BlissDom is coming! BlissDom is coming! Have I mentioned how much I love BlissDom and why? One of the best things about BlissDom Canada is meeting new bloggers and discovering their fabulous blogs.
When I was asked to write a post about five blogs you should be reading, I have to be honest, I sort of panicked. Picking only five from a sea of incredible blogs seemed rather daunting! How would I pick? What criteria should I use? Could I accept bribes? (KIDDING!) Then I got all scientific—I would pick five categories of blogs and list three good blogs in each of those categories! Sadly, I soon realized that those lists already exist, in a multitude of forms.
I finally decided to share the blogs that make me stop and read them, regularly. I am not a chef, I am not a DIY/crafty Martha Stewart-type, and I'm no fashionista shopaholic, so that should forewarn you about what won't be on my list, with all due respect to those blogs. The things I love are: a good read, a good laugh, and a post that makes me go, "Hmmmm," so my fancy is tickled by any writing that has these elements.
Here are a few of those blogs, in completely random order:
Rebecca Cuneo Keenan posts about motherhood, marriage, life, and hot topics in the media with dry wit, eloquence, and insightful opinions. And her concise writing often summarizes what is swirling chaotically around in my mind.
Chantal Saville writes beautiful posts, sometimes candidly exposing areas of her life and circumstances with a touch of sardonic humour that makes me giggle, yet still feel the rawness of her non-humorous emotions.
If you are fortunate enough to follow Peady on Twitter, you know what a bright light she is. Her positivity has often inspired me to try to see the silver lining of even my worst days. Her posts are upbeat and simple Polaroids of her life and the love she has for it, which always make me smile.
Tara Wilson makes me laugh. Her posts are a thoughts-to-blog app running from her mind into a writing style that flows into an amusing chronicle of her life.
Amanda Jette Knox knows from sarcasm and self-deprecation. She tells stories with worthy life lessons and advice, sometimes without you even knowing you've been schooled, because she's THAT funny and gifted with words.
Oh, and in case you really, really wanted a "categorized" list of blogs, here are a few honourable mentions, listed according to how I'd classify them:
Holy Hell, Kids Need a LOT of Shit!
Mommy Gearest.com has well-written reviews of all the stuff parents and kids want or need. If a product really is shit, you'll know about it here.
I Want These Bloggers as My Personal Chefs
Vegan food blogger Alimentageuse.com and hilarious kitchen goddess Foodretro.com make good food that I want to eat, just not necessarily get off my duff and prepare, but not because their recipes are complicated! Lovely photos and interesting cooking/kitchen tips entice me to maybe cook, one day...
I'm Totally Bored Right Now or Avoiding What I SHOULD Be Doing
ThatJennPerry.com and BrazenWoman.com offer all kinds of useful and interesting tips and stories that are perfect for perusal during a coffee break. Stop scoffing, you're not THAT busy!
I Want to Know What a Dude Thinks
Dad-Camp.com provides honest stories and relevant reviews from what else? A dad's point of view. Sometimes it's good to sneak into the other gender's mind.
Holy Crap, Did They Just Say That?
With a name like BluntMoms.com, you should be prepared for some blunt talk. Sometimes it's fun to read the stuff you're thinking but afraid to say!
Please note that this is only a teeny, tiny list of very good bloggers—there are SO many more out there. So, if you're a bit peeved that your blog isn't on this list, please don't take it personally, and mention your blog in the comments below, ok? Or, if you don't want to toot your own horn, buy a friend a coffee and ask him or her to do it for you.
Now get reading, and make sure you buy your ticket to BlissDom Canada so you can meet some of these fantastic bloggers. Hope to see you there!
For more articles, tips, and tricks to help you get organized and make the most of your blog and business visit our BlissDom Canada 2014: How Do You Find Your Bliss? page.
Membership Has Its Perks!
We’re offering a special discount for BlissDom Canada to our YMC members. Use our special code for 15% off your BlissDom Canada Conference pass. Find out the details here.
Bonus! BlissDom and YMC want to send you to the conference for FREE this year in the #ThisIsBliss Contest. Have you entered yet?
The other day on Facebook I was challenged to dump a bucket of ice water over my head or make a donation to support ALS.
I confess — I completely ignored the post. I was tired and had a million other things to do, but buried underneath these reasons was also a slight irritation that I couldn't define. I wasn't annoyed by my friend, who obviously had good intentions with her challenge, but as this ice bucket challenge has spread like soft butter on hot toast, I've come to understand more clearly what is troubling me about it.
I dislike icy water touching my head — I experienced it one January when my hair salon's water heater died — but I also really dislike being publicly baited. Even a risk as innocuous as social media ribbing feels like online coercion using my "coolness" as a prize, and I just don't think that's the best way to promote any worthy cause. Did non-athletic people like it when Maria Kang asked "What's your excuse?"
I give to charity — generously — but they are the charities of MY choice, not ones I'm pressured into giving to because of public demand to feed trendy social media slactivism campaigns.
I believe in helping others and teaching my children to do the same, as well as supporting causes that have personally touched my life, but sadly, my budget for charitable donations only extends so far. Yet every day I’m pressured to financially support a charitable cause.
Cashiers strategically request donations when our wallets are out. We have mail clogging our inboxes and mailboxes asking for our help, phone solicitation, and people at our doors during family time. We are compelled to change our profile pictures because everyone else has done so to show support for a cause. We see TV commercials with celebrities pulling our heartstrings and purse strings, not to mention our kids bringing home catalogues of "rewards" for how much money they — I — raise for a charity I didn't choose.
Aren't these charities afraid that potential donors will become overwhelmed by the perpetual marketing and not donate any funds anywhere? Aren't WE afraid that the new meaning of charity will evolve to require a mandatory self-serving element? I've read suggestions that these high-profile campaigns could actually lower financial charitable donations overall, as participants may feel the positive social media attention they receive is the payoff instead of helping a good cause, or they may give nominally to relieve unwanted social media attention but feel turned off of charitable donations entirely from being publicly called out. I've had two women I consider smart and impervious to public opinion confess to me that despite making regular private donations to support ALS, they felt pressure to donate again publicly after being ice bucket challenged, so the social media pressure works, but at what cost?
I know there are many who feel that no harm is being done with this campaign and that the ALS Association has raised both awareness and funding. They are absolutely right. If ALS is your charity of choice and meaningful to you in some way — kudos to you for showing or donating your support. However, if the latest social media charity campaign — not just the ALS one — holds no connection or meaning to you, don't jump on the bandwagon simply because it's the newest hashtag trend that will boost your social media exposure. Ten seconds of video amusement for people to "like" or "favorite" and increase your social media engagement does not constitute charity. Spending time, money or both is still what charitable organizations need most.
How do you decide which charity you want to support? Do you ever feel pressured to give?
Hi! Thanks for reading my post. If you'd like to read more, check out my thoughts on parenting labels, or my feelings about the F-bomb dropping all over the internet.
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