Day 354

I used to subscribe to Real Simple Magazine.  A dozen years or so ago when the magazine was new, I was enamored with its message, simple layout, and nice paper.   But a few years passed and I lost interest, because they seemed to be saying the same thing over and over again.  Granted they used different photos and showcased different gadgets and “must buy” items but it was pretty much the same whore, different dress.

Can you imagine the editorial meetings at that magazine?

Editorial Assistant:  How about a piece on organizing your spice rack? 

Section Editor: Nah, we just did that in Jan last year.

Editorial Assistant: YEAH, but that was with a SQUARE rack.  This would be with a ROUND rack.

Section Editor: LOVE it! (sing that in your head)

I really should take that part out.  It is probably not a good idea to make fun of Real Simple.   Do you think they can blackball me from the simple community?

Fine, I will also admit that if the magazine happens to in the waiting room, I will still flip through it. I am a complex person.

My point?

It is sort of a convoluted two-fold.  The first is that I have gotten all kinds of WONDERFUL comments and encouragement from readers out there encouraging me to continue to write. Those comments make me feel good and I love every one of them.  But I don’t want to become a blogger version of Real Simple Magazine.  I don’t want to get the place where I’m switching out the word square for round and talking about the same things.

Second, “simple” is different to everyone.

Maybe a magazine speaks to you.  Maybe I personify simple (my husband is chuckling as he reads that). Maybe two single guys who write essays instead of blog posts really do it for you.  I feel like there are so many different people out there that can inspire, inform and entertain.

For me, I think it is time to let one of them tell their story.

So to answer the question, “What I am going to do now?”    Well, I’m going to try to start getting a full eight hours of sleep for at least a couple of nights a week.  Maybe the new blogger will let me guest post from time to time.  But that is up to her.  Spoiler Alert: It will be a her as all the applicants were female.  And I haven’t decided yet, because I love them all.   Plus I still have four or five posts left to write myself.

And I want to write a book.  I’m going to write a book about trying to make green choices as a family without becoming too extreme.

I always stand in public restrooms and puzzle over the environmental impact of using paper towels vs. the hand dryer.  I mean one uses trees, the other uses electricity?  All things being equal, which should I chose, and why?

I once Googled it and found a great website that explained how paper towels were so much better.  Upon closer examination, I found that the website was actually owned by the freakin’ paper pulp consortium.  (no lie).

It seems like it is hard to find good information with no underlying agenda.  Most information seems to be either motivated by money or fanatisism.  I would like to try to keep both of those out of the equation.

I’d like to author the book in a humorous and well researched fashion.  (Think Bill Bryson meets wacky would-be environmentalist mom) Much like this blog, I don’t want to tell anyone what to do. I just want to offer the details and let you decide.

By the way, I have no real solid plan for this other than to write the book and see if I can figure out the whole getting it published thing on the fly…

If you keep subscribing to this blog or “Like” The Simple Year on Facebook, I promise I’ll keep you updated.

I guess now that I just said that out loud, I’m commited.

Have a great weekend.