Happy Thursday and last day of February, friends! It’s almost the weekend, yayyyy. What better way to celebrate than with a tag?! Recently the dear Ellyn created this new Behind the Blogger tag and tagged me in it (thank you so much!), and I thought it would be a fun way to close out this month since I am trying to finish one more book before March rolls around.
The Rules
- Thank the person who nominated you
- Answer all the questions down below
- Pingback to the creator: Ellyn @ Allonsythornraxx
- Nominate 5+ bloggers you’d like to know more about to do this tag
The Questions
- Why did you start blogging & why have you kept blogging?
If I am being completely honest, I needed something to do. Ever since I was young I just filled my days with sports and clubs, but after university I found myself in the same old daily grind. I spent a couple of years organizing a community of thousands of players for a game that I played, but I fell out of love with the game and most of the community. It was then that I started reading a lot again and writing Goodreads reviews. I loved it! My intellect was tapped into, which helped with the “I want to go to grad school purely to keep learning” needs. I did this for almost a year before I started this blog, even though I thought about it a lot! I was still kind of burned out from the gaming stuff and wanted to be mindful of my time and commitments, but I am so glad that I finally started this blog because it has been WONDERFUL! It’s just enough to fill my time but it doesn’t stress me out too much (and I don’t feel like thousands of people are counting on me). It’s broadened my reading horizons, introduced me to new ideas and amazing people. Blogging is honestly the best thing for me! - What is your favorite type of post to write?
Reviews and guides! I started my blog not knowing how much the community does memes and tags, honestly I just wanted an outlet for my book reviews. I think a lot of people are surprised, actually! While I enjoy a good tag on occasion, I much prefer writing book reviews and guides to help others. - What are your top 3 blog posts?
How am I supposed to pick one of my beautiful children?! This post is my 243rd post published on the blog and I honestly pour my heart into everyone. In terms of the three I am most proud of, it would have to be my Reading Around the Globe initiative that boosts the voices of marginalized readers, the Flapping Pages International ARC Program that aims to get ARCs into the hands of marginalized reviewers, and of course my 2019 book blogger spreadsheet template post! - What are some of your favorite things to do to relax?
Yoga, video games (I just bought a Switch & Breath of the Wild yesterday, so it was nice knowing you all), and hiking. - What are your 5 favorite things?
Cats, rainy days when I don’t have to go anywhere, all things potato (I haven’t met a potato I haven’t liked), reading, and the ocean. - What are your proudest blogging moments?
Every single milestone brings me such joy, it is almost embarrassing! Probably my proudest moment was when I reached my first 100 followers on WordPress after almost 4 months of hard work. My one-year blogiversary is on Monday, though, and I think that will be pretty special too! - What are your hobbies outside of blogging?
Reading (duh), video games, volunteering in my community, travel, and hiking - Describe your personality in 3 words.
Passionate. Reserved. Detail-oriented. - What are your top 3 pet peeves?
People who chew with their mouths open, people using me for their own gain, and people who take the last of the coffee but don’t start a new pot (it takes literally 90 seconds, I hate all of you jerks). - What’s something that your followers don’t know about you?
I love mermaids and when I was a kid my favorite movies were The Little Mermaid and Splash. After seeing the latter, I may have taken an entire container of Mortons salt and sat in my bathtub for five hours trying to turn into a mermaid.
Tagging…
I Tag: Destiny | Bex | Michelle | Sam | Isabelle | & YOU if you want!
No pressure to do this tag if you don’t want to, but I’d love to learn more about you!
Let’s go on another adventure together!
I so desperately wish I could play BotW on the Switch for the first time all over again. It’s all I did for like over a month (I’m really bad at video games).
BotW is such an incredible video game, I love it so freaking much! I am totally savoring it though, I have played literally for hours and just ran around doing my own thing. I only just now got to Kokariko Village and learned how to block and stuff after suffering lol. Oops.
😂 yeah, I’m still not good at blocking. I just jump around a lot. But I’m still playing it again just for fun.
My playstyle is pretty much offensively attack and never try to block. so same.
Super cool getting to know you a little better! Thanks for sharing!
Omfg yes, people who chew with their mouths open are DISGUSTING! Like, it’s really not all that hard to shut your mouth, why are people like this???
Also, I completely agree that any and all blogging milestones are so exciting, even when my stats improve by a little bit in a month I get excited!
Thank you for doing the tag, I loved your answers – especially about trying to become a mermaid! 😂
It never ceases to amaze me how grow adults just chew with their mouth open while in public. Like gross, I don’t want to hear you eating nor do I want to watch your food be masticated in your mouth.
I am determined to one day become the mermaid that I know I am!
