Megan Tietz :: SortaCrunchy

at long last, the last call

It's important to me, for many reasons, that you know the timeline of this decision. I am hyper-aware of my flakiness, and it's really important to me that you know that this announcement doesn't come lightly or off-the-cuff or easily.

I waited 48 hours last August from the moment I first knew I was closing SortaCrunchy, waited two full days before I told Kyle. "Really?" He raised his eyebrows, but squeezed my hand tightly in the wake of my resolve.

I waited over a month before I began to tell other people. It made my voice tremble, but I was glad to be saying it. There was a deep sadness in making myself form the words. I'm closing the blog. But always under the sadness, there was a buoyancy and a breathiness that made it easier to say each time.

It explains, truly, the quietness this fall. In true ENFP fashion, I had to go way under to process the feeeeeeelings that surfaced at the thought of boarding up the windows on this long-time home of mine. I wavered and questioned and wondered. I indulged an inexcusable amount of naval-gazing, sorting out how so much of my identity had become so entwined in being a blogger. I didn't trust myself to tell you then, while all of the hard stuff was knocking on the door and demanding to be dealt with. I actually didn't trust myself to tell anyone. I knew it was a season for inward work, so I extended myself the grace to do just that.

And I am thankful I did that because now I can say without a waver in my voice, I can say it with clarity and confidence and genuine peace that on December 31st, as I finish out my eighth year of blogging, I'll be closing SortaCrunchy.

To answer a few questions I've received:

• No, I'm not leaving the internet all together. My Instagram and Pinterest accounts are going nowhere. Most importantly, I'll continue to lead and enjoy the incredible community we have on Facebook. (No seriously. You're the envy of many a blogging friend of mine, if you'll excuse my bragging on you for a moment. You all are THE BEST.)
• Yes, I'll leave SortaCrunchy and all of its archives right where it is. At least for now. I just won't be publishing new content here.
• Why am I officially closing it? Because I'm at a point where I can say that blogging has brought more to my life than I ever, ever could have imagined, but the time is right to move on. Because as a lifelong, certified non-finisher, I need to be able to put an actual end point on a project, to know that I intentionally brought something to a close. And because even when I'm not actively blogging, just knowing this place is sitting here with an absentee landlord, not being attended to ... I don't know how to explain it other than to say that it takes up more mental real estate than I am willing to give to it.

And now to the last call part:

As I have mentioned, words and ideas are hard to come by these days. I figured maybe I could ask you to help me close up the place by giving you the chance to ask me anything you've ever wanted to ask me. A last call for topics to address, answers to share. If you have such a question, click here and let me know.

I'll try to get to all that I can between now and the end of the year. I'll save the other questions for my next endeavor, the As-Of-Yet-Untitled Podcast Project. *grin*

There's so much to say before I say the last goodbye here, but I'll save that for December. Thank you so much for joining me in this space. You all mean the world to me.

-- M

a plus-sized Stitch Fix (help me decide?)

Hi friends!

On Friday, my very first Fix from Stitch Fix arrived. When I mentioned this on the SortaCrunchy Facebook page, several people asked for pictures, so here we go!

I've seen other bloggers sharing their Stitch Fix boxes for a long time, but was hesitant to try it myself. As I've shared a few times, I (still) haven't returned to the size I was before I got pregnant with the twins, and I wasn't keen on buying new clothes, especially since I knew the price tags on the pieces in the Fix boxes were way above my usual thrift store and clearance rack budget.

The other reason I had hesitated on trying Stitch Fix is because I know they can only style people up to a size 14, and I'm between a 14 and 16 right now, depending on brand and cut. I don't recall seeing other people of my size showing their Fixes, so I wasn't sure if I could even wear anything they sent.

However, I had built up a little credit with them, and so I decided to finally take your advice and buy a few new things in the size I am in now instead of wearing clothes that were ratty (seriously, one of my favorite skirts has been worn to shreds) and ill-fitting.

I have to say that I was more than pleasantly surprised to have an INCREDIBLE first experience with Stitch Fix! I feel like my stylist truly got my taste and preferences. Every piece was perfect in its own way. Here's the rundown on what I'm keeping, what I'm sending back, and the one piece I need your feedback on!

(Apologies in advance for crappy iPhone pics. This weekend has been incredibly busy so I only had a few minutes today to try everything on and get this post up.)

Piece #1: Papermoon Jonie 3/4 Sleeve Chevron Print Elastic Waist Henley Dress, $64

I love, love, LOVE this dress! It is something I would never, ever pick up off the rack because I always think I can't wear a scoop neck. However, the fit on this dress is fantastic, it is so comfortable for moving and chasing toddlers in, and the colors are incredibly versatile.

It is so lightweight I can wear it in any season, and for winter, I will probably style it with leggings, my trusty denim jacket, and a scarf:

Piece #2: Market and Spruce Margerie Stripe and Dot Open Cardigan, $68

This is the other piece I fell in love with from the minute I saw it. I love a cardigan in any form, but open cardigans are especially easy to throw on over most anything. In fact, I'm wearing it right now as I type!

Here is a close-up of the cardigan. It looks almost like it has a purple tint in the picture, but in person it's a true navy and white stripe. I love navy. It's so easy to pair with other colors.

Pieces #3 and #4: Collective Concepts Esten Button-Up Sleeveless Blouse, $54; Henry & Belle Janet Wide Leg Jean, $148

Okay, here are the two pieces I am for sure not keeping. The jeans are AMAZING and if they fit, I would keep them in a heartbeat. This is where the difficulty comes in for those of us in the size 14ish camp. These are a great cut and have just the right amount of stretch, but I would have to size up and these are the largest size they can send. *womp womp*

The button-up blouse is also wonderful. I had mentioned to my stylist that I am sensitive about my middle area, and truly, this is the kind of piece that would work wonderfully. Loose enough to be forgiving without being frumpy. However, as much as I LOVE the idea of mustard, it turns out that this particular shade looks dreadful on me. Back it goes.

Okay, here is the piece I need your input on!

Octavia Henry Birds Branch Infinity Scarf, $28

Um, wow. That picture is awful with the blurry and lack of focus. SO SORRY.

This is another piece I love the idea of - an infinity scarf, beautiful orange color, and birds on a branch. What is not to love? But as I shared with my friend Kathryn after I tried all of this on, I never know if I am wearing infinity scarves the right way. They feel so poofy! Is it because of what I've got going on in the boob department? Because I feel like when I wear these scarves, I'm all "Hi, I'm Megan and this is my scarf! We're pleased to meet you today!"

Also, I adore orange, but again, I'm not sure this is the right shade for me.

Here's a close-up. YOU TELL ME. Keep or return?

So, once again I have to say I really, really enjoyed the experience. My stylist included in her note to me that she had studied my Pinterest board for style, and I am confident she did. I feel like every single piece NAILED my taste. And yes, these prices are way, way more than I would spend if I went to the mall, but the value for me is in not having to navigate racks and fitting rooms with the twins in tow. I could try everything on in my own home, and they make the return process so, so easy.

I will definitely schedule another Fix very soon. I can see how this would get addicting! (I only wish the wait time weren't so long right now! It looks like there is about a six week wait from schedule to send right now. Clearly, they are doing lots of things right to stay so busy!)

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

(All links to Stitch Fix are my referral link.)

So, about those 31 Days ....

Remember not too long ago when I wrote about my love for LOST? And about the LOST re-watch podcast that I loved so much? I've been growling and grumbling in the general direction of the hosts of that show because they haven't posted a new episode in over a month. A MONTH. I keep checking their Twitter accounts, hoping for some kind of update or SOMETHING. But nothing. They just ... stopped. And it makes me grouchy.

Ahem.

Welcome to my glass house. Please don't trip on the pile of stones I've made here.

So, at the beginning of October, I had every blessed intention of posting every day. I have pondered this series in my heart for so long and I have been so passionate about kids and teachers and schools and I TRULY felt like this was a project God had pressed on my heart to do.

A few days in, though, I felt my energy start to drain out of me. And I know I should have stopped there, I should have been honest with myself and with you right at that moment that something was off. But I decided I would power through. After all, last spring, I blogged every day of Lent. What's thirty-one days? I could do it.

Except, I couldn't.

For a myriad of reasons, I lost my words in October. Blame it on busy home life (the girls were home for two weeks of Fall Break), blame on the dastardly retrograding Mercury, blame it on sleep deprivation and many consecutive nights up with a coughing toddler. I don't know. All of that? Everything? More? I just couldn't put words together to form sentences, and that REALLY sent me spiraling.

When people have given you affirmation for the way you use words since you were ten years old and then you LOSE your words, you go to some dark places, wondering just what it is you have to offer anyone if you don't have words.

And I should have opened my laptop and I should have written this post weeks ago and I should have apologized and I should know it's probably a way bigger deal to me than it is to any of you and I should and I should and I should.

But I didn't, and I am sorry.

I still very, VERY much want to finish the project and offer it in a free PDF for anyone who would want it. That's my desire, anyway.

Things are shifting around here. Over the summer, Kyle left his job in the corporate world to start a private money management business, and we are incredibly grateful that business is great! But it has meant many, many days with him on the road and many, many hours of him working in his office here at home. I haven't solo-parented this much since back when he was coaching, and we have double the number of kids we had back then. The twins are finally growing into that stage of toddlerhood where they can do stuff, and they like to do stuff and I like to do stuff with them. The girls need me in their own ways, too. I think I have just gone into energy conservation mode to keep my head above the water (in the happiest, most grateful way).

So yes, things are shifting and I've given lots and lots of thought to what this new season of life will bring to us and what it will look like for me.

I'll keep you posted.