Hi friend,
Welcome to my archived blog—formerly RowdyKittens.com!
I blogged regularly on this website from 2007 to 2021. In 2021, I archived 99% of my blog posts because it was time for a fresh start.
You’ll find a small selection of my favorite essays and photos below. Have fun browsing my old blog!
Currently, I’m sharing my creative work via my weekly newsletter. Join us!
With gratitude,
Tammy
When I attended the Creative Writing Workshop at the Paris American Academy a few years ago, I learned about the craft of writing. One of our teachers—Rolf Potts—offered lots of practical writing advice that stuck with me. His thoughts on travel writing, journaling, and memoir have been particularly helpful. Regarding memoir Potts said, “Memoir isn’t non-fiction. It is fiction because it isn’t reported journalism.”
I agree with Rolf because my memory is terrible. That’s why I’m obsessed with journaling and recording my days in my logbook. Journaling about my daily life is important because it gives me a sense of what’s happened in a typical week, a month, and over the course of the year. When I revisit my old journal entries, I'm able to coalesce themes and collect story ideas. Then I use the ideas for non-fiction articles, micro-memoirs, memoir style essays, and books.
Recently, I’ve been thinking about how our cat Elaina came into our lives. I couldn’t remember all the details, and since my old journals are long gone, I couldn't use them as a source. Instead, I asked my husband, Logan, about his kitty adoption memories.
Here's a portion of the conversation we had last weekend:
“Did I lobby you for another cat after we got Christie?” I asked.
“Ohh yeah,” Logan said.
“Really?” I said.
“You lobbied for a cat before Christie, and you lobbied for another cat after we adopted Christie. And I thought it was going to continue on until we had a house full of cats,” Logan said.
I laughed because my memories of these shenanigans are fuzzy. Apparently, I really wanted a second cat. I was in luck because another kitten was about to come into our lives.
Stacy—a veterinarian student and our neighbor—found a litter of kittens in a cardboard box on the side of the road. She took the kittens home, made sure that their health was stable, and decided to foster them. And of course, I went to visit the kittens!
I fell in love with a small kitten named Alien. Stacy named the kitten Alien because her eyes were giant, and she looked like a cartoon cat. Alien was so wee that her body fit in the palm of my hand. She was all eyes, and she was snugly and sweet. Naturally, I told Logan about Alien when he got home from work.
After I brought Christie home, I promised Logan that I would not adopt another cat without him. We’d make the decision together. I convinced Logan to visit Stacy’s foster kittens. When we walked to her apartment, I lobbied hard to adopt Alien because "poor lonely Christie needed a friend."
Logan said, “I remember when we went over to Stacy’s apartment. Kittens were running around everywhere. They were climbing up the drapes, and another two were racing along the backside of the couch like little maniacs. I couldn't keep track of all the fuzzy little bodies. Alien walked over to you for a pet, and then she decided to come visit me. She subsequently fell asleep on my chest.”
“And then, you looked at me and nodded. I knew that we were going to take Alien home. You are such a sucker. I love you for that!” I said.
***
Alien was quickly renamed Elaina. I don’t know where the name Elaina came from, but it suited our new buddy.
Elaina explored our home in under one hour. She was a tiny detective. It took Christie weeks to feel safe enough to explore the bedrooms, kitchen, living room, closets, and bathroom. Christie was a skittish little kitten, not Elaina though.
Elaina exuded confidence, despite her wee size. She was so tiny that we made a special collar for her. Part of the collar retrofit included adding a bell. I almost stepped on Elaina a few times and was terrified that she’d get hurt. The bell was perfect because when Elaina wasn’t sleeping, we could hear her moving around the apartment.
Eventually, Elaina outgrew her small collar. Tiny—as we liked to call her—was anything but tiny. She was double the size of Christie the Cat. Elaina would beg for ice cream, treats, and eat all her kibble in one sitting. At one-point Elaina was so chubby, she couldn't clean her backside. That's a serious problem for a cat, and subsequently she went on a diet with timed feedings. I felt like a terrible cat parent! I shouldn’t have been giving Elaina so many treats. Plus, our veterinary told us not to free feed our cats, and we followed her advice. Thankfully, she slimmed down quickly.
Elaina loved living with us in rural Siskiyou County. She stalked lizards and mice, rolled in the dirt, flirted with fawns, befriended the neighbor dog, got stuck in trees, and followed up her activities by bringing dust into the house. We couldn’t resist her personality and snuggles. Elaina was a loving companion and adapted to all the different living situations we had over the years. Alas, Elaina and Christie were not best friends, like I hoped, but they tolerated one another well.
Elaina was diagnosed with cancer on January 26, 2018, and she died on October 25, 2018. Elaina’s death was hard to accept. But I’m thankful we had a long goodbye. We miss her snuggles, her meows, her big beautiful eyes, and her courageous nature.
