NaBloPoMo Day 4 - The Meaning of Vancity Girlfriends

The Meaning of Vancity Girlfriends

NaBloPoMo 2017 Day 4

It began as two friends who wanted to get together and start a vlog on YouTube, but we needed a name.  We are two country girls who now live in the city.  We like to eat out, go for drinks, and enjoy the city of Vancouver.  That's how we decided on Vancity Girlfriends for our name.  That's who we are, two girlfriends, who hang in Vancouver, BC.  

The photo on the right is when Carolyn was showing me all the cool things you can do with Snapchat filters during our girlfriend getaway.  Boy, that was a fun weekend!  

Follow us on: 

YouTube:  VancityGirlfriends.ca

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/VGirlfriends

Thanks to Blissful Lemon for their 50 Blog Post Idea which inspired me to write this idea.  I'm participating in NaBloPoMo 2017 but started today on Day 4.  Better late than never.  

 

#AtoZChallenge - D is for Done

D is for Done the #AtoZChallenge.  As you might have noticed I started to get behind in the daily blogging challenge.  It's weird because in November I do National Blog Posting Month and am able to finish writing daily blog posts everyday in November.  For some reason the added challenge of writing blog posts with specific letters makes it more difficult and harder for me to complete.  I gave it my best effort!  I give kudos to all of the participants who have survived or will survive the #AtoZChallenge!  It was fun while it lasted.  

What I have realized is that attempting the #AtoZChallenge during the beginning of my busy work season does not seem to work.  Last year I did well during my days off but when I was back working the regular Monday to Friday 9-5 schedule, it threw me off track.  

Guess the same thing happened this year!  But I did try the #AtoZChallenge!  Good luck to all of those who are carrying on!  I'll be thinking of you!  As for me, I will retire the #AtoZChallenge banner and say maybe next year....or someday....maybe.

#AtoZChallenge - A is for Accountability

A is for Accountability 

Last year was when I discovered the A to Z Blog Challenge and I didn't really know what it entailed and did not make it very far.  So this year I wanted to try the challenge again with a more disciplined approach.  

So what is this challenge all about?  Almost everyday in April bloggers will post about a specific letter of the alphabet.  It is a good way to stay committed to blogging with a community and with a fun challenge.  

A to Z Blog Challenge is a good way to stay accountable and in this case it is for blogging but I find that having an Accountability Partner is a great way to stay motivated and inspired.  Here are the different ways to have an accountability partners for different areas of life. 

Minimalist Challenge - 30 days give away 1 item each day.  Share a photo of your daily item with your accountability partner.  (Variation of Minimalist Game)

Spa Buddy - Self care is important when anxiety and stress levels are on the rise.  Have a buddy who you can count on to have monthly spa dates.  

Fitbit Challenges - This is where a whole group of friends can get together and challenge each other to walk more and get those steps.  Everyone in the fitbit challenge can cheer each other's progress and chat with others during the challenge.  

Fitness Buddy - While training for the Sun Run my fitness buddy and I decided on a realistic goal.  Ours was to bit active for 20 minutes three times a week and then to email each other on our progress for accountability.  

Elle Luna 100 Day Project - To spark your creativity, choose a daily creative task that you want to do daily and create a #100daysof____ so others participating in the #100dayproject can follow.  There is strong community on Instagram.  In 2015 I had #100daysofnaturephotography.  What will yours be for 2017?

NaBloPoMo: Writing Prompt Wednesday

National Blog Posting Month

Blogging Daily in November

#NaBloPoMo Day 16 - Writing Prompt Wednesday

As a part of BlogHer's National Blog Posting Month in November, I also enjoy taking part in their November Writing Prompts.  This gives me a chance to broaden and challenge my writing skills to write about something I may not normally write about.  It makes me think.  Today's writing prompt was:  

Nov. 15: What are the best/worst dishes at Thanksgiving dinner?

The best dishes are easy!  I love turkey (dark meat) with nice homemade gravy, mashed potatoes, and stuffing!  Not sure why I don't eat Thanksgiving dinner more often.  I missed having a Thanksgiving dinner at home this year.  We made a turkey because they were on sale but decided to use the meat to make other dishes and casseroles.  Needless to say I missed the traditional turkey dinner with stuffing and mashed potatoes with gravy.  

One of the best parts of baking a turkey was the beautiful turkey stock that was made from the turkey bones.  That is so flavorful to have homemade turkey stock from a turkey that has been roasted in the oven for hours.  It's not just the turkey, but what you can do with it.  

Then what are the worst dishes?  I have yet to discover a good healthy vegetable or greens that will go with the Thanksgiving dinner.  Brussel sprouts or green bean casseroles are among the worst dishes but even worse is when there are dishes that are out of place like a chinese noodle dish, that shouldn't even be on the table.  I know some people like to do ethnic foods with their turkey even something as simple as turkey with rice, but that is the worse for me.  I am traditional with my turkey dinners.  Can't wait for the next one!

PS I always seem to get my days mixed up but it's too late as I have just finished this post.  You all get to read the writing prompt from yesterday today.

BlogHer Writing Lab Wednesday - Checking Your Phone

Hello Everyone!

Today's BlogHer Writing Lab Wednesday Prompt of the Day is all about balancing and the number of times you check your phone throughout the day.  

Question:  "How many times do you check your phone during the day?"

Answer:  I wake up to my alarm on my phone and check my phone to make sure the battery is charged 100%.  Then I get ready for work and check my phone before I step out of the house again to see that I am 98% charged.  

