01/12/2023
Hello everyone!
I feel like I have some explaining and apologizing to do.
This year started out with me wanting to pick up where I had left off last year. I felt like we were making good headway creating a good community and really growing the channel together. The 'Spooky Extravaganza' was such a success and I couldn't have asked for a better turn-out. But to be honest, I did burn myself out a little with that event and even after I took a short break in late December, I felt like I never got switched back "on" despite my best efforts. Working a full time job on top of streaming fairly regularly part time, balancing a personal life...it's all a lot harder than it sounds. I commend anyone who actually can do all that well because I sure struggled.
Shortly after returning to streaming in January, Ben and I adopted our two amazing dogs and had to adjust our lives to making sure that they were the priority. We all got comfortable with each other really quick so that was a huge positive and was helpful in the training aspect. Ben and I are not professional dog trainers so it's been a work in progress all year but I'm happy to say that we're in a great place with them now with only a few things to continue to work on.
A week or two after adopting the dogs we found out I was pregnant. I knew immediately that I wanted a private pregnancy because of my anxiety. We didn't tell anyone outside of a handful of close friends and family. Come October we welcomed our little bundle of joy and shocked our extended family and friends with the news. [Side Note: We will not be posting pictures/videos of the baby on social media as we just want to be safe and contain the digital footprint as best as we can for awhile.]
I know it was a surprise to some of you when I 'unfriended' you on FB. Don't take offense as it truly wasn't personal. With the pregnancy, I had to take a step back from everything and really sort out my personal priorities. Even though I consider many of you friends, I just needed to distance myself from Streamland this year. It was a quick decision that was made because I felt it was needed at the time and even though I stand by it to protect my mental health, I can't deny that it hasn't been eating at me since I pulled the trigger. So that being said, I want to apologize whole-heartedly for it. I get some of you may still be mad or upset from it and I completely understand. Just know it didn't come from a place of hate when I did it.
I hope that explains a little bit more of why I've been absent this year and why I had to take a step back from streaming and Streamland in general. I honestly don't know if I'll be coming back (or if I would even attempt to stream on blue anymore) but I do miss it some days. Never say never I guess.
Hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season! β
π Jessi π
