It's My Birthday

Today is my birthday. And yes, I'm in my forties.

Until a few years ago, I never thought I'd like this decade. How frightening, I thought. But I'm pretty much at peace with it. I'm feeling old, but it could be a lot worse!

I'm looking back, considering all the things I never accomplished -- all the things I have yet to do! At the same time, I'm looking at all the things I have done.

In the past year, since my last birthday, I have learned so much, and have really grown.

I've met a lot of people and learned a lot of skills. I've grown a tougher skin and gained a lot of self-confidence. I have come to learn more of who I am and what I can do. I've realized the possibilities in my life are almost endless, and I've picked up a lot of new challenges. I look at the world in a positive way now, for the first time again in years, and am ready to take on what comes along, with the help of the Lord. Life is looking good.

I know it won't always be easy, by any stretch of the imagination, but I also know I'll be able to survive now, and sometimes even thrive. I will be okay...

And that is what life has taught me in my 40s. It is a much more comfortable place to be than in my 30s. I can only wait to see what life brings next!

love you all, krissy :)

My First Bracelet

The first bracelet I've ever made

I'm designing and making jewelry now. This is the first bracelet I made. My sister Therese calls it "Tropical Citrine." John calls it my "Brady Bunch Bracelet." What do you think? Did I do a good job? And what would you call it?

Krissy :)

How were you successful in your blogging this week

How were you successful in your blogging this week?

Many don't like to think of blogging in terms of something one wants to be "successful" at. "I'm just doing this for fun," you might say. I've actually heard others say, "I don't care if I get comments." I'm astounded when I hear that. I think, "Why are you writing, then, if you don't want to be read?"

Whether you're blogging for fun, or you're blogging for money, it's hard for me to believe it doesn't matter whether or not you get comments, or whether or not your're being read. If you don't care to be read, why are you writing? Don't go online then! Write what you have to say in a little paper diary with a lock and key, and stick the diary in your drawer at home! If however, you do come online, then you may as well admit you want to be read, and furthermore you like those comments (so you know somebody is listening, and you have an engaged community)! There is certainly nothing wrong with that...

So now I have a question for you. How were you "successful" in your blogging this week? What did you do to be successful and to draw readers in? Please tell us of some of your successes.

Did you write good content so that your readers would want to come back? I'm not saying you wrote good content for the sole purpose of having readers come back. I know you would have written good content anyway. But did you "make an effort to write good content" in your posts this week?

Perhaps you added more pictures to your blogs (either graphics or photos). Perhaps you tried to explain things to others. Perhaps you took the time to comment in other's blogs more.

Some of the things I did were to write good content (write about interesting subjects), to be more open and honest in my posts -- give more of myself, think about what my readers wanted to hear about and write about that, and comment in more blogs. I think I was successful.

How were you successful in blogging this week?