I haven’t blogged for nigh on (?) – start over.  I haven’t blogged for roughly (much better) a month.  No real reason exactly.  I’ve cooked a few new things.  I’ve been busy at work.  I’ve been drained.  Who even really knows.  But here I am trying to get my mojo back.  So, I’m trying what my friends have suggested and answering the blog hop questions.  What’s sad about that is that I just don’t really know too many bloggers who haven’t already been mentioned so I think this is a sad end to the hopping.   Most of the would be bloggers I know have slowly bailed over time.  It’s a commitment and more work than you might think.  So where do you go from here?  Let’s do this. 

1. What am I writing or working on?  

For the blog?  Nothing.  Answering emails at work?  Myriad.  Projects at work?  Myriad.   Although,  I did wrap something up in early July that I think had a great deal to do with the loss of blogworthy mojo that I had.  For the last six months or so I tested cookbook recipes for a blogger come-lately new author.  Once a week I received a recipe in my inbox that I had to procure the ingredients for, cook exactly to the recipe, and review the recipe.  I couldn’t talk/post/instagram it. This was not good for my soul.  I thought it would be great.  I thought it would be motivating to the idea of maybe someday doing something similar.  It wasn’t.  I felt sucked dry and so immersed at doing a good job that I didn’t have anything left for my own creative juju.  I am pretty sure they wanted me to feel appreciated-but I didn’t.   I couldn’t share what I was doing and as a blogger that is an absolute downer.   They didn’t wrap up with a bang but piddled out with a whimper.   So, thankfully, it is finished and I am back to trolling Pinterest and reading blogs again.  For now, I am working on getting back what dribbled away.

2. How does my work differ from others of this genre?

The food blog.  What is the genre?   People who spend inordinate time thinking about food, cooking and/or eating food and then sharing it in hopes that someone thinks you are entertaining (at the very least) and hopefully inspired to cook and/or eat in a new way/place at the very best.  I like to add the spin of Orlando, travel and of course my favorite handhelds but also occasionally veer off into other things.  Our travel has been squidged out lately for some reason so I’ve got to get planning.   I know that would help.

3. Why do I write what I do?

I decided food would be my hobby maybe about 15 years ago.  I walked the tourist hot-spots of Seattle and tossed ideas around with my friend Linda.  I landed on food.  She landed on soap.  I’m not sure if she ever made a bar.   Food is an endless topic of discovery.  Every culture has food that is specific to them.  Chefs are the new hotness.  Travel = trying foods that don’t normally cross your doorstep.   There is low food (stuff like casseroles, Cheetos and tator tots)  and high foods like caviar, foie, duck fat and all that.  Foods that are quick. Food  that is long.  There is happy hour.  There are appetizers and desserts.   It is endlessly fascinating and in the end, life is delicious.  I think it must roll up into sharing is caring.

4. How does my writing process work?

Um, I just go.  I try to write just like I talk.  So, if you can hear my voice in your head as you read along I’ve done my job.  (Granted I hate hearing my recorded voice so I can’t tell you what that means.)  I try to be a bit funny.  I write fairly quickly.  I have my own KZ Manual of Style that includes em-dashes far more than commas.    I re-read.  I find a fun photo or three which I edit in Pic Monkey.  I post.  Z reads eventually and tells me my grammar is weird or simply likes my post on Facebook.   Sometimes I have to go back and fix things and usually I hope people missed the terrible errors when they do happen.

So, that’s it.  A blog.  A blog hop if you want.  Sort of.  We’re all busy people.  I have a few other friends and colleagues who have loads to say and a few people I wish would say more.   I’d love to hear it if you have any comments or a wish list of cooking or if you just want to go out for dinner.  We’re game.

EverydayKarin – she’s funny, wry and endearing

Prone To Wander – he’s funny and wry and endearing

OneThreadThatWinds – she’s crafty but crazy busy

Stacey Thacker – she’s a blogger who’s a mom – and you know what that means

And there you have it – she’s a blogger who’s a mom – but not like that, well, sometimes.