Here, Have a Brain Dump.
Hi! I’m back!
At the time I’m writing this, my old domain has expired (but more on that later). I don’t have a website. I’m writing this in a Google Doc. Calibri, 12 pt font. Untitled document.
This weekend a switch flipped in my brain. A switch that made me realize: I need to write again. After going radio silent on my college blog a year ago and ultimately deciding to put her to rest, it’s time to get back in action, baby.
Let me rewind a bit.
I could go on and on about why I let elliereedblog go (rip girly). I graduated college in a pandemic, I quit ballet and did a career 180, I spent a year living in my childhood bedroom with, like, two friends in the city I was in, I forgot how to interact with other humans, I was too busy hanging out with my dog to do anything noteworthy, you get the point. Suuuper exciting content, I know. But then, when life started slowly creeping back toward normal, I got all in my head about the fact that even if I wanted to start writing again, the words wouldn’t be there. It was like 12 months of emotional ups and downs and zigs and zags completely zapped all of the creativity out of me. Every time I thought about starting to blog again, I got insecure and convinced myself I had nothing valuable to say. I mean, who wants to read about what a random girl they went to college with did on the weekend?
But then, I realized that the urges I was feeling to get back into blogging weren’t about the people reading it. Whether it’s 5 people or 50, it doesn’t really matter to me. The urges were more about needing a creative outlet - a place to dump my brain. And so, dump my brain I shall.
Here’s how badly I needed to get back to writing: I started writing this and then decided to shower mid-writing session, and it was the speediest shower you ever did see. I didn’t even shave my legs, even though I really needed to. I gua sha-ed unevenly. I think I did 7 passes on the left side of my face and 5 on the right? Idk. There are probably several typos in here. Anyway, you get the point. I needed to get my thoughts out!
So, here’s where I’m at now: I’m one year post-grad. I quit ballet. I felt happy about it, and then sad about it, and then mixed, but ultimately back to happy. We had a good 20 year run together. I have a big girl job now. I live in Chicago! I always knew I would. I still love all the things I used to write about: fashion, coffee, travel, etc. I think I’m going for a Carrie Bradshaw meets Emily in Paris meets Sharpay Evans vibe for now, but that could change. I’m about to romanticize the heck out of life.
I think that elliereed2.0 (still haven’t decided on an actual name at this time*) is going to be less of a structured blog than my former Girl’s Guide to the World. More of a journal, if you will. Spicy. I’m gonna write about whatever I want, whenever I want. I have a lot of thoughts about life nowadays, and they need a place to go. I don’t have a plan for this blog at all, and that’s okay. If the past year taught me anything, it’s that not relying on a plan can be good sometimes.
Some people I’d like to thank: my friends, old and new! My family, I love and miss you all! Whoever teaches my Wednesday morning spin class every week. You guys really know how to get a girl hyped up at 6am. The disco ball at the bar I go to every week. I knew my dance moves would come in handy in the long run. My hater, who serves as a perpetual reminder that kindness is always a better look. Everyone who made it this far in my post. Everyone who will continue to read my posts! My 11:11 moment. (Iykyk.) Big fanks.
I’m so excited! Until next time.
xo, Ellie
*Update: I obviously thought of a name.