Mercury's Retrograde Ending, GERD, and My New Site!

It’s only been a week but I feel like I haven’t blogged in an eternity. I’m not huge into social media (but I’m improving) so that lends itself as to why it feels like an eternity. Anyways, enough rambling. 

Thank you to everyone who read my Spring Cleaning series and who followed along with me and got our lives together in the midst of Mercury acting a fool in retrograde. The great news is that Mercury’s retrograde ends today...just in time to turn up for the weekend. I will be having brunch with some wonderful women and a handsome little hunk and then heading to a cookout. Tweet me or comment me what your plans are for the weekend. 

As far as why I have been MIA this week...life. Okay let me be a little more specific than that. I love my blog. It’s my baby. But in my true Sagittarian nature, I want a change. When I started Tea Time it was just for fun. Now that I'm getting more serious about blogging I want that to be reflected in my brand. So I’m working on my new site which will still have the same content but a whole new aesthetic along with book reviews, make up reviews (my secret addiction), DIYs, and so much more. I was going to launch it on Monday but last Thursday, while having lunch with my lady, we pretty much redesigned the entire site. So I have to redo it and I was out of town last weekend which left little time Sunday to work on it. However, it’s coming, it will be awesome, and you will love it. Just wait and see. 

Also, I haven’t felt well. When I don’t feel well it’s hard for me to find the motivation to do much of anything, really. I have Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disorder (GERD) which basically causes me to have chronic heartburn and lately daily stomach pains to where I don’t even want to move some days. I’m working with my doctor to get it all under control so I can get back to normal. I have tomorrow off so I’m hopeful that I will feel well enough to get a lot of work on the new site done and some new posts for this site drafted. 

I’m going to keep this post short today. Comment or tweet me what your plans are for the weekend. Yes, I actually care what yall are doing and genuinely want to know. I’ll share an update about the new site in the morning on my twitter. Talk soon. 

~Tea

Spring Cleaning: My Blog

Spring Cleaning My Blog

If you’re reading this blog post, congratulations! You have made it to the end of my spring-cleaning series and I couldn’t be happier that you came on this journey with me. Today’s blog is more geared towards my readers that either have websites/blogs of their own or if you are reading this and thinking you may want to give blogging a try this will help you too. I will go over five things you can do regularly to keep your blog looking fresh and I will also share with you what I have been using and finding helpful in creating a website. It’s a little bit longer than the rest of the posts in the series but make sure to read all the way to the end for a special announcement!

It’s always nice to give your website an update and keep things looking fresh. I’m not saying you have to completely start over from scratch but here are five things you can do routinely to keep your site fresh:

1. Check comments for ideas – Now I realize that not everyone is going to comment on your posts and tell you “Oh I want you to write about XYZ”. However, if people do and the topic interests you, write about it! Blogging is harder than it looks and sometimes I’m thinking about what to write and my mind is just silent. So when readers interact with me I try to interact back.  Besides, who wouldn’t love seeing a blogger they like write a post based on a suggestion they gave you? To make it even better, give them a shoutout in your post. “One of my readers commented asking if I could write a blog about blogging (Hi Terria! * waves * ) So here we are.” The reader will definitely appreciate the selflessness of such a small act.
2. Edit old posts and then re-share – Sometimes if I can’t think about new content it’s easier to just go back to what I already know my readers liked and improve upon it. If you have an old post that got a lot of views when you originally posted it try updating it. If it was a “30 before 30” list, look over it and see if those 30 things are still what you want to accomplish or do you have revisions? Did you get a lot of views on a recipe that you posted? Think about how you can revamp that recipe and then write about that.
3. Start a series – Did you have a post that got a lot of likes that you can expand upon? Can you think of ideas to turn that blog post into a part 2 or even a mini series? Series are nice because they give people something to look forward to for a short period of time and it allows you to focus on just the one theme.
4. Change yourside bar – This is something small you can do to keep your site fresh without doing any major changes to the look or feel of the site. For instance, you can add in your Instagram feed or you can put in categories. You can have new ads put into your side bar, you can change the order of the things you have in the sidebar, and you can also change your headshot (assuming you keep that in your sidebar also). Sometimes subtle changes are the way to go.
5. Completely redo your look – This one may require a little bit more analytical knowledge but don’t worry. There are plenty of sites online that can help you. Some good times to change your entire look may be when the season changes, as your blogiversary approaches, or if you want to take your site into a new direction.

