Do Tell! Answering Your “Why Do I” Questions + A List Of Fun Friday Bloggers

/ Ally Bean

Answering Your “Why Do I” Questions

• WHY DO I rarely shop at Walmart?

While you may assume I don’t shop there for some political reason because many people have strong opinions about Walmart, that is not the case.

The mundane reality is that for me to get to one I have to drive by many other grocery stores: 2 Krogers, 1 Fresh Thyme, 1 meijer, 1 ALDI,  1 Target, 1 Costco, and 1 WHOLE FOODS MARKET before I am there.

This drive takes about 20-25 minutes each way if traffic is with me. Therefore, and I’m sure you’ll understand my reasoning, in order to save time, gas, and swear less about idiot drivers, I avoid going to Walmart.

Makes sense, right?

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• WHY DO I keep my blog post photos separate from the photos I share on Instagram? 

I do this because I figure that the people who follow my blog do so for the wordy stories I tell, the wordy information I share, the wordy questions I answer. After all my tagline here is: Tales, Thoughts + Tribulations of a Free Spirit in Suburbia.

Meanwhile on Instagram [find me HERE] I have a different bunch of followers, although there is some overlap. I only publish photos there when one fits my stated tagline, my thesis statement so to speak: Life is in the details. Here’s what I spy with my bifocaled eye. Patterns. Colors. Words.  

Different accounts, different goals, different followers.

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• WHY DO I not write book reviews?

I majored in English Lit in undergrad. I did this because I knew I’d get to study abroad in England. I spent a term at the University of Exeter which means I accomplished my goal.

However, the downside of being an English major was that I had to write book reviews about the books I read. I HATED writing book reviews. Writing them filled me with dread because I didn’t feel like I could trust my own understanding of the book.

Even though I now trust my personal assessment of what I’ve read, I refuse to make the effort to write a book review because it reminds me of my collegiate angst.

So guess what? I don’t.

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A List Of Fun Bloggers Who’ve Made Friday Their Own

What will you do with your one little spark of madness today?

Robin Williams asked that and it might be the best writing prompt ever. It frees you to embrace your own muse by doing your own independent thing, which is what the following bloggers do on Fridays.

Their posts are varied & fun— and I’m there for ’em.

Enjoy!

📌 Friday Fleurday – brought to you by Lynette at In the Net! – Pictures and Stories of Life

📌 Fridays Funnies – brought to you by Linda at Linda Lou’s Life

📌 40 things for Friday – brought to you by Laura at Riddle From The Middle

📌 TGIF – brought to you by Stephany at Stephany WRITES

📌 Happy Things Friday – brought to you by Elisabeth at The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

📌 Five for Friday – brought to you by NGS at The Time for Change

📌 Friday Randomness – brought to you by J at Thinking About…

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QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Where do you primarily shop for groceries?

Do you share the same photos in your blog as you put on Instagram? Why or why not?

If you have a blog do you write book reviews? If you’re on Goodreads do you put them there? On Amazon? Other?

Do you, like me, look forward to posts from bloggers who write using a self-created prompt on a specific day of the week?

Any more questions you’d like to ask me? I’ll probably answer them in the comments below.

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214 thoughts on “Do Tell! Answering Your “Why Do I” Questions + A List Of Fun Friday Bloggers”

  1. I don’t shop at Walmart because it’s too peopley (and not in a good way). I don’t do book reviews unless the author is a friend and then it is hard to be honest. I followed a great blogger (who no longer blogs). I couldn’t wait to read her first book. I found it to be full of unnecessary distracting bad language and stupid decisions that a sane person wouldn’t make. I passed on that review. Her book was not a reflection of the skills that I saw in her blog. I’m not a fan of prompt ignited posts. Many posts I read that day will be similar. (Reminds me of the annual “What did you do this summer” story you write during your first week of school.) The topic may be different but the guts will be similar unless the writer is very creative (which does happen). A semester a broad? That was definitely worth the reviews!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Kate, I take your point about Walmart. Ours is usually rather vacant, but I only go a few times of year mid-afternoon when people aren’t there. The rest of the time, who knows?

      I know that many bloggers enjoy writing book reviews and I enjoy reading what they write, but for me it is beyond my pay grade. Interesting about the good blogger who wrote a dreary book. Keeping a personal blog and writing a novel are two different skill sets I’d suggest.

      Yep, studying in England was a wonderful experience that made majoring in English worth it. I’ve been back to Exeter once as an adult and was amazed I ever went there. Seems like a dream now.

      Liked by 2 people

  2. I shop by local pecking order: farmers markets and farm stands first, then the co-ops and last resort is the little grocery store in the next village. Once a month or so there is something I need at a larger supermarket, but I avoid them if possible because they make me crazy.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. We spread the groceries around between a family-owned western New England chain, a smaller locally owned chain and an independently owned market that has great butchers. I shop at Walmart for some random things where they have the best price by a lot, but Target is closer.

    I don’t share a lot of photos on Instagram. I’m mainly there to follow others.

    I try so hard to write book reviews because I appreciate the people who review my books. But I suffer that same concern about my understanding and whether why I like the book will resonate. I should just get comfortable with “I liked this book and I recommend it.”

    I look forward to whatever the bloggers I follow come up with on any given day.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Dan, your approach to grocery shopping is sound. If we had family-owned groceries around here I’d shop at them, but it is almost all exclusively big box retail. I have no doubt that Walmart has some better prices, but the price of getting there offsets them.

      I am sporadic on Instagram. I only post when the photo fits my criteria. I like keeping the blog and the gram separate, but would love to know other people’s reasoning about being in both places. Maybe I’m missing something?

      “I liked this book and I recommend it.” That’s about as far as I go when it comes to writing about the books I read. No detailed summaries from me.

      Well said about the creative ways in which bloggers share their lives. I enjoy the idea staking claim to a day of the week and then going for it. I’m more random in my topics, so I don’t know if I could do that.

      Liked by 1 person

      • I run two challenges and I participate in two others, so my blogging schedule is easy to figure out. I enjoy the four posts for different reasons. I also ignore the “Experts” who say you should tailor a blog theme to target a specific audience. Who has time for that? The last think I bought at Walmart was a blood pressure monitor. $59 at Walgreens, $39 at Target and $29 at Walmart. The comparison popped up on my phone when I was trying to figure out the difference between the various models.

        Liked by 2 people

        • “… you should tailor a blog theme to target a specific audience.” That’s what the Experts say, huh? Don’t suppose the Experts cotton to the idea that being true to your varied self is how a personal blogger makes friends and becomes popular! Can’t quantify that sort of thing. 🙄

          That’s a significant saving at Walmart. I’d drive there for something specific like your blood pressure monitor, but for weekly groceries it’s too far away. And large.

          Liked by 2 people

  4. Groceries ~ Farmer’s Markets, Publix, Trader Joes, Fresh Market, Aldi, Ethnic Markets, but never at Walmart, Costco, or Same Club.

    No book reviews as a rule . . . with an occasional exception.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Hey there Ally! I feel like I’ve been lost and haven’t been able to read or post or live or sleep properly or… sigh.

    I very rarely go to Walmart, myself. It’s not far from home but honestly? Ain’t my favourite joint and it’s often messy and I really only go there when I can’t find what I want elsewhere! Definitely NOT for groceries.

    I sometimes use the same photos from my Instagram on my blog though rarely as it feels repetitive. I will sometimes use them for WW on my beau’s blog because it’s a somewhat different audience.

    I write very short reviews that say almost nothing on Goodreads, copied on FB simply to remind myself of what I’ve read! When I read friend’s books, I go into more depth but even then, not that much. I barelt share the plot and could never be accused of divulging important info 😉 I used to do book reviews on my blog eons ago but meh. Got other stuff to write about when time permits.

    I look forward to your blog always. There are others that I know will keep me entertained, others, I follow and wonder why but now feel guilty if I flush them. (I’ll get over it, when I grow a pair and just do it!)

    Now you’ve temted me into doinig a Friday something post! Hmmm…. I think I will 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    • Dale, sometimes I get that feeling too. Just not into much of anything. I get it.

      Good point about Walmart. It is often messy and so large that it takes extra time to find anything. I’m not a fan, especially considering how difficult it is for me to get to one.

      Like you, I don’t want to be repetitive so I keep the blog photos and IG photos separate. BUT a few online friends have suggested I could/should cross-post. I dunno.

      Your approach to book reviews makes sense. Say something succinct as much as for yourself as it is for others. I did a few books reviews of books written by bloggers when I first started this blog, but stopped because it made me anxious. Odd but true.

      I’m smiling about your concern about dropping people in blogland. I recently went through my list of the blogs I follow and divided it into an “actively following” group and a “tickler file” group. I’ll read the first group as a daily commitment, the second group as a monthly commitment.

