Home Improvement

Weekly Internet Finds #9

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Well it’s been a while, but I am back with a few links to share with you.

One new blog I found (through Pinterest) is Shanty to Chic. I love her tutorials, because everything is so easy and doesn’t seem the least bit overwhelming. Here is a tutorial for easy no-sew window treatments.

This is a great read for all writers.  Lauren DeStefano urges you to tell your story.

Are you a brilliant woman? More than likely that is a yes, because I’ve only got a handful of male blog readers. If you are a brilliant woman, Tara Mohr has ten rules for you.

I’ve seen this on Pinterest FOREVER but eventually I’d really like to do something like this for Mr. O. Maybe for our anniversary next year, we can create one of these together.

6-year-old Sam has cancer. Be a superhero and let him know you’re pulling for him. It’s easy. Kate will tell you how to do it, and if you can’t for whatever reason mail something to Sam, Kate will do it for you. Kate, you’re a hero.

This week is “officially” Write a Letter to Your Future Spouse Week. Have you done it yet? I did it! Peter came up with the idea (well, he’s been writing to his future wife for a while, and so many awesome other bloggers have joined in. You should too.

February Purging: Take One

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Yeah, so apparently I didn’t save the draft of what I’d written for this post… and now have to type it all up again. Sigh. I had actually spent a bit of time writing my first “purging” post, and now I don’t know if I have enough energy (or memory) to make it happen again. Basically, I spent the month of February sorting through our belongings and purging the unnecessary from our lives. It was a huge success. I was terrified by it at first, and then I loved it. I’ll write more about the process in another post, but for this one, I am just going to list all the items I got rid of. This first post covers day one: which was random stereo, computer, music, electrical items.

The items were either donated or trashed:
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Above: An alarm clock, a travelling iPod deck, half of an old MP3 player (from like 1999), 8 wheely things that you can put on the bottom of storage bins, one random wire, 5 USB  plug-ins for old cameras or cell phones, two USB wall plug-ins from old cell phones.

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Above: I donated these 4 phones to my local women’s shelter. They took the wall charger, 2 car chargers and charger clip as well.

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Above: I guess there was one extra USB Charger, ear phone cushy things, a remote and two docks I never used.

There is more purging coming your way!

new around this neck of the woods?

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Bonjour!

Have you recently found your way over here from Erin or Ashley’s blogs? If so, welcome! Make yourself at home. I bet you’re wondering, “Who is this Erin character?” Now, that is a good question. The easiest way to get a brief overview of who I am is to check out the “About the Girl” tab at the top of this page (which really does need to be updated, sigh). However, I’ve provided a short list below because I like to make things nice and simple for you.

  • I’m afraid of bees. However, alligators are my favorite animals.
  • I am a graduate student studying creative nonfiction and I do a lot of whining about how I procrastinate too much. (I also don’t have good grammar on this blog, beware!)
  • Besides my day job, I have a part-time gig as a relief worker for adults with mental illnesses, and I also coordinate and plan events such as weddings and concerts. (I’m available for hire! Wink Wink)
  • If I told you that I was a great cook then I’d be lying to you, and I really am an honest person. I can however tell you that I want to be a good cook one day. My boyfriend makes fantastic meals; he’s teaching me what he knows, and the rest we plan on learning together. I’ve been updating this blog with all the cooking I’ve been doing. I cook every single week. Occasionally I’ve been recooking some previously attempted meals, but I like to try new things best.
  • I think everyone really should have a lucky number and a favorite color.
  • I also really want to know people’s middle names. I try to imagine what the middle names might be if people don’t tell me.
  • If it wasn’t for 20 Something Bloggers, I don’t know if I would have continued to blog since I first started in 2008. I also owe a lot of my blogging gratitude to my 101 in 1001 goals list and NaBloPoMo and NaNoWriMo and Grace in Small Things as well.
  • I love everything about home improvement. However, I still do not own my own home. Still, I fantasize about home design projects and knocking down walls and painting and everything that could have to do with houses. Mr. O and I are trying to buy a house right now,  but the process isn’t as glamorous as it may seem.
  • I love to travel. Anywhere.

And here are some of the key players on this blog:

  • Mr. O: The most wonderful man in the world (at least in my eyes). As corny as it may sound, Mr. O is my boyfriend and my best friend. I tend to profess my love for him on here.  I’m apologizing for that ahead of time.
  • Wolverine: The most wonderful boy in the world. Wolverine is Mr. O’s son, and he truly makes every single one of my days better by just being in it. I try not to write too much about him on the blog, but I occasionally profess my love for him as well.
  • Fairfield University MFA Program: I write a LOT about my grad school experiences, and on top of that, you have the chance to get to know some of my classmates, like Phil and AJ and Reuben (who was a guest blogger twice!) and Brooke and Ioanna.
  • Fenway: My Chihuahua/Terrier mix. She’s a rescue dog I adopted while living in Virginia. She definitely keeps me on my toes.

