Five Things You Should NOT Be Blogging About

We all break rules every now and again, but are you blogging about any of these Five Things You Should NOT Be Blogging About?
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Ever been in a blogging rut, stuck on what you should post next to keep up with your blogging schedule of 5-7 posts per week? Then I am sure you have seen running lists from other bloggers or lists on Pinterest with ideas on what topics to write about. But have you ever thought that some of these topics could be harming your reach or engagement? Maybe these topics are overused, maybe your audience can't relate to them, or maybe they are just flat out boring.

Let's talk about things that you should NOT be blogging about. And always remember, you don't need to write every single day to keep your audience engaged and gain new readers - that is a fact!

1. Announcing a blogging break.

This is 100% not necessary! The few people that actually read this post could likely unsubscribe knowing that you will be MIA for a period of time. If you are interested in letting your loyal readers know that you are taking a quick, or long break, let them know via your social media outlets.

2. Announcing your return from a blogging break.

If you didn't announce you were having a break, chances are your audience didn't even notice. Even if you made a small announcement on social media, I bet you didn't reach your entire audience. Don't make people think that you aren't committed to your readers by providing quality content, at however many posts a week or month that means to you. 

3. Negativity.

Don't go posting negative complaints about a company or service, and don't go complaining about other bloggers. This puts an extremely sour taste in your reader's mouths and they will walk away quicker than you can apologize. It takes a really long time to rebuild your reputation, so don't put yourself in that situation.

4. Posts less than 300 words.

What can you possibly be talking about with less than 300 words? If you are finding a hard time to create more context, do a little research. Educate yourself on the topics, because after all, you are writing for your audience and they are turning to you for advice of some sort. Make it worth their time to return to your page post after post. 

5. Blogging anniversary.

Cool! Congratulations, you made it another year blogging. But what does that mean for your audience? Have they been following from day one? Chances are no. Sure, the length of time you have been blogging adds a sense of professionalism so include your founding date in your bio or about me page and save your blogging anniversary celebrations for social media. 

Click to tweet: Are you writing about these Five Things You Should NOT Be Blogging About?

Are you guilty of blogging about any of these?

Do you have anything else that can be added to this list?

We Bought A Boat - Tips For Purchasing A Kayak

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Living just minutes away from the water means that I constantly want to be there. Whether it be eating waterside, taking a walk along the waterfront, or being out on a boat. A and I were not in the market to purchase a boat. I mean, they are super expensive, and the upkeep is too much for us. So we opted for a cheaper version - the kayak.

I've maneuvered kayaks a couple of times and understand the difference between sit-on and sit-in, but I had no idea which one I wanted. I started researching for which was best and guess what, it's all personal preference. I wanted to make sure that whichever kayak we purchase, it would work well for both the rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Because there are so many types and brands of kayaks, I wanted to share with you my thoughts and tips for purchasing a kayak.

Click to tweet: Tips for purchasing a kayak.

First, you need to consider the type of kayak you might be interested in based on the type of kayaking you will be doing. Will you mostly focus on calm waters, rivers, open water, rough conditions, summer kayaking, winter kayaking, etc? This will help determine if the best fit would be sit-on, sit-in, recreational, or touring.

Second, determine the dimensions of your kayak. Length - shorter kayaks will be easier to maneuver and turn, while longer might hold a straight line for longer allowing you to go the distance. Any Hercules fans? Width - wider kayaks will be more stable in calmer waters and narrower kayaks can allow you to go faster. Weight restrictions - verify that the kayak can hold yourself plus everything you want to take with you for the ride.

Third, consider hull, rocker, chines, symmetry, and all that other stuff that is completely over my head. You will need to look elsewhere if you are really interested in that information.

Fourth, understand the accessories that you will need. Does your location require a launching permit or does the kayak have to be licensed? A PFD is something you will need to purchase as well. Don't forget about a paddle, and maybe even some dry bags. Lastly, how will you transport the kayak to your destination?

Most importantly, purchase what you want. We had so many people tell us that we needed to purchase a particular brand because x-y-z. Just get what you feel comfortable with. If all else fails, get an inexpensive one that you can upgrade in the future. This will give you some more guidelines towards your second purchase.

Have you ever gone kayaking?

The Perfect Marriage

I am sitting here looking out the window to a winter wonderland, reminiscing about the weekend. The one weekend of the year that is dedicated to love. Did you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day?

February 14th is a day that makes us conscious of showing and sharing our love. We might buy ourselves or our significant other a special present - chocolates, jewelry, or go out to dinner. It's a day of love that should be celebrated more days than just one.

A planned an afternoon of surprises. He made reservations at a BBQ joint that has the absolute best spicy moscow mule then we went to the movies. It was really a wonderful evening, until... A was playing with his wedding band during the movie and somehow it slipped right out of his hands. Here we are sitting in a dark room with theater style seats and he looks at me, "I just dropped my ring." My heart dropped and I began to sweat. Mind you, this is not the first time A has 'misplaced' his ring. In fact, he now has a replacement ring, but no ring will be the same as the one we exchanged our vows to.

We sat there completely distracted from the movie and asked ourselves if we should get on our hands and knees and start crawling around on the floor. You know, those creepy people that others call the security guard in for. This is exactly what A did and he could not find the ring in our aisle. We waiting until the end of the movie when a majority of the crowd left and they cranked those bright lights on. Luckily, he asked the group in front of us if they could check below their seats. It was there! Yippee!

At this point it didn't matter because I was still upset. And this is how today's post came about - how to have the perfect marriage.

There is no PERFECT marriage.
This is what makes being married fun. There will be good times and there will be bad. It is important to put more weight on the good and treat the bad as a lesson.

DO NOT compare your marriage to others.
What makes your marriage so special is the uniqueness of it. The relationship between you and your spouse is a snowflake - no two are exactly the same. Sure you might argue more than your coworkers or friends, but you might also love harder than their relationship. Once you stop comparing, you can focus on creating a fulfilling marriage.

Workout together.
Or do productive hobbies together. Anger can so easily creep up, so why not nip it right in the butt. Exercise can help create those happy hormones and you both can help encourage the other to beat their PR.

Take time alone.
Again, anger can so easily creep up. Sometimes all we need is a little alone time. Let your spouse go out with their friends or you do the same. Distance makes the heart grow fonder.

Ditch the friends and spend time together.
To go against the previous suggestion, don't spend too much time away from each other. Sometimes you need to ditch those plans with friends and just dedicate some time with your significant other.

Trust your loved one.
If you trust them, they can trust you.

Communication.
Try your hardest to have open communication. When it fails, try again. Think of your marriage like a business. If communication between departments or coworkers are not pristine, the company is hurting. Don't let your marriage hurt due to lack of communication.

The list goes on and on. Mostly because, there is NO perfect marriage. To create a list would just be impossible. How do you work towards having a perfect marriage?
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*The winner of the Unplugged Tshirt giveaway is Debbie. Please respond to the email to receive the exclusive shirt. Thanks to everyone that entered.