A 'lil HooHaa

Another month is here and it seems like they are just all merging together … at least for the past several months.

So the summer months are here. Some places seem to be living like normal. Other places not so much. What is happening in our world now is pretty scary, so I just hope you are all safe and healthy, take precautions to protect yourselves, and watch out for the rest of humanity.

Still, it’s a time when things are amplified. The US has their elections heating up. Things around the world have become really crazy. But we all have to find ways to keep sane, healthy, and safe. And how do some of us do it? Photography can help and it’s my hope this challenge helps each of you somehow stay calm, at least for a few moments of your day or week!

And now we move ahead to July. This month is pretty good as I am on vacation for a couple of weeks. And I am hoping I can get some blog reading, writing, and commenting done as well! So, let’s move on with our challenge!

The new theme is below!

So with that in mind, let’s look at the monthly “group” challenges:

Challenge 1: Tell others about this photo blogging challenge and get some friends to come join us.  Let’s see if we can get people interested in the challenge again.

Challenge 2: Make friends with your camera and see what you can come up with. Have fun!

Challenge 3 is at the end of this post (the theme!).

Before this, here’s some housekeeping items. For those who might be new to the challenge, here’s how it works.

• See the theme (first day of the month);
• Take photos throughout the month (don’t use old ones!);
• Select five photos and create a blog post;
• Come back here and link up on the final day of the month;
• Use the official hashtag — #Photoblogchal — on social media posts;
• Hopefully go visit and comment on other blogs.

That’s it. There’s no rules on equipment or anything else. Blog posts can be short and to the point, or in-depth. Interpret the themes as you see fit.

The one big rule?

Have fun!

This month’s theme? Letters. This should and could be good. Maybe you’ve started a new hobby? Or worked on an old one? Maybe you’ve found other ways of keeping busy through all of this. Show us! Please make sure your blog post publishes Friday, July 31. Then come back here and link up.

If you think you are going to take part in this, drop a comment below so we can see who all might be trying to tackle this challenge!

There is also a Facebook group for those who are interested.

If you would like to visit the history of the challenge, which started in 2013, please go to the Photo Blogging Challenge page for more!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

It’s safe to say, I like notebooks.

And I know a lot of people might be using notebooks during this time in our world. I’m in a few groups on social media that deal with different aspects of notebooks, and it’s pretty amazing to see what people are using them for.

For me, they’ve always been something I’ve used … or had. The one issue is trying to make sure they are used up. Instead, I often let them pile up. More on that later.

I’ve been in a few of the notebook subscription services (again, more later) and it’s been tough for me to justify things because of how little I use them. I am, however, getting better with it.

The interesting thing with notebooks is the ability to use them for many different things. Notes, thoughts, art, and whatever else. Heck, just fill it full of scribbles and colors if that’s what you want to do. My biggest issue is making sure I use a notebook to the end. Sometimes I use some and move on. Half the time I don’t think to read back, but I’ve always thought personal notebooks were good way to put down notes to burn them into your head.

There’s so many types and styles and sizes of notebooks, too. I personal like dot or graph, and usually smaller, pocket-sized notebooks.

Below is my take on this theme. How about you? Where did the notebook lead you this month?

I hope, during this time, you are taking care of yourselves, staying healthy, and being safe. Without anything further, here are my five for the month!

1. Bullet journal

OK, my first real go at one of these hasn’t been the best. I’ve done my best, but it’s been hard keeping with it. Part of it I think is how the world is right now. The other part is I haven’t found my groove or style. I think what I’ve found with me is I can utilize this as a way to be creative. Some color, some different aspects and all of that. I can’t necessarily use it as a planner as I always fail with planners and just fall back to Google Calendar. The first BuJo I tried this year I still have, and I will be messing with it in July and August to try and find my own way of doing things. This one is the one I will start using in September. It’s a bit bigger than the one I have now, so that will help. I’ll keep it simple, which should help.

2. Log + Jotter

I first found Log+Jotter a few years ago via Instagram, and I love the quality of these notebooks. They are a monthly subscription service and the cover(s) are not known until you receive your notebook(s) in the mail. I was a member for quite a while, so I have quite the collection built up. I had to cancel it as I was building up too many notebooks. I might look to have a few giveaways with some of these in the future. Eventually, I hope to re-subscribe as they have some great designs.

3. Leprechauns

On a trip to Ireland in 2010, we visited the National Leprechaun Museum. I picked up this notebook .. and a pencil that I should have used for this photo! I haven’t ever used the notebook because I like it so much. The blank pages are really nice.

4. Reporting

Before my current job, I worked in newspapers for many years. One thing I always loved was a good reporter’s notebook. Field Notes, another subscription service (I’m still a member) has these books, and they are great. Field Notes has all sorts of notebooks — the red one is a checklist notebook. High quality, affordable, and the pack comes quarterly. I’m a yearly subscriber to this plan and it’s excellent quality.

5. Different items

To go with the idea of a Bullet Journal, I’ve picked up a few notebooks like these. They keep track of daily things. I’m not sure if I am going to do one every day, or every few days to keep track of patterns. These are something, too, I can tape into the journal when needed. I like the idea of keeping track of things in this regard as it might help me stay focused on everything. One of these is a health tracker, and the other is to break down the day. The notebook under is another version of a health tracker.

And there are my five for the month!

If you took part in this month’s challenge, make sure to link up below.

And for those of you who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment (here, too!).

Let’s continue to grow this challenge and have a strong community. Come back and check out the others who link later on, too! NOTE: We have a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

Make sure, too, to come back tomorrow to see July’s theme!

Photo Blogging Challenge: June 2020 results

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!