I’ve never been a very opinionated person. It’s hard for me to point out the negative in something, especially if that something is someone else’s pride and joy. If I read a book that I end up not liking, I’m the one saying, “It was a great story, even though the writing wasn’t my style.” I never felt it fair to critique someone’s writing when they had worked so hard on it.

Even with music and movies, I’m not a fan of critique. (Don’t get me wrong, I love reading reviews/critiques; I just can’t dish them out.) Just recently, I bought Ingrid Michaelson’s new album, and it has taken me a while to warm up to it. While the songs are catchy, they’re very different from her first albums. I adore Ingrid Michaelson (I even follow her on twitter), and she has an amazing voice, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed at first listen. However, after a while, I’m okay with it. I realize that artists change, and I still adore her voice.

I always feel sort of bad for artists/actors/musicians/writers. Every time they complete something, it goes through a review process. Even if the majority loves it, there will always be someone “hating” it. I can’t imagine what they go through, having to deal with that on a regular basis. I suppose it just comes with the territory.

Even though I despise giving negative feedback, I’m considering writing reviews every once in a while on this blog. While I’ll mostly review/suggest things I love, I know I’ll run across things I’m not so fond of. I’m just trying to figure out how to deal with those without being incredibly hurtful.

What do you think about reviews?

I miss this blog. I miss wanting to write. Well, I still do want to write, but I’m having trouble of coming up with anything aside from work or school things. However, I have some ideas floating around. (One involving my film camera + the town I live in, but that’s all I’m giving away.)

This weekend, Husband and I are taking a mini-vacation (before classes begin next week) with my in-laws. We’ll be heading to Gatlinburg, which is just less than three hours from where I live. We’re leaving Friday afternoon with a return home Sunday evening. I’m looking forward to it. The last “vacation” we had was our honeymoon last year, so this is needed. I’m looking forward to staying in the cozy cabin and skipping across rocks at the creek. (I might be lugging my film camera with me for this; while I’d choose film over digital any day, I really wish I could afford that Nikon D5000. Sigh.)

This is completely off-topic, but I have a question for all of you tech savvy people. Basically, I’m going to be purchasing a new laptop soon. I’ve had my Dell since my senior year of high school, and I’ve never had problems with it … but I’m itching for some new/upgraded technology, especially since I’m taking online classes this semester. I’m just unsure of whether I should buy another Dell or go for a Macbook. I’ve always wanted a Mac (I love the design, especially), but Dell has been great for me the past few years. What do you think? I’m trying to weigh the pros and cons, so I’d love feedback of any kind (especially if you’ve used both).

Just a sneak peek of where we’ll be staying this weekend.

{image via Hearthside Cabins}