Visual Venturing a WordPress Recommended Blog (or How Blogging Made Me Fat)

Posted on by Stacy P. Fischer

glass of bubbly champagneSix months ago, as my pants began to get tighter and my backside bigger, I laughingly said I was going to write a post called “Blogging is Making Me Fat!” Each month that went by, that resolve grew (as did my size) until, now, six months later, I’ve finally decided to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and actually put my thoughts into words. Why now? Because today I’m celebrating two blogging events that have a direct correlation to my pant size: Visual Venturing’s one-year anniversary on WordPress and being chosen as a WordPress Recommended Photography Blog (huge shout out and thank you to Michelle W.!).

Don’t get me wrong. I love blogging. I just had no idea how addictive it was going to be!

I know I’m not alone in my addiction. So many of you post as regularly or more than I do, in fact with much more substantial posts, and I find myself wondering how you find the time to do all that you do.  I have a husband, one 18-year-old still at home, and a small, mostly deaf and blind dog, and while I do volunteer quite a bit of my time in communications during the school year, I don’t have a full-time job.

And yet, since taking up blogging, stacks of dirty laundry have become large enough to function as easy chairs, my refrigerator often boasts nothing more than a bowlful of not-so-fresh fresh fruit, eggs, and soft drinks. Dinner time will come – and go – without me taking notice. And my weekly workouts have become, well, non-existent (Can we talk about how I now get winded walking up a flight of stairs?)

Why? Because I much prefer being on my computer, post-processing photos, reading and commenting on other bloggers’ posts, replying to comments, creating my own posts, and of course, learning more about photography and using my camera.

My bedtime has morphed into a go-to-bed-when-I-can-no-longer-keep-my-eyes-open time.  I’ve seen 3 and 4 a.m. more in the past year than I have in all my college and graduate school years combined! I recently learned that lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain. Well, that makes perfect sense to me. I mean, think about it.  If you’re awake into the wee hours of the morning, you get hungry. So, what happens to that nice glass of wine and bowl of munchies I treat myself to before I finally head to bed? Hello hips!

And yet, I can’t seem to stop this crazy merry-go-round. Why (I ask again)? Because of each of you: the talented, skilled, funny, compassionate, giving bloggers who amaze and teach me something every single day. I feel as if I have a world full of friends and that if I travelled to where each of you live, I would be able to knock on your doors, sit down over a cup of coffee (or preferably that glass of wine), and talk as if we had known each other for years. In fact, I had the opportunity to meet a fellow photoblogger who, as it turned out, lives just 15 minutes from me. It was such an exciting day for me! And I recently read a post about a group of bloggers from various corners of the world getting together in less than a month’s time for their first meet up! How cool is that?? I cherish the connections I’ve made here on WordPress and would miss the camaraderie as we follow each other’s journeys with our chosen crafts.

It is because of each of you that I have made it to the one-year mark. Each of you has kept me going, encouraging my progress, participating in After-Before Friday, and challenging me with the beauty of your works to continue to reach higher and dig deeper into my own creativity. And so, Visual Venturing being a WordPress Recommended Blog is as much a result of your actions as of mine.

Would I change anything at all about this first year? Honestly, I don’t enjoy wearing clothes that are too tight, running out of clean underwear, or eating junk food because I didn’t want to take the time to think about making dinner.  So I guess my answer would be having a better balance between my blogging life and my real life (or RL, as I’ve seen it referred to on WP – anything to save time, right?) As for everything else? Not a thing. So as I begin my second year on WordPress, I vow to take better care of me (and my family). To go to bed before the early morning news teams begin to broadcast. To dial the take-out restaurants less often and become reacquainted with my grocery store. To squeeze back in to my old workout gear and sweat because I choose to, not because I’m out of shape. All while continuing to visit and learn from each of you.