      If you dream up your own Friday blog theme let me know. I’ll follow you, of course, and add it to the list. 🤓

      Liked by 1 person

      • Work hs been B-R-U-T-A-L! Makes me reconsider if I wanna give two more years of my life to this insanity…

        Not worth the detour for you. Me? Just down the street a small ways but still. Only for those things that I just know I will find. Things like barrettes or a sugar wax that I cannot seem to find elsewhere!

        I think it depends on the situation. If I know I want to use certain photos for the blog, I make sure I don’t share on IG – overlap can happen anyhow! And you do you, darlin’

        I know what you mean. I stress when I leave one for a blogger friend. Especially if I didn’t love the book – so far that has happened once. I kept it even vaguer than usual!

        Some I wonder why the hell I followed in the first place! I should do something of that type. Or do like a blogger I enjoy. I always know when she will post because she reads my latest post. And that seems to me a rather healthy way to approach it – especially when time seems to be scarse!

        You are the best 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        • I’m sorry your job has gotten to be this difficult. On the one hand two years is a long time, but in light of how long you’ve been working, what is another two years? Rhetorical question, no answer implied here.

          I go to Walmart to buy a petite multiple vitamin that isn’t available elsewhere. I rarely dawdle while I’m there.

          How I share my photos, whether on IG or the blog, will probably remain the same. I have a system and it works.

          I’m laughing. I’ve discovered the same thing. I look at a blog and wonder how I came to be following it. We all change as we go along and that’s good, so maybe dropping some people is the best thing for all concerned. I really doubt anyone is holding their breath waiting for me to comment or will notice I’m not around anymore.

          I think you’re the best too. 😁

          Liked by 1 person

          • It’s a cyclical job. As much as we can twiddle our fingers (usually) from November to March, it becomes completely insane come August until November 1. I will come out the other side of the season not unscathed but not ruined 😉 I will convince myself that it wasn’t so bad after all and I will buckle up and do the next one!

            Voilà. It has its use but honestly, if you’re like me, you make a beeline for what you want and then get outta Dodge!

            And that’s what it should be.

            Guess we’ve all enthusiastically followed someone who follows us only to realise later that, nope… I take that attitude, too. Most people haven’t noticed my absence 😉

            Sweet!!

            Liked by 1 person

  6. Ha! I was nearly the first to comment, so naturally WPress threw a fit. I’ll try again…

    We currently travel half an hour for our grocery shop because our town only has a couple of more expensive and very limited tiny options. We do not drive past any others on the way, ‘cos that would be silly. When I last lived somewhere with multiple options, I tended to be a bit of a shopping tart and moved my patronage around depending what I was looking for in any given shop.

    I review everything I read on Goodreads, include some reviews on my Fiction blog, and very occasionally on my personal blog. I’m currently reviewing the Booker longlist on my Substack.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, WP is a difficult little bitch sometimes. Thanks for trying again.

      I don’t mind driving to get to a grocery, but my nearest one is 5 minutes away. Driving a half hour would require elaborate advanced planning and knowing me I’d forget something so would have to go back. I understand about shopping in a variety of stores depending on what they have that you need. I do that.

      You’re an ambitious reader. If you enjoy writing book reviews then I’m all for YOU writing the reviews. Go for it. I didn’t know you had a Substack. Technically I have one, am there, but do nothing. Yet?

      Liked by 1 person

      • I’ve only been reviewing books on the regular since joining a book club, mostly as it helped me to remember what I thought of a book having chewed my way through a few since reading it.

        I’m trying out Substack. I tend to write on more serious stuff there, but am giving it a try on books to see how it hits. I’ve yet to decide whether to continue hanging around, although it’s been a useful place to write – semi-anonymously – about some stuff I’ve been working through and which didn’t feel right for my blog.

        Liked by 1 person

        • I understand how you got into writing book reviews. Book clubs can be motivating.

          I started an account on Substack under the same name as here, but I take your point about being able to write there on topics not suitable for this blog. I have ideas but no gumption. I’m impressed that you’re giving it a go.

          Liked by 1 person

  7. I don’t shop for groceries. I can’t stand shopping. Thankfully my husband loves that chore, so off he goes with a list. Sometimes at Walmart, but not often as it’s a fair distance from us.
    I do post slightly differently on Instagram also. Lots more poetry there, but similar images. You’re right, the audience is a little different on each platform, but not by much. The blog is usually longer content that appeals to readers. Perhaps I should post more poetry and shorter tidbits here. What do you think?
    And I have written a few book reviews on the blog, but most often on books I absolutely love that I think people should know about. I don’t do them regularly though.
    Lots of great questions as usual Ally. And I’m going over to your Instagram now to “spy with my bifocal eye.” 🤣 Love that!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Alegria, if you don’t like grocery shopping then having a spouse who’ll do it is marvelous. I’m glad your husband is up to the task.

      See, you’re like me about IG. I was on Insta before Zuckerberg got hold of it, so I had my thesis statement in place figuring my photos were different than my thoughts. IG was one thing, WP was another. Now I dunno. As for what to put on your blog, I suppose it comes down to do you think your bloggy friends would enjoy your IG stuff? Gotta keep the readers happy! 😊

      Liked by 1 person

  8. October through May, I get meat, eggs, and produce from the farmer’s market and my mom’s garden; during the summer months, Whole Foods and Costco.

    I don’t write book reviews, though I did in a past life on a past blog and received 100+ free books per year, which was awesome!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Erin, you have the best of both worlds going with your grocery shopping. Our farmer’s markets are only in the summer months and don’t offer a lot. I like Whole Foods, but Costco’s sizes are too large for us. Pity, the prices are good.

      You got free books! That would be an incentive to write book reviews. Still, sounds like work to keep up with all that reading. No more for you, eh?

      Like

      • The bulk sizes is the tough thing with Costco. If there’s smoking deal, I often try to make a big batch and freeze some for later… but it can be a hassle to save a few bucks.

        The free books were awesome! However, someone in the last 15 years I decided I wouldn’t read bad books. While 50% of them were absolutely gems, there was a lot of crap I felt obligated to finished because I’d gotten the book for free. So, no more for me.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Good plan about the Costco sizes. I can see how it makes financial sense.

          I don’t know anyone else who’s ever gotten free books like you did, but I can instantly understand why you stopped doing it. Life is too short to read books you don’t like. My DNF list grows each year.

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  9. Walmart is about an hour away from where I live, and in a part of town that is inconvenient for me. So I don’t go there very often. Whenever I have gone there, it seems like the items I want are out of stock! Plus, no one is ever working at a cash register, and I find the self check out process exhausting – And I used to work in a grocery store way back in the day, so I like to think I know what I’m doing.I’m lucky to have a lovely local grocery store not far from my house! Prices are a little bit more expensive, which is to be expected. But if I watch the weekly ad, I actually can do better than at Walmart. And they treat me so well!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Michelle G., I know that some people live near Walmarts and they say the stores are well-stocked but around here, like you, it’s inconvenient to go to one. I’m laughing about how you, a former grocery store employee, have difficulty with the self checkout. Some of those machines, in any grocery store, are evil little devils playing with your emotions.

      A local grocery with pleasant employees is a gift anymore. Enjoy!

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  10. I shop for groceries at Farmers market (an actual farmers market), traders joes, fairway, Whole Foods and target. My choice depends on what I need. I haven’t put photos on insta in awhile, but usually different. I write short reviews nice a month. I don’t like full out reviews. On Goodreads I just give star rating.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Grocery stores are for grocery shopping. I cannot abide the thought of my shopping cart simultaneously holding new tires and a half pound of smoked turkey breast.
    I look forward to all the blogggers I follow whoever they find their inspiration! 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    • Micheal, made me laugh out loud with that quip. You’re right about Walmart of course. Some bloggers are able to create their own idiosyncratic personal weekly challenge. I admire that. I’ve never been able to do that.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. I shop at a grocery store called Jewel. It’s a chain. I tried to shop at Pete’s for awhile. It was new and my fav thing was the checkout was almost always well staffed/speedy. But Pete’s is farther from my house and when it comes to time, I rarely have enough of it. I’ve been back at Jewel for years and I do get frustrated there – they rarely have enough checkers and once last week at like 7:30 pm they had zero checkouts open manned by a human. I was not about to take my $400 worth of groceries to the manual checkout.

    I’m not on Instagram. (see: struggle with a time deficiency)

    I do not write book reviews. If I read a book that I really like, I’ll probably mention it on my blog. I tend to read books long after they’ve peaked in popularity and no one cares by the time I get around to it.

