Blog Topic Series IX

Happy Tuesday Readers! I am going to try and pick this series back up because it seems to generate a  bunch of interest from you all.  Did you enjoy the Fall Decorations ideas? Has anyone tried the tutorials for themselves? I'd love to see what yours look like!

Let's get started with Part Nine of the Blog Topics Series!

+ Do a Collaborative Post with a Fellow Blogger.  Found at A BLOG ABOUT LOVE.  The idea is to take something that you and a fellow blogger are passionate about and talk about it.  Sometimes these also take the feeling of an interview post.  Either way works nicely.

+ Share a "Things I Wish I did Differently Post".  Found at Go Overseas.  The idea is to share with readers things you wish you would have changed.  The good thing about this post is that you can cover almost any topic.  For example: Things I wish I did differently in college, things I wish I did differently when planning my wedding, or things I wish I did differently at my last position.

+ Share a "How Not To" Post".  Idea found at Bold and Determined.  Again, the idea is to share ideas on how NOT to be something.  It is pretty straightforward.  However, it has endless possibilities of topics you can cover 

+ Top 10 Guilty Pleasures.  Idea found on Driftwood-Gardens.  Share you top 10 guilty pleasures with your readers.  Again, this topic can be covered in several different areas.  You can do a broader top 10 guilty pleasures or you can hone it in to specific areas like: TV, games, makeup, blogs, etc.

+ My Day Job vs My Passion.  Idea found at Dixie Brown.  The idea here is to share with your readers about your day job and how that compares to your passion - do they overlap or are they polar opposites? Something to think about.

So what do you think? Do any of these pique your interest? I sure hope so! If you decide to try any of these ideas, please be sure to share with me! 

Previous Posts:

• Part VIII
• Part VII
• Part VI
• Part V
• Part IV
• Part III
• Part II
• Part I

Blog Topic Series VIII

Happy Tuesday Readers! I am off schedule this week because of a chaotic schedule between work and my personal life! I hope your week has been well and ends strongly tomorrow! What did you think about the Edible Graduation Caps? Have any of you tried any of the projects? I'd love to see them if you have!

Today's post is another fun Blog Topics Series!

+ 10-Day You Challenge.  Found at PB Fingers.   It is rather self-explanatory, but it is a good mini-series that you can do on your blog as a way for readers to get to know you better.  I actually starting this blog series last week! 

+ Most Read Blog Posts on Your Blog.  New Yorker Online.  The idea here is to do a round of of your most viewed posts either in the last year or of all time.  If you look at the right side bar on my home page, you can see an app that shows my most viewed posts "Popular Posts".  

+ Do a Google Trends Post and Give a Response.  Google Trends.  This one could be a bit difficult because of the fact that trends change every day! But if you want to host a post about what is happening in the here and now, this is a great way to do that.

+ Do a List Post. I have seen this idea floating around on several different blogs and I have to say they are my favorite posts to read! Pick anything, I mean anything, and list your favorites.  It could be food, it could be ice cream flavors, ice cream toppings, shoes, or jewelry! Just list them and share pictures (if you can!).

+ 50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind.  Mark and Angel Hack Life.  This literally is a list of questions that require thought before answering.  You can either post this on your blog for readers to answer answer them for yourself.  Either way, it will be challenging.

So what do you think? Do you see any post ideas that inspired you to try something new? I sure hope so! If you decided to try these {or any other previous ideas} please let me know! I love to hear from you all.

Previous Posts:

• Part VII
• Part VI
• Part V
• Part IV
• Part III
• Part II
• Part I

Blog Topic Series VII

Happy Thursday Readers! I am off schedule this week because of a chaotic schedule between work and my personal life! I hope your week has been well and ends strongly tomorrow! What did you think about the Mother's Day Roundup? Have any of you tried any of the projects? I'd love to see them if you have!

Today's post is another fun Blog Topics Series!

+ Overheard at the Office.  When I saw this site, I laughed out loud! If you work in a position where there are people constantly talking around you, chances are you will hear some pretty funny things.  Take the time to write a few of them down and share them with your readers.  It is a good way to make yourself, and your readers, have a good laugh.

