Hrm.

{What to Do...}

[Be forewarned that this is going to be an unnaturally long post. Start at your own risk. It’s so long, your computer battery might die on you halfway through. Like mine is thinking about doing as I write in this warning post-writing.]

I know I’ve been MIA for the last few days and to be honest, it wasn’t because I was super busy or my computer crashed or I moved or whatever other reasons one can normally find on fanfiction.net when authors don’t update a story fast enough for their avid readers.¹

I’ve been thinking about this blog and where I want to go with it. And as a college student who knows that her schedule for the fall is going to be more ridiculous than trying to get somewhere on the 405 at 5 o’clock on a Friday, I’m not sure what my plan is.

I want to keep writing and hopefully post often enough that I don’t feel guilty and like I have to explain my absence when I return. I want to have a readership that extends beyond those whom I actually know {like… personally. In other words, people I haven’t met. Ever}.³ Posting almost every day for a few weeks has given me insight {at least, I

think it has} as to what I’ve been doing wrong, the little things I can do to make life and

blogging easier on myself, and where I’d like to go with PaperLanternLane.

So here’s my list.

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What I’ve Been Doing Wrong.

Problem: I compare myself and my itsybitsy blog to the greats. The “greats” being the blogs that have a major following and are supersuper awesome. And all that comparing makes me discontent and discouraged about how this blog looks or my lack of keeping PaperLanternLane to a few certain topics like, say, apartmenting {ha!} or the life of a college student. I’m all over the place right now. {I’m so random sometimes, it amazes even me!} Granted… it is summer. I can’t do much by way of apartment/college student life when I’m at home.

Solution: Write what I want to say that day before reading the daily blogposts of those other awesome bloggers. And then treat myself to their wonderfulness as a reward. That way I can’t compare as much aaand I get a treat! Yay!

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Little Things I Can Do to Make Life Easier on Myself.

One: Don’t try to do step by step pictures of the projects I complete. For one, I have a point-and-shoot camera and the pictures come out looking funny, and two, it takes away the fun if I’m constantly thinking about taking pictures of the process instead of creating something fabulous. So until I get a better camera… though probably not even then since I’m not sure it’s my thing… y’all will just have to live with photos of the finished product. *grins* At many different angles… So that I can feel artsy. *nods*

Two: Make my friends guest post. Cause I can do that. With my almighty, ever-powerful powers. {er… right.} Although if I ask really nicely, maybe they’ll acquiesce just because I’m so darn cute. {mmhmm.}

[This had been the original plan for PaperLanternLane—that Emma & Shellie would also use this to tell the world how apartment life is going, but I’m not sure how often they’d be willing to post, so we’ll try this instead.]

Three: Realize that I am what I am, this blog is what it is, and I need to stop worrying the little things. Caaaalm dowwwwn.

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Where I’d Like to Go With This Blog.

Wherever the heck it takes me. We’ll figure it out along the way. Minor adjustments and all that loveliness. Thanks for reading my thoughts on life.

<3 you!

And I promise at some point, the contents of this blog will turn towards what it was supposed to be—apartment life as a college student! {Just… a really random, easily distracted, multi-interest college student!}

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¹ Yes, I do read fanfiction. No, I am not one of those mean reviewers that threaten people to finish their stories faster. Yes, I have written things for Harry Potter. No, I am not a fangirl. Nor do I like the movies after Prisoner of Azkaban. *le gasp* I know. Sacrilege.²

² Emma & Shellie are dressing up for the midnight premiere tomorrow. And they read through the entire series after we got out of school in preparation for this final installment. Obviously, there’s some disagreement here. *laughs*

³ I just checked my email before rereading and posting this and this particular hope has been MET! Thanks, Mariah!