Look What the Bun Dragged In

  • October 24th, 2008

I’ve wanted to blog about a zillion times and then I open this publish page and stare at it until I’ve talked myself out of whatever it was I wanted to blog about to begin with.

But, I refuse to give it up. I just can’t bring myself to do it.  Sure, I write a lot more on Yelp and Twitter lately and of course, sometimes on Moxie Design Studios, but this is my blog… so much of my current existence is wrapped up in blogs that not having one of my own would be like separating Linus from his blanket. Sure, I’ve changed the name twice, but I eventually came back to where I started.

Blogging is a weird thing… it’s changed so much and I think one’s expectations regarding blogging have changed. A lot of us have been blogging since ads were considered “sell-out”, when the idea of a fancy design was having some celebrity photo slapped in your banner, when people actually commented in order to get traffic and everyone (including myself) didn’t lurk via RSS feed.  Now, while progress is good and I’m on board with it, I get a little nostalgic for those times… when blogging didn’t feel so cliquey and I met some of the best people I’ve ever known.

I love blogging. I am a blogger. I cannot separate myself from that label, despite my recent waning of interest in writing about myself.  There’s a certain element of “people pleasing” that happens when you blog and while I’ve never been a balls-out, emotional blogger sharing intimate details, I do feel myself holding back sometimes, feeling the need to keep up “appearances”… though I’m not sure what appearances those would be. And because I find that’s disingenuous, I just choose to not blog at all.  I’d rather shoot my mouth off in 140 characters or less.

My focus has been work lately. I’m determined to stay on schedule if it kills me. I want to take the holidays off for once.  I want to bake things and go to parties and travel to see friends… so if that means I have to bust ass 12-14 hours a day to make that happen, so be it.  Next up!  4-day work weeks… but we’ll save that experiment for 2009.

I’m also working on some side projects that I’ve wanted to do for a long time… Put Down the Donut is one and finally it’s starting to take shape (and it’s so cute, if I do say so myself). I wish I’d never shut it down in 2005, but I think having it back will be good for me. It might inspire me to write more. Plus, I’m going to have a great ratings database for exercise DVDs and products, so that should keep my ass moving at the very least. Kathy’s been busy working on SafeMama and now Lovely Safemama (and loving it!), so it’ll be nice to have a side-project or two to keep me inspired.

I’m also starting another site called Lulubun which is still in the creative development stage, but will be a one-stop resource for stylish urban buns and their owners.  I had such preconceived notions about owning rabbits, for some reason.  I pictured big wooden hutches outside, bales of hay and poop akimbo.  But that’s really not the case.  Having a new bunny has really opened my eyes to how much fugly and/or poorly thought out stuff there is in the marketplace for rabbits and other small animals. House bunnies are so much cleaner than I thought they were, but the products DO make everyone look a little ‘country’.  What if that’s not your taste? Should you not benefit from having a house bun? They’re a great alternative if you’re allergic to cats and/or your landlord won’t let you have a dog, plus… well, just look at her.  Bunny!

Using a little ingenuity and design sense, there are ways to create an environment that isn’t an eyesore and is actually cute.  Just because you have a rabbit, there’s no reason to live like it’s a hoe-down, for pete’s sake.  I’m also working on design and manufacturing concepts for products that I feel that could be new to the pet market as well as improvements upon existing products.

I also feel that there’s so much misinformation online about rabbit care.  There’s a lot of great info, too, especially from the House Rabbit Society. But there’s a lot more out there, everyone has an opinion and not all of them are reliable.  I’m going to be interviewing my vet (and possibly others) about basic rabbit care, what to expect when you get your first bun, reading their behaviors and other stuff all in one pleasant place, like I wish I had when I was trying to figure it all out.  Yes you can find this information online, but sometimes it’s scattered, not clearly organized or just plain inaccurate.

I’m not sure how I got on that tangent.  But look, I blogged!

19 insightful thoughts

Karina said on 10/24/08 @ 10:44am

I will be first in line for your bunny ideas! Juno is still in the messy stage—poop really is everywhere, I swear to god—but she’s also still really nervous and making sure everyone knows where her territory is. Her breeder didn’t litter train them, oddly enough.

But I hear you about blogging. I guess I have to force myself to go balls-out, but damn it, the whole point about my blog is not let IBS and its related issues keep you quiet and cowed. I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t, right? … RIGHT?! (Okay, okay, validation over…)

Juno’s been feeling a little country, too, and she could use some supercute things for the urban bunny. Can’t hardly wait! (And hey, you let me know if I can help!)

