HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I know I completely ignored the memo about New Year’s recipes and that my silence has been a bit thick lately, but this. This is why. Take a look around, a gander (I hate that word so much), if you will.

This space, this cozy corner of the internet that I pretty much live in, and you so kindly visit, has just gone through a makeover and I am pretty excited about it.

This redesign has been a long time in the making. I began the process about two months before my wedding, which seemed like a really good idea at the time. HA!

Ever since Mr. Pedantic and I returned from our honeymoon, life has felt like we are running a never-ending marathon, but now that the holidays are behind us and a clean slate before us, I have great hope that I can finally figure out a more definite and realistic routine.

The past year was a wonderful one - the best of my life. When I realized it was nearing its end I began to panic. In many ways, I am not sure what this new year will hold, but now that we have come face-to-face I’m excited. There are many lessons to learn, much work to be done, and great fun to be had. I cannot wait.

Thank you for making 2016 such a joy. It was the first year that I could really consider this pursuit that I love so much a true profession, and I am immensely grateful to each one of you and to the sponsors I had the joy of working alongside.

Here I am, back in the game. Let’s go!

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie

What if we were all really honest. Just for a minute we could scream out all our secret fears, our hopes, and shamelessly declare our obsessions over certain British actors. Wait what? Never mind that last part.

But if after the moment, which we might be very cliche and call “the moment of truth”, the world would do something amazing. After everyone knew, we would all forget what we heard and from whose lips it came, but like a shadow of a dream we would know how we should be treating them. We would know how to love them in a more perfect way.

For instance, if in that moment, that one vital moment, you declared that most times you feel defeated with this “blog thing” that you created. That, totally hypothetical mind you, you felt like everyone knew what was up and you were the only one spinning in circles. Most of the time you feared your recipes would not turn out for those who were kind enough to try them. You constantly criticized your photography and when you looked at Izy’s beautiful site (Top With Cinnamon), you just wanted to throw in the tea towel because she can do it all so much better.

After you had finished your confession, the people listening would not be able to remember what you said. They would not try to tell you to “stop being a perfectionist because your blog is a great space”. But they would know that you should hear some things.

Things like, “no one started out knowing what was going on. You will get there, and please do not count comments. Do your best, and your most, and everything will not be perfect, because nothing ever is”.

They would not be able to remember that you admitted that you are confused, and scared to face change, but when they saw change coming they would know to offer a cup of coffee and a listening, but not overly inquisitive, ear. (Because questions also scare you.) Maybe if everyone could know, no one would have to ask.

These would be some words. The kind of words which most of us fear speaking because they are usually followed by some sort of judgment or overly helpful people who want to “fix us”. I do not think any of us needs fixing - we just need to know that we are not the only ones who have broken a little.

Maybe all this is to say that I need a moment to admit. Admit that I have no idea what is going on in this life, in this world, in this day. I am scared of change, and spiders, and lukewarm coffee. I do not like to look at my own blog sometimes because all I see is a page of errors and I want it to be so much better. I wonder a lot about what everyone else knows and why I can’t figure it out. *Deep breath.*

So there is my truth. It’s a bunch of real words that I can not cover in butter and sugar and make them easier to swallow. Maybe it all sounds like dreamy, fanciful, nonsense. Maybe it is. But it can’t be all about cookies or pie this time because wonderful as they are, there are other things we should talk about.

These are just some words I needed to speak and maybe we all need to hear. Thank you for letting me share them. Thank you for being my readers.

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie

All pictures were taken with an iPhone 4 and edited using vscocam. No, they don't pay me to say that, I just really dig their app.