    I do not have daycare duties on Fridays, so I have a writing goal that I try very hard to stick to. I enjoy posts (Fridays and other days), but I end up reading the Friday posts days after Friday and it leaves me feeling a little behind. It’s not that I don’t like those posts, but my Fridays are organized around a specific agenda and Friday blogs aren’t part of that. (I also try not to grocery shop or cook or clean on Fridays, for example).

    Like

    • Savageclan7, I’ve heard of Jewel, but have never been in one. I agree that it seems odd that at 7:30 pm there’d be zero checkouts open manned by a human. That’s the epitome of inconvenient.

      I’m smiling about how you read books long after they were popular. Me too. I’m in no hurry to keep current so I read what I read when I do.

      I get what you’re saying about sticking to your own routine and reading blog posts when it suits you. I happen to have a lot of free time on Fridays so I look forward to these particular blogs. I don’t always comment though, sometimes just read and smile. One of the best things about personal blogging is that blogs are there for you 24/7 so you can live your life and be a bloggy friend when time permits.

      Like

  13. I do shop at Walmart, definitely for the price savings. I love places like Trader Joes, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, even King Soopers (Kroger) but I just can’t/won’t pay up to double on some items that I can get for less.
    No other social used, no book reviews and some bloggers do a great job with prompts but they aren’t necessarily the reason I follow their blogs. I think anything can become too much if it’s all you focus on, like prompts and not your own thoughts/ideas.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, I take your point about the savings at Walmart. If one was closer it might be worth it, but they’re so large that I feel overwhelmed shopping in one. Plus we have Meijer which is a regional Walmart-type store that is closer and fully stocked.

      I like the idea that I could create my own prompt on a specific day of the week then follow through on it, BUT I’m so random about what I share here that I’m not sure I could do it justice. However, the Friday bloggers I listed are amazing about following through. Kudos, ‘ya know?

      Liked by 1 person

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  16. I shop for groceries at Sobeys, a Canadian chain that has a location 10 minutes up the road from me. It’s a location that I have to drive by almost every time I go some where.

    I don’t care for Instagram even though I have an account, and I rarely go on it. Whenever I do it is mostly ads.

    I only write book reviews on books I absolutely love and want to share that love. Plus, they are a lot of work; and I have to be in the mood to do them, which is why I haven’t done one lately. When I do, they only get published in my blog.

    The things that attract me to a blog are humour, great photos and if I feel a connection to the author. Prompts never cross my mind.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jenn, I’d shop at a grocery that I drive by frequently if there was one I drove by frequently. I have ones nearby but not on the way to anywhere. Your Sobeys sounds perfect.

      I agree that IG has lots of ads. I’m there sporadically so I don’t deal with them often.

      I agree that writing book reviews is a lot of work. I love that people do it and share them, but writing one is above my pay grade.

      I don’t do prompts but know that for some bloggers their self-created prompts are a kind of accountability that keeps them going. I understand it. We all need to figure out how to make a personal blog our own. Whatever works, works.

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Groceries. Ugh. I can walk to a WinCo (for which I am VERY grateful), but their produce is terrible and the lines are always long. There is nothing else nearby. We have a local produce market that I use for produce most of the time. There is a Kroger (Fred Meyer) store near the rink I skate at, so I often go there. I don’t like it much (the addition of a security guard and the requirement to have your receipt highlighted by said guard on your way out the door for no reason other than to somehow justify having to be stopped and peered at really bugs me) but they have some items I can’t get in the other places. In Louisiana, I caved to a Walmart (yeah, I’m one of those who doesn’t want to shop there for political reasons) because it was the best of 4 pretty lousy choices for groceries. I try to focus on being grateful that I can afford the groceries I need/want and that I have choices. One of the things I really disliked the summer I lived in LA was not being able to get the kind of groceries I can get at home.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Rita, I don’t like grocery stores with lousy produce sections. I like the idea of being able to walk to one, though. I see your conundrum.

      Costco does what you describe happening at Fred Meyer. I dislike that doublecheck thing, too. I cannot imagine why those store want to hassle customers on their way out the door so that the last thing you remember about shopping there was being hassled.

      I know in some regions Walmarts are the best choice for groceries. I sense that Walmarts vary across the country both in quality and cleanliness and how well stocked they are. Excellent point about being able to afford groceries. We are fortunate.

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Let’s see…shopping is sadly Walmart. It’s just the most affordable in the area.
    I am… not a big picture taker. I rarely interact with Instagram at all.
    I do write occasional reviews, but as much as I’d love to do more, I always feel awkward about them. So, I have to feel a strong way about the book to write about it. I do put small comments on some of the books I review on StoryGraph, which I use more than Goodreads.
    I’ve never really thought about specific prompts for specific days as a draw for reading a blog. I know incorporating something like that might make it easier for me as far as posting content, but I’m still kind of iffy on what I want to accomplish with a blog.

    Liked by 1 person

    • April, if a Walmart is convenient and has what you need then go for it. For me, the drama of getting to one is rarely worth it.

      I’d forgotten about StoryGraph. I’ve never been there.

      The reason I mentioned these bloggers is that they’ve found a creative way to prompt themselves to show up to their blogs. I admire the ingenuity of it. Maybe you’ll find a way to make one day of the week yours, do sometime idiosyncratic that intrigues your followers.

      Thanks for stopping by to read and comment.

      Liked by 1 person

  19. We have just about every store under the sun within two miles of our house. Andy does most of the shopping these days, although I’m the one who tells him which stores to avoid (currently Walmart & Target, which we never went to for groceries anyway). For produce, he hits the Farmer’s Market on Saturday (or I go on Tuesday). Meat, cheese, dairy, and staples come from Costco. Asian noodles, bean threads, sauces, etc. come from H-Mart. Anything else comes from Kroger (Ralph’s). I avoid book reviews mostly because I am very critical and my book club tells me I ruin everything. I don’t need any extra hate, LOL.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Autumn, you’re fortunate to have as many grocery stores near you as you do. I’d love to have a good farmer’s market, but ours are a little, shall we say, lacking. I’ve been in a Ralph’s out in San Diego and my memory of it is that it was nice.

      Got a chuckle out of your book club’s assessment of your book reviews. It’s possible that what they call ‘critical’ could be ‘truthful.’ Just saying…

      Liked by 1 person

  20. I actually shop several places, based on which have the best deals on certain items. They’re all pretty close, so it’s not much of a gas-waster, but Aldi get the most visits in general. Close, convenient, cheap. The three C’s!

    In general, AB, I just appreciate that you do you without apology! Get down with your good, snarky self! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ilsa, I like your three C’s approach to grocery store analysis. I admit I factor in the cost of gas when I contemplate where to shop.

      Thanks for the compliment. I am good with snark, it comes naturally. I shall not apologize for being it as it is a kind of truthfulness. 😜

      Liked by 1 person

      • Yes, on truthfulness. I recently had to respond to someone. I asked Hubby if I was too harsh. He said, “You were honest.” (I had to let her know her product did not work for me.) Anyhow, I have discovered that with age, comes the ability to care less what other people think–not to be confused with a lack of concern for their feelings, of course. No one should be an a-hole. But in a, “this is me; take it or leave it” sort of way, in which I find there is a lot of freedom. I feel you are sympatico in this. 🙂

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  21. Oh what a shame, as an artist who had no idea you posted photos on IG, I’d love to see them ocasionally posted here 😕…oh well I don’t do IG, so I guess I’ll never see em huh.

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  22. The grocery stores in our town sit on the typical ladder where the more you’re willing to spend, the better the experience. You have “The Fresh Market” at the top (boutique, like Sprouts), Publix, Kroger, and several others in the middle, and WalMart at the bottom. But better experience doesn’t necessarily mean better products. To be totally frugal we’d buy “middle aisle” stuff at WalMart, fresh foods at one of the mid-list stores, and unique brands at The Fresh Market. But like you that’s a lot of driving, so 95% of the time it’s nearby Publix.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dave, I like your reasoning about where to shop and why. Your plan is sound. We shop at a variety of stores, but often more because we’ll be driving by them on our way to elsewhere— so while we’re nearby we stop in. Not as organized as you. I like Publix, but our nearest one is an hour away, so it’s a treat.

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  24. I order for pick up from the nearby Albertsons; it’s easy for someone who hates shopping. My personal shoppers are friendly and know me very well by now. I rarely post on Instagram and sometimes have overlap with the blog. As you say though, Instagram is just quick moments whereas my blog is much wordier! I like giving my opinion on books which I did on Typepad; I haven’t figured out how to do a sidebar on WP without messing up everything else.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Margaret, we did online order + pickup during the first year or so of the pandemic. It was an easy way to get groceries.

