Sunday, July 03, 2011

A Day on the Links: Non-Writing Blogs

Before you think my whole life is about my day job and my writing, I do have a family, friends and other interests.  A lot of other interests.  Due to time and other constraints, most of those other interests remain theoretical.

Yes, I would like to one day learn about antique furniture and ancient civilizations but I don't know if I will ever have the time to do more than pick up a book or two and take what I can get from them.

Some other interests, I follow on the internet.  That's the great thing about blogs...they let you follow another person's interests and make them your own.  For the present, my interests include: cooking, frugality, and simplifying my life.  Not heady stuff but there are definite payoffs to pursuing these interests.  And, when the blog I follow is useful and well-written, I tend to come back to it again and again.

So, please enjoy today's round-up of my (for real) favourite non-writing blogs.

The Simple Dollar: I recently realized that I've been following Trent Hamm's posts on The Simple Dollar (TSD) for years.  Trent writes about his financial turnaround from his darkest hour, when his finances had hit rock bottom from years of spending and self-indulgence.  Now, he cooks at home, researches his purchases and does as much for himself as he can.  While I don't use many of the tips, this blog is still a constant source of inspiration and thought.  TSD has a large following so the comments are as interesting as the blog posts themselves.

The Stone Soup: Not only does this blog by Jules Clancy provide a multitude of quick and healthy "five ingredient recipes", but it also spends time thinking about food, diets and overall health. You can follow Jules as she tries different ways of thinking about food (and, of course, cooking).  There are great pictures and the recipes always look and sound delicious.  Plus, the posts discuss such basics as buying a slow cooker and how to chop onions without crying.

Zen Habits: As the title suggests, Leo Babauta's blog is about simplifying your life.  This may range from organizing your house to getting rid of excess possessions to getting healthy.  In today's world, this is exactly the kind of advice I find I need.  It's not just about the great tips and suggestions this blog provides, it's also about getting into the mindset that's it's okay to swim against the tide of 'more, more, more' and admitting that this mentality can be very stressful.

I think what I like best about these blogs is that the authors believe in the lifestyle they're writing about and that alone can be a great inspiration!

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