+ Share a Favorite Childhood Memory.  Sharing a personal memory with your readers is a good way for them to get to know you a little better and it provides them with a chance to share a fun memory with you.  

+ Share Your Favorite Quotes.  These could be fitness related, inspirational, love related or motivational.  This is a chance for you to share with your writers what inspires you and gives you a chance to inspire them.

+ Do a Post from the Blog Post Generator.  Feeling stuck? Check out this website that generates fun {and random} topics you can cover on your blog.  It is a good way to do something a bit out of the normal routine without having to put too much thought into it.

+ Share a Vacation Planning Guide or Travel Tips.  So many people want to plan a vacation for themselves, but have no idea where to even begin.  Share tips from a recent trip on how readers can: save money, save time, get the most out of their experiences.  They'll be grateful for the information and it is a good way to share your travels with your readers. 

So what do you think? Do you see any post ideas that inspired you to try something new? I sure hope so! If you decided to try these {or any other previous ideas} please let me know! I love to hear from you all.

Previous Posts:

• Part VI
• Part V
• Part IV
• Part III
• Part II
• Part I

Two Truths and a Lie

Happy Wednesday Everyone! This week is officially half over and I'm glad for it because once Saturday hits, I will be done with my class.  However, that also means I will need to start really studying for my exam AND actually sign up to take it.  

Before I get starting talk about today's topic: Two Truths and a Lie, I wanted to share this picture with you:

I saw this picture last night and laughed so hard that no sound was coming out, just the wheezing of my breath leaving my lungs.  I hope this picture makes you laugh too and brightens your day up a tiny bit.

Two Truths and a Lie

If you remember from one of my Blog Topic Posts, I shared the idea of sharing two truths and a lie with your readers and have them guess what is the truth and what is fiction.  Today I wanted to play this game with you to see how many of you can guess correctly.  The first person to guess the lie correctly will get a $10 gift card to Starbucks! Here we go!

+ I have jumped off of a twenty foot tall waterfall into the water below while vacationing in Jamaica.

+ I have placed, but never won, in a pistol shooting contest. 

+ I have two more bones in my body than the normal human being.

So which do you think it is? Remember, the first person to comment with the correct guess wins a Starbucks Gift Card! 

Good news everyone! RunwithJackabee is looking for guest bloggers to host a post on the blog during the month of May!

Currently we are looking for anyone who has something fun and creative to share! Have a good recipe or a fun craft to share, let me know! Are you a health nut and want to share your fitness tips? Then come on down! We are open to any and all areas of interest that fit with the writing style of the blog.

Interested? Shoot an email to runwithjackabee@gmail.com or send a message on the Facebook Page! This opportunity will be open until April 25th, so hurry over and start sharing! 

Question of the Day: What picture/video have you laughed way too hard at in the last month or so?

Top 10 Favorite Apps on My Phone

Happy Tuesday Everyone! 

How is your week going so far? Mother Nature decided to throw us through the ringer one more time and landed us with some heavy, wet, disgusting snow.  If you remember, Michigan has been having some nicer weather the last few weeks, so of course this came as a surprise to everyone when we walked outside this morning and saw the fluffy stuff on the ground.  Oh well, at least Michigan broke the record for the snowiest winter with 94.8" of snowfall.  Check that off my bucket list, haha.

That being said, today's post is dedicated entirely to my top 10 favorite apps on my iPhone (or the ones I use the most and find the most useful).

Top 10 Favorite Apps on my iPhone 

This is my iPhone today at 1:50 p.m.! Apparently I have things to check out.

+ Waze.  I use this app every.single.time. I travel anywhere.  It is perfect because the app is intuitive and receives several updates as you commute to and from work.  Plus, you can report things like accidents, bad weather, stopped vehicles or objects on the road.  I also have to give this app credit for almost always being within two minutes of the correct arrival time

+ Gmail App.  Obviously when you get a new phone, it comes standard with an email app, but they are often slow and do not allow you to easily move items around.  Hence, the Gmail app.  I love this app because it quickly loads and allows me to quickly organize my emails without too much angst

+ Facebook App.  Who does not have a Facebook App these days? Of course, I do so I obviously must have the app.  I love this app because, with all of the recent updates, the app moves quickly and is much more simply organized.  It is amazing to see how far the app has come in the last few years.