      I am sporadic on IG. I like it for what it is, but not drawn to it like I am blogging. I like your take that it’s a place for “quick moments” which explains my interest in being there at all.

      WP sidebars are goofy. I’ll say that. On Typepad it was intuitive, but on WP it’s some sort of chess game that I don’t understand. Once I got mine setup I have never changed it.

      Like

  25. Your list of Friday special blogs is great. I have not read any of them, so I have a list of bloggers new to me to read. I have a small grocery store closest to me that I go to when I need a few items. If I have a big list, I can’t find everything there. A family owned the local chain, but sold it to one of the majors, so I expect it to change. They have their fancy store a little further away, but that one will probably change too. Then I have Safeway, Fry’s and Sprouts to choose from.

    Like

  26. Trader Joe’s – much cheaper, produce fresher, nicer folks. Writing a review is a huge kindness for a writer – you only have to say what the reader can expect – you don’t have to praise or condemn. I too was an English grad – UC Berkeley. I guess I enjoyed analyzing literature and still can’t get enough.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jan, I like TJ’s but driving to one, then hoping there’ll be parking, is a huge production for us. I understand why writers like reviews, but I got enough of that in college. Like I said my motivation for being an English major was to go to England. Perhaps not the noblest of reasons, but an honest one.

      Liked by 1 person

      • I decided to become an English major when my prof of Chaucer invited all of us to a wine and cheese party where we read The Wife of Bath aloud. I thought all Eng prof’s were wacky and for the most part, I was right! When I first started blogging, all of my blogger friends were writers and we took turns interviewing each other and writing reviews. It’s definitely a different world now.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Great story. So believable. I had an English prof who made mead. Invited everyone to his house for a party to taste his [awful] mead. Of course no one turned down a glass, but yuck!

          Interesting about knowing writers early on. When I first started blogging everyone was working in offices and we kept each other entertained with snarky snippets from our days. I got to know some great people back then, people who are long gone from blogland now.

          Like

  27. We don’t have a Walmart near us, although interestingly we have one of their corporate offices in our city. I usually use Safeway. I like the people and the prices are usually reasonable. We sometimes go to Costco. I am afraid I got in the habit of ordering my groceries online and then going to pick them up. I can get some money with Rakutan back that way. Happy Tuesday friend.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janet, you have Walmart corporate offices but no Walmart nearby! That’s peculiar, but sure… why not? I know of Safeway but haven’t been in one that I remember. We ordered groceries online for most of 2020 but are back in the habit of shopping in person again. Interesting about the money back. Sounds sensible.

      Liked by 1 person

  28. I’ve been assiduously avoiding Walmart for decades. I believe in putting my dollars where my conscience and my ethics lie as much as possible.

    I’m lucky, however, that I don’t live in a food desert and can make that choice. Some people are not so lucky.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nance, I’m not big on Walmart beyond the fact that it is nowhere near where I live. The only thing I buy there is a multiple vitamin that I can only find in there.

      Yes, some people have to shop at Walmart and for them it’s a blessing. Life can be unfair.

      Like

  29. I love this, about your IG:
    …”my stated tagline, my thesis statement so to speak: Life is in the details. Here’s what I spy with my bifocaled eye. Patterns. Colors. Words.”
    I think that’s so smart. Helps with content focus, big-time.
    And yes! I’m raising my hand! No, not about grocery shopping (which I hate…Costco’s my default choice, if they don’t have it, we’re probably not eating it).
    I’ve got something else on my mind. Maybe you answered this somewhere along the way, but WHY exactly is teal your favorite color? 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    • Vicki, I started on IG before Zuckerberg bought it and the people I followed had specific taglines for their accounts. I went with the flow and created my own. It’s been a good way for me to know what I’m doing there.

      Why is teal my favorite color? Welp, it looks pretty to me. And I look good wearing it. And it easily blends with most other colors. There’s no one memorable moment that sparked my love it. I just like it. 🤷‍♀️

      Liked by 1 person

  30. Gosh, Ally. . .
    I hate shopping at Walmart although they have everything I need. It’s waaaay too big! We live in suburbia but I could walk to Aldi; however, I would shop for more than I could carry. (Don’t talk to me about a cart please.)

    More people find me on Facebook than on Instagram, so I’ve been neglecting it. I guess I ought to check “me” out.

    This was a blast–thank you!

    Like

    • Marian, I agree that Walmart is too large. It overwhelms me to the point where I want to run out the door and forget shopping. I take your point about no cart, but I bet you’d look cute dragging one behind you.

      I’m not on FB and barely on IG. I like it but have little of value to add there. Thanks for stopping by to read and comment.

      Liked by 1 person

  31. Pingback: Ally Bean’s Questions | pensitivity101

  33. Oh, wow! I wasn’t expecting to see a shout out to me. Thank you!

    I have written book reviews in the past, but haven’t done so in ages. I don’t read book reviews unless I’m really on the fence about a book, and the reviews are usually spectacularly unhelpful. Many reviewers don’t seem to know the difference between a review and a synopsis.

    We tend to do two “bigger” buys from Kroger each month. Anything we need in between, we pick up from Publix. Publix is closer, smaller, and less chaotic.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda, I like your Friday posts so of course I had to mention them here.

      Excellent point about how “spectacularly unhelpful” reviews can be. Made me smile, in fact.

      I wish we had a Publix closer to us. I like them but our nearest one is an hour away. We usually shop at Kroger or Meijer which is a regional Walmart-like store. Obviously we find food without dealing with Walmart.

      Liked by 1 person

  34. Thanks for mentioning Happy Things Friday. It is such a fun way to end the week. I was actually going to skip it this week and post about my time with blog friend Birchie…and that was making me sad because I just love writing about Happy Things each week.

    So when I saw you link to my series I took that as a clear sign from the universe that I need to do a Happy Things Friday post this week, too. 🙂

    I mostly shop at the local stores in my town. Things are slightly more expensive, but it’s not nearly as overwhelming and I can be there in less than 5 minutes (with limited crowding). I go to Walmart a few times a month, mostly when my kids are in a neighbouring town for an evening activity.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Elisabeth, I enjoy heading into the weekend after reading all the Friday blog posts. I realize that I don’t always comment but I do read what everyone writes. It is cool that y’all have come up with your own spins on Friday posting.

      I like your approach to grocery shopping. I know that when I lived in smaller towns I shopped at family-owned groceries, but that’s not how it is in the big city. Not complaining, just aware of how it is.

      Like

  35. Wow, you have a LOT of grocery store options! I would choose one of the closer ones, too, for sure.

    Your reasoning for avoiding book reviews is solid. I like book reviews and write them occasionally, but I have a hard time publishing them. Perhaps it is a worry that I’ve completely misunderstood the point? Or that I’ve over- or under-analyzed it? Or that the author is going to stumble on my review and become incensed/depressed???

    Like

    • Suzanne, the friend who asked me the question about Walmart lives in a small town and was sincerely curious. I am pragmatic so for me going to a closer store is a win.

      When I was in undergrad I worried about misunderstanding the book, hence writing the book reviews was problematic. I’m smiling about your worry that an author might become depressed by your review. I’d not thought of that, but I feel that way too.

      Liked by 1 person

  36. Thank you very much for the shout-out, Ally! Much appreciated. 😊

    I primarily shop at the markets or Nature’s Fare (kind of like Whole Foods) but there’s also a favourite grocery store, too. I never go to Walmart because it’s dark, dingy, smelly and usually busy (but with the boycott I understand that it’s now dark, dingy, smelly and empty – of people).

    I’m not on IG any more. I used to be for work reasons but unhooked myself the moment I retired!

    In uni I was a double major English Lit and history for my undergraduate and I enjoyed the history but the lit … not so much. Like you, I had to write critical reviews and I hated that. No matter what I wrote, the prof(s) were dismissive and condescending. It was all very subjective and I came away feeling that the classes were silly and did zero for my critical thinking skills. I wound up doing the reading for my own edification and ignoring what was happening in the classes or what the profs wrote on my papers. Ugh. So nope, no book reviews for me. I’ve posted a couple for blog friends (not written by me) but won’t go further than that.

    I do look forward to bloggers who have their own particular prompts and follow several who do that. One of them is quite science heavy and gives my brain a good work-out!

    Question for you: you took August off but before that you seemed to be struggling a bit with topics for your blog or blogging in general. I’m beginning to feel a bit that way myself and wonder how you’re feeling now that you have been away for a bit?

    A very enjoyable post, Ally. Thank you.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Lynette, I’m not familiar with Nature’s Fare but I like the name. You’re right, some Walmarts are dark and dirty and icky, while others are bright and shiny. It doesn’t seem to have to do with how new they are, though. Location and customers probably influence how tidy one is.