During my commute to work I check my notifications, email, social media such as Twitter and Instagram, or surf the internet.  Once I've arrived at work, my phone is likely anywhere from 30% to 50% battery life.  (Yeah, this totally sucks but a new phone battery is on its way).  I plug in my phone to my laptop to charge and do my work.  

Then I check again maybe morning break, lunch time, and when I am finished work.  I can't really check more because of my battery life so that is keeping me in balance.  

My commute home is busier so I don't have time to check as much as often I'm standing on the skytrain.  

I wonder if I had a regular phone if I would check more.  I kinda like not checking too often.  It keeps me focused at work so I can finish work on time.  It also makes me realize that I might be able to live without a phone.  Hmmm...I know that will never happen.  But no battery life is almost the same.  

How about you?  How many times do you check everyday?

BlogHer Writing Lab Wednesday - Tradition of New Year Resolutions

"Why do you think we have the tradition of trying to change ourselves at the start of the year?"

In ancient times, they would make resolutions or promises to Gods in hopes of receiving a good year.  That still resonates in today's society.  I think that our nature is to stay safe but to grow we all know that it is about CHANGE.

What better way to instigate change than to ring it in with a new year!  It's like a fresh start and we can forget the past and learn to live in the present with resolutions for a healthy and successful lifestyle in the new year.  

One of my biggest new year's resolutions is all about FITNESS for 2016.  I want to lose weight, be healthy and fit.  That is a tough call and much harder now that I'm over 40 years old.  But since I am motivated I have already found a New Year's fitness center that will open in the neighbourhood.  

I live near Metrotown and Good Life Fitness is opening Sovereign on January 13, 2016.  It's going to be a 24/7 gym so there will be no excuses and with my premium membership it includes access to all locations and being able to bring a guest anytime all for around $56/ month.  

I'm looking forward to losing weight as my new year's resolution so I can be fit and healthier and have the confidence to do.  Wish me luck!  

BlogHer Writing Lab Wednesday - Do you like SNOW?

Now that November NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) is over BlogHer has started a BlogHer Writing Lab which I think is WONDERFUL!  

November gave me motivation participating in #NaBloPoMo until I fell sick with the flu.  Recovery has slow and sluggish but after two weeks I'm feeling better and getting back into blogging.  That's when I discovered the Blogher Writing Lab that has daily writing prompts for each month (http://www.blogher.com/blogher-writing-lab-december-2015-prompts).  Such great news!  Now I can have Writing Lab Wednesdays!  

"Do you like snow or do you dread when it starts falling? If you don't have snow in your area, what weather do you love or dread?"

I grew up in a small town in northern B.C. with a mountain as the backdrop and snowfall every year.  With my childhood tradition of shoveling snow and climbing on the snowhills in the backyard, it's not a surprise that my answer to the question undoubtedly is "I LOVE SNOW."  


As an adult I now live in Vancouver (also known as Raincouver) so local snowfall doesn't happen often.  Snow now means that I may potentially have a snow day (= no work day).  I love the white fluffy snowflakes that fall gently from the sky.  I love snow so much that I will go to places like Whistler, BC so I can enjoy a winter wonderland and the snowy landscapes.  

Whistler Winter Wonderland

National Blog Posting Month - Blogher NaBloPoMo November 2015

Hello Vancity Girlfriends,

This weekend October ends and we will fall back in time and start fresh with the month of November.  Last year I wrote about NaNoWriMo which is National Novel Writing Month:  http://vancitygirlfriends.blogspot.ca/2014/10/vancouver-events-national-novel-writing.html  I started but never finished my novella.  It was a fun challenge and I always start with high hopes and motivation.  Writing a novel in 30 days is a huge commitment even though in the beginning it seems easy.  As the days continue, it becomes harder and especially if you get behind, the number of words that you need to complete the mission adds up and starts to be unrealistic.  It is at that time that it's easy to lose hope.  

This year I'm a realist and found NaBloPoMo which is National Blog Posting Month.  Blog posts can be as short or long as you want them to be but it is best to write at least 100 words per post.  BlogHer has a NoBloPoMo on a monthly basis and so I joined the November 2015 Blogroll, signing up for this makes it real.  BlogHer also provides a badge that you can post on your blog to show that you are participating in NaBloPoMo and they also provide daily prompts to help you with your posts if you get the dreaded writer block.  All in all I am pretty excited that I discovered NaBloPoMo and it will give me a reason to make a bright post on a dreary winter's day.  Come join me and write your heart out on a month long blog writing adventure!   

Find everything you need here:  http://www.blogher.com/blogher-topics/blogging-social-media/nablopomo

Vancouver Events: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

Dear Vancity Girlfriends,

Did you know that it is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November?  This is an annual event where writers around the world sign up for the task of writing a novel in one month.  Yes, that's correct, 50,000 words in one month.  It's a lengthy piece of fiction that will stop writers from editing and hopefully get a novel completed.  The hardest part of starting a task is to actually finish it.  With this goal, you stop thinking, and just start writing.

There is a Vancouver NaNoWriMo chapter where you can join other novel writer wanna-be as you go through your word count on a daily basis knowing that you are not alone.

I have attempted a few years on this journey but was not able to finish the task.  My piece of advice is to get off to a good start and to get your extra words in on the weekends when you may have more time or inspiration.

This year instead of writing a novel, I am joining in my own way by blogging everyday.  My goal during NaNoWriMo month is to blog everyday for Vancity Girlfriends.  Let the fun times begin!

Join NaNoWriMo Today:  http://nanowrimo.org/

After you sign up and create your novel, you can start writing and attend the regional write-ins that are throughout the Lower Mainland.