Friday 24 October 2014

LIFE: Call This a Hello

Edinburgh Book

Sometimes you need to step back and get back down to the basics. We can all get a little too caught up with sharing the must have thing, that product you just gotta run out to the store and find or just sharing that huge hot chocolate we had the night before. Sometimes we just have to stop and say hello.

The past couple of months my followers have increased (yey) without me really trying (double yey). But when you stumble across a blog, a couple of years in, they have a substantial back catalog of posts, it's a little hard to really grasp what they are all about. Even with the help of an about me page. So I thought, hey why not just have a break, say hello and talk about myself for a little, and even perhaps get you to do the same down in the comments (see I like comments - there you're finding something out about me). 
cats
So what might you know about me already? You might have worked out I live in Michigan, right outside of Detroit, you might have worked out I wasn't born in the US - in fact I'm a Brit, from a super small rural (narrow minded ahem) town in East Yorkshire. I'm 28, a little scared of turning 30, Michigan has been home for nearly three years (come November) and I share my home with my guy and my two kitties - Ed, who is fat, purs like a motor and speaks with a Russian voice - don't ask, and Smoky who is super timid and playful, aka tiny face, smokes, teeny tiny ickle bickle.

Anyway so once upon a time I met an American guy (online - controversial I know) and we got talking, fell in love and five years later we're still together. We managed the whole long distance relationship malarkey for just over two years. I filled out lots of paper work, paid lots of pennies, had interviews and moved to the US in 2011. Joe is my comic book geek, he's hell bent on corrupting me into liking comic books, Transformer toys, Star Trek and model trains. And he's succeeded. It's a good job I love him.

In a previous life I lived in Newcastle in my university years - four wild years of partying, drinking too much and studying even more in both geography (BA) and sociology (MA). My one university regret is not exploring more of the region which in turn sparks my passion for visiting and documenting the places on my doorstep (and showing them all off here). I'm a firm believer of a couple of things - you don't need to travel far and wide to see amazing things, live life with your eyes open and always look up, but you probably want to look down too, just so you don't trip up.

Saying that I have a lot of issues walking into things - sign posts, a couple of pillars in Target. You get the picture.
foods
Aside from blogging you'll find me picking around estate sales, getting far too attached to vintage postcards, taking far to many photographs, taco bell is my weakness, I have stress issues, often found trying to craft something, pretending that I know something about gardening, cross stitching, being sarky about something. I enjoy whiskey and playing my music on old vinyl records, lots of vinyl records.  I treat chocolate digestives like gold dust and I always enjoy runny eggs. You get the picture. 

I'm a bit of an expat blogger - even though the term expat bugs me a little, a Michigan blogger, a Detroitish blogger, a Yorkshire blogger, a lifestyle blogger. I'll throw out a recipe, a kitty picture, some rant or another. But most of all this place, this blog reflects me. It's a mixture of all these things, it's a mix of everything any anything that makes up me and my life. I'm not trying to be a big blogger, or have everyone love me, I'm just trying to be myself and find the words to make them all come through the screen.

Most of all I'm glad you're all here for the ride, whether you've been here from the start or you started reading three days ago. I just want to say thank you, thank you for all the comments and shares and everything else. 

If you like what you see you can always find me in a couple of other places;


So that is enough about me, come say hello, and if you have any questions you'd love me to answer about myself or my blog, feel free to drop them into the comments! :)

31 comments:

  1. This is a great idea and something I so often want to find with bloggers who have been blogging for ages. It's lovely to learn a bit more about you.

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  2. Great post, I often wonder what 'new' followers think of my blog - sometimes it's hard to pick up from where the story began isn't it. I think you're blogging outreach is fab and you know I love seeing posts about travel, food and collections (especially your vinyl) xxx

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    1. I'd love to write more about our vinyl but I never know how to do it to make it interesting lol i'm currently just a fan of sharing pictures of the ones i'm listening to on twitter but I need to think up how to share it on the blog more. What makes it hard is most of the ones we have/things we listen to are from between 1960's through to 1980's which I guess in some cases contains a lot of stuff people aren't interested/don't care for, I struggle to work out how to make it all appealing let's say!

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  3. What a great idea - I do that from time to time when I notice that my followers have increased as well. I love your about me page! Have a wonderful weekend! And, yay to comments! xxx

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    1. Thank you - yeah I'm all about trying to jazz up that about me page rather have just throughout outta load of words!

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    2. This is a really great description of you and your blog.

