Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest etc. ever thought of these digital social media platforms as a method of research or public engagement as an historian or museum professional? More and more people in 2019 have social media profiles that highlight their work to a wider, often global audience in a way that people twenty years ago could only dream off. I have and do use Twitter (and soon Instagram) daily to interact with historians across the world and to catch-up on the latest historical research and news whilst also promoting myself as an historian, blogger and curator.
Tuesday Thoughts: Why I blog as a Museum Professional
On Monday (10th June to be exact) I participated in a #MuseumHour discussion Twitter about freelancing in the museum world. Museum professionals across Twitter discussed how and why they became a freelancer whilst others (myself included) tuned in to obtain information on how to get that first elusive contract as a freelancer whilst also maintaining a happy work-life balance.
Wellness. Wellness. Wellness. Say It Three Times And It Might Be Real.
Wellness. Wellness. Wellness. If you say it three times then it might be real. Saying something three times refers to Beetlejuice and if you say his name three times. But you really don’t want Beeltejuice to appear. For me, 2017 seems to have been the year of ‘wellness’ and many different industries trying to market their own brand of ‘wellness’ to those interested in a heatlhy and well-rounded lifestyle.
I openly admit that I have struggled with ‘wellness’ and what that word means to me for the latter part of 2017 after I got my first full-time job in Scotland in July of this year. For me ‘wellness’ has always been taking ‘me-time’ (another big buzz word of 2017!) regularly whether that is going to the gym, eating a well balanced diet with the odd indulgence, meditation, yoga, reading, walking, meeting friends amongst many other things. With this prelude to over doing ‘wellness’ in 2017 being nearly everywhere one looks I have felt overwhelmed in that last few months to do everything prescibed to have a complete ‘wellness’ lifestyle. It is only since last week that I’ve decided to re-evaluate my ‘wellness’ activities to find things that will work for me in the long-term instead of short-term quick fixes.
In 2018 I plan to make more time to do things I want creatively speaking. For example, I plan to knit, paint, draw and sew more as a form of relaxation. I want to walk more and not stress out about going to the gym six times a week and only do four classes a week that I really want to do and some additional at home or gym-time strength building.
I want to grow my career in 2018 to start the beginnings of a career that comprises of blogging, YouTubing, academia, working in a museum and sharing my love of history and fashion history with a wider audience. I don’t know how that is going to plan out as of yet but I’m open to ideas and won’t turn down opportuinities that will be beneficial for me. I hope that in 2018 I will restore my ‘wellness’, exercise and lifestyle balance (with more travel!) to have a healthy and happy 2018.
Blowing Away the Cobwebs.
And yet again I’ve taken an un-scheduled blogging hiatus in the bloggign wilderness/feeling out of my depth. Don’t worry though this blogpost will not contain any pictures of cobwebs or said creatures that reside on cobwebs. Namely as I’m petrified of said creatures and these shall be deemed ‘Creatures That Shall Not Be Named.’ Much like Voldemort. Anyway, as you may know I know live in Scotland and have a full-time job and this coupled with moving, buying house stuff and general fatigue have left me little or no inspo for blogging! Though lo and behold I am back once more to blog, vlog, tweet, Instagram and generally rant about everyday life.
I got my blogging and YouTube inspiration back after watching some vlogmas videos and reading a wider array of blogs. 2018 will hopefully be better for ‘Rachel With An E’ than this year. I feel more inspired to discuss what makes me happy; history, art, culture, TRAVEL, food, animals, crafts etc. And I will (and shall be – watch this space) strive to be the Irish Lucy Worsely but of all of the above topics with a little academic and museum work on the side.
I basically want to be paid to talk about fashion history, research objects, travel and share my love of history with THE WORLD. That’s very ‘Pinky and the Brain-esque’ c.1995 but I don’t care. That’s what I want to do and I will do it! I’m inspired to share my love of history (mainly female history, 20th century and dress history) with the world BUT also travel, work in museums and make amazing and show people that in 2018 you can have a varied and portfolio career. Watch this space for amazing things to happen in 2018!
Anxious Anxiety Part One
I might have touched on this topic before however if I haven’t I’ll discuss it now. I suffer from anxiety, mainly social and large crowd anxiety (particularly large crowds of small children; nothing puts me into a panic more than a pack of unruly, shouting children). I have developed coping methods for my anxiety as I travel a lot and need to make sure I can cope with packed airports, trains, buses etc. Read on if you want to know more about how I cope on a daily basis with anxiety.