A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

blogging

20 Days of Chill 2024: Inked (Day 2)

Do you care about the pens you write with? 

Do you just grab any old pen and do your thing? Or, are you the type that is a lot more specific in what you write with? 

Is it a Bic ballpoint? Maybe a gel pen? Or maybe you still like a pencil? 

I tend to go with a Uni-ball One myself. Though lately, I’ve been once again getting into fountain pens. 

A few years ago, I truly enjoyed fountain pens. I have a nice collection of them and have an assortment of inks. However, they sometimes become cumbersome to me. Maybe I wanted a different ink and the pen was full already, and maybe I didn’t want to use a different pen for said ink. 

But as I use different papers – specifically my Hobonichi planners/notebooks that have a really nice paper – I want to use the fountain pens. The inks look brilliant on those papers. 

So, I’m getting back into them. 

To start, I’m using some disposable ones – the Pilot Precise Varsity. They have seven colors that are really quite nice. It’s allowed me to get back into the fountain pen world as I get my collection ready. 

And what do I have to do to them? 

Clean them!

Most of them had been inked up. So that means they are dried out and I need to have them nice and clean before inking them up again. The process is a bit tedious, but I’ve found it has been relaxing to a point. It’s nice when they become clean and ready to use again. I also purchased a couple of new ones that caught my eye, which has been nice. And… I may have been looking at some inks as well.  

The beauty of inks for fountain pens is all of the different things they can do. They way the color spreads and how it comes different out of pens. The size of your nib can be a factor in this as well. 

So this month I will hopefully be inking up several pens with some fun inks. Writing should be fun, right? If you have to take notes or jot things down, at least make it interesting. Inking up is the way to help with it. 

How about any of you? What do you write with? Do you like fountain pens and/or use them? 

Linkup for Day 2:

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook!

20 Days of Chill 2024: Gettin’ cheesy with it (Day 1)

Each year that I’ve done this challenge, I always have something related to cheese. 

And that’s not the fromage of it all, rather to pay homage to somebody. 

Though A ‘lil HooHaa has been around in one shape or form since 2005, it’s not always been a place where I made a whole lot of sense. In fact, when I first had it, there was some really bad writing! Go back and look. I’m pretty sure every rendition of the blog was brought over when I brought it to my own WordPress blog. 

And maybe, one day, there will be another rendition – or just additions – as it keeps going. 

But this writing challenge was something that grew out of the need and want for something different. I had sought out a writing challenge and found one at a block called “We Work For Cheese.” The owners were wonderful to deal with. Their writing was fun and interactive. The challenge lasted a few years and then ended. A few years later, one of those bloggers – Nicky – passed away. 

Every once in a while, I go and try and peek at some of the blogs. Some are there and inactive. Some are fully gone. 

After that challenge ended, I started this one. It’s never caught on to be something big, but it has been – at times – fun. I *try* and keep things going each January. 

The thing with this challenge is that it gives me the feeling of the past, but in a good way. Blogging has changed over the years. I still enjoy the personal blogs – ones that don’t necessarily have a full theme, but just kind of allow you to know and meet the one doing the writing. I can’t relate to some blogs – ie mommy blogs – but I can relate to people just trying to make it through life. 

Blogs can be good for that. 

I don’t write as much as I should for this blog. It’s a place where, even if people don’t read, I can put some thoughts down and hold myself accountable when needed. 

So each year as January comes around, I try to pay homage to a challenge that got me to really love challenges. I may try another in a few months for myself (not running it!) and see how it goes. I have some ideas for my future in blogging, if I can keep focused. 

For now, though, get cheesy with it. Challenges shouldn’t be stressful. They should be a fun way to express yourself. I hope we have a few participants this year for this one and see where it goes. 

I also hope each of you have fun visiting other blogs who do take part and see what they have to offer! For those who may just be stopping by – join us! You don’t have to do every one. The themes (and “rules”) are listed in this post, so pick and choose or do them all! 

