I'm embarrassed by how long I've missed my writing goal of 300 words a day... I could give a hundred excuses, but 300 words takes only a few minutes! Today I'm getting back on track with a catch-up of what's been going on in life and where I'm aiming for the foreseeable future.
I recently uploaded a video about my YouTube journey and why I think anyone considering should start their own channel this year. It's performed better than any of my previous videos and I'm beyond grateful for all the new friends it has brought! (If you're new here, hello!! I'm so happy to have you. ☺️) There has been such an outpouring of support that gave me some much-needed motivation this week. I'm so excited to push out more content and adventures for y'all! If you've been teetering on starting your own YouTube channel, check it out and see if any of the six points I go over resonate with you!
I'm preparing to launch my own email newsletter "Adventures and S'more" soon! This morning was spent researching email newsletter services so I can seamlessly send out my updates once they're ready. If you have any feedback about what you would/wouldn't want to see in that newsletter, please let me know. My inbox, DMs, and comments are always open. Also, what's a good cadence for you? Weekly? Every other week? Monthly? I promise I won't spam your inboxes -- I couldn't keep up with anything more frequent than once a week anyway haha!
I went on an amazing winter adventure this past weekend! It had been ages since I'd done any serious snow hiking and this was quite the workout. (Photo at the top.) Mount Baldy (or Mount San Antonio) is a popular trail near Los Angeles. It's 8 miles round-trip, but feels like double when you're trudging through the deep snow. My microspikes were up to the task, but crampons and ice-climbing equipment would be needed for ascending the steeper routes in the bowl. It looked like the majority of visitors were climbing up the bowl on the day I went!
I've registered for my first climbing competition this Saturday! It's nothing too serious and I've entered into the citizen portion, not the pro (I'm not even close to that good -- yet!). This will be a totally different climbing experience for me and I'm not sure how I'll perform under the pressure. There will be a ton of spectators! Regardless of how well I climb, I'm proud of pushing myself outside my comfort zone. Plus, climbing with a bunch of other female crushers will be super fun!
I'm on my way to becoming a professional book reviewer! (Just kidding, sorta.) I've been an avid reader for years, devouring over a hundred books a year. Some of my old coworkers convinced me to start reviewing the books I was reading, so I've been doing so for the past couple years on Goodreads and more recently on StoryGraphs. A good friend and my boyfriend just shared with me that I could be a professional book reviewer and I was so flattered. That would be an absolute dream! I just signed up for NetGalley and got approved for my first two books this week! I can't wait to read these advanced reader copies (ARCs) and share my thoughts. If you'd like to see more book content here, let me know! I haven't shared any book recs on my site yet, but would happily start. Also, if you have any great books you'd recommend, do share in the comments :)
I'm going to Yosemite next week in the hopes of seeing firefall! I've never visited Yosemite in the winter before, so I'm looking forward to seeing it in a completely new way. Firefall only lasts a few minutes a day for a couple weeks in February (and apparently sometimes also in October), so it's quite elusive. There's no guarantee Horsetail Falls will light up on the day you visit. I'm spending just one night in Yosemite after getting the last spot at Upper Pines campground during the event this year. We'll be trying to catch the phenomenon on the 13th. 🤞🏻 If it doesn't pan out, we'll stay for sunset on the 14th. 💝 It would be the most perfect Valentine's gift from mother nature. Wish us luck!
I'm still trying to find the right balance of everything I've put on my own plate: YouTube, Instagram, my dog's Instagram, this blog, the upcoming email newsletter, reading, exercise, cooking, cleaning, quality time with my loved ones, sleep, etc etc etc. I have no idea how people with full time jobs can also pursue content creation -- hat's off to them!
If you've made it this far, drop a 💚 of your choice in the comments below. You're in for a lot more content from me this year and I can't wait to share.
Thank you for being here and I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week. Here's to new starts and growth.
Happy adventuring,
A