Over the years, I took thousands of photos of Elaina. She would stare at the camera and pose for me. I'm grateful for the shots because they bring back good memories. Plus, the photos help me recall stories that I would have forgotten. My stories about Elaina might be slightly fictionalized, and that’s okay. Memoir isn’t non-fiction. But I don't need to write a journalistic article to show how much joy Elaina brought into our lives.
PS: Browse my favorites shots of Elaina the “tiny” cat here.
With gratitude,
Tammy
Recently, I've received a few questions on the topic of starting a newsletter. Today, I thought it would be helpful to do a Q & A on this topic. If you aren't interested in starting a newsletter, that's okay! You'll find my list of good reads and listens at the end of this letter.
With that, let’s dive in!
Here’s the question:
“Tammy, I always wanted to start my own newsletter or blog, but I just never got around to put it down on paper. I want to write about health and personal finance because those things make me happy and I know there’s a lot of people that can benefit from what I’ve learned over the years about those subjects. Do you have any suggestions for me?”
— Jorge
Here’s my response:
Jorge,
I love that you want to start sharing your story with readers! As an avid reader, I enjoy reading newsletters and books because they don’t involve scrolling. Plus, this type of reading is usually distraction free and inspiring.
Below you'll find suggestions on how to start a newsletter. The suggestions are based on my experience. Feel free to follow my advice, discard it, or pick and choose the tips that work best for you.
With that, here are my suggestions …
— Getting started can be the hardest part of any writing project, so commit to doing it. Deadlines help me, so I e-mail my newsletter to subscribers every Friday. You can write more or less. It depends on how much time you want to commit to your newsletter. For example, some of my writer friends send a newsletter to readers a few times a week, twice a month, or once a month. Commit to your deadline, and if you need help sticking to it, find an accountability buddy.
— Make time to write your newsletter. For instance, I work on my newsletter every morning. Typically, I brainstorm newsletter topics on Monday, then I'll write a first draft. By Wednesday, I'm ready to revise and edit. I do the final edits and formatting on Thursday, that way the newsletter is ready to go out on Friday morning.
— Choose a company that allows you to publish a newsletter with ease, and make it simple for readers to subscribe. It’s important that the company you choose allows readers to opt in and opt out of your newsletter.
— Metrics like subscriber counts and open rates can be helpful, but don’t let them become the driving force behind any writing project. Each reader is more than a number. They are real life humans, just like writers. Plus, worrying about metrics can kill the joy of writing. Write your newsletter because you enjoy it! Readers will feel that authentic joy, and they will keep coming back for more stories and advice.
The Writing …
— Carry a journal, or use an app on your smart phone, to record your writing ideas.
— Experiment with the style of your newsletter. Try short or long form newsletters, or a list format (see Austin Kleon’s newsletter archive as an example).
— Write a shitty first draft, then worry about editing the content. The number of times you edit a draft will depend on your writing style and how picky you are. For example, I typically revise my newsletter 5 to 10 times.
— Before you hit sent, read your final draft aloud. I learned this trick when I was writing my first book. My literary agent recommended this tactic because it’s an easy way to catch errors and awkward phrasing.
— Take advantage of programs like the Hemingway Editor or Grammarly. You won’t catch every typo or grammar error, and that’s okay. You can also ask a friend or a loved one to proofread your newsletter. I’m lucky because my husband always reads my newsletter before I send it out. Inevitably, he finds typos that I missed.
And that's it! I hope my advice was helpful! Keep me posted on your progress.
***
With that, here’s a list of what I enjoyed consuming this week:
+ So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo was an excellent read. The book offered actionable tips, reminded me to check my privilege (often), and that change can occur. But first, we have to have hard conversations.
+ Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens was a lyrical, surprising, and exciting novel. I read the book in less than a day!
+ I'm halfway through Figures in a Landscape: People & Places by Paul Theroux. It's a unique collection of essays, and I'm looking forward to finishing the book this weekend.
+ If you’d like to start journaling, read my e-book—Write to Flourish: A Beginner’s Guide to Journaling. You can buy a copy here.
+ Looking for more good reads? Check out my Bookshop page.
With gratitude,
Tammy
Happy New Year!
It feels good to write this letter because I've been struggling to get words onto the page/screen. I'd write a 1000 words, then delete all my words, then start the process all over again. Write. Delete. Write. Delete. Needless to say, the writing process hasn't been fun.
My friend Cait Flanders helped me shift my perspective. Yesterday, I read Cait's newsletter and I loved the format!
In her latest missive, Cait shared “10 updates/thoughts written in just 100 words each.” After reading her letter, I thought to myself: This would be a fun writing challenge. I'm going to "steal like an artist" and do something similar with my newsletter!