I skipped past the rest of the post when i saw Breath of the Wild mentioned xD, girl I finished that game in just 2 weeks! Its so good.. I’m waiting on the announcement for the next Zelda game
BotW is SO GOOD, omg! I am having an amazing time just running around and doing my own thing, I haven’t done much of the plot yet. Honestly it feels like playing AC:II and I am here for my freerunning Link! I also really am digging the story and how it is all panning out.
Happy early blogaversary!
“If I am being completely honest, I needed something to do.” A mood and also partially why I started a blog as well when I really think about it? But honestly, I’m so happy we’ve crossed paths in blogging! Even if I want to smother you with my TBR sometimes and vice versa.
Awww, look at little Kal growing up in the blogging world! You’re going to be 1!
Oh, and I also hate it when people chew with their mouths open. Do I want to see that spinach? No. Do I want to see that cake? No, I prefer eating the cake myself, not watch you chew it to pieces and start the process of digestion.
I am also so glad that blogging brought us together, it is wonderful and now I can’t imagine my life without my little group of buds!
MOOOOODDD on not wanting to watching people’s food slowly be chewed. ugh
Haha this is such an entertaining tag!! I can totally see you bringing the salt container to the tub as a kid! 😂😂😂 I hope now it’s epsom salt instead?! A cute mermaid show is the original H2O Just Add Water (I couldn’t get into the spin-off) if you want to feel like that again with new mermaids! Hehe, oh and if you did a post about your favorite mermaid books I’d devour it (I liked the Watersong series and the first book in the Syrena Legacy trilogy)
I love this tag so much, and consider yourself tagged if you want to do it, too! I JUST WANTED TO LIVE MY BEST MERMAID LIFE! I swear every time I soak in the bath and read, I think to myself about Splash and that maybe THIS TIME I will get my tail. I am going to have to check out that show, thanks for the recommendation! And I will def do a mermaid book post one of these days, thank you for the idea!
Ohhh I’ll add it to my list!! I really want to read that post if you end up writing it! MERMAIDS ARE MY FAVORITE!! I should do a personal mermaid reading challenge… yes, I think that’s brilliant hehe
I will do it… eventually! Of course I will need to read many more books with mermaids first. BUMMER! 😛
I love that story about Splash! It’s one of my favorite movies😁
Splash is such a fantastic and underrated movie! Although I just discovered they are planning a reboot?! I am sad inside.
People who chew with their mouths open are a no.. but I feel like I’ve committed this sin at least once in my life, oops! And I loved learning more about you 💕
I know I have done it too, primarily when my nose is all stuffy from a cold and I am having trouble breathing. But I avoid doing so in public,
“If I am being completely honest, I needed something to do. ”
This is me! Well, not something to do in the sense of one more chore (heavens knows I already have 24738923748932 things I have to get done every day), but something that uses my brain. I desperately needed an outlet to talk about what the things I’ve been reading and to hear from other readers, because there are only so many deep conversations you can have with your almost five year old and two housecats. Starting my blog has since forced me to read new things, which has been amazeballs!
And rainy days where I don’t have to go anywhere. SERIOUSLY THE BEST.
1000% on the needing something to use my brain & occupy some time for fun! I found myself really missing university after graduating, and kind of started reviewing books on Goodreads in 2016/2017 as a creative outlet. My cat definitely just stares at me when I try to talk about philosophy! Blogging also has opened up my reading, I think that’s my favorite part! Thanks for stopping by!
“I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like” HARD SAME TBH
But also rip, your time. BotW is the most beautiful, stunning time stealer known to this earth. I hope you have fun with it!!!
Potatoes are so good. I love carbs. Cars are delicious.
BotW is INCREDIBLE! I’ve been just running around and exploring for hours. It’s been a long time since I was so captivated by an RPG and it is bringing me a lot of joy!
Potatoes are love, potatoes are life.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying it! It’s such a pretty game and SUCH a rabbit hole to go down. I hope you keep enjoying it!!
OHHH I still haven’t got a switch, but BREATH OF THE WILD!! Girl, this is my favorite. I hope you’ll like!
Oh my god. the pet peeve for not starting a new pot of coffee.. that becomes a WHOLE NEW LEVEL when you work in a Café… and run into an impasse as customer wants coffee, but no coffee available for the next 5mins as SOMEONE DIDNT PREPARED IT BEFORE FINISHING IT!!
That was such a nice post to read xx
Breath of the Wild is INCREDIBLE so far! I watched a lot of let’s plays when it first was released, and that doesn’t even remotely compare to the experience of playing it!
OMG I would be so mad if I worked in a cafe and the others just didn’t rebrew the coffee! HOW LAZY ARE PEOPLE!?
YES isnt it!!??