      You understand and have experienced my reason for not writing book reviews post-college. The profs made me feel like I was a shallow fool incapable of deep thought, said deep thought being their take on the books. I learned more about critical thinking in my poli sci classes that were my minor.

      I like the creativity that goes into making your own prompt that you do regularly. I also enjoy ending my week knowing I’ll be reading a specific group of people who do their own thing. I may not always comment on everything they post, but I check in.

      Good question. The thing was that I was feeling scattered in my thinking about what to write about next. I had many ideas and half-started posts, but was unfocused. Taking time off from blogging allowed me to get my ideas organized, lined up ready to go. I didn’t write a bunch of posts ahead, just got my head on straight about what [and who] mattered to me. Planning how I’ll be flying by the seat of my pants, if that makes sense.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Nature’s Fare is a Whole Foods-like chain here in British Columbia.

        Thank you very much for sharing how you were feeling/thinking about your blog. I have been posting every day for five years and before I retired I loved the outlet from work. Now I feel a bit like the well is dry so I may take month off as well. I’ll see. Cheers.

        Liked by 1 person

  37. I shop at Cub and a little bit at Whole Foods Market. I’ve never liked grocery shopping at Target. They don’t have the room to do food justice. Plus, all their produce is wrapped in plastic, which drives me crazy. Not sure about Walmart – I go to one of those about every 2 years, and never for groceries.

    Liked by 1 person

    • The Travel Architect, we used to live in a city that had a Cub. I’d forgotten about that store. I’m with you about not shopping for food at Target. It never seems fresh. I only go to Walmart for a specific multiple vitamin brand that no other place carries. Walmart won’t be getting rich off of us!

      Liked by 1 person

  38. Pingback: Do Tell! Answering Your “Why Do I” Questions + A List Of Fun Friday Bloggers – Stine Writing

  40. I have only been in one Walmart and that was in Northern Michigan. We got to our destination too late in the day for sightseeing, so we went to Walmart for a look-see. I only shop at Meijer, although I’ve shopped at Kroger in the past as they have items Meijer doesn’t carry … back in the day it was Honeycrisp apples.

    I am on Instagram but don’t post photos there. I joined as a fellow blogger asked me to follow her since she was getting out on walks with her camera and started enjoying doing that more than blogging where she appears on WP very sporadically now.

    I’m on Goodreads, but I never post reviews there or on Amazon (as to books). I occasionally look at the reviews when I finish a book to see if I agree with the reviews. I was a literature minor in college and read so many books over and over again, supposedly great novels, then writing book reports about them was a drag. After graduating from school, I told myself I would only read books for pleasure going forward and if I really didn’t like a book, I would not finish it … I had too much of that in school.

    I like Wordless Wednesday and have been doing it now continuously for five years. I don’t think of it as a prompt to be honest. I used to do something called Tuesday Musings and Friday Frivolity, not something that was a challenge or prompt but I did it if I had funny stories to share from my walks. Since I don’t want to post more than twice a week, I abandoned doing that. I do like to see the Friday prompts posts – lots of things are good about Fridays, even if they don’t matter as much now to me since I’ve retired.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda, Walmarts are everywhere it would seem. I don’t love them but do shop in one for one item, some petite multiple vitamins. I’m in and out when I go.

      Are you talking about Robin the blogger now mainly on IG? I follow her. Many, many former bloggers go to Insta where I still get to stay in contact.

      You and I came to the same conclusion about reading for pleasure after college. I did what I had to in college to earn my degree, but now I read what I want when I want without worrying about writing a book review.

      I know you rock Wordless Wednesday. There are many weekly challenges around so it comes down to personal choice. I like the Friday bloggers I listed because they have all made Friday their day. It is cool beans. Something I look forward to as I head into the weekend.

      Liked by 1 person

      • No Ally, this is a young UK blogger named Ellie. During COVID, she was a teacher or teacher’s assistant, I don’t recall now and due to the initial lockdown, she began walking and taking photos. I didn’t know Robin was on IG – I follow her on WP and really like her photos. I follow some interesting history sites there. Now, I am NOT a big history buff at all, but these are pictures with a small story attached (historyphotographed) and I follow several nature photographers and animal rehab sites. IThis site is beautiful if you like birds (thechirpcorner). One site I follow is very funny. A husband and wife quit their jobs, bought a place in the country and they have animals as pets. They both work, but not high-powered jobs like before. The videos are a bit quirky about life on the farm. They have adopted a lot of animals, both inside pets and outside pets. (The Little Cabin That Could)

        It is a breath of fresh air to step away from the news with these nature sites.

        I have put down several books because I just can’t get into them. I hated books that I resorted to CliffsNotes to get through, let alone write about them and always with the symbolism, always dark themes.

        I have fun with Wordless Wednesday and sometimes it is good to just showcase my leftover pics that are funny and would get lost in a long, picture-laden post.

        Liked by 1 person

        • I found Robin first on IG then found out she had a blog. She’s not doing Walktober this year and handed it off to Dawn. [I think I got this right.]

          The Little Cabin That Could sounds cute. I follow a few history accounts but couldn’t tell you their names.

          I’ve begun a Did Not Finish list for TV shows, ones that were recommended but I couldn’t get into to. Maybe a gift of aging is that you know sooner when to give up and move on!

          Liked by 1 person

          • Barbara Rodgers did a post on Walktober maybe three or four years ago – I had never heard of Walktober before that. I began following Dawn the first year that Robin didn’t do Walktober, then learned Dawn is also from Michigan, but not near me.

            The animal lover in me watches several sites, but then IG starts jamming other animal sites into my feed, so I give myself a time limit to spend on IG or I would be going down a nature rabbit hole and not emerge for hours. Twitter/X used to do that too – you like one post and a flood of similar posts come your way. No thank you.

            I don’t have TV, but I stream shows/movies on Amazon mostly, but I have the Peacock channel that comes free with my ISP since I’m a Diamond customer (25 years or longer). “The Paper” is about a newspaper room/staff and a spinoff from “The Office” and was hyped up on social media so I thought I’d try it having worked on the college newspaper for two years. I could NOT get into it. I watched the second 1/2 hour show thinking it was just the pilot, but not for me. And yes, there are benefits to aging – we have more discriminating tastes.

            Liked by 1 person

            • Yep, I hear ‘ya. I like flowers and interior design so Insta’s algorithm sends me endless accounts that feature flowers and interior design. Enough already!

              Agree with your last sentence wholeheartedly. 😊

              Liked by 1 person

  41. I have been writing book reviews regularly for the past three years. I primarily read MG stories (the genre I’m dabbling with), books from indie authors, and anything that strikes my fancy at the time. I have taken part in the Goodreads challenge during that time. I’m a sucker for setting goals for myself.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Pete, I know some bloggers do book reviews either on their blogs or elsewhere. That’s how the question about why I don’t came about. I read a variety of genres, but never MG stories—although I’ve read some books that I think might have been called YA. I know there are many, many book reading challenges out there. Go for it!

      Liked by 1 person

  42. Oh Walmart. I hate Walmart, have always hated Walmart, and thankfully do not have to shop there. (Also, it’s not convenient, like for you.) My mom hated Walmart, but she went there for the pharmacy, because she could save a lot of money on her prescriptions, and she couldn’t afford to get them any other way. So, like you, I give grace to those who shop there. I just don’t have to join them right now. Never say never.

    I do write book reviews, though they are not in depth and are nothing like one would write in college. I don’t want to give anything away in case people want to read them, so I only do a glimpse and then, “I liked it!” Or “Meh”.

    I rarely post on Instagram, and I rarely remember to go look there. If I did post, it would probably be something I put on my blog as well. My blog gets all. I like your thoughts on it, though.

    Thanks for linking to my blog. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • J, well said: I give grace to those who shop there. I do know that Walmarts vary in size and the type of customers who shop there. Some are swankier than other ones. Ours is somewhere in-between.

      I like your approach to writing book reviews. You raise a good point about how any book review on a blog needn’t be as extensive as those ones I wrote in college. I do mention books that I read when I like one, but that’s a far stretch from the college ones.

      Happy to include you. I enjoy your Friday blog posts, the format is great.

      Like

  43. Walmart in our area is — and I can’t stress this enough — the devil. I’ve had countless sketchy run ins there and at the risk of sounding dramatic I don’t feel very safe. That could have something to do with the handful of people who’ve been abducted/nearly abducted from the parking lot, but also the amount of GUNS!!! paraphernalia people sport in there makes me nervous. I’m lucky that there are four grocery stores as close to our house as the nearest Walmart so it worked out in my favor.