My daughter’s high school graduation is 90 days away. On day 89, I’d like to be able to publish a new post, “Balancing My WP/RL Imbalance” (okay, I definitely need a better title, but you get the idea), and on day 90, walk down (and ultimately back up) the amphitheater hillside in my comfortably fitting clothes, wearing clean underwear, with my heart pounding only because of my pride and excitement for my daughter, not because of the exertion. Let the countdown begin!

As for you, my blogging friends, be well, be healthy, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your amazing support.

Cheers to you all!

76 thoughts on “Visual Venturing a WordPress Recommended Blog (or How Blogging Made Me Fat)”

  2. yes, we are all just like you in terms of finding the WP / Life Balance.
    Where we AREN’T just like you is the Recommended Photography Blog status!
    How freaking cool is that?
    Congratulations!! So well deserved!

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  3. love it!! oh I’m glad you blog Stacy but not that your pants are too tight- funny so are mine!! lol I’m making an effort to get off my arse more but yes blogging is addictive!!! Someone might start a BA meeting ( they have one for gamers apparently- Blogger’s anonymous but guess what ! It will be online!!

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  4. OK, Stacy. Let me get the congrats out of the way before I criticize. Congrats! Now, honestly, no one wants to hear about your dirty underwear. that’s just a bit TMI! Got it? Next you’ll be telling us the color, or the days of the week that are embroidered on them. Me, I like my action hero ones better than those stupid BIg Bird yellow boxers. But my wife likes Big Bird so I indulge her every so often! As for getting fat, yeah, I’ve often had my last glass of wine at ten, and then just one more at 1 am just before calling it a night! (Yes, wine is very fattening!) My wife is away this weekend and so what have I been doing? Spending as much time as possible trying to catch up with everyone I follow on here. My friends! But reality does have a lousy way of intruding. In fact, I’m about ready for breakfast now. (It’s 8 am. I’ve been awake since 6, reading and commenting on posts I’ve missed.) And I’m determined to comment on every ABF post I’ve missed for the last two or three weeks today! No church today. (Oh, wait. We don’t go to church regularly so forget that.) Stacy, I love your blog, I love all the creative people you have attracted to it. And as I’ve said before, you have given me such opportunity to grow in my art and have never gotten visibly fed up with my ribbing you. And for that alone you do deserve an award. Congrats again. And again! Now, let’s eat!

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  6. Congratulations on your one year! Has it been only that … it feels to me a lot longer. I smiled – wryly – at a lot of the things you said re what’s fallen by the wayside while maintaining the blog. Can totally emphatise.

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  7. Congratulations on your one year of blogging! I am also one of the addicted! But when you look at it – it is really a good addiction!

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  9. EXCELLENT POST!! Happy Bloggaversary!! I too am having the same issues!! So… to balance… I am making a point to walk before I get near the computer! And I have tried to say… if I just post once a week. and I have tried to say… if I just look at 5 blogs a day. So far so good!! Here’s to another great year of blogging and loose PANTS for both of us!!

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  10. I had to laugh at your post. The year I was losing weight, I blogged very little. There was simply no time or energy. It’s hard to balance the two, especially – as you pointed out – it’s so much more fun to work on photos and a blog post.

    I do enjoy your posts too. . .

    Nancy

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  11. Big big congrats on the recommended photography blog that’s fab news so what do they do? Send people your way to learn photography erc? Meeting online friends is fab I’ve done it once but hope to do it again 🙂 x

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  12. I know just what you mean. Though I haven’t put on weight with blogging, but due to other health problems. I must say I treasure all my new blogging friends as I can’t get out much but still have contact with the outside world. Good luck with your balancing act.

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  13. Great post and Happy Anniversary Stacy 🙂 You just gave me an idea for my next blog. I’ll call it “I was fat before I started blogging, and I still am” 🙂

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  14. I do know exactly what you mean Stacy (I’m on my own way to find the same balance)! I hope I be able to get back soon to share with you and the rest of the wonderful WP community. Maybe not so often than before, but with the same enthusiasm! Congratulations for that very well deserved reward my friend (My happy dance for you)!