      I had no idea you met Joe online! I know lots of people don't think long distance relationships work, but most of them didn't even try it. I was in a long distance relationship for almost two years too and now we both moved from our little towns and we live together in a big city that we love.
      Andreea | http://catsfika.blogspot.ro/

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  4. What a brilliant post and fantastic idea! I'm so nosey about other people's lives so it's always nice to get to know someone as lovely as you better ;) it's awesome to see your blog keep growing :) I'd probably write a post like this too if I had anything remotely interesting to say about myself. Haha. You on the other hand have lots of fab expat tales and travel adventures to hare!I don't get many new followers either so it's not like I need to be re-introducing myself although I can't imagine anyone wanting to wade through all my nonsense to learn more! ;)
    Debi x

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    1. Oh but you do - and everyone does have great things to say about themselves. I find lifestyle/personal blogs are the hardest because you're putting yourself out there on the line hoping that someone might like what you get up to. I think that's why us lifestyle bloggers will never get to the same heights as beauty bloggers because our "product" is our self, our life, our experiences and I totally suck at selling myself!

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  5. I loved this post! It's true. Sometimes when you begin reading a blog that's been going for a while, it's like starting a book on a random page. Especially when it's a lifestyle blog. With that in mind, I should get my new About Me done! :D

    Sara Bloo xo
    bloonstuff.com

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    1. I love about me pages, they are something I always try and read when I come across a new blog. It's a great way to get an insight into a blogger.

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  6. Hey! Followed for a while but like you say no-one has time to go through a bloggers whole backload of posts, so this little round-up is good! So regarding questions. I'd like to know: are the preconceptions we have about America and Americans true? I think this would make a really interesting blog post! x

    Amy at Amy & More

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    1. Haha there's so many stereotypes about Americans, I think I could certainly write up a post (or two) about that. I think as with any stereotype and country, there's some truth in parts to the, (say the love for guns and religion, a lack of awareness about the US and perhaps an arrogance about being American).

      You'll have to let me know which perceptions in particular!

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  7. I love these posts - it's great to get to know you a bit more. I love reading about people's experiences in new countries, and all of the hijinks that ensue!

    Owl Girl | A London lifestyle blog

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    1. Haha yes, lots of hijinks and adventures that's for sure!

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  8. This is a great post Rachael! I'm glad your husband got you into comics and geek stuff! Go Joe! You were one of the first people that followed me on twitter and I have enjoyed reading your blog since I started my own! Can't wait to keep reading!

    Jessica
    the.pyreflies.org

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    1. Haha yeah his corruption has gone very well over the last five years, plus with having a better phone I can read comics on it and just storm through them. I think he's just unleashed the inner nerd that was always in there!

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  9. A great post - I love your blog and love how you dip in and out of different things.

    Lizzie's Daily Blog

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  10. My favorite blogs to read are those where people share little bits about themselves, it's nice to get to know the person behind the posts. I enjoy reading your blog and hearing about your adventures!

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    1. I find it really helps to relate to the blogger if they are open enough to share the details - the big and the small, the good and the bad!

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  11. This is such a cute post, it's nice to show to the reader who you are and how grown since a person starts blogging as we all gain new likes and dislikes along the way. I'm all for online relationships and I do think it's amazing the amount of strength those relationships end up having x

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    1. Yeah, it's great to finally get to the point where you can basically say you met online and people don't give you a weird look, like wtf, you met online?! Although some will never understand it. Being being the geeky online people that we are, it really worked out for us.

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  12. Have to admit to sneaking around your archives a little... but this just saves me all the hard work :)
    I like this, I like finding out about people. I agree, I'm not so keen on the expat blogger title, because I don't really focus on expat life itself. Niches bug me in general.

    Also yay for more followers!

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    1. Eh I knew there was a mouse sneaking around in the dusty back cupboards, I saw your footprints.

      I thought we had to have niches, because you know, blog rules?!

      As I get busier over Christmas I might be looking to you for some inspiration!

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  13. What a great story Rachael! I used to live in Singapore and hated being classed as an expat. I also lived in Northumberland for many years and love the city of Newcastle, it's such a vibrant place and Geordies are another breed!

    Scottish Outlander

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    1. Thank you - a lot of my family is from the Newcastle/Durham area so I feel very at home along Newcastle's streets. Geordie's are some of the nicest people i've ever met I have to be honest!

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  14. I really liked this post it was so friendly and personal! Even though blogs are such a personal thing that can get lost in product reviews and ootd posts so it's nice to see someone stepping back and just saying hi to their readers! Cute cats by the way :)

    thriftylilpixie.blogspot.ie

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  15. Love this post. I also love this type of blog - the one which is a mix of all of the things which make up the person behind the blog? They're the best kind of blog. By far.

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  16. LOVING learning more about you - it's nice to have a recap every so often!

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  17. This was a great post! I actually don't think I knew that you guys met online - beautiful story for the digital age!
    I love that quote about not having to go far to see a lot :) I think a lot of people forget to appreciate their own surroundings, but there's always something new to appreciate.

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  18. You've satisfied the voyeur in me so thanks!! NB I'm not outside your house, is there a non-physical voyeur word? Did I make this weird...?
    But I did learn a little something, I too am a Geography (BA) grad *high five* for the geog soc massive.

    M x

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