Change of plans

I deleted the WordPress database and directory files belonging to Liz and Code before I left for Oklahoma — and I didn’t change liz.pw around at all. It’s still the same, still going to stay static, and still going to just sit there… at least until I finish organising everything.

(Of course I saved a backup of the files… I can’t not do that.)

I did it because I don’t want to manage three blogs. Maybe others can, but I don’t. I just don’t care to, and I don’t want to feel the need to conform to things because it’s what supposedly works, because I don’t want to lose myself. Whilst I don’t feel there is anything wrong with wanting to be on The Ellen Show, I do feel there is something wrong if I have to change myself to get there.

I mean, Ellen loves people for who they are. She’s Ellen.

I’m going to use lists to explain this:

  • I can just contribute posts to blogs where I’m signed up as a contributor to. Finally, posts for me and content for them. Problem solved.
  • Many food bloggers post blog tips on their own blogs. I could also do that.
  • I have found various ways to finally put my love for trivia and pop culture to use using food. I am filled with pointless little (and big) facts that don’t seem to belong in other places and suck at fluff that is not related to my fiction writing (and sometimes when it is), so I may not always have interesting stories about certain recipes, because I’m not physically wired to think emotionally… I first think logically. Unless it’s a cat. Emotion pours in when there’s a cat involved.
  • There are many other resources available for blog tips. If I’m that desperate to get my fix out, I can just write an eBook like other food bloggers have, and bam: problem solved.
  • Instead of looking up blog-related conferences, I’m looking up food-related classes, conventions, expositions and other similar events.
  • Did I mention I could literally just have 6birds and What Liz Eats? Two blogs?
  • Liz and Code oddly continued receiving traffic, though I’d made no posts in over three months. I don’t get it.
  • I originally started Liz and Code, because I wanted to contribute more to the TCG community. Then, I felt like I had to do other stuff that sounded cool but wasn’t me, and it quickly lost its coolness when I realized people might pay me for code, which I hate to do, which I actually just would rather do for free and accept donations or something for instead.
  • I found a nutritionist who gives free allergy and intolerance lectures in various parts of Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW).
  • There are too many updates to deal with when having three blogs. And I manage the back-end of Charlise’s blog.
  • I want to see a project actually do well. Hope Fades and Abuse Aloud are cool and all, but they’re simple one-pagers. Basically static. Abuse Aloud could use some maintenance, though. >.>
  • Did you know that kiwifruit seeds are one of the few fruit seeds people can eat many of? They’re also packed with loads of nutrients… and most of the nutrition is in their seeds. See? Trivia? Kiwifruit is also a berry, despite its fuzzy exterior. Because it contains the enzyme Actinidin, it can be used as a natural meat tenderizer.
  • I thought of doing — and want to do — an EpiPen how-to video, and then I thought of other allergen-friendly videos and tips I could put together… because if you know how to use an EpiPen, you could literally save a life.[1. I just need to wait until my bruise from practicing on myself is gone, because… well… >.< Google “EpiPen bruise” and see how common it is. Most bruising is brutal, so be warned. The bruising may just be because of how hard you have to hit your leg with it, as others bruise when training, too. (Note to self: Make SURE to use EpiPen labeled “TRAINING DEVICE” in video.)]

In 2013, I had the cool idea to create a cookbook, because a year had gone by, and the allergen-free recipe books I found (I even purchased one that looked promising) have all been a bust. I still want to do that. I’m a picky eater with food allergies, and even if it’s a cookbook for kids, that’s fine. They need to eat fun food, too.

Beans and potatoes gets really boring really fast.

Through some potentially minor-seeming, trivial comments Christine has left me, and from the ignorance surrounding allergies I endure from my family, I think allergy education is important.

When I was diagnosed with allergies, once again I felt like I was losing control. “Can’t you just avoid what you’re allergic to?” and “You can just have a little bit… you haven’t even used your EpiPen yet… can’t be that bad” were the basis of things that were said, along with those annoying Some Ecards situations: “I’m sorry you have allergies, but I’m not changing my food for you,” or worse, “I’m sorry you have a life-threatening allergy, but I don’t see how that affects me.”