Oh, and on a cheesy note… I can’t think of the type, but a local place that sells a lot of cheese allowed me to taste a cheddar from the UK. Unfortunately, I can’t recall the name of it. But goodness, it was good!

Linkup for Day 1:

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook!

20 Days of Chill reminder!

The Chill is back!

January will soon be upon us and that means 2024 will also be here!

That also marks the return of the 20 Days of Chill Challenge!

Now, I’m sure there won’t be as many people taking part as once was years ago — and that’s fine. But for those interesting, this is a reminder as well as a repost of the themes and dates, which are below.

Posts on my blog will be scheduled to go live at about 8-9 a.m EST each day. I can schedule them for 8 and sometimes they’ll take time to post, for whatever reason. So keep that in mind! My posts will include the linkup.

My hope this year is to visit and comment on each blog each day. I am going to try and not get behind. Worst case… I’ll catch up on weekends. I encourage you all to visit all of the other blogs as well. Here’s one thing to note: Each linkup will stay live for four(ish) days. Once the link is closed, that’s it. So when visiting blogs or linking up here, I’d also encourage you to check back the day or two before to see if you missed any after you posted your link. I am going to have all the link ups scheduled well in advance, so the days will be set.

Another reminder: do the ones you want. Don’t feel a theme? Don’t do that day. Totally up to you. So if there are just some you want, feel free to join us! Obviously we hope you’ll do the whole challenge with us, but it can be tough as well. 

I originally posted the themes a couple of months ago, but here they are again. I hope having the themes well in advance will give you the chance to work ahead if you and and allow people to be involved throughout the challenge. Then you just have to remember come back and link up!

  • Wednesday, January 3: Gettin’ cheesy with it. 
  • Thursday, January 4: Inked
  • Friday, January 5: My feet hurt
  • Monday, January 8:  It’s all about the click. 
  • Tuesday, January 9: Streaming and more streaming
  • Wednesday, January 10: If I had a million dollars … 
  • Thursday, January 11: Hello. 
  • Friday, January 12: Thumbs up!
  • Monday, January 15: I don’t want to adult today
  • Tuesday, January 16: Let’s all go to the movies … 
  • Wednesday, January 17: At least I have my … 
  • Thursday, January 18: Maybe
  • Friday, January 19: Where will you roam?
  • Monday, January 22: Sometimes I wonder … 
  • Tuesday, January 23: Finding peace
  • Wednesday, January 24: Emoji! 
  • Thursday, January 25: If you build it … 
  • Friday, January 26: What is your personality?
  • Monday, January 29: Bark, baby, bark
  • Tuesday, January 30: I throw my hands up in the air sometimes …

And there we go! All of the themes, well in advance! I hope you will all be able to join us and have some fun with it. Interpret things the way you see fit. Just remember to come back and link up when the day comes!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook!

20 Days of Chill is back!

We brought it back last year, so I figured what the hell … let’s do it again.

January has always seemed like a great time to hold a writing challenge. I know there are others throughout the year — and I’m not sure about January. Alas, we’ll try this one again.

The challenge is quite simple, overall. Take the theme, write a blog post, schedule it on that date, and then come back and link up.

I am going to schedule my posts to go at about 8-9 a.m EST each day. I can schedule them for 8 and sometimes they’ll take time to post, for whatever reason. So keep that in mind! My posts will include the linkup.

My hope this year is to visit and comment on each blog each day. I am going to try and not get behind. Worst cast… I’ll catch up on weekends. I encourage you all to visit all of the other blogs as well. Here’s one thing to note: Each linkup will stay live for four(ish) days. Once the link is closed, that’s it. So when visiting blogs or linking up here, I’d also encourage you to check back the day or two before to see if you missed any after you posted your link.

Also remember, you don’t have to do every one. So if there are just some you want, feel free to join us! Obviously we hope you’ll do the whole challenge with us, but it can be tough as well. 

