The 685th Minute: What We’ve Learned in 4 Years
Our two month wedding anniversary is still a couple days away, but in the meantime we have another one to celebrate: four years ago, after several discussions, we published our very first post, or what we lovingly refer to as “The First Minute.”
Now here we are, publishing our 685th post. It’s hard to even venture back through the archives because some of it just hurts to look at (seriously, what are THESE photos? And though we love guacamole, I think we could find more appetizing photos now….)
But after 4 years of penning this thing together, we can boil down all the insanely wonderful memories into 4 pieces of our unsolicited advice for any blogging couple, or any couple in general:
- As a blogging couple it is always important that we take advantage of each other’s strengths. We both excel in specific areas of the blog, and we really divide and conquer. The most important thing we’ve learned is that this transcends to any relationship: a successful couple realizes that each individual has strengths and weaknesses that can be harnessed to solidify a successful relationship.
- Photography and social media are crucial pieces of our writing. But we wholeheartedly recommend disconnecting and removing these devices from every date. Seriously, go on a date and don’t talk with your phone in one hand. Any tweet, like, or post will all be there after you’ve personally enjoyed the moment. We realize more than many how social media and phones are a part of everyday life, but when possible, power down and be present.
- Writing about our life and our city meant we had to stay active. If others didn’t have expectations of how often we would write or the content we should produce, we certainly did. Relaxing nights on the couch still happen, but we also have learned that unless we actually made a point to take advantage of all there is to do and see. When possible, jump in the car and go for a drive. Pack a picnic and plop down at the very green space. Or just grab a couple bikes and get a new perspective. Time is fleeting, so make the most of it.
- Yes, we advocate to stay active and explore. But whether you have a blog or just busy lives, couples need to take time to just hang out. Time might never be on our side, which is even more reason to sometimes disconnect from everything else to just hangout. While we’ve written a couple hundred date nights out on the town, staying in with dinner and drinks will always be a suitable alternative for us.
Being a couple that blogs about their lives has taught us many things, and as we look back it’s clear the lessons we’ve learned transcend to any healthy relationship. Four years of blogging and we’re still having a lot of fun. What started as a couple living in an apartment and going out to eat, has evolved into an old farmhouse with cocktails and endless projects. While we still rush to the city for dinner and drinks, we also couldn’t be happier to be back in our hometown of Medina, NY.
Cheers to 4 more years and then some!