Happy #thinkingoutloud Thursday! No idea what I’m going on about? Click here!
1. 200 Thinking Out Louds?! Are you kidding me?! When the heck did that happen?! I didn’t even realize I was hitting a milestone number until I started writing this post, otherwise I might have gone out of my way to do something fancy(ish). As it stands, I didn’t even have a chance to jot down notes during the week of things I wanted to talk about, which is something I’ve done for basically every other ToL. I guess that makes this one kind of special since it’s basically Spoons unscripted? Either way! Here we go…
2. So the reason for the craziness has been… well, two reasons. First, 95.5% of my time has been devoted to cookbook proofreading, with the other 4.5% being split between sleeping, feeding myself, blogging, and personal hygiene. I got the final draft pages of my book in the mail earlier this week, and I’ve been going over each page line by line to make sure there are no errors before it goes off to print. I tell ya… before I started the process of writing my own, I had no idea how much work went in to publishing a cookbook. None. You think you’re done when you finish writing, testing, and shooting all the recipes, but nope! There’s always more to do. That being said, it’s so worth it and actually really enjoyable if you try not to stress about it too much (not my forte). I’m pretty sure I’ll cry when I finally get the finished copy. Actually, screw “pretty sure”… I know I will. Until then, if you need me, I’ll be over here hermit-ing it up and hanging out with my red pen and a stack of 200 or so sheets of paper 😬
3. Also, I’m so crazy excited for you guys to see it. Like… I literally can’t wait to show you.
4. Reason #2 has been plain old post-vacation catch up… which I’m pretty sure is taking so long because of reason #1. September is kind of a hectic month for me since that’s when I bought my place and there’s a bunch of little things to renew and take care of. Actually, it’s today! 5 years ago TODAY is when I got moved in to my place…. which makes me even more embarrassed to admit that I’ve been living here all this time and I have yet to actually hang anything on the walls. What can I say? I take a pretty minimalist approach to decorating. The only things I’ve got up are a few mirrors that the previous owners left behind and I never bothered taking down 😂
5. And speaking of vacation, here are a few more shots from the rest of the trip…
6. So here’s the part where I admit that I like mountains and forests way more than I like beaches and oceans. Not that I have anything against the latter, but I just feel a way better energy when I’m in the mountains. My family is the complete opposite, and they always joke that I’m going to end up running off into the woods and joining a pack of wolves. Please. I need my wifi. And a kitchen 😂
7. I also need a band-aid, since I somehow managed to slice my finger with my nail while I was trying to rub lotion into my hands. Like… how does that happen?!? At least I know my claws (read: short ass nails) would protect me if I did choose to run off into the woods. And no, I’m not trying to flip you off… my middle finger just seems to get damaged a lot more than any other finger. Did I ever tell you the story of when I got stung by a wasp when I was 8 years old? So I was visiting the fam over in Poland and playing outside in my grandma’s garden, when I felt something crawling on my middle finger. I thought it was a spider, freaked out, and tried to shake it off, but I guess it was a wasp and BOOM. Bit Stung. That was a fun day. Poland is also the place where a dog bit me on the ear, but that’s a story for another day.
8. In happier news, the people over at Vega sent me a spiffy package that I’m excited to dig into. I like these guys a lot because they’re Canadian and plant-based, which is the direction I tend to swing when it comes to protein powders. I see a lot of smoothie goodness in my future…
9. Pumpkin goodness, too! I finally lucked out and found my favourite brand of canned pumpkin (on sale!!!) at the store, so I brought a few home with me. I probably could have picked up a few more, buuuuuut I figured that the less pumpkin I had on hand, the less tempted I’d be to flood you with pumpkin recipes. You’re welcome.
10. Okay, time to go. I only managed 4.5 hours of sleep last night, and I can feel my coherency wane the longer I sit here. Like… coherency wane? Can I even say that? Possibly not, but you know what I mean. Happy Thursday! Thanks for 200 fun weeks of ToL 🎉
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It’s great to see that the other stops on the trip were just as exciting as the first. Positive attitude brings positive results.
Happy 200th TOL! 🙂 It’s one of my favourite types of posts. 🙂 Fun fact: My primary school teacher once told us that when we want to check spelling we should read the sentence back to front (the words not the individual letters!) 😀 Otherwise our brain recognises the sentence we wanted to write and we don’t notice any typos because we know what the word is supposed to be. Not sure if that makes any sense! 😀 But good luck! 🙂
Those photos are beautiful! And 200 ToLs? Whoa, that’s a lot of thinking right there! I know what you mean about randomly cutting your hand with your fingernail – I always somehow manage to get little cuts here and there (recently: one from a packet of dates, and another from a carrot….don’t ask…)
Being flooded with pumpkin recipes is fine by me! I’m SO excited for your cookbook! EEEEEK!!😄😀
… Ok. I have to ask. A carrot?!?
I’m totally with you – I’m much more of a forest girl as well! Throw some lakes and canoes in there too and I’m a happy camper (literally – ok that was a really bad joke lol).
Sounds like you’re making good progress with the cookbook. That’s crazy you’re already wrapping things up – I feel like you just started it!
😆 I’m a sucker for puns. And to me it actually feels like it’s been forever. I want it to be out already!
I didn’t know that Vega was Canadian! That’s awesome and I’ll have to look for it when I need a protein powder next!
What is with you and Niki and photos of fingers with blood? I will send you her offerings.
You’ve got this buddy. I’m cheering you, with my pom poms. I just thought of something, remind me to tell you, I can’t write it here lol!
Well now I’m just curious…
I cant wait for your cookbook!!!!!! 😀 😀 😀 😀 Thats my favorite canned pumpkin brand too these days! It’s hard not to buy 247427 cans when I go to the store!
Maaaaan! Now I -really- feel like I should have bought more 😛
Waning coherency is a lovely phrase. And this is coming someone getting a master’s degree in creative writing, so I clearly know what I’m talking about. *cough cough
Thank you so much for your all of your hard work on the cookbook! I am so excited to get my hands on it! You are probably getting a lot of questions about this, but I would love it if you’d give us all a heads-up when pre-orders are available. 🙂
That is a ton of protein powder.
Hang in there and get some sleep.
There’ll for sure be a big announcement as soon as it goes up for preorder. Thank you so much for your support, Joyce!
Pumpkin everything. No sense trying to restrain yourself. But now you’ve got me panicked that pumpkin here will be in short supply. So I’ll probably buy a literal case the next time I’m at the store.
Haha! If it disappears from the stores, there’s always Amazon 😛
I love the quiet and stillness of forests/mountains but palm trees and ocean is what makes my heart LEAP out of my chest!
Happy happy TOL anniversary! 200 posts!!! Where has the time gone!?
Sooo… when are you moving to Hawaii? 😛
I love your vacation pics! We drove through some gorgeous mountains this past weekend and I loved the views everywhere. That said, I am obviously waaaaay more of a beach girl at heart. Give me a sandy beach and a large body of water any day and I’m happy!
Oh wow – CONGRATS on 200 TOL’s, pretty lady! And happy 5th home-living anniversary! Wait – is there such a thing? I’m trying to get rid of much of my stuff these days so I am all in support of your minimalistic approach to decorating/wall hangings! And, cannot wait for your cookbook! Good luck with going over your final draft and edits, etc! <3
Isn’t it such a great feeling to get rid of unnecessary things?? I used to be a bit of a hoarder until I realized how much it stresses me out to have too much stuff lying around. Now, I find it so relaxing to go through my stuff and get rid of things regularly.
Wow 200 is a big number! My next post on my blog will be #100 so I feel like I should do something special. But I have no idea what… I need to figure it out asap!
Can’t wait to see/read your cookbook!
You could a;ways do something like highlight your top 5 favourite posts from the last 100 🙂
I’m as excited to see your book as you are to show it to us!! I can imagine it’s an exhausting process but it will be so worth it to hold that baby in your hands when you’re finished. Eeek, so happy for you!
And about the beach/mountain thing, just coming back from Kauai I can tell you that it has both and it’s the most stunning place EVER. Don’t get me wrong, Maui is amazing but I think you might want to consider testing the waters in Kauai for your next Hawaiian trip. 😉
Thanks so much, lady! The whole process has been completely surreal. And I was actually in Kauai a couple of years back and it’s definitely gorgeous. The only downside was that it rained every day, and the guy I was with got food poisoning on the second day 😕 I do remember the chickens being everywhere, though!!
Congratulations on your 200th TOL. Funny that your post is about a milestone since I wrote about milestones too.
I love the segue.
That trees can live for 1000 years. So impressive. Really makes us wonder about our own place in the world.
That’s exactly what I was thinking about. I can’t even trace my family back that far, and 1 tree has been around that long.
I got that same Vega package. I love that company and their products.
Woah 200 thinking out louds? I think I’ve been here for about 50? That’s amazing Amanda; I am always just so blown away by the bloggers who keep doing their blogging thing day in and day out; I can tell that a love for it really drives you. 🙂
Your trip/vacation looked absolutely beautiful! Is that a regular vacation you take or was it a normal one?
And I totally didn’t know that Vega was Canadian; that is so neat, because it means more yummy protein powder for you!
It definitely feels more like fun than actual work! Well… most of the time anyways 😆 And we’ve been to this spot a few times before, but this time it was a little more random since we had to go over there for my cousin’s wedding and then we just decided to make a road trip out of it.
Great post Amanda, love your humor in between your writing! Can’t wait for the cookbook!!!!!
Thank you, Arlene 🙂
Congrats on 200TOLT! I’ve been sad that I haven’t been able to link up the last couple of weeks, I do really enjoy it (next week is questionable, too).
Definitely soooooo excited to see the cookbook!
I love both mountains and beach, but if I had to pick, beach all the way. Just something about being by the ocean.
I always appreciate you linking up, Judy! But no worries if you ever can’t – ToL will always be here when you can 🙂
I feel the same way as I wrote my TOLT post… “does this even make sense?” haha!
I’ve become a mountain girl too, and it’s not like I dislike the beach, I just prefer other things. I don’t like the feeling of sand stuck to my feet, and I’m antsy enough, so I can’t just sit on a towel on the sand all day. I’ve got stuff to do!
Haha! I’m pretty sure that’s one of the biggest reasons I could never tan – just takes too much “effort” to lay out and wait for it to happen.
Congrats on being in the proofreading stage! Si much work goes into a book before that. I prefer mountains and forests over beaches also.
Thanks Laura!
I appreciate your pumpkin restraint. I know that must have been hard but you did the right thing.
I may cry for you/with you over the cookbook. I am so incredibly proud of you. I know how hard you’ve worked on it.
I do love the mountains and hiking but I’m a beach girl through and through. Give me light and water and I’m happy. I don’t even mind the sand.
And I’m so thankful you were there LITERALLY from the very beginning 😆 IT seems so long ago, but also like it just happened yesterday…
What gorgeous vacation photos! And I totally hear you about editing/writing taking over your life. I was late for a coffee date because I was editing a story I was writing about coffee. Writing and eating are the top reasons I am ever late for things.
Thinking Out Loud is continually the best link up 🙂 Congrats on 200 and thanks for all you do. Can’t wait to see the cookbook!
Thank you, Emily!
I bet your cookbook will be beautiful! Your food pictures are amazing! I worked for an author helping to write and edit his books for several years and it is a LOT of work! Hang in there!
I also love pumpkin everything – I cannot wait but I also need to control myself a little… LOL
Thanks Jill! It’s been pretty crazy, but it helps knowing that other people are working on it too. I can’t even imagine how crazy it would be to self-publish and have to do everything alone.
Congrats on the milestone number! I can’t even imagine how much time/work/stress/detailing is involved in putting gout a whole damn real cookbook. I put out a tiny one for friends/family a couple years ago and even IT took over every moment of my life. Glad to know you are keeping at least a percent or two for food and hygiene. We don’t want you going tooo crazy now.
Lol! I love how you put “too” crazy in there 😛 And I just keep trying to remind myself that I’m not the only one working on it! It helps… sometimes 😆
Yay for 200 weeks!!! Congrats!!!
Good luck with the proofing! Must be nerve wracking!!!
Thanks for hosting!
It is a little bit! I just keep telling myself that I’m not the only one working on it, so if I miss something, someone else will probably catch it!
Omg I cannot WAIT for the cookbook!!! It’s so exciting for you! Happy 200th TOL too! 🙂 I love that brand of pumpkin too, I found that it’s flavor is the most authentic, ya know? Happy Thursday Amanda! <2
Thanks so much, Marina! And Happy Thursday to you too 🙂
Cannot wait to see your cookbook! That’s some really hard work to do all by yourself but at least it’s going to be EPIC!
Thanks Rachel!
200! That’s incredible!
I know proofing and rereading is exhausting but I’m so excited for you! All your hard work is almost done and you’ll have a beautiful masterpiece to show for it.
That’s what I keep telling myself! It’s already been pretty surreal seeing everything come together.
I cannot imagine editing a book that large, but in sure once it’s done you will feel so much pride and accomplishment!
I think so! It’s already been pretty crazy just to see everything coming together.
I love cookbooks, can’t wait to see it! And I too sometimes prefer the mountains over the beach. I really want to plan a winter ski getaway for my husband and I this winter for something different. Why should we only vacation in the summer?
I may be slightly biased, but I seriously think that’s an awesome idea. We stayed at a nicer resort for Christmas one year, and it ended up being way more memorable than a lot of my summer trips.
Your vacation pictures are SO gorgeous. This is the perfect time of year for mountains and forests and generally just being outside. I like forests and mountains better than beaches, too! Maybe it’s because I live near the beach, but it’s just so hot and dirty and crowded…give me a mountain any day!
Thanks, Ali! I think the sand is a big part of it for me. And the smell 😆 I’m also not overly fond of getting wet, soon yeah… I’m just not made for the beach.
I can’t believe you’re at 200 but I do believe I was following you in the very beginning too. That’s so awesome and congrats on such a big accomplishment. I can only imagine how much time and effort the cookbook is taking.
Your vacation photos look gorgeous as well!
I honestly can’t believe it either… It definitely doesn’t feel like it’s been that long!
So I apparently dug my fingernail into my palm one night when I was sleeping. I guess I had a really intense dream? Dunno, but I woke up with a definite gouge the next morning! I wasssss working on my book. And then we got a puppy. And now that is taking over my life (as you can see by my post today!). Your cookbook reminds me of my thesis rwriting. Which is when I started endurance running–that got me through it!
I legit headed straight over when you mentioned a puppy. Ridley is adorable!
That’s definitely my favorite brand of pumpkin too and I’m all stocked up for the season. I’m dying to see your cookbook too – the proofreading and headaches will all be worth it!