Here are the themes… and I hope to see you join up! My hope is with giving you all of the themes well in advance, maybe more people will get involved being they can write ahead and schedule. Then they just have to remember to comeback here and link up!

  • Wednesday, January 3: Gettin’ cheesy with it. 
  • Thursday, January 4: Inked
  • Friday, January 5: My feet hurt
  • Monday, January 8:  It’s all about the click. 
  • Tuesday, January 9: Streaming and more streaming
  • Wednesday, January 10: If I had a million dollars … 
  • Thursday, January 11: Hello. 
  • Friday, January 12: Thumbs up!
  • Monday, January 15: I don’t want to adult today
  • Tuesday, January 16: Let’s all go to the movies … 
  • Wednesday, January 17: At least I have my … 
  • Thursday, January 18: Maybe
  • Friday, January 19: Where will you roam?
  • Monday, January 22: Sometimes I wonder … 
  • Tuesday, January 23: Finding peace
  • Wednesday, January 24: Emoji! 
  • Thursday, January 25: If you build it … 
  • Friday, January 26: What is your personality?
  • Monday, January 29: Bark, baby, bark
  • Tuesday, January 30: I throw my hands up in the air sometimes …

And there we go! All of the themes, well in advance! I hope you will all be able to join us and have some fun with it. Interpret things the way you see fit. Just remember to come back and link up when the day comes!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook!

Back to the blog

Several years ago, I set out to have a blog post each day. 

I went a little deeper than a year, but it burned me out. Ever since then, it hasn’t been the same blogging. I continually try and get back into the blogging world, but outside of the monthly photo challenge, sometimes I’m just not into it. 

There are a variety of reasons for this. 

The first, of course, is time. It takes time to write blog posts and make sure they are where you want them to be. Sometimes I don’t have the desire to do all of this. 

Second is the changing of the blogging world. When I first started blogging, it was a lot more interactive. Even for me. I used to love visiting and reading blogs – especially personal ones. And it was nice when people returned the favor. Alas, my blog has never been anything big where there were a lot of comments and interaction. Even if I respond to comments, it often ends with just that. 

Over time, it becomes normal not to blog. Though I feel I have plenty of topics, it’s tough to carve that time that I feel I need to give. You can’t just write and leave it out there. You have to have that interaction part. You need to visit other blogs, read and comment. It’s how small blogs survive. 

But, the blog world changes. 

A few months ago, I went looking for some blogs. A lot of the blogs I found are lifestyle or “mommy” blogs. A lot of the themes and topics weren’t of interest to me. That doesn’t necessarily mean I shouldn’t blog. Part of blogging is a mental release of things. It helps you see and appreciate things you do. 

Finally, a lot of it is time. With Harper and such, sometimes when I am home and on a computer, I like random surfing and such because it’s a way to let my mind wander. It might be YouTube or something else. But it’s often things I don’t need to think too deeply about. 

There are things, however, I like doing that can be made into decent posts. I’m still working on understanding and learning woodworking. I’m in the process of buying a house. I’m still navigating dog ownership. I really still want to do more videos (which could also become blog posts). I still geocache and go to a few baseball games in the summer. There’s a lot for me to do if I can start focusing and putting, so to speak, pen to paper.

So, let’s try this again. 

Over the weekend, I went through my blogging folder on my Google Drive. It turns out I had written up a bunch of posts. Some of them are ones where I need to polish them a bit or change some things around. Heck, I have a few that are kind of outdated (car things), but I plan to still use them. 

I miss aspects of blogging, so I am going to, once again, try and get back into it, though likely slower and a bit more simple. The reality is that blogging helps with my mental well being. Some posts eventually might take a “real” turn. By this I mean kind of going inside my head and seeing where I am with things. Life isn’t always cupcakes and candy, afterall. 

We shall see how this goes. But, hopefully, I’ll at least have a couple of posts per week, starting with cleaning up and posting ones I’ve already written!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!