    Thank you so much for including me in your Friday bloggers list! I’m truly honored, and now I have a bunch of blogs to check out. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Laura, I’ve heard similar stories about someone not feeling safe in or near a Walmart. Certainly there are enough TikToks/Reels showing oddly-dressed people shopping in Walmart to give me pause. I’m glad you don’t have to shop in one.

      Happy to include you on the list. I adore your approach to how you write your blog posts on Friday. You are clever.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Honestly I recognize that it’s a privilege. I shopped there for years when we were younger — financially it met our budget while I was a stay at home mom, but Walmart in a super conservative area can be a lot. I was grateful when I was able to switch to a grocery store.

        Liked by 1 person

        • I get why you shopped there. I’m sure I’d have done the same thing. We’ve never lived near enough to one to make shopping there sensible. Also we live in the land of Kroger. There’s one everywhere so popping into them is easy to do without driving out of your way.

          Liked by 1 person

  44. I shop for groceries at QFC. It’s close to my house.

    I don’t do Instagram.

    I really appreciate the reviews anyone writes about one of my books: Tiger Tail Soup and When in Vanuatu. And I do write reviews for other people, but not as often as I should. It’s hard to write a good book review, and it takes time and effort.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nicki, I’ve heard of QFC, but don’t think I’ve been in one. Close by is good.

      I agree that writing a good book review takes effort and focus. That’s one thing I remember about writing them in college. I wouldn’t want to do one half-assed and accidentally disparage an author, so I don’t write them.

      Like

    • Awakening Wonders, enjoy finding some new bloggers. I enjoy sharing who I know with everyone. I’ve been in a H-E-B when I was on vacation in Texas. Big store, the one I was in.

      Your reason for not wiring book review makes sense to me. Know your goal, know your role!

      Like

  46. Totally makes sense why you wouldn’t go to Walmart. come to think of it, it’s probably about the same drive for me and I have many of the same options available to me so even though we are in different parts of the country, I don’t go to Walmart for the same reason!

    You have me thinking about taglines – love your use of them to define purpose. Hmm…brilliant as usual, Ally!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Wynne, I’m not totally surprised we have the same shopping options in our large cities even though we live across the country from each other. Aside from Meijer that is a regional Walmart-like store, the places I drive by an d go to are national.

      Early on in blogging I started taking my tagline seriously. A mentor who was a marketer impressed the importance of them on me.

      Liked by 1 person

  47. Pingback: Reblog: Do Tell! Answering Your “Why Do I” Questions + A List Of Fun Friday Bloggers | In the Net! – Pictures and Stories of Life

  48. Where do you primarily shop for groceries?
    Places where I shop vary to keep things interesting and depending on my needs.

    Do you share the same photos in your blog as you put on Instagram? Why or why not?
    I don’t have Instagram.

    If you have a blog do you write book reviews? If you’re on Goodreads do you put them there? On Amazon? Other?
    I have written book reviews sometimes on my blog. But not often as I used to. I have left them on Amazon too if I have bought the book from there.

    Do you, like me, look forward to posts from bloggers who write using a self-created prompt on a specific day of the week?
    I look forward to posts from other. But it can be anything on specifically just prompt type posts. If it catches my eye,I will read.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Liz, we shop the same way going to many different grocery stores depending on what we want to make.

      Writing book reviews then sharing on your blog seems to be the most popular thing to do. Doing some on Amazon seems exciting to me.

      Good point about how in the end you, we, read what catches our eye. I suppose it’s how these Friday bloggers created their own prompts that caught my eye.

      Liked by 1 person

  49. We shop for groceries primarily at Harris Teeter (who can resist the senior discount on Thursdays?) and Trader Joe’s, occaisionally at Wegmans (best cod loin) or Whole Foods (best pot roast).
    I didn’t know you had an Instagram account. I don’t have one, and don’t have the bandwith to maintain multiple sites, so I put everything, words and pictures, in one place.
    Although I enjoy reading, I have poor reading comprehension and so wouldn’t dare to write a book review!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Barbara, I adore Harris Teeter. On our travels I’ve been in a few and they were great. My aunt lived in MA and I remember going to a Wegman’s with her. It was classier than our midwest grocery stores.

      If I was active on a daily basis on Instagram I’d be overwhelmed. But I do it sporadically so I am pleased to be in both places.

      Smiling about your awareness about why you wouldn’t write book review. Reading for fun is all that matters.

      Liked by 1 person

  50. It’s so lovely to see so many of my friends linked here! And there are some that I don’t know. I’ll check those out – thanks Ally!
    Now for your questions:
    Where do you primarily shop for groceries? Real Canadian Superstore, and also Costco

    Do you share the same photos in your blog as you put on Instagram? Why or why not? I don’t share photos of my family on my blog but I do on IG. Otherwise, there is a lot of overlap, especially books.

    If you have a blog do you write book reviews? If you’re on Goodreads do you put them there? On Amazon? Other? I write book reviews on my blog and on IG but never GR. I hate GR. It’s SO MEAN. Also every book that I love gets totally panned on GR, and books that I think are not great get five stars.

    Do you, like me, look forward to posts from bloggers who write using a self-created prompt on a specific day of the week? I do!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nicole, I’m happy to introduce bloggers to new bloggers. This group makes my Fridays more interesting.

      I don’t know about the Real Canadian Superstore, but then again— why would I?

      You have a good approach to how you do your photos. It’s not like there is one right way, there are just ways that work for a person.

      Gee, Nicole, what do you really think about Goodreads?!! I’m not there, but once upon a time I was and discovered the same thing that you did. I liked books that others didn’t and vice versa. This is fine, but don’t bully me about it.

      Yay to looking forward to what bloggy friends do on the regular. It makes life joyful.

      Like

  51. Backwards answers (just because). I do a Fencepostfriday blog a few times a year. Usually, when I find a fence post looking exceptionally interesting. I often post the same pictures on both platforms, but only the blog gets the inside track. My book posts often tie in with an issue or a theme but I don’t do book reviews per se. As to shopping I am as local as I can be. My garden, my freezer, my cold storage room, “farmgate” my meat and shop Canadian at my local Coop.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Bernie, I love the idea of a fencepostfriday post. That’s fun and idiosyncratic. I’ll look for it. I know many people duplicate their photos on their blogs and on IG— which is how the question of why I don’t came up. I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer.

      I talk about books on my blog in the same way as you. [See my last post 😉] If I mention a book there’s a tie in to something else, something more than a review of the book.

      You have the ability to sustain yourself and not shop at grocery stores like we do. I know living where you are lends itself to this. I wish there was at least a co-op around here but there isn’t, thus to the big box grocery stores we go.

      Like

      • I have been pulling myself away from Instagram as I used to post a lot there. I now have a strike time limit of 10 mins a day and no reels. I do seasonal photos now, and travel ones as friends always ask for those.
        I haven’t bought a can of tomatoes in 40+ years nor a jar of spaghetti sauce. I am happy to do the work to eat less processed and more created by hand. I know it doesn’t appeal to everyone, but it’s important to me. I’ve also been baking bread for that long. These things become good dietary options until it comes to the cookies I make for Mr. Tall and Skinny.

        Liked by 1 person

        • I don’t like reels, never make them. I preferred Insta when it was static square photos. I could scroll through those and lose myself in other people’s lives. That I liked, but now it’s almost too much more of the same.

          40+ years of home canning and bread baking. Impressive. My parents were into canning some things, like mayonnaise and jams, but no sauces. I made bread from scratch when we were first married but that went by the wayside along the way. Cookies are a good dietary option! Keep on baking them.

          Like

  52. For convenience, I shop online at Walmart—and I hate that I do. I hate giving money to that corporation. The other day I saw a video of their stockroom showing how they leave so much perishable food out, and my husband said that should be our sign. I think we’ll switch to Aldi. We’ve loved Aldi for years, but I don’t love the Aldi experience. Our stores here are always so busy.

    I don’t share much on Instagram—I’m not really a social media person anymore.

    I don’t write book reviews either, but I do check off the books I read on Goodreads. It feels like a nice way to keep track.

    I love that you follow bloggers who post on Fridays! I can’t wait to read your friend’s posts. 💜

    Liked by 1 person

    • Kari, I think we all shop online in ways that serve us. I know that I dislike buying anything from Amazon but sometimes it’s the only way to get what I need so I give myself some grace about it.

      Inside an Aldi there’s not much ambiance, I agree, but for me the problem with Aldi is awkward parking lot that tries my patience. I feel like I’m risking life and limb to get in and out of the place.

      I’m becoming less of a social media person every day. I do show up on IG once in a while. I like how you use Goodreads. I keep a list of what I’ve read on a piece of paper, nothing as formal as Goodreads.

      Enjoy the Friday bloggers. They are clever and authentic.