I keep replaying it over and over 😂😂🙈
Way too lazy..
*Waves hand* fellow mermaid lover here! I love them and in all their forms – cute, alluring, horrifying… if there’s something with mermaids in or on I must be there.
YAY hi hello fellow mermaid! One day we shall find our tails!
I really need to get around to reading To Kill a Kingdom sometime soon. Ya girl needs some mermaid action
OMG now I want to lay in a salt bath and also try and become a mermaid!! x
*whispers* Do it!
Your Flapping Pages program is definitely something to be proud of! I got an ARC because of it and I’m soOOoooOoooo grateful. ✨
Of course, the spreadsheet template is a LIFESAVER! I downloaded a copy last 2018 and I remember being mad that I still have to wait for a few weeks to finally fully use it.
I’m happy to get to know you a little bit more, Kaleena! 💖
Aww thank you so much, and I am glad that Flapping Pages has been able to help people right from the beginning of being announced. Lots of work still to do, but I am excited!
Thanks so much, Aki! xoxo
*still giggles bout you pouring salt in the bath* also I’m gonna casually hoard this tag cause I like the sounds of this and will erm….get round to writing it up at some point. *glances warily at the other tags*
I can’t relate to the coffee pot peeve mostly because we don’t use a coffee pot in my house, just a kettle haha but chewing with your mouth open. Honestly at this point I’m like I get it when you’re 3. But when someone’s like in their 20’s or 30’s and chewing with their mouth open, I just find it the height of bad manners (also possibly down to my dad instilling this in me as a kid to always chew with your mouth closed).
Potatoes…if they can be mashed into mashed potato I’ll love them haha or potato salad mmmm
Listen, it made sense to me! Darryl Hanna did it! I just wanted to be the mermaid I knew I was inside! this is a good tag to hoard and do eventually, and I look forward to seeing you do it at some point.
The coffee pot thing is really only annoying because I swear every time I go into the kitchen at work for coffee, both pots are empty. French fries, potato skins, mashed potatoes, hash… yummo
I love this post so much, Kal! Also ewww those pet peeves are the worst! And I absolutely agree about potatoes. Potato anything makes my heart swoon, I swear. 😂 And happy early blogiversary!! 💕
POTATOES ARE THE BEST! I am literally dreaming of mashed potatoes right now, lolol. Thank you so much, love!
how was ur skin after soaking in salt water for 5 hours? :’)
v pruney 😉
I have a switch but I have that feeling that I need to play something new. I been thinking of BoTW but I never really played any Zelda games before, so I keep going back and forth on it. But I hear its SOOO GOOD.
honestly from what I have played of BotW, it is a great game to dive into without any knowledge of the franchise. It is designed in a way to be totally new but also refers to the history, so you won’t feel lost on backstory or anything. And it is just incredibly beautiful. Open world Zelda game is the best, and I love that Link freeruns and climbs towers to open up the map like in ACII!
I too did this for something to do, there’s only so much practicing I can do before I go hay crazy with the pieces I have right now for music stuff, and this allows me to connect with other awesome people like yourself so I’m glad you decided to do it! Your guide posts are amazing and I LOVE your RAtG and honestly, Flapping Pages is just such a great program to start, you have such a big and kind heart with all the help you offer up on your blog
*sobs incoherently in the corner* Thank you so much, you are so sweet! I am glad you’re blogging too so our paths crossed!!!
Thank youuuu for the tag!! This is such a fun tag and I’m so proud of Ellyn for making it. Also, high fives for your new gaming purchases! I really need to start utilizing our Switch more. Terry plays it almost every day, but I have never spent more than maybe an hour at a time on it and I’m not sure why!
You’re welcome love, and I can’t wait to see your post when/if you do it! Buying my Switch was such a good thing for me! I am only playing 1-2 hours at a time but it is really enjoyable and helping me unwind. Zelda is incredible.
I can’t believe you’ve only been blogging for a year! You seem so together and established!
Reviews are definitely my favourite posts to write, too.
Aww thank you so much! It means a lot that I seem put together, hehe.
This was good to read and I would give you the same pinch for my love❤ for Mermaids too since my childhood…It’s so happy to see another person from the mermaid fantasy world…lol😄😄I loved Mako Mermaid Series🧜♀️ and would suggest you if you haven’t watched it…You will love it for sure…I loved it…#Mermaidlovers 🧜♀️🧜♂️
HOORAY ANOTHER MERMAID! 💖 I don’t think I have seen that series so I am going to have to check it out, thanks for the recommendation!
Your welcome…check that one out…I am sure you will love it…every mermaid lover does…😁😁😁
Did you know you’re my favorite mermaid?
💖💖💖
did you know you are my favorite ghoul?