Oh…and these things happen often around these parts.

  • The Defining Moments Guest Series: So far Amanda, AJ, Phil, Brooke, Reuben, Heidi ,Kat, Micaela, Justin, Michaela (with an ‘H’), Holly and Ioanna have all posted about moments of reinvention or inspiration. This series has been a big hit for my readers, and I am always looking for more people to write a guest blog on this topic. You don’t have to be a regular blogger to do this. Kat wasn’t a blogger when she first wrote her post for me… now she has a Tumblr. Micaela still isn’t a blogger, but enjoyed the experience.
  • My Lessons- The Thoughts on Love Series: Now, I’m not an expert, but I’ve been thinking a lot about love this year…what it takes to be in a relationship, choices people make, how other people can affect your relationships, etc. I started this series to share my observations, thoughts and feelings.

So… That’s all folks! I’d love it if you introduced yourself, because I love to check out new blogs. Have an amazing day!

august awesomeness

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I like to have goals, to have things to look forward to. So, I’ve decided that from now on, every month I’m going to try to post a monthly “wish list” and also a “check up” at the end of the month.

August Awesomeness:

Books: I’d like to read a few books this month. I’d also like to sell/donate an extreme amount of books in August as well. I have well over 400 books. Yes I love reading. Yes, I love owning books. Unfortunately, I just have too many, and I don’t need even half of what I own. I’d like to have a booksale on the blog…would any of you be interested in this?

Travel: I plan on going camping this month. Mr. O and I would like to go this weekend, but I don’t think there are any sites at the place we wanted to go. Either way, we’ve reserved a site mid-month, so camping will more than likely happen. I also want to plan a weekend get away in September and then a weekend somewhere in October that Mr. O’s son will enjoy. There are a few family resorts around here, so I have some ideas, but I just want to make some definite plans this month.

Blogging: I’d like to make some more time for this blog. September will be one year since I launched Reinventing Erin. I’m happy with the blog, I just want to give it a little more attention- especially on the design front. I neeeeeeeeeeeed a new header. (Does anyone want to design one for me?) There is a blog I’m not happy with though, and that is my 101 in 1001 goals blog. My first 101 in 1001 challenge is going to be up in less than two months, and I seriously need to update the list now so that I can figure out what else I can do before it’s too late. I’d also really like to get out there and find some new blogs to read. If you haven’t introduced yourselves yet, now is a good time to do so!

Cleaning: I started to get into this with the books before, but I need to purge. I’ve got so much crap in my apartment, and I feel like my life is turning into an episode of Hoarders (Okay, so I’m being dramatic). I feel overwhelmed when it comes to cleaning, because I have so much stuff and I don’t know what to do with it. I’d like to change this around. I found a few ideas on Pinterest I really like in regards to organizing. I’ll try to post some before and after photos if I remember. I’m starting this tonight with my bathroom, so fingers crossed.

Writing: I’ve got so much writing to do for school. I procrastinate so badly, and I am really desperately trying to stop that. I need to learn how to write daily, or at least every other day. I don’t care if my writing is crap, but I want to get words on the paper. New goal for the month: write at least four times a week.

I think that is enough for now. I don’t want to overdo myself; I just want to make sure I’m accomplishing the goals I actually want to complete over the next 30 days.

welcome new friends!

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49 go on a cruise (9)Ola, amigos. Have you recently found your way over here from Kyla’s blog? If so, welcome! Make yourself at home. I bet you’re wondering, “Who is this Erin character?” That’s a good question. The easiest way to get a brief overview of who I am is to check out the “About the Girl” tab at the top of this page. However, I’ve provided a short list below cause I like to make things nice and simple for you.

  • I’m afraid of bees. However, alligators are my favorite animals.
  • I am a graduate student studying creative nonfiction and I do a lot of whining about how I procrastinate too much. (I also don’t have good grammar on this blog, beware!)
  • Besides my day job, I have a part time gig as a relief worker for adults with mental illnesses, and I also coordinate and plan events such as weddings and concerts.
  • If I told you that I was a great cook then I’d be lying to you, and I really am an honest person. I can however tell you that I want to be a good cook one day. My boyfriend makes fantastic meals; he’s teaching me what he knows, and the rest we plan on learning together.
  • I think everyone really should have a lucky number and a favorite color.
  • I also really want to know people’s middle names.
  • If it wasn’t for 20 Something Bloggers, I don’t know if I would have continued to blog since I first started in 2008. I also owe a lot of my blogging gratitide to my 101 in 1001 goals list and NaBloPoMo and NaNoWriMo and Grace in Small Things as well.
  • I love everything about home improvement. However, I do not own my own home. Still, I fantasize about home design projects and knocking down walls and painting and everything that could have to do with houses.
  • I love to travel. Anywhere.