      Liked by 1 person

  53. If I need anything more than milk or such, I always shop at my nearest HEB. The chain began in Texas, expanded in Texas, and features a lot of things (warm butter tortillas ready to purchase and eat in the car on the way home!) that Texans love. Their Central Markets are what I imagine to be analogs to Trader Joes, although I’ve never been inside a TJ’s, so I can’t really say.

    I don’t do boring well, so I don’t write or read book reviews. I’ll sometimes refer to specific books, and occasionally offer what I hope are tantalizing quotations that might entice other readers to give them a try, but that’s it.

    I had no idea you post photos, too. I’m not on Instagram, so I miss out on a few things.

    As for prompt or challenge inspired posts, I mostly pass them by unless I know the person posting them. There’s nothing wrong with them, but some of them give off a scent of “I met Whomever’s choice of topic” rather than “This is what intrigues me.” I prefer those that clearly reflect the interests of the blogger. Thinking about it, I realize that context is what makes the difference. If a “Wordless Wednesday” etc. post is offered by someone who also posts other interesting content, I’ll always take a look.

    Like

    • Linda, when traveling in TX I’ve been in H-E-B and remember it was large. We have a Trader Joe’s here but getting to it makes my trek to Walmart look easy. Meaning I go there maybe once every 2 years.

      Like you, I mention books in some of my blog posts, but in passing while I’m talking about something else. I read, just don’t feel the need to review. You understand.

      The Friday bloggers on the list do exactly what you say: they share “This is what intrigues me” within the confines of their own self-created prompts that they happen to post on Fridays.

      Good point about Wordless Wednesday. I look at those posts if I know the blogger does other things, too. I don’t think I follow anyone who only does the Wednesday thing. 🤔

      Liked by 1 person

  54. Where do you primarily shop for groceries?

    In a big store with bright lights, numbered aisles, and food.

    Do you share the same photos in your blog as you put on Instagram? Why or why not?

    About 75% of the time, yes. Like you, I have different audiences with a little bit of overlap. For those who follow me both places, I’ll occasionally post different pics on each platform. I like to think of them as bonus content or deleted scenes.

    If you have a blog do you write book reviews? If you’re on Goodreads do you put them there? On Amazon? Other?

    I write short book reviews on Goodreads but refuse to do a full plot recap like most people. And not every book; maybe one out of three, as the mood strikes.

    Do you, like me, look forward to posts from bloggers who write using a self-created prompt on a specific day of the week?

    I actually do (and some of them you mentioned above). I’ve toyed with the idea myself, but haven’t ever committed to it. Maybe one of these days.

    Any more questions you’d like to ask me?

    Yes: what should my self-created prompt be? And which day of the week should I choose? I could really use some inspiration here!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Mark, I like your generic description of where you shop. When you get down to it don’t we all go to that store?

      Bonus content or deleted scenes is a wonderful way to think about how you post photos to both places.

      Your approach to book reviews is sane. I’m not on Goodreads now but I remember that when I was how a few people posted the longest ding dang reviews. 🙄

      Years ago I tried to develop a following for a self-created prompt: Three Things Thursday. About 4 people cared for it, but the spambots loved it. I gave up.

      You could do a Wonderful [or Weird or Wacky] Wisconsin Wednesday dealio. Or a Tipsy Tuesday wherein you share how to make all the great cocktails you drink. 🤷‍♀️

      Liked by 1 person

  55. Pingback: Questions! – The Bag Lady

  56. I do not like Walmart, and also, nothing political either. Honestly, I don’t fall for cancel culture when it comes to my shopping, listening, or whatever.I just don’t like Walmart. I shop at Publix, Target, and Costco for most everything.

    Love your questions and answers.

    What will you do with your one little spark of madness today? This is a brilliant question, but I have too many goals today to pick one thing. Madness, I tell ya!

    I love reading/audiobooking books, but I’m not great at critiquing. Is that the same as reviewing? I can say if I liked it or not. I’m not an English major, nor a perfect writer, so I wouldn’t feel right putting down someone’s writing, or even praising it, because perhaps that was just my silly self, and what do I know? Does that make sense to you? I occasionally share books I’ve read on my blog, but I don’t delve too deep into the writing part.
    I write short reviews on Goodreads, but I keep them private so I can revisit them later and see if I truly enjoyed a book before recommending it to a friend.

    On occasion, I will share the same pic on Instagram as on my blog, but not usually. It becomes too repetitive.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Suz, ditto about cancel culture. I realize the person who asked me about Walmart may be influenced by it, but I’m not.

      Your take on leaving a review, or not leaving a review, makes total sense to me. I wouldn’t want to cause any author dismay about what I thought/said, so along with not liking to write them, I don’t do them.

      I didn’t know you could be private on Goodreads. I feel the same way about not sharing photos on both the blog and IG. I don’t want to be repetitive.

      Liked by 1 person

  57. Primarily buy groceries at City Market (a Krogers chain) and at Natural Grocers. Never Walmart.

    I only do book reviews on my author site blog (separate from Myricopia). I should copy them to Goodreads, but never do. They don’t get many reads, but I may work on that. I try to do two a month, but rarely succeed!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Eilene, I’ve heard of City Market. Our Kroger grocery bags have a list of all the Kroger-owned store names. Now I know where City Market is.

      Your goal for reading and writing book reviews seems like a good one. I know that there are about as many people who love Goodreads as there are people who hate it. Wonder how your reviews will be received there. 🤔

      Liked by 1 person

  58. I was also an english major, so I know what you mean. It was so hard to write papers on the books I read, not because I didn’t have an opinion on them, but because I knew I had to make sure my professor agreed with my opinion. Or, if he or she didn’t, that I could back up my opinion with enough direct quotes and logic that they had to give me a decent grade. It took me years after college to relearn how to simply read a book for the fun of it, and not be automatically looking for something to write about as I read.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ann, yes, yes! You explained the problem. I was wise enough to know that I needed to write a review that’d get me a good grade from a cantankerous prof, so writing reviews was stressful. I, too, went through a phase after college when I had to train myself to just enjoy what I was reading. It was a good major, but it warped me for a while.

      Liked by 1 person

  59. Pingback: Happy Things Friday: 19 September - The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

  60. Pingback: Friday Randomness | Thinking About...

  63. This is a fun post format. I might have to “save it” for NaBloPoMo this year (if I am actually going to be able to do it after the year I had. My blogging has taken such a nose-dive this year. )

    Liked by 1 person

  64. Ally, I completely get why you don’t shop at Wal-Mart. I drive to the other side of town for my chiropractor regularly, but not often for anything else, because it requires getting on the highway and weaving my way through as much traffic as my own side of town. I have a Wal-Mart that is a stone’s throw from me, but I rarely shop there for groceries or other things – maybe if I need a cucumber or toiletry and it can’t wait. I shop at Free Market (it’s like a local, cheaper, much smaller Whole Foods), Pick ‘n’ Save (they have really good organic produce), and Woodman’s, which is a very large grocery store (not quite as large as Jungle Jim’s) with three aisles and more of organic and healthier foods.

    Since you follow me both here and on IG, you know that what’s on IG (and also Facebook) isn’t necessarily what I blog about. I tend to post garden/cat/other photos on IG and FB when I don’t have time to write about them on WP.

    I do not write book reviews. I would rather read said books and share them with friends.

    Questions: 1) Why do we need a winter? 2) Why do foods that are bad for us taste so good? 3) Why are dogs and cats so insistent that they are starving 30 minutes after they have eaten? 4) Why do people prefer to be mean rather than nice? 5) What is the meaning of life?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Mary, I figure that the cost of gas involved in driving to our Walmart is about as much as I’d save when I was there. I like knowing that you have alternative options to Walmart where you live. Jungle Jim’s is an experience, isn’t it?

      Yes, I realize you tend to separate what you post elsewhere from what you talk about on your blog. It’s not like there is a right or wrong way to do any of this blog/social media stuff… as long as you’re truthful and kind. 🙄

      Answering your questions:

      1) Winter is here so we can stay inside and read more books.

      2) The tasty foods are here to keep us hopeful that someday science will find a way to make them good for us.

      3) Dogs & cats know people are often distracted. They realize that it’s possible their human will have forgotten that they fed said dog or cat. So, they reason, why not give the ‘I’m starving’ routine a good old college try.

      4) People can be lazy and mean is easier than nice.

      5) 42

      Liked by 1 person

      • I loved Jungle Jim’s and actually bought a birdsnest fern there when my friend and I were biking Ohio. I still have it, it loves it here.