Allergies are extremely controversial, and it turns out that so, so many people think, feel and believe people are just being picky. There are many that also don’t understand how a rotation diet works, so they think people are lying when they say they can’t eat carrots, for example, when they ate them two days prior. Even worse, there are message boards where friends and family of people with life-threatening allergies talk all the time about how they’ll intentionally slip said loved ones their allergens just to see for themselves if it’s true.

Like, firstly, that is ignorant. Secondly, that’s murder.

And maybe if there was more education on the matter, or at least some sort of ways to teach kids about allergies (for parents, teachers, etc. to use), it could also prevent bullying.

According to a poll at PeanutAllergy.com, more people get their peanut allergy information from the Internet than they do from their allergist, friends or family, or other places. According to a BlogHer survey in 2012, blogs are more trusted than Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for information—82% BlogHer readers look to food blogs for cooking and recipe information more often than they look at cookbooks, magazines, television shows, and Pinterest. When someone needs to cook allergen-friendly meals, they typically look to recipes, I have personally found—and perhaps I can give a little knowledge/help on cooking for people with allergies, even if it’s as simple as tips on avoiding cross-contamination. Maybe it could save a life, who knows.

For the last month, I’ve been brainstorming ideas for a game for kids that could be printed/created (DIY) for each allergen, so kids can get to know the names of other allergens. I’m leaning toward a memory game using illustrations of allergens for half the cards and the actual names (including an easy pronunciation guide) for the matches. The DIY games/sets would be free, so parents and teachers and whomever else can make them and only have to worry about having paper and ink.

There are many other resources for building blogs and all that crap jazz, but there aren’t many resources revolving around allergy and intolerance education.

I don’t want to do public speaking, even though I realized after read a post that blogging is basically public speaking in front of the entire world, I just… yeah. Because I feel like some of my family are the type to slip known allergens…[2. I have to include “known”, because Charlise accidentally almost killed me with almond flour, which she thought I could have because I used it to make macarons in 2012 before my nut allergies were more serious. Imagine the company rep’s face at the expo when she learned I had a nut allergy. She looked like she was going to faint. “I have my inhaler and EpiPen,” I said. “Oh, good,” she said. I should also probably teach Charlise how to use an EpiPen.]

I’m so serious I have certification courses on my to-do list for food safety and allergen-friendly cooking. 🙂

P.S. I missed the butterfly festival this year and ended my streak. I couldn’t be more bummed about it.

Name change, overcome driving fear, vehicle, life-threatening allergen-free apartment—literally my “mantra” lately.

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Comments on this post

I don’t know if I’m the Christine you’re taking about, but I hope I don’t drive you crazy with my allergy questions/comments. By the time my students get to me, they really know what they can have/not have, so I admit that I can be ignorant to some allergy information (i.e when you educated me about molds and grapes). I have always wanted a PD for Allergies in the schools. I think it benefits all teachers and helps us be more aware of the severity of allergic reactions! I also think a lot of us (especially me as a beauty blogger), don’t think of how other products affect someone with allergies. I respect what you’re doing and hope you continue!

D; I meant to link your name! Oops. I will get to that eventually. But you don’t drive me crazy. 🙂

What is a PD?

I’ve noticed, in the gluten-free makeup community that I stumbled across from the gluten-free/specific dietary needs food blogs I’ve read, a lot of people don’t put allergies with makeup/think to even check the makeup. I didn’t think to check my shampoo and conditioner, or even my body wash, for the longest time, and sometimes, I still forget/overlook an allergen. It’s more common for allergens to have different names in makeup, though; I’m actually working on creating a list of common allergens’ alternative name, because it’s so not easily accessible.

I’m definitely going to continue.<3

A PD is professional development. It’s basically a work session where we learn about various topics (discipline, curriculum, safety…) Allergies should be one of them!