And here are some of the key players on this blog:

  • Mr. O: The most wonderful man in the world (at least in my eyes). As corny as it may sound, Mr. O is my boyfriend and my best friend. I tend to profess my love for him on here. Sorry, folks.
  • Fairfield University MFA Program: I write a LOT about my grad school experiences, and on top of that, you have the chance to get to know some of my classmates, like Phil and AJ and Reuben and Brooke.
  • Fenway: My Chihuahua/Terrier mix. She’s a rescue dog I adopted while living in Virginia. She definitely keeps me on my toes.

Oh…and these things happen often around these parts.

  • The Defining Moments Guest Series: So far Amanda, AJ, Phil, Brooke, Reuben, Heidi and Kat have all posted about moments of reinvention or inspiration. This series has been a big hit for my readers, and I am always looking for more people to write a guest blog on this topic. You don’t have to be a regular blogger to do this. Kat wasn’t a blogger when she first wrote her post for me… now she has a Tumblr. There are two more guest bloggers that will be coming up this week. One of them has never blogged before, and probably won’t again (unless I can convince her to write another guest post!).
  • My Lessons- The Thoughts on Love Series:  Now, I’m not an expert, but I’ve been thinking a lot about love this year…what it takes to be in a relationship, choices people make, how other people can affect your relationships, etc. I started this series to share my observations, thoughts and feelings.

themes

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Okay, folks… I’ve been gone for quite some time. Now I’m back, refreshed from my little break and ready to start pumping some new material into this blog.

First, I really need to give a shot out to all the wonderful guest bloggers who wrote about moments of inspiration or times when they felt they reinvented themselves. Afraid you missed something? Well, Amanda kicked off the guest blogging by writing about greyhounds. The next four are all students in my MFA program at Fairfield University. Anne wrote the different names she goes by. Phil and Brooke wrote about when they realized they were writers. Reuben wrote about the time he spent in jail. Finally, Heidi talked about finding her calling and how every opportunity  is a new moment of reinvention. There are many more folks who have shown interest in writing guest posts for me, so expect to see some more wonderful writing on this blog in the coming weeks.

I bet you’re wondering what I’ve (finally) got to say. It’s been a while since I’ve been vocal around these parts. Truth is, I’m not sure. A couple of my favorite bloggers have recently began to “reinvent” themselves a bit on the web. Erin has moved her blog from Stylish Handwriting over to The Speckled Palate and her professional photography blog. Rachel stopped writing at Confessions of a Jersey Girl and now blogs at her own professional photography blog (both are amazing photographers by the way…check out their portfolios!). Now, I’m not going anywhere, and you can hold me to that. It has, however, really led me to question what my intentions are with Reinventing Erin.

When I started this blog, I had recently began graduate school. Now I’m officially halfway finished. (Just the thought of that makes me anxious. I’m not ready to graduate yet!) I had changed careers too. My life was just in a different place than it was when I blogged at my previous site. It was time to begin somewhere new. I didn’t’ know what would that meant for my writing. Looking through my previous pages, it seems as if the content on here has dealt mostly with graduate school, my friends and my relationship with Mr. O. Which is all fine and dandy in my opinion. My life really just consists of work (which I choose not to blog about) school (which is all I seem to write about on here), and the experiences I have with my friends, family and my love.

But how exactly does my theme of “reinvention” relate to all those subjects? I don’t want this blog to be considered a journal or a diary of any sorts, because well, it simply isn’t. However, I do want it to chronical the changes in my life, and in myself over a period of time. So, inspired by all my guest bloggers, Erin and Rachel, I’ve been thinking about trying to showcase my “reinvention” a bit more rather than popping up to write about my writer’s block or how in love I am. Because while I know I’ve got the greatest readers in the world, and you all care about what makes me happy and sad, who really wants to hear the same old stuff over and over again?

Like I said before, I don’t really know what this means for me… I don’t plan on changing anything (except maybe the blog design—I’m still looking for someone to help me with that!) or going anywhere. I do have a few ideas of what direction I’d like to take the topics I write about. With the help of Mr. O, I’ve been learning how to cook, and I think it would be fun to showcase some of the recipes I’ve tried. I also have done a lot of event planning in my life and love home design, so I think it would be fun to higlight some of the projects I’ve completed (or would like to complete). I’ve done an amazing job eliminating all the credit card debt from my life (I never thought that would happen), but am considering writing about my savings goals and ideas I have for budgeting. Besides getting in good financial shape, I really want to get in better physical shape, so maybe you’ll hear more about that journey on here. Oh, and I’m trying to majorly declutter my life, so maybe I’ll write about the process of donating and trashing my belongings.

Who knows?

But don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll hear more about my writing anxieties and how much I love being in a relationship 😉

 

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