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    • Thanks so much, Jaime! I’m smiling from ear-to-ear to see your “happy dance” comment 😀 It would make me so happy to know you’ve been able to find your much-needed balance, my friend! Here’s to both of us finding the right combination.

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  15. Wow, well done Stacy and so well deserved!!! A salient post indeed with questions that needed asking. I just wish I had a pinch of some of the awesome energy I see in blogworld but that “what’s for dinner” will always be a killer. Keep up the great work Stacy!

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  18. Congratulations Stacy, that’s fantastic. And what a lovely funny post. I have certainly enjoyed your work during my few months here and am looking forward to many more. And just as an aside, it’s 3am here and look what I’m doing!

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  19. Awesome post that was thoughtful and made me laugh! Congratulations on the anniversary and the recommendation! Both are awesome things:) Good luck with the balance and sweating. I can totally relate!

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  20. Happy Blog anniversary, Stacy, and congratulations on being recommended by WordPress as well. I say that has to be better than being ‘Freshly Pressed’ 🙂

    I think many of us are in the same lane as you when it comes to blogging taking over our lives. I recently put myself and my blog on a diet and have had some pretty good results from it. I’ve also been told that many bloggers burnout before two years and I’ve witnessed that so much these past few months. I say that providing blogging is fun, then keep at it. If it becomes a monster and starts to stress you out or loose appeal, then either take a break away from it, or run for your life 🙂

    Wishing you much, much more success in year two.

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    • Thanks for your great insight, Hugh, and for the good wishes! I’m glad to hear your personal and blogging diets are working for you 🙂 I hadn’t heard about the two-year burnout, but it does make some sense to me. So here’s to us both finding/keeping the balance and being around a loong time!

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  21. Happy Bloggiversary and congratulations on being highlighted by WordPress as a blog worth reading! Well deserved.

    I can relate to what you wrote about striving for balance. Balance is, in fact, my word for the year, something for me to maintain focus on. In my case, all my time had been going to my family and to chores and I was being left with mere crumbs for myself. And I was suffering a bit as a consequence. Now I’m trying to build more time for myself into my schedule and my art commitments and my decision to blog about certain things encourages me to take time out for that too. So in some ways blogging gives me balance.

    But exercise. Yes. I’m not getting enough of that. I walk a lot but walking doesn’t seem to be achieving much. I’ve gained girth and rump by virtue of comfort eating my way through two stressful years of immigration – and I was no slim pickings to start with – so I do need to find a way to crank up my fitness. I just find exercise so boring.

    Anyway, here’s to us both finding better balance in our lives this year.

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  22. Well congrats on one year, and being recommended by WP. Very cool. My first year of blogging was kinda the same. Thankfully, i learned how to balance everything, and I put myself back in charge. 4 years into it now, and I am comfortable with that balance. I’m glad I found your blog, always like over here.

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    • Mary, I’m so glad we’ve hooked up too! And I’m also glad to hear you found balance for yourself. I guess we all have this journey to make. I just may bend your ear at some point about how you managed to “win” 🙂

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  23. Congratulations! Well, not on the weight gain, but on the anniversary….
    Funny, I was thinking of writing about the “rewards” of blogging for this week’s photo prompt, but now I’m thinking maybe I’ll just go for a run… 🙂

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  25. Wow. Thanks for sharing. I think we can all relate, as it is such a lure to loose oneself in the world of creating and sharing. Onward to seeking balance yet continuing to forge ahead in the moment! Perhaps it can be summed up in this quote:
    “Lets do what we love and do a lot of it”- Marc Jacobs. Why we do what we do….Onward! Cheers to you and another blogging year ahead!
    -Kristin

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    • Kristin, thanks so much for your lovely comment. You were one of my first followers and I will forever remember how you welcomed me into the WP community with open arms. I valued your support and encouragement then, just as I do now. So, as you say, Onward to balance in the next year! All the best to you!
      -Stacy

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