Wednesday, May 26, 2010

What am I doing??

So I've been thinking for a while that my blog is officially all over the place in terms of content.  I just kind of wanted to address that, even though my readers may be few (thank you to those of you who read!).  As said on my bio, I started this blog as a place to express what life is like with a furloughed pilot.  It was one of the hardest things I've gone through in my life and I was shocked at the lack of information, resources, or even just stories of families who have dealt with it when I looked around.  I like to write and felt like I had something to say about the ordeal.  I follow the aviation industry closely and have always talked to my husband a lot about his career and what was happening with it.  I started the blog in the hopes that I could show what furlough is like to those who wonder.  I know on many of the pilot's wives forums I frequent, many pilot's wives have not dealt with it and/or are new to the industry so I thought I could help them understand what they might some day have to go through.  The blog became a real outlet for me.  I used to journal when I was younger and basically this became journaling for me again.  Then I stumbled upon healthy living blogs and got very hooked on reading them, since I have an interest in health, fitness, and cooking.  No doubt they have influenced my content, although I don't see myself becoming a food blogger exclusively.
Greg is back flying now, even though he's technically still furloughed from his original airline.  I still feel like we're in a "holding pattern" though because we still haven't gotten where we ultimately want to go.  We are waiting for Greg to be on something better than first year airline pay, waiting to feel like we have some stability with his career (if that's even possible), and we're not sure how long that will be.  I still really want to have kids, and we have long felt we can't do that until he's at a certain place with his career.  I know there's never a right time, but now that I've seen how bad things can be I certainly think there's a better time than when your are furloughed or a first year First Officer.  So, we're still in a "holding pattern".  Blogging, exercising, and healthy living, and my social life have become my coping mechanisms.  When the furlough first happened I spent a lot of time with and without Greg feeling depressed and alone and not all that motivated to do much.  I wasn't in good shape mentally or physically.  Blogging and my friends kind of saved me.  I've channelled all of my negativity, frustration, and worry into healthier things like eating healthier, running, tennis, biking, etc...  I FEEL better, mentally and physically.  I still consider this my story of a pilot's wife that is dealing with a life put somewhat on hold, but I also feel like it's a success story because I have done a lot of great things while I'm waiting.  I figured out that if I can't accomplish all of the things I want in life, I can accomplish some other things while I'm waiting.  So that's what I'm doing.  I don't know if I should change my blog's title or theme.  I'm open to hearing what anyone thinks.  I just know I enjoy writing/sharing my life, even if it's a little unfocused.

6 comments:

Null said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Null said...

Hey Brittney. I enjoy your blog so keep it up.

I feel you on the blog identity crisis! I started mine as a pilot's wife blog last year, but it's morphed into a health and fitness blog, well, because that's what I'm into.

Being married to a pilot is a unique lifestyle that most people have a misconception of. It's definitely worth sprinkling in pilot "wifestyle" anecdotes every so often.

However, I recognize I'm not qualified to be pontificating on the state of the airline industry, or what it's like to be in the trenches. No way I can come up with insightful posts about the airline industry all the time. Anything I know comes from someone, who knows someone, who heard it from someone "very important" in management, lol.

Also, *some* pilot wives blogs take on a whiny tone and I don't want to come off like that either. Life is pretty darn good :)

A blog is an exercise in vanity, lol, so naturally it's best to write about your personal interests which change over time.

Brittney said...

Thanks so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it :) I'll keep on babbling about my life then!

Joanna said...

Have you thought about having multiple blogs? Maybe keep this one just one airline stuff, another one on running, another one on healthy eating, and another one on social life?

Or to consolidate all that, maybe keep this one as the aviation stuff, and do another one on "my life when my pilot is away" or something like that.

Just a thought :)

Brittany @ A Healthy Slice of Life said...

Hi Brittney- thanks for stopping by my blog! I enjoyed reading your blog, and I think you can bounce around from topic to topic- it makes it more interesting. I'm relatively new to blogging and am constantly trying to figure out my content.. to I give more personal details? Is it too personal? More recipes? More dining out tips? In the end, I think you just write what you feel like writing and people will enjoy the authenticity of what's going on in your head at the moment :)

Kelly said...

Hey girl! Like you said in this entry, you use it as a journal and you still think of yourself in a holding pattern. You should write about whatever makes you happy as you are in "a holding pattern". I think you are a good example for wives of pilots that are in your situation. You started out writing about your feelings about the whole aggravating process of Greg being furloughed, but then you found ways to cope with the frustration. If anything, your blog is still about being a pilots wife, but that's not the only thing that defines you. You're able to get through difficult times because you have found other outlets and you also like to blog about those other outlets. Plenty of bloggers change their blog names as they see their blog changing, so it's always an option, but I don't think it's necessary based on what you're trying to accomplish through your blog.

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