I know that for me when I first thought about doing some of these things I was completely lost. I’m not the most tech savvy gal in the world. Thankfully, I have found three wonderful, wonderful sites that have really helped me learn more about website design and blogging as a whole. I will have everything hyperlinked so you can click on it and check these things out for yourself.

1. A Beautiful Mess eCourses – I love this site. It is colorful, it is fun, they always have new content, and their eCourses are amazing. I purchased the ABM Blog Life 2.0 class and their Blog Design Love class and I feel like I went from beginner to Boss status in a matter of months. (Okay, Boss status may be taking it a bit far).  Their courses are priced cheaper than most places I have found, they have a great tone to them, and they are self-paced and they work for blogger, wordpress, and typepad users.
2. SavvySexySocial – I tune into this YouTube channel and while the founder, Amy, films videos on how to be a youtuber she also films about how to be a great blogger, how to come up with content, how to promote yourself on social media, everything. Just yesterday she posted a video on 15 blog topics for summer. On her YouTube I can get blog ideas, social media help, and business advice. The best part is that her videos are all usually under 4 minutes so it’s quick and easy knowledge.
3. ByRegina – If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen me post pictures of my Epic Blog planner. I think I first shared a picture of it around 4 months ago and then again two weeks ago. If you don’t have it yet…what are you waiting for?! Regina’s Epic Blog planner is everything a blogger can ask for. It is your editorial calendar, your business plan, your blog ideas, all in one place. If you already have a planner you love, still check out her site because she shares a ton of great information and printables on there as well.

That’s all for this post and the series. Thank you so much to everyone that followed along with me on it. Earlier I mentioned that I had an announcement to make at the end so…

I’M RELAUNCHING!!!

That’s right. As much as I love what whatstheteatime has grown into I will be relaunching my blog with a completely new layout on Monday June 8th. Stay tuned for the official announcement of when it's live so you can see what happens when I put to use all of the things I’ve covered in this post :)

~Tea

Spring Cleaning My Relationships

The end of spring and the onset of summer is a wonderful time to strengthen the relationships in your life and also to rid yourself of negative relationships. When I say “relationships” that encompasses family, friends, and romantic partners. Today’s post wont be super long (hopefully) so I’ll jump right in!

Family

As a child I spent every day of my life with my family. Now as an adult I haven’t lived at home for the past 6 years. Overtime I don’t stop missing my family I just adjust to a new normal. I come from a large extended family. While I only have one sister and one brother I have over 10 aunts and uncles and 50+ cousins. It’s impossible to stay in touch with all of them but what I do is:

• Facebook – Overtime I feel like facebook has become more of a family social network. I have all of my family added on there so they can see pictured from my life and I can keep abreast on what is going on in theirs. Mind you, I keep my facebook pretty PG because I don’t think my grandparents need to see pictures of me turning up on New Years eve.  
• Text/FaceTime – We live in a digital age so texting is like a more convenient phone call and facetime is basically visiting someone and sitting in the living room to chat. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it shows that you’re thinking about them. This can go for friendships also.
• Visits – If you have family that lives close, give them a visit. Or if you have family that visits your city, set aside some time to see them. Even if just for 20 minutes, it’s good to see a familiar face.

Friends

For friends I also would say to text/FaceTime and to visit as well. The difference with friends is that I keep up with mine on social media like twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. I also try to plan times when I can go visit my friends or they can come visit me. Other things you can do to clean up friendships that may have fallen off due to each party being busy are:

• Brunch – Who doesn’t love endless mimosas and amazing food? Invite a friend out to brunch to catch up.
• Events – Recently a friend suggested that we go to AfroPunk fest in NY this August. Events are just fun and you cultivate those lasting memories with loved ones that are priceless.
• Plan a trip – A weekend getaway might be just what everyone needs to relax, unwind, and catch up on what everyone has been going. Even if you go somewhere a couple of hours away there are bound to be tons of funny moments, great sights, and “Aww I missed you guys” moments.

Romantic Partner

Obviously with a romantic partner all of the above things apply to them as well because I view a romantic partner as both family and a friend. If you’ve been with your partner for a while like I have, or even if your relationship is newer, here are some fun ways to keep things fresh:

• Vacation – My gf and I make it a point to take a week long vacation together every year. Getting away allows us that time to bond and experience new sights and places with each other without the stress of work/school/chores/etc.
• Visit YOUR friends – In relationships it is easy for each other’s friends to become “mutual friends”. However, it is still important to spend individual time with those friends that you brought to the relationship. Your friends may not be comfortable opening up about super personal things in front of your partner and that’s ok. Plus the alone time with your friends allows for you to revisit those memories and inside jokes that you may have without your partner feeling awkward.
• Hobbies – You can each take up individual hobbies or you can try one together. My gf and I are starting a vegetable garden on our balcony this year. I’ve already warned her that I have a black thumb but hopefully she has the magic touch to make those plants thrive.
• Summer bucket List – Yes, I have one of these too. We put on there places we want to visit and things we want to do. Your list can have anything on it from try new restaurants to visit all of the local monuments or national sites where you live. You could even plan to start and finish the entire series of a show that neither of you have seen before.

