Thank you to everyone who donated to Nyachom’s effort to raise tuition money. Thanks to your donations, shares, and suggestions she reached her fundraising goal and will be able to pay off her fall tuition. Additionally, some very thoughtful readers referred her to an organization called PEO, which has nominated her for one of their sponsorship programs.
I can’t tell you how much it means to me that so many of you donated.
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I spent 2.5 hours tonight on a post about how to wear sleeveless dresses in the winter without freezing to death, but I was really unhappy with how it turned out. One of my goals for this year, was to revive the content that made this blog so much fun to write — Two Ways, Style Translator, Work Wednesdays, etc.. But blogging three posts per day, while working two jobs and taking 17 credits has been incredibly difficult, and it shows in how much the content has changed since summer 2014.
Finding the time to write better posts is a challenge. But I’m hoping some more pre-planning on my part, I can bring in two or three deeper posts per week. I miss writing them, and I know some of you have said how much you miss reading them. I’ve toyed with the idea of cutting out the third post until May, but I just can’t bring myself to do it.
Unfortunately, this post will have to wait until I can make it good enough for public consumption this weekend. For now, I need to get at least a few hours sleep before my mammogram tomorrow (oh yes, Lumpgate continues, and at an infuriatingly glacial pace).
So look for new posts tomorrow, and please bear with me. Just 99 days until graduation. #cantwait #98daystoomany #okayimreallygoingtosleepnowpromise
xoxo,
Belle
I have been checking your blog more regularly with concern about your health. I am glad you are taking the time you need as a human being (i.e., not some sort of blog-writing automaton) and send good thoughts for your health, tomorrow and moving forward. “Lumpgate..” You’re equipped with good humor at this hard time! Good luck with all things, Belle!
You do you! I love reading your posts but I have found myself a number of times thinking, “when does she have the time for this!?”. Either way, you do great work and I know I would understand/empathize if you cut the volume back for a few months. Good luck with the mammogram, you will be in my thoughts!
What she said.⤴️ Ditto.
You’re inspiring!
I just adore you in a way that does not undermine the respect and admiration I also have for you. Re: this blog – bravo. Re: Lumpgate, thank you for sharing and I hope you get good answers soon.
good luck!
Thank you for your hard work on the blog! And best of luck with Lumpgate — hope you hear good news soon.
I am also in law school–working full time and in law school part time–and I just can’t fathom where you come up with the time to write as much as you do. PLEASE cut out the third post until after you take the bar exam. Your sanity will thank you.
–A fellow #3LOL
Thirding Amanda. The fact that you’ve been able to manage both the quality and volume of content that you’ve maintained this far with your workload (and now, health concerns) is incredible. You are an inspiration.
Take time for yourself. Whether that means keeping up on sleep, or sanity, or dealing with Lumpgate. We will be here when you have content you’re proud to share, whether it’s a day or 100.
Also, definitely interested in the topic du jour – I got my hands on a sleeved dress that fits, but have plenty sans sleeves that I’d love to get more wear out of without just throwing a cardigan over them.
I’m with ?… I know how it is to be an overachiever, but sister, cut yourself some slack! It’s not good for your health, regardless of lumpgate, to push yourself this hard for an extended period of time. We’ll still be here. Please, take care of yourself!
Good luck tomorrow! Will keep you in my thoughts.
Keeping you in my thoughts! We love the blog and will be here after the bar . . . good luck with everything in the months to come!
Unsolicited advice from a former Hill staffer/current 3L/person who found a lump her 2L year/woman your age: get a notebook or journal that you take to every related medical appointment and write down whatever you feel like writing down. Write questions you want to ask the doctor, answers the doctor gives, treatment protocols (what they say never exactly matches what’s on the piece of paper you leave with), when to schedule follow up appointments, etc. A friend gave me this tip when I was going through my own personal hell and it really helped. Glacial is an apt description. You have a lot of people in your cheering section and I join in sending my positive thoughts your way.
Hang in there! I completed my master’s part-time while working full time, and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. And you’re in law school full time, working, AND blogging (not to mention handling the complexities of every day life). Good luck, and thanks for continuing to inspire women all over the country!
Oh I love your posts!! Wishing you wellness and calm for your appointment today. Have been there; I can understand.
You more or less touched on this in your post, but, as a reader, I would be much, much happier with fewer, better posts. You set your post schedule many years ago, but your life has changed so much since then. You absolutely should feel empowered to change it as much as you need to suit your current schedule. We’re all going to be here no matter what.
Not sure if you read un-fancy, but she literally ditched her blog last year to give herself more personal time. It was sad but her readers supported her 100%. She announced her return on instagram recently and we’re all super excited to have her back. I’d be sad if you went that far, but honestly if you cut down to one awesome post per week and one weekly reading (I love those), I wouldn’t bat an eye.
Your blog has been a real pleasure to read over the years. Please know all of your efforts are sincerely appreciated. Good luck…hoping for a good, quick ending to Lumpgate for you.
I have to say: I love your blog, and read it regularly. However, I find it hard enough to keep up with just reading 3 posts a day…much less writing them! If I’ve missed a couple of days and there are 15-25 posts, I feel overwhelmed myself. Have you considered a ‘less is more’ approach? One a day? I love your Morning Line and Two Ways posts the best. I do wish you would reuse some items more often than always having new pieces, because if I’m going to invest in a piece, I am usually looking to wear it several ways. Keep your head up, and do what you can – if people enjoy your blog, they will in any frequency that you post!
I love this blog, but I was just thinking the other day that I miss the two-ways.
Glad to hear about your taking your lump seriously. I was astonished when I went to my last appt. and was told that they no longer recommend that women do their own breast exams. Something along the lines of they find stuff and panic, but that just sounds bogus to me. Are we supposed to ignore our health because the medical world tells us to? Absurd. I do, and always will, check for lumps and if it means a doctor has to see more times a year because of it, that’s just too bad for them. I am the only one advocating for my health.
Yeah, another reader mentioned that. I get that people find things that turn out to be nothing, and that’s not ideal, but if 40% of women are finding their own cancers, I don’t get the recommendation.
I’m a pretty regular reader of your blog and I have to admit, I don’t think I was aware that you had a 3 post/day schedule. I just open it (or check my reader) — if there’s something new, great. If not, no problem.
Quality always, ALWAYS trumps quantity. Why not just say you’ll post as time allows and leave it at that?