        Excellent responses to my questions. I bought another book yesterday! Scientists, please make sugar and desserts healthy for us. I forgot about Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Watched the movie many years ago, but I have forgotten most of it. May need to go back to it or get the book, because winter…

        Liked by 1 person

        • I’ve yet to find anyone who didn’t/doesn’t like Jungle Jim’s. It’s unique and fun. Happy to know your fern is thriving.

          Great questions are easy to answer. You ask good ones, plus I know you have a sense of humor so I can just say whatever.

          I read the Douglas Adams books years ago, too. Wonder if they’d be as funny today as they were back then? 🤔

          Liked by 1 person

  65. I shop at the closest grocery, Publix. I am a creature of habit & know how to zig and zag through the store efficiently. Although I like having a change of pace from time to time, when I (need to)/(get to) go to a different store for groceries, I feel the lag in my step, because I have to think about which aisles hold which products. Not efficient. I would never write a book review. My English Lit and Philosophy trained daughter casually references themes and character arcs and literary devices when she discusses books. I can’t speak on her level and I wouldn’t embarrass myself by trying.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Gwen, I like Publix but our closest one is a hour drive away, so no. Like you I enjoy knowing where things are in a grocery and doing a zippy little dance through it. Thus Kroger usually wins.

      What you’re saying about how your daughter talks about books is exactly what I had to do when I was in college. I didn’t enjoy dissecting books like that and once I earned my degree I decided to forget it all— and just read for pleasure.

      Liked by 1 person

  67. I don’t want to shop at Walmart; since it’s out of my way, it’s easy for me to avoid. I have a routine whereby I go to my yoga class, then I either shop at Winn Dixie which is the supermarket in the same center as the yoga studio and/or I shop at the local Coop because it’s small and more-or-less independent and I’ve been shopping there for so long I’m on a first-name basis with the staff. I used to shop at Target, but when the store decided to dump its DEI policies, I decided to dump it and my Red Card. On occasion, I also shop for groceries at World Market. On rarer occasions, we shop at Trader Joe’s. My pet peeve with grocery shopping is that no one store will have every item I or my husband wants. One way around that is every other week, I get a three-meal Blue Apron shipment.

    I sometimes share the same photos on both my blog and IG. Most of the time when I post to IG, I’m on my phone so I’m not inclined to include much text, that is, much context for the photo. On my blog, I feel I can go a bit deeper.

    I do write book reviews, and I do post them on my blog and Amazon, Goodreads, LIbraryThing, etc. I do like to write about how much I enjoyed a book, and I do like to support independent writers. I try to write the kind of review that I like to read.

    I guess a few of the bloggers I follow do engage in some regular prompt-inspired writing, but right now I’m way behind on reading blogs so … while I may follow bloggers who fit that description, I don’t, say, open my laptop on a Friday for the purpose of reading those bloggers.

    I hope my comment(s) makes sense. I’ve been sitting here, on my warmish deck, for a couple of hours trying to catch up with some posts, and I’m losing steam … lol.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Marie, I like Winn Dixie but none are around here. I know what you mean about needing to shop at multiple stores in order to get all the ingredients you need. We do the same thing. I’ve never tried Blue Apron.

      Ditto about your reasoning for keeping IG and blog photos separate. I can barely type on my phone so I could never write enough on IG to make me happy.

      I understand what you’re saying about your relaxed approach to book reviews and about how you don’t look for bloggers on a specific day of the week.

      Your comments, as usual, make sense and remind me why I like hearing from you. You seem to get my vibe, which is a reassuring thing for me. Thanks for stopping by.

      Liked by 1 person

  68. Hi Ally Bean!
    In the last two years, we have come to really like certain things about our local Wal-Mart.
    (My Step-daughter and I were just chatting about it because she also liked her local wal-mart and used to always go to Publix) but we go to wal-mart because unlike your situation, we have them very close to us.
    Wal-Mart’s carry everything we need – grassmilk, monk fruit sweetener, and a lot of keto-friendly items, organic options, and they just started a product line called “better goods” and that product line includes “quinoa tortilla chips made in avocado oil” and they are a great alternative for those who want to avoid grains and industrial seed oils. Also, Wal-Mart has low prices on GT’s kombucha (rolled back the prices to $3.28 a bottle this summer compared to four or five dollars a bottle elsewhere). However, we do not buy our meats there – that is for Costco – and we “would” buy some of Aldi’s red meats but the Aldi near us never has meat in stock.
    —
    I enjoyed reading why you do not do book reviews. It actually made me feel less guilty for not doing more. And it has freed me up with feeling bad for not being on goodreads more – ha!
    The reason I started doing some book reviews this year is because I follow a lot of authors and really want to support their work – and sadly, I have books that I bought and read from blog friends years ago – and I never wrote the review. I think it is easy to procrastinate because I do not really like writing reviews.
    Also, like your first commenter noted in this post, I do struggle with writing reviews for books I cannot endorse. Most of the books have been great, but a few of them would be one star reviews and so I do what some bloggers do – and just do not post about them. I quietly move on my way. If the author follows up with me and asks for my review – I will write them privately and share my thoughts and see if they still want my review. That has not happened. Anyhow, I do not totally like doing book reviews – but this year I have made a commitment to follow up with doing some and I have about ten more to go. sigh
    –

    Liked by 1 person

    • Yvette, I didn’t know about Walmart’s “better goods” products. It’s great that you can find what you like to eat in there. The stores are huge so they’ve got the space to add more specialized food offerings. And their prices on everything can be less, so win-win for you.

      I’m happy that you understand my reason for not writing book reviews. I may mention a book in passing and say I liked it because of some character or plot line or location, but I don’t do a real review. It’s above my pay grade.

      You sound like you’ve gotten yourself into a bind with your 10 books yet to be reviewed. I like how you tell an author behind the scenes your 1 star opinion instead of tossing it out there, potentially hurting the book’s rating. If nothing else, my no book review policy has served me well, avoiding the interpersonal dynamics involved in reviewing a friend’s book.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Ally, I really think that Wal-mart has some good changes going on –
        And I am not burdened by the 10 books reviews I still have to do – because I am actually on a roll. I think I found a groove because I decided to do it my way – and I think when I kept procrastinating doing them was because I felt a heaviness with having to do the review too in-depth. And so even though I have been a little chatty in some of my blog posts with book reviews – it does not start out that way – I realize (like you said here and others have in the comments) it is more than okay to say I read the book and here is one takeaway – or more (I do not even have to say I recommend it). That low expectation helped me feel less pressure. If that makes sense.
        But then I find some books are calling me to write more than a review – for example, I just got a book called “Abandoned Pennsylvania” (for a whopping quarter from a liquidation store – haha) – and it led me to think about some photography bloggers and ways they can show their work.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Also, hearing that you earned a lit degree – and had the wonderful year abroad – made me smile because I think people that study the humanities end up bringing something special to the world – and it shows in your witty posts – where you share about life observations – funny sayings, little quizzes, and just your outlook in general
        A literature degree equips folks with so many transferable skills that extend far beyond book reviews (or traditional literary careers) and so maybe one of the things that keeps so many of us coming back to your blog posts relates to your lit background – and how that was part of the food that developed your ability to understand narrative, perspective, and human experience!
        ***
        Oh and a side note – I get really tired of bloggers who only share book reviews – it is just not my preferred reading – I like variety – and like your blog post here talked about – I do look forward to posts from bloggers who write have self-created prompts – or just share genuinely
        🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        • Thanks for the compliment about this blog. I agree that majoring in the humanities has helped me keep a mostly balanced perspective as I’ve gone through life. I know I view my world in a unique way, partly because of my innate personality/upbringing and partly because of the skills I learned while studying English Lit.

          People asked me: What are you going to do with that major? They often implied it was worthless.

          My answer: Live a good life, learning loads along the way. Of course rolling my eyes might have been part of my reply, too.

          Liked by 1 person

  69. Pingback: Prompt & Circumstance – Mark My Words

  70. Our Walmart is too far away, too crowded, too big with always changing locations of stuff, and with unpleasant employees who seem annoyed if you ask them where some product is (after you have toured the store 2 or 3 times trying to find something because you know from past trips how irritated the employees are if you inquire)
    I guess they don’t need the business -= and I don’t need to do business with not customers oriented businesses. Too many other places to shop.
    Book reviews are tricky. Awkward.
    Enjoyed the post. Thanks for the Friday list – a couple of bloggers I didn’t know. Always looking for fun!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Philmouse, your Walmart sounds like ours. If I get there, it is big, disorganized, and filled with grouchy employees. The interesting thing is that Meijer, a regional version of a Walmart-like store, is big, organized, and filled with pleasant employees. It can be done.

      Yes, book reviews are tricky. And I don’t have to do them so I don’t. It avoids any awkwardness.

      Liked by 1 person

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