Great to see you posting. :D

mel said on 10/24/08 @ 11:28am

Lulubun?  I love it!!!! :D

Danielle said on 10/24/08 @ 11:43am

I am very excited to see lulubun!  I’m another house…er, apartment…. bunny owner (owner? companion?) and would love to see more stylish resources. I’ve been following your Lulu photos on Flickr and love what you’ve done with her living space.  I have a very small apartment here in Brooklyn and not much room to really go crazy with my bun’s space with the options that are out there. Can’t wait to see what you come up with.

Teena in Toronto said on 10/24/08 @ 5:09pm

You sound waaaaay too busy!

Christy said on 10/24/08 @ 9:09pm

Sometimes life can get the best of you – be it work activities, school activites, etc etc, and it’s hard to even contemplate blogging.  I’ve been thinking over having a simple “lifestreaming” blog, because I do tend to post mostly on twitter & other such services myself now (I just added you on twitter btw). 

It seems like a lazy way out but I do tend to come up with wittier things in 140 words or less.  LOL

Marcy said on 10/25/08 @ 5:53am

I am REALLY REALLY new to this whole Blog thing..

(writing ..not reading) and already I am having a hard time coming up with things to blog about… the name of the blog says it all….Nothing to blog about… I guess I knew going into this it wouldn’t be easy…

You have been doing this … since…. forever !!!!

I don’t know how.. but you have..

So you take a little break from blogging now and again… who cares.

As long as you check in now and again… Just got to know you are ok…

You’re ok.??? Good..

Now go and enjoy your bunny…wink

geeky said on 10/28/08 @ 9:54am

I honestly have no idea how you do all that you do. Do you ever sleep?

I’ve been thinking about the changes to blogging lately. I think I’ve finally, after 7 years, gotten sick of talking about myself online. And like you, I find myself censoring what I write and just generally feeling blah about the whole thing. Some days I think I need to re-invent my online presence, other days I think it’s time to call it quits. In the meantime, I keep babbling on a somewhat regular basis.

daniel said on 11/02/08 @ 10:41am

*sings*

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday dear Jooooeeeeeellllllle

Happy birthday to you! Cha cha cha!

Les~ said on 11/02/08 @ 11:47am

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

and many more!!!!

Les`

alan said on 11/02/08 @ 5:17pm

Happy Birthday,

love your blog.

lani said on 11/02/08 @ 10:06pm

Happy Birthday, Joelle!  Hope it was the happiest one yet.

geeky said on 11/03/08 @ 6:54am

Happy birfday! smile

CLD said on 11/04/08 @ 5:06am

Happy Birthday! … a bit late, but well-wished nonetheless. smile

Deltus said on 11/06/08 @ 6:40am

Ack!  Did I, I mean Elvis, miss your birfday?

Also, look, cute bunny!  *anime eyes*

Joelle said on 11/07/08 @ 11:48am

Thank you for my birthday wishes, you guys! :cheeseH

Loft a New York said on 11/12/08 @ 11:32pm

Awesome! I have read a lot on this topic, but you definitely give it a good vibe. This is a great post. Will be back to read more!

Case a New York

wholesaler said on 11/18/08 @ 9:29pm

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Water Damage said on 11/21/08 @ 2:10am

This is one of the best I’ve recently read! I am not much into reading, but somehow I got to read on your blog for hours today =) Water Damage Restoration

website templates said on 11/22/08 @ 1:45am

So you take a little break from blogging now and again… who cares.

As long as you check in now and again… Just got to know you are ok

Elsewhere

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We were super excited earlier this month when our client, Patricia of MotherinLawHell.com, told us that she was going to be on Dr. Phil’s show.  Woo!  That’s amazing to start.  But when we found out her website was going to be displayed on Dr. Phil’s “big screen” we were even more excited. National television? Syndicated even? Yes, please.

Last Friday the episode aired and I made sure to record it for posterity. Full disclosure: I don’t watch Dr. Phil often (ok, ever), but I was more than happy to watch it that day! And according to Patricia, the Dr. Phil staff “LOVE the design!” and think “it’s so FUN!”.  Yay! We’re thrilled to hear that since we pride ourselves on bold and happy designs. We do fun. Come and knock on our door, Dr. Phil’s staff. Anytime! smile

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