Hopefully trying out these things will strengthen your relationships and bring you closer to your loved ones. Let me know if you have any other things that you like to do to spend time with the ones you cherish. I’ll talk to yall tomorrow for the very last installment in this Spring Cleaning series where I will talk about how I plan to clean up my blog/website. They say to save the best for last and…well you can be the judge :)

~Tea

Spring Cleaning My Productivity

Now that it’s getting warm outside (and by warm it was damn near 90 degrees here yesterday) I feel like I need to revamp my productivity schedule. There are always a few things that happen when the weather changes and these things can throw your normal schedule off:

Heat

The heat makes me lazy. Granted I love going out on a warm day and getting some sun, but I hate getting sweaty. I’m from Florida so I know heat but DC has an entirely different type of heat. It just makes me want to stay in my cool/dry apartment, and relax.

Vacation time

During the spring most people are preparing for some type of vacation. I, personally, am preparing for a week long vacation out of the country this year. Being away from home for that long and wanting to explore and enjoy my vacation can be hectic if I still have things (blog, school, chores at the apartment, bills, etc.) looming over my head.

No more School (or summer school)

When school gets out all of a sudden I feel like I have so much more free time. Then, it comes time to do something like take my car to the shop and all of a sudden I feel like I don’t have time because there are so many other things I can be doing. On the flip side, I’m also in summer classes this year. With summer classes comes the same academic commitment during the regular school year except now I’m like the lone student amongst majority of my friends so I have to balance school with all of my summer plans.

More visitors/trips to see friends

This one pretty much speaks for itself. Over the summer people have more free time so friends want to come visit and I want to go visit friends. It would be easy to neglect my responsibilities and just travel the country this summer BUT…let’s just not even pretend like that’s a real option.

"Shorter" nights

Shorter nights are only bad if you are a night owl like myself. I generally don’t feel my creative juices flowing full throttle until the sun has set and the moon is high and shining. With nights being so short that means my peak creativity is pushed back and I still need to get some type of sleep at night in order to be productive the next day.

HOW TO FIX THIS:

There are several things that I plan to keep up in order to make sure that my productivity doesn’t drop off over the summer. I’ll briefly share some of the more important ones here.

• Do work ahead of time- I’m sure yall knew this was going to be on my list. It’s the easiest and most practical thing that I can do if I know I’m going to have a hectic week/month coming up.

• Plan for interruptions- Life isn’t perfect. Some days I don’t feel well, some days my friends may have a crisis and need me or I may need them. Life doesn’t stop because I have things going on. Allotting time for these interruptions saves me from scrambling later. Plus, if I finish early and didn’t have any interruptions, that’s just more “free” time for me.

• Use a planner- Just because it’s the summer doesn’t mean you may not still need a planner. Lord knows I would be a mad woman without mine. I have been using the bullet journal method recently and it is truly a life saver.

• Know what can be done later- This is probably one of the most important things from a mental standpoint. We are in the era of brunch and happy hours and knowing what is priority and what I can put off and do later allows me to still get all of my work done while maintaining and growing my friendships with others (and enjoying brunch!)

•  Learn how to say “no”- Did anyone really think I was going to NOT mention this? Saying “no” is important because you don’t want to overwhelm yourself and you also don’t want to produce half-assed work or be at a gathering but be distracted the whole time by your other obligations. Caution: there are certain ways to say “no” so try to remember to decline things with tact. Just because you’re saying “no” now, you may still be able to do whatever is being asked of you later and you don’t want to close yourself off from that by your “no” coming across wrong.

That’s it, really, for how I’m going to spring clean my productivity. I could go into saying I’m going to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier but let’s be realistic…it’s almost summertime and I will probably still be up until all hours of the night. I’ll be back tomorrow (yup you read right, tomorrow!) talking about how to spring clean the relationships that you have to make sure you don’t drift apart from those you have spent time cultivating relationships with. See yall then!

~Tea