What's been going on with me lately (aka why there are no new posts for over a week)!

It's been almost 1 full week since my last post,  and I feel like if I don't keep up with the posts my SEO will suffer.  In all reality though I don't think I would lose that many readers since most of my readers are first timers who stumble upon my blog while searching for reviews (thanks Google Analytics).  So, of course it would be much better for me to just chill and produce quality content instead of just fillers.  But I get anxious and feel the itch to blog.  So I guess that's what this outlet is for.  It seems like I have 7 readers somewhat consistently reading, so hello THE (as in Temporary Housewifey Extras) 7.  Hopefully you find this whole side project interesting enough to read!

So what has been going on with me?  Well my maternal grandmother is in the hospital in Tokyo, so I was away for 5 days to visit her.  It's always hard to find the appropriate response when people ask me how she is.  To be frank, she is not doing well at all.  But I always feel like I need to temper this news with a "well she's 94" as if her old age allows it to be somewhat acceptable that she's suffering in a hospital bed.  I mean at the end of life, it's not really about the quantity, its about the quality of life right?  But its hard to let go when she still seems alert and like herself (but she can't talk because she has a feeding tube, or breath without another tube).  Is this what end of life means?  Having your body function as long as possible?

Sorry to get all heavy on you there.  These are just things that have been clattering around in my head for awhile.  I still have class on Tuesday and Thursday nights, so I've been doing some work for that (P.S. If you're wondering if General Assembly is worth your money and time, I would say yes it is).  And then two days after coming back from Tokyo, I was flying out again.  This time it was to Vegas.  It's a bit of a trip going from a somber hospital bed in Tokyo one Saturday night to Omnia Nightclub in Caesar's Palace the next Saturday.  But the trip was really fun and I got to spend time with some amazing friends.  And then I had a great time with a close friend who was staying with us.  And then I had to take my dog to the vet (long story short, he's been "coned" but he's fine).

With all that going on along with jet lag and Las Vegas-not-sleeping-jet-lag, I've been out of sorts lately. And it's taking me awhile to get back to my regular routine (well as much of a routine as a temporary housewife has).  But hopefully next week I'll be back with new Everlane reviews (I'm finally going to finish the Everlane Fall 2015 Sweater Review), some other interesting posts, some new flat lays for Insta, and some exciting news on what's going on with the Temporary Housewifey next year (spoiler: We're planning to move!).

Did you get a Mansur Gavriel bag today?

I didn't.  I missed out this morning because I overslept due to a slightly injured and therefore fussy dog.  Ah well, there's always next time (and hopefully next time will mean a mini lady bag!!).  In the meantime, for those who did manage to swoop in and get one, here's my tips on how to protect and condition your bag: A guide on Mansur Gavriel leather conditioners and protectors.

Why I finally got Facebook for Temporary Housewifey

source

I never wanted to get Facebook for my blog.  But never say never, right?  Well to explain why I never wanted Facebook for Temporary Housewifey in the first place: As a blogger I won't really be able to compete in the platform with your friends/family and with advertisers paying the big bucks (whether it's a sponsored post or a boosted post).  Plus I don't really believe in Facebook (it's becoming an irrelevant platform).  But in the end I changed my mind because of: 1) Well first and foremost SEO (Facebook has a high PageRank, so any links I put on here will help increase the PageRank of my own site), and 2) Facebook is now kind of like how a website was back in the day, not always useful to have but everyone had one.  Right now I'm using FB more like a curation site where I'll repost some of my favorite blog posts, and once in awhile I'll throw in a link to my own blog posts.  But in digital marketing you should choose carefully what platforms to spend your time on, and I don't think Facebook is the one for me (along with Pinterest, though I am trying to keep up with my Instagram).

Why I'm not an "Aspirational" Blogger

source

But first, if you're looking for some aspirational bloggers, here's a list of my favorites:

Atlantic-Pacific
Could I have that
Damsel in Dior
eat.sleep.wear
Extra Petite
Five Five Fabulous
Lingered Upon
Sincerely Jules
Viva Luxury
WishWishWish

Most style and fashion blogs you see out there feature bloggers posing around a beautiful city in beautiful clothes.  As a style/fashion-lover, I've tried a couple times to write some posts that feature the clothes I was wearing.  However I quickly discovered 2 very important things: 1) I'm not a talented model and 2) my husband is not a talented photographer.  And so instead I've focused on flat lays (which visually appeal to me and I can execute on my own) and also on providing good guides/tips/reviews on the products that I purchase.  In this way I hope to be a resource for people who are looking to purchase but want to do their research first (I on the other hand am more of a "pull the trigger quick and return it if it doesn't work" kind of girl).  And in the end I'm happy to have gone this route because I've realized that as much as I like to look at aspirational blogs, these markets are fully saturated.  And in the end, the point of clothes is not to just look good and prance around a city for "editorial shots" but rather to feel like you look good so that you can conquer the world in whatever your ambition drives you to do.

Everlane Reviews

Everlane is consistently coming out with really interesting clothes lately.  I wonder if it's because they hired a new creative director, Rebecca Bay (formerly of GAP and COS), this past summer.  And just in time too because for awhile there was nothing I wanted to buy from Everlane.  Which was good for my wallet but not for my closet (or for my blog content that revolved around reviews).  But recently I've been purchasing something new almost every week.  I don't always keep everything, but I'm willing to give most things a try (especially since Everlane's return policy is really great).  Here are some of the reviews I've done so far: Everlane Modern Point Shoes, Modern Loafers, Street Shoes, Everlane Sweater and Silk Review (going to be doing a part 2 of this soon), Everlane Tees Review, and the Petra Tote review.

Like I said I'll be doing an update of the sweater and silk review with the addition of their sweater tees, their scuba sweatshirt (just ordered today!  I don't know but it looks pretty bulky...), and their modern point silk color shirt.  I also ordered their clean-edge tee and the Ponte short sleeve dress.  Oh and their leather street shoes in black.  So all of those are on my agenda to review.  Currently I'm finishing up a review on their modern zip backpack.  I guess it looks like I'm a bit obsessed with Everlane.  But I'll keep buying their stuff as long as they keep coming out with great items!

Another day, another blog

Hi guys, so if you're reading this then really you are a super fan or maybe a crazy stalker.  But I created this site as a sister site for my main site at www.Temporaryhousewifey.com where you will find my product reviews (for mostly Everlane and Mansur Gavriel, my two favorite brands of 2015) and travel reviews, along with posts about different restaurants I've been to around the country.  To be  completely honest, I created this site as a source for domain authority for my current site (gotta keep up with the SEO!), but I feel like this is a great place to talk about all the topics and things I'm interested in that doesn't currently fit in with that main blog (topics that I found are not popular with the readers, but I would want to share anyway).  I've been throwing those blog post topics in with the rest of the reviews, but really they don't belong and the readers there don't want to read it.  So for my personal take on things, along with all the life lessons I learn or crazy ideas I come up with, this is the place to read about it all.