+ Messenger App.  A lot of people have asked me recently why I love this app, and my simple answer is because it is just easier.  Yes you can use the messaging system in the Facebook App, but that is not as easily organized and it does not always properly notify you.  The Messenger App allows you to keep things simple and organized.

+ WW Mobile.  I have been a part of Weight Watchers for quite a while, and I can say with 100% honesty that I find I am more successful when I use the app versus tracking on paper.  The app is easy to use and with the new "scan" function, you can quickly scan almost any food for fast tracking.  If you are a part of Weight Watchers and you have a smart phone, I would recommending checking it out.

+ SnapChat.  This app is a bit on the sillier side because all you use it for is to send pictures/short videos back and forth with your friends.  However, I have found that it can be a great tool to express emotion to your friends while talking to them because often times the emotion is lost when texting.  Plus, it allows people to see into your life without having the permanent-ness of sending them a picture because SnapChat immediately deletes the picture.

+ 5kRunner.  I recently started using this app and I am in love! For the $2.99 that you pay, I feel that you are getting your moneys worth.  The app helps train a person in such a way that they can go from the couch to running a 5k in 8 weeks.  What I love most about this app is how it tells you when to walk and when to run while allowing you to play music and work other apps as needed.

+ Poshmark.  This is another one of my favorite apps that I find myself checking daily.  It is like having your own consignment shop where you can sell your gently used clothes, shoes, accessories and other items.  The best part is there is no listing price and they handle the packing slip for you! They just take a small percentage of each sale (which I think is reasonable).  Plus, you can bargain with people on the price and you can also do trades.  If you're interested, check out my "closet" here.

+ Instagram.  Who does not have an Instagram these days? I try to use this app daily for my #jackabeedaily2014 challenge so of course I am on the app almost constantly.  What I love about Instragram is not only the chance to catch up with people, but the chance to see how creative people are.  I follow a few exciting groups like Ballerina Project & Piper Street Shop.

+ Pinterest.  Like the Facebook and Instagram apps, the Pinterest App is almost a given.  Often times I  use the Pinterest App to quickly grab samples for a project I'm working on or for a quick reference to an inspirational quote.  It is also a good app to have for when you need to kill time.

So that is a list of my Top 10 Favorite Apps on my Phone! As you can see, they are a bit all over the place, but I use them almost daily and they have come in handy on several different occasions.

Question of the Day: What is your favorite app on your phone/tablet?

Blog Topic Series VI

Hello Wednesday Readers! It's that time of the month again where I share some fun and creative topic ideas you can use on your own blog! As always, I am looking for some other fun ideas and would love to hear some from you!

+ Write a Short Story.  Do you have interest in writing but you are not sure where to begin? Write a short story (200-500 words), post it on your blog and ask your readers for feedback.  This is always a good chance for you to get some constructive criticism.

+ Invite Your Readers to do Guest Posts.  While it sounds like it could be a bit risky, it could also be a ton of fun.  Chances are your readers have a blog of their own and would love to get a chance to share it with the world.  One key note: Find a reader whose subject aligns closely with your own that way the post does not seem totally random

+ Two Truths and a Lie.  Have you ever played this game with your friends? Well here's a fun way to share it with your readers! Tell them two truths and one lie and have them guess which one is not true.  If you would like to spice it up a bit, have the first person to guess correctly win a small prize (like a $10 Starbucks gift card)

+ Bad Habits and How to Break Them.  We all have them: bad habits.  Share yours with your readers and also share how you plan on breaking them.  Chances are your readers have some of the same struggles and would love advice on how to break them

+ Your Personal Budget.  This really caught my attention when I came across the Our Freaking Budget Blog.  It gives your readers a chance to see, that like them, you have bills to pay and it eliminates the "separation" that can sometimes be felt from the blogger to the reader.  Plus, they have some really sound advise at OFB that everyone should check out.

So what do you think? Do you see any post ideas that inspired you to try something new? I sure hope so! If you decided to try these {or any other previous ideas} please let me know! I love to hear from you all.