The style of Cait’s letter reminded me of Beth Ann Fennelly's book—Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs—and a writing exercise I did at the Paris American Academy. In our memoir workshop, we wrote mini memoirs. This style of writing provides a tiny snapshot of who you are in a very short format. It's a fun exercise!
With that, let's dive in …
100 Words on 2019
Words can't express my gratitude for 2019. I filled my year with travel, quality time with The Husband & friends, good coffee, cat snuggles, reading, and so much CrossFit. Also, Chico, CA is starting to feel like home (finally)! I did experience hard moments that were worked related, and I'm looking forward to the next phase in my professional life. In short, 2019 was full of learning opportunities and gratitude for the high and low moments.
100 Words on The Year of Food & Movement
Over the last few months, I’ve dedicated my leisure hours to cooking and moving. For example, I'm increasing my weight lifting power at the gym. We worked on 1 rep maxes recently, and I deadlifted 180 pounds and back-squatted 150 pounds (both lifts are PRs)! In addition, I've been making yummy recipes. My favorites include enchiladas, Pad Thai, and other vegetable based dishes. Meditation has also been on my mind. Currently, I’m doing a free mediation challenge (hosted on the Ten Percent Happier app). I’m over a week into the challenge, and it's been so helpful!
100 Words on Digital Minimalism
During 2018, I embraced digital minimalism. I also created new online sharing boundaries for 2019 and beyond. The changes helped start The Year of Food & Movement, read more books, and be present in my daily life. For example, I read 59 books in 2019, listened to lots of podcasts, and now I only subscribe to newsletters I love.
100 Words on Blogger Burnout
During the second half of 2019, I dealt with blogger burnout. I haven't posted words or photos on RowdyKittens.com for the past six months. I also unpublished 99% of my blog archive because it's time for a fresh start. The posts that are public are my favorites! In 2020, I'll continue writing my newsletter and sharing photos online. My biggest aim is: preventing another burnout episode.
100 Words on Work
Running my little business has been a blast, and it's time to pivot. I'm currently applying for traditional jobs and freelance opportunities. I'm not sure how my work life will transform in 2020, and the uncertainty is scary and exciting. It's hard to let go of my business, and I know it's time to experience new adventures in the work world.
100 Words on Money
Earlier this month, we met with our fiduciary for our annual investment review. We will continue to invest in Index Funds and put a portion of our savings into ESG Funds. We're excited to save more in 2020! If you're thinking about investing options, I recommend finding a fiduciary. The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a good place to start. They consist solely of fee-only financial planners and offer guidance to consumers. Do your research, and watch out for high fees!
100 Words on Travel
We will continue to invest in experiences (not things). Most of our trips will be in Northern California, and we are planning another trip to Europe! On average, I take an airline flight once a year. It's a privilege to fly, an adventure, and flying is terrible for the environment. I'm starting to research carbon offsetting for my flights. I'm also learning as much as I can about climate change.
100 Words on Climate Change
Earlier this year, I got to see Naomi Klein speak at CSU, Chico. Her talk (and new book) filled me with worry and hope; hope that policymakers and citizens will find a way forward. Also, the following two books offered helpful solutions to mitigate climate change:
+ In Search of the Canary Tree: The Story of a Scientist, a Cypress, and a Changing World by Lauren E. Oakes
+ Kiss the Ground: How the Food You Eat Can Reverse Climate Change, Heal Your Body & Ultimately Save Our World by Josh Tickell
100 Words on Christie
Christie’s health declined in 2019. She started having seizures in late 2018 (right after Elaina died). On average, she has one seizure a month and they are terrifying to watch. They could be the result of her advanced chronic kidney disease or something else. Christie is on medication for the seizures. Also, she continues to eat her favorite “vet approved” food, Royal Canin D. I know Christie won’t be around forever and we’re savoring all her sweet cuddles.
100 Words on 2020
Gratitude, gratitude, and more gratitude. I could write the word gratitude another 97 times, but I think you get the idea. Gratitude is what I'm growing in my life. I'm excited about the year ahead, and I'm grateful that you've taken the time to read my words!
Wishing you a healthy & happy new year!
***
Good Reads & Listens
Finally, here’s a list of what I enjoyed consuming over the past few months:
Favorite Non-Fiction Books
+ Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale by Adam Minter
+ Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors & the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy
+ The Mind of the Leader by Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter
Favorite Memoirs
+ The Valedictorian of Being Dead by Heather Armstrong
+ Unbound: A Story of Snow & Self-Discovery by Steph Jagger
Favorite Novels
+ The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes
+ The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Favorite Interviews
+ The Anti-Diet with Evelyn Tribole
+ Making and Breaking Habits, Sanely with Kelly McGonigal
+ A Conversation with Cheryl Strayed & Oprah
Favorite Mini Documentary
+ Why Finland And Denmark Are Happier Than The U.S.
With gratitude,
Tammy Strobel
