Hi gals!
Today I am rewinding for one last look at 2015 before the new year begins. I have been trying to decide what grade I would give the past twelve months. Probably a good solid B. It was kind of like 2014, not my worst year ever by far but not my best year either.
Maybe I should start this post with a link and look at the first post I wrote for the year. It was on January 1, and I had high hopes for 2015.
Read more here.
So, I decided to go back and look over the rest of the posts I wrote for the year. I did a kind of casual tally of the different subjects/categories I blogged about most and here is what I came up with.
BLAST FROM MY PAST 6
CRAFTS AND HOBBIES 5
THE BLENDED BLOG 7
FAMILY, FRIENDS & FUN 34
FASHION 45
FROM MY HOME 6
LIBRARY LESSONS FOR LIFE 2
REDISCOVERING ME 40
SPIRITUAL SUNDAY 7
TITLE TALK 25
Some of my blog posts overlapped several categories and were counted more than once but even so, these numbers kind of surprised me. On a couple of occasions, I have been asked to identify what I blog most about. I know I am writing this stuff but I truly never know what I should answer to that question. The last time I was asked, I was given choices like faith, parenting, fashion, health, lifestyle and other. I chose other. But according to this informal survey I conducted of my posts for 2015, I wrote most about…
FASHION!
What???
I promise it isn’t that I, in anyway, consider myself a fashion icon or even fashionable. I am as surprised by this number as you probably are!! But them’s the numbers. I started calling my fashion-related posts My Fashion Haus, about mid-way through the year.
While most of my fashion related posts averaged about 15 comments, one post far surpassed all of the others. It was one I wrote as part of a series through The Blended Blog on transitioning favorite summer pieces into fall.
Check it out here.
The piece of clothing I wrote about transitioning were my beloved lace tees.
Running a close second to fashion posts, were those I categorized as Rediscovering Me. How about that for a catch-all kinda title?
Those were posts that talked about activities I was doing to rediscover who I am in this new-ish chapter of my life…a retired librarian and empty-nester. A lot of my Currently posts fell into this category because I used them to kind of sum up what I was doing in my life.
Under this category, the postest with the mostest was one where the Style Me Bloggers bid our readers a fond farewell as we transitioned into The Blended Blog. Take a peek here.
This post was about what inspires us most. And I learned, after taking a quiz online, that I am most inspired by history. Find out what most inspires you by taking that same quiz here. Then in a comment below, let me know what inspires you!
Posts categorized as Family, Friends and Fun come in third place in number. There are two posts that received more “acclaim” than the others in this category. One was a Style Me Bloggers link-up that featured some of my Style Me Challenge girl friends wearing their favorite Spring 2015 Challenge outfit. A big shout out to Denise, Janice, Mary and Phyllis. Check out their great looks here.
Another Style Me Bloggers link-up was popular in this category. In it, I talked a little about my summer vacation and a lot about what I had been eating on my summer vacation. And because I am PC’s wife, I ate a whole lot of…
on vacation. He’s lovin’ it. Me, not so much.
In this category, I wrote three posts celebrating the birthdays of my daughters Brennyn and Lauren, and my granddaughter Cady. While they didn’t elicit a huge number of comments from my readers, they meant a lot to me.
Title Talk was the last category I wrote posts for quite often. I really enjoy doing these posts. Guess that’s the old librarian in me.
I tried to review at least one fairy tale a month and over the summer I did a series called The Summer Slide. For it, some pals and I reviewed great children’s books in hopes of offering some titles that parents could read with their kids during summer vacation.
I didn’t receive a lot of comments on these posts but I felt good writing them. Hopefully, they helped a parent or two choose a good book to share with their children. Hopefully. Although, the post in this category that was commented on most was one where I review the fabulous movie Brooklyn…so not even a book! And that post featured a give-away for Fandango tickets to see the movie.
[source]
At least Brooklyn is a movie based on a book. A book I haven’t read yet. A book I, of course, haven’t reviewed yet. But maybe I will in the coming year.
