging. I'm working on it though.

Trish @ Between My Lines said...

LOL that you have only 1 confession not 3.

My husband is great about my blog, I read posts to him sometimes for his input. But like you with your family, I make time for us too. I'm toying with the idea of one blogless day every week but its hard! I love to read other blogs and would miss them!

Roberta R. said...

One thing I like about blogging is you don't have to please anyone with 'fakeness'.
Yes, that's not what blogging is about...Of course, one should always be polite and everything, even when giving 1 star to a book - but at the end of the day, this is your own corner of the net where you can at least be honest!
It's great that blogging is helping you to figure yourself out. As for bookish love, it will always stay with you and help you face everyday's life - even if you should decide to stop reviewing books one day.

AwesomeAmy said...

Thanks for comments guys! Esp to Roberta who found it was a case of finding me (accurate post). Sorry for the issues that happened but glad you're here. Glad you're all here & are making my day!

@Karen: Same. I have occasional hiccups from Reader which Feedly haven't ironed out... Yet. I hope to see more adding Feedly as an option to be honest! If I see feedburner I click that as it'll take me to feedly with my settings.

@Trish: Yes, it's not my first time confessing but it's the only post I thought it didn't sound honest. I don't know why... Perhaps I just felt like a phoney ;) Would you like a confession? I've only eaten a tiny amount of chocolate that I have left today!

@Roberta: I can genuinely say I've never given out a 1 star. If I hate a book that much I just leave it. Does that mean my 2 stars aren't real? No... not really! It's not a compromise anymore than a 3.5 star or something! I think my ratings and reviews can be critical but as a whole person I'm just going with the flow. I used to really find it hard not to fight the current but now I'll do as I should. If that means accepting, or not-accepting, a book or something, that's fine! If I review/guest post somewhere else I'm just feeling that it's right. It all comes down to the fact that I love books. Not every book. But books... yay!
Talking about books (and ebooks) there are 3 main ways to read ebooks on computer. You can get kindle books of your cloud and use the kindle reader (takes mobi) or use Adobe Digital Editions (with ePub) or read PDF's (many send them & if you choose you can convert PDF's). You might like to choose one of those just to read occasionally the ebooks you can get for free! I'd hate to see that you couldn't accept review requests of books that look really good just as much as the rest of us (says the non-NetGalley member).

Julie@My5monkeys said...

I use feedily too and I agree with blogging its great to find out who you are too.

I love DR who too :)

Anonymous said...

My family actually doesn't know about my blog >.> I plan on telling my mom, who's a big book reader, but not until I finish this last month at uni because I don't want her to worry that it'll interfere with my school work. Cause for me, that's the worst part. I much rather write what I want to write about books rather than write a six-page paper analyzing some aspect of a book for class. Lame! :P

Midnyte Reader said...

I think that is wonderful that your mom is so supportive. I think blogging is a great outlet for people (especially teens) and I wish I had started when I was a lot younger. I love how you state that it's a stepping stone.

I love your Quarterly update idea too!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you've got the right balance between blogging and real life commitments. Well done!

Roberta R. said...

"Talking about books (and ebooks) there are 3 main ways to read ebooks on computer. You can get kindle books of your cloud and use the kindle reader (takes mobi) or use Adobe Digital Editions (with ePub) or read PDF's (many send them & if you choose you can convert PDF's)."

You mean they send me a Kindle version or something else and I can convert them to PDF? Or do some of them send the actual PDF version? Sorry to be a total klutz in this particular field LOL. Thanks!

AwesomeAmy said...

@Roberta: Most will offer multiple formats & I was just letting you know that there are three formats you can read on computer with the right software. All of those are free! You don't have to download them all- choose the one you like best & you can ask for that format or yes, convert to that format (using calibre is my preference).

@Julie: Hey whovian and feedly user :D RSS can be a pain- feedly or not but I'm sussing it out. Also yes, sussing out me! Thanks for your input!

@Asti: Lame? You are joking! That's fine and I think there's a time for everything. I also find it easier to talk about literature in an informal blogger way! I'm better at English Lit than Lang but they don't know why ;) I wouldn't do it at Uni for sure as much as I love reading that's what is. A hobby! *smiles at new (probably first) blog stalker*

@Pam: Ooh, thanks! I'm surprised that for ages I was wandering the web & hadn't found the bookish community! Now I'm what we call (when acting posh) a 'professional reader'! :D Obviously it could be awful blogging as a teen- imagine if my parents didn't let me accept giveaway prizes or such things! I still wonder how it is that I have them behind me supporting my hobby. Suppose it's because it's more social than simming! Especially meme's, I love this one (: Thanks to you & Karen!

@moonlightlibrary: I've learnt the hard way with other hobbies to be honest! I've gone through times where I most definitely couldn't have a day not doing it for as much as I could. In the end the novelty wore off and it was like I'd woken up. Was confused how I'd spent so much time doing that! I've always read though so it'd be so strange if I suddenly turned off from that. Don't think there's danger of that though (: I'm grateful for your 'pop in'!

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