On April 24th I celebrated my 23rd birthday. A random number, it seems, but 2015 is the year my life is going to change a lot. And so will my blog. I’m graduating, looking for an apartment and searching for a job. Not nothing, I’d say! It’s in the light of these changes that I would like to announce some changes to The Ginger Diaries.
I’m a social worker and I personally feel that if I want to work in this field, I need to find a new balance in what aspects of my personal life I share on my blog. I’ve always been open and honest about most of the things that happened to and around me. I shared about my family, my friends, my boyfriend, my studies and the general good and bad things that I went through. My blog was my diary. A cleaned-up version, but still pretty open and personal. Now that I’m at the start of my grown-up life I want to literally take a step back. I want to enlarge the distance between my personal life and my online presence. I will filter out certain aspects to ensure the privacy of the people that surround me and be less open about my personal life as well. Of course, I’ll still write about life, but it’s time this blog grows up with me and I feel like these changes are part of that process. I will still be me, but just like with everything on the internet, you should know that my blog never was and never is the complete picture.
So now that we have the serious talk out of the way, I want to share a little about my birthday. My girlfriends and I went out for dinner at Burgers & Booze in Antwerp which had been on my must-visit list for a while. I had heard a lot of great things about them and they delivered! The interior was typically hipster, but the burgers were definitely at the next level. I went for a bun with pulled-pork and coleslaw and had a margarita for dessert. The guys waiting the tables were in a very good mood and super friendly as well. 10/10 for the smiles and the service! We ended the night the night chatting over soda (responsible!) in Kapitein Zeppos. On my birