blogging

NaBloPoMo 2023

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NaBloPoMo

Sixteen years! That’s how long it’s been since I first did NaBloPoMo. Way back in 2007. It was the last time too. I may have silently sworn to never do it again. In case you’re not familiar, NaBloPoMo is short for National Blog Posting Month.

It happens in November and was all the rage back in the day, which I’ve heard referred to as the golden age of blogging. Yup! The golden age. When I first heard that I felt like I was 300 years old. I wasn’t sure if it was still a thing. A quick searched revealed that it is, but on a much smaller scale.

Anyway, NaBloPoMo gave a blogging nod to NaNoWriMo, which is National Novel Writing Month. What they both do is give us writers a goal of writing every day during the month.

So why am I doing this now? Because of Vlogtober. I really enjoy Kay Patterson’s vlogs on YouTube. Kay, who lives in Boston, just finished Vlogtober yesterday. For Vlogtober, vloggers post a video each day during October.

I started thinking about how I’d like to blog at least once a week again. Blogging everyday would be a nice jump-start and would make once a week seem like nothing. NaBloPoMo is a marathon, not a sprint, and I know to pace myself accordingly.

Wish me luck and see you back here tomorrow!

17 Years Blogging

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17 years blogging and word for the year is dates

I’ve been blogging for 17 years to the day! This past year has been a lot. My blogging definitely dropped off. And in January, I decided to retire Free Yoga Boston. I did FYB for ten years. It felt like its season came to a natural end. I’m not quite sure how this space will continue.

In general, video seems to have taken over what blogging used to be. I love watching YouTube and have thought about the medium. In the past, I made some videos too. But in general, video isn’t just about filming. From what I can tell, the heart of it seems to be editing. Which at this point, has not proven to be something that I love. Maybe I just haven’t found the right editing tools? Not sure. But for now, writing is my first love, so I’ll keep on with blogging.

And keeping with my annual tradition, today is the day that I choose my word for the year. Here are some obvious hints!

My plan is take myself out for an Artist Date on a regular basis. I had fun with my mom at a paint night, for a mother daughter date. I recently wrote about the surprising due date for federal student loans. A favorite snack is yogurt with my homemade trail mix, which usually includes dates. So sweet and healthy too! I’d also like to meet a nice guy and go on some dates.

The word resonating for this year is DATE!

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Links to posts for past years are below. Thank you for being here!

16 Years Blogging

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jars of spices for 16 years blogging

Today is 16 years blogging! Sweet Sixteen!

Sixteen years isn’t just a milestone for the number of years. It also represents a dividing line. I blogged for eight years and a few months on my old blog, when it was Anali’s First Amendment. Now the number of years on this domain, Anali’s Next Amendment, is also eight years.

April 29th is not only my blogging anniversary, it’s also the day I choose my word for the year.

When thinking about this new word, what first came to mind was that people enter our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. It’s up to us to figure out the difference. That discernment is part of our life’s work.

I started thinking about how a season is really quite short — just three months. But each season repeats in an endless cycle of seasons. I think this deep noticing of seasons comes with age. Because after living through so many cycles of seasons, we notice them more. That might be a reason why I was drawn to reflect on the seasons with the year long Collection of Moments project.

Life is all about the seasons of it. Like that Frank Sinatra song, “It Was A Very Good Year.” He reflects on being 17, 21, 35, and then the autumn of his years. It’s such a beautiful song — his sharing memories of these four seasons of his life. And yet season can take on other meanings.

I grew up learning to well season my food. Using spices and herbs to season our food improves taste and increases our enjoyment. Baking oil onto a cast iron pan, seasoning, prevents rusting and preserves it.

After thinking about the word season, I thought that I might have already used it as a word of the year. It seemed so obvious. But after looking back, I had not. So, I guess the word hadn’t been right before. It is now. ‘Tis the SEASON.

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Links to posts for past years are below. Thank you for being here!

I Did a Podcast!

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Podcast with Dr. Robin

Things are getting more interesting on this blog! Last week, I spoke about my blog as part of an author series. A few weeks before that, I did a podcast that you can now listen to!

The podcast is called Leadership Purpose with Dr. Robin. The host, Robin L. Owens, Ph.D., is a college professor, speaker, author and leadership purpose coach. On her weekly podcast, “she interviews experts who give helpful advice to address issues facing high achieving women leaders today.” She also shares her own stories and life lessons along the way.

It was so much fun doing the podcast and I think it sounds great! Of course I’m biased with my own episode, but I’ve enjoyed listening to all her other episodes as well. They’re inspiring! And I always learn something new and benefit from hearing different perspectives on many life issues that we all face.

On the podcast, I speak with Dr. Robin about my favorite quote, which is also my blog motto, and about my writing and legal careers. And Free Yoga Boston too!

I hope you listen to the episode and enjoy it as well! You can listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Emma Andrews Library Author Series

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Emma Andrews Library Author Series

I have some exciting news! On Thursday, April 7, 2022, at 7pm, I will be interviewed as part of the Emma Andrews Library Author Series!

Over the past week or so, I’ve shared it on different social media platforms. But of course the news had to make its way here. The main topic is about why and how I blog! It all started here. Hmmm. Well, actually my blogging beginnings go back to the old blog, Anali’s First Amendment.

It’s hard to believe that I moved to this domain eight years ago! And it’s now almost eight years here. For a combined 16 years of blogging! The official anniversary is April 29th, which is approaching fast. Time to start thinking about my new word of the year and the lessons of last year’s word – SURRENDER.

But back to the event! Emma Andrews Library is a small library and community center in Newburyport, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1886 by schoolteacher Emma Andrews as a lending library to serve local children. For me, as someone who grew up with parents who were both schoolteachers, and from childhood to this day always enjoying going to the library, this event feels especially wonderful.

The interview will take place over Zoom, so everyone is invited to watch and take part. It will be a Q&A format moderated by local author and writer Áine Greaney. If you’re interested in registering for the event, send an email to emmaandrewslibrary@gmail.com and you’ll receive a link.

Hope to see you then!