Previous Posts:

• Part V
• Part IV
• Part III
• Part II
• Part I

Blog Topics Series Part V

Hello Tuesday Readers! It's that time of the month again where I share some fun and creative ideas for topics you can use on your own blog! Feel free to share this list and other ideas on your blog!

+ Host a Things I'm afraid to Tell You post.  The idea of this post is to take time to evaluate how you see your life versus how your blog details your life.  It is also a chance for you to share confessions with your readers that you might not otherwise consider sharing.

+ My Biggest Pet Peeves Post inspired from Story of My Life.  The idea is to post your pet peeves.  Seems simple enough, right? Just remember, there are several different areas in which you can post your pet peeves: driving pet peeves, social media pet peeves, gym pet peeves, etc. 

+ Top 5.  Share a post with the Top 5 anything you cannot get enough of.  Again, this one is filled with options: Top 5 nail polishes, Top 5 blogs to read, Top 5 clothing stores and the list goes on!

+ A Day in the Life of ________ inspired by Little Baby Garvin.  Oftentimes readers are genuinely curious of what your life looks like on a regular basis.  This is a chance for you to share your day - either in words or pictures- with them! 

+ Have a Thrift Shop Challenge inspired by Young House Love.  The idea is to take $20 to your local thrift shop and see how many items from the song you can find.  This would be fun to see who can get the most items in under $20.

So what did you think of today's post? See any ideas of things you would like to try for your blog? I'm always excited to hear back from readers on things they tried for themselves! I am also hoping to start incorporating some of these things in to my own blog.

Happy Tuesday! 

Previous Posts:

• Part I
• Part II
• Part III
• Part IV

Blog Topic Series: Part IV

Hello Tuesday people! Thanks for checking in on the blog so late in the evening (I mean it is late for me).  Today I'm continuing on with my Fun Topics for You Blog Post series and will be sharing another five fun topics for you to use while you are blogging. 

+ Recreate an outfit from a pin on Pinterest and share how you did that with readers.  I have been wanting to do this with my girlfriends for a long time and thought it could be a fun thing to share with my readers.  The idea came up from reading Shull Family Blog and Pinterest Told Me To.  Here's a link to my Clothing Board on Pinterest.  Want to help me pick an outfit to try and recreate? 

+Share your favorite music playlists.  I saw this idea on PBFingers and loved it.  Take some time to compile your favorite playlist and share it with your readers! If you do not have a playlist, share your Pandora or iHeart Radio playlists with your readers.

+ Share your top 10 favorite apps on your phone.  I saw this on Lauren Conrad's blog and thought it was such a neat idea.  It is a way for the readers to learn something about you while getting the opportunity to check out some fun new apps.  

+ Just answer questions! Often times our readers have tons of questions about our day-to-day life and the best thing to do is just answer them in one foul swoop with a post dedicated entirely to answering questions.  See some examples here and here.

+ What's in My Bag Post.  I saw this idea on my friend, Danielle's, blog and loved it.  The best part is as a woman I carry many different bags.  You could share a makeup bag {like Danielle}, your purse, your gym bag, your baby bag or your briefcase! The options are endless! 

That is all for today's blog topic series! I hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday and have a wonderful Hump Day tomorrow! 

We are supposed to be getting snow again here in Michigan and I'm hoping so! We are heading to the U.P. to hopefully go snowmobiling this weekend! But just for fun, here is a picture depicting what the last week has looked like here in Michigan!

Is that not just too crazy? I took both of those pictures out of the window at my work almost exactly one week apart! Hello menopause, Mother Nature.  We are supposed to get more snow between tonight and tomorrow, but I doubt it will last long!

That is all for this post, but be looking for a DIY Photobooth Tutorial and another 2014 Challenge! 

Blog Topic Idea Series: Part III

Happy Thursday! It's that time of month where I share some fun blog topic ideas for you to possibly use for your blog posts!

+ Do a Gift Guide.  Inspired from PB Fingers and Little Baby Garvin.  With the Holiday right around the corner, this is the perfect place to share some good ideas with your readers and possibly get some good ideas for yourself!