The books I love and enjoyed reviewing the most, December and The Christmas Tapestry, didn’t receive many comments but they are such fabulous books, I hope my readers, you guys, will read them to a child you love.
Finally, I want to re-post this video of Cady reviewing/retelling “Jack and the Beanstalk”. It is three minutes long but I would love for you to at least listen to how she begins her retelling of this folktale. And at the end, her description of the ax used to cut down the bean cock (she couldn’t say stalk) is spot on.
And there you have a review of 2015 on my blog.
I really struggle with knowing whether to continue blogging. I started doing this as a way to fill my lonely days once I retired from work as a full-time elementary school librarian. At the same time, I stumbled across Alison Lumbatis’s Style Me Challenges. The Style Me Challenges gave me a reason to get dressed in the morning and this blog was a reason not to climb back in bed every day.
I seem better adjusted to retirement, have begun working part-time, and have rediscovered some of the activities I didn’t have a lot of time for when I was working everyday. But I still liking coming here and sharing…
Hope you will continue to come by, too.
Don’t forget to let me know what inspires you after you take the quiz linked above!
Hugs and kisses, my friends,
deena
I would miss your voice if you weren’t blogging!
Katie
I like the way you did this Leslie!!! I enjoyed reading your blog this year, linking up with you and writing and blogging with you!! Happy Happy New New Year sweet friend!!! xoxo
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Wondering if you are back to work tomorrow? Blah! I am not ready. I don’t go til Tuesday but I have loved sleeping late and being lazy. Hope we can do some more link ups together in the new year. Maybe about librarying??
Lana
I agree with Deena – you can’t stop blogging, because I would miss you and your smiling face! I’m so glad to have gotten to know you, which wouldn’t have happened without blogging. I love coming here, because no matter what your topic, you always make me think and smile. I leave a better person! Have a very happy new year!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
What a sweet thing to say, Miss Lana. Thank you for your support and kind message. Happy new year, sweet one.
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
Don’t you dare stop blogging! I would miss your posts too much!! I love how you took time to look at your popular posts and the different categories they fall into. I haven’t even done a top 10 post yet and everyone is doing those. I may get to it, I may not. Enjoy your New Year!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Have been thinking about Autumn all day today. Glad to know there are still a number of antibiotics available for her. So sorry she has had such a time. I wonder if she hasn’t been able to get completely well because the antibiotics haven’t been right for her. Does she have her tonsils? Have they mentioned removing them? Hope she has a few more days to be home before starting back to school. Our kids start on Tuesday. Hugs to you both.
Sheila @ Making the Most of Every Day
Noooooo!!! You caaaaaaannn’ttt stop blogging!! That’s how we met! That’s how we play together! If you quit then I probably will too. Do you really want that on your conscience??
Apparently I’m inspired by nature. Hmmm. That sounds about right.
Happy new year friend!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Inspired by nature. Sounds like YOU! So proud of the great things you are doing with your blog in the new year. So glad to be able to play with you! Thank you for your support. Looking forward to getting to know you better in 2016. Happy new year.
Sarah @ Foxy's Domestic Side
Oh I hope you don’t stop blogging, you are so funny and I just love reading your posts! Love your blog recap, what a great way to do a recap. I’m loving what everyone is doing, how it’s all the same topic, but everyone chose a different style.
Shaunacey
yes you need to keep blogging, how else would you share that sweet little girl!? How cute is her story-telling? Maybe she takes after you
Confessions of a Frumpy Mommy
?
Leslie Roberts Clingan
LOL! Thank you, Shaunacey!
Jill
I love reading your posts and hope you don’t stop blogging! This was such a great recap! You had an amazing year!
Jill
Doused In Pink
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I did have a great year. Looking forward to bigger and better this year. Thank you for being supportive and sweet! I appreciate that you take time to stop by. Happy new year, fashionable one!
Casey
AWWWW!! I didn’t know you started blogging last January! I hope you continue blogging, my friend!! You are hilarious! But do it for YOU! We would all miss you but do what is right for you 🙂 I understand #thestruggle XOXOXXOXO