+ Product Review Posts.  Inspired from More Than Mommy.  Have a product that you are not 100% about but wanted to try? Chances are your readers are in the same boat as you are and your review can help them make their decision.

+ Host a "Little Known Facts" Post.  Inspired from FunFactz Blog.  This is a blog post where you can share any facts that about something that you think people may not know much about.  You could also use the post to post little known facts about yourself as a way for your readers to get to know you.

+ Have a significant other or friend host a blog post.  Readers often are curious about your life and about every part of it.  This will allow them to see a different side of you from the eyes of another person

+ If I Won the Lottery Post.  Inspired by Lone Prarie.  Take a minute to talk about what you would do if you won the lottery.  This is also a good way for readers to get to know you.

So did you find any of these ideas inspiring? If so, I'd love to hear from you!

Previous Posts:

• Part II
• Part I

Blog Topic Idea Series: Part II

Happy Tuesday Readers! 

Here's another post with some fun ideas/topics for you to cover on your blog and ideas that I will hopefully cover here on RunwithJackabee!

+Tell a Story in GIF Form: This idea originated from TripleSEO.  The idea is to take an event in your life and fill it with GIFs of what happened.  Honestly, I love looking at GIF stories because they often are very comical.

+Host a Giveaway: Idea originally from The Dating Divas.  If you are looking for a way to drive a ton of traffic to your blog, then host a giveaway.  Often times you can find more success if you connect with several other blogs and all host the prize.  

+Share a Few Regrets: Courtesy of Secret Regrets.  In this post you can share a few of the biggest regrets you have in your life.  It is a great exercise for you and you can include your readers by asking them to comment anonymously what they regret.

+Host a Tour of Your House/Apartment: Inspired by Little Baby Garvin.  The idea here is to share what your living space looks like.  Readers really enjoy seeing your posts, but it makes it more enjoyable for them when they can actually see where these things are happening in your day-to-day life.

+Do a Handwritten Blog Post: Neat Concept from Random Tidbits of Thought.  This concept may seem a bit strange for everyone, but it gives the readers a chance to see you for who you are and gives them a chance to get to see you on a different level.  Write your entire blog post in paper and take a picture of it.  That will be your entire post.

So were you inspired? I sure hope so! I plan on incorporating these ideas sometime in the near future! Who knows, maybe they will show up next week.

Happy Tuesday! 

Blog Topic Idea Series: Part I

Happy Tuesday Readers! Did you have a great start to your day? I sure hope so!

I've been trying to come up with some great ideas for topics that I can cover on a weekly, bi-weekly and monthly basis and I was amazed to find a wide variety of ideas that people have suggested on their blogs as great topics to cover.  So I thought, why not? I'll share some of the ones that inspired me most and look forward to including on my blog!

+ {This Moment}: This idea is inspired from Little Miss Momma.  The idea is to take one picture from your week and just share it.  No description. No words.  Just a moment that you will relish for the rest of your life.

+ Hello Monday: Again this idea is inspired from Little Miss Momma.  The idea is to do a blog post in pictures and describe them with "Hello...".  Could be a fun way to have a text minimal post and share your day with your readers.

+ My Life {Bucket} Life: Also inspired from Little Miss Momma.  I look forward to doing this post because it will be a great opportunity for me to share about myself in a fun way.  Plus, it will give you all some inspiration for things you want to do with your life 

+ 15 Minutes Friday: Inspired from Organizing Made Fun.  The idea is to take 15 minutes out of your day and to organize a small space.  That way after so many days, you are feeling much happier and much more organized! The catch? You have to post before and after pictures.

+ Things I'm Loving Friday / Friday Favorites: Inspired by PB Fingers & Little Baby Garvin.  The idea is to share your favorite things that week (or month).  I look forward to doing this series because I have a ton of favorite things that I would love to share with you all! 

So are you feeling inspired yet? I know I am and cannot wait to get to doing these ideas here on the blog!  The idea is, once I get things going, I will host a linky party where everyone can share their posts as a way to connect.

Thanks for checking in today and hopefully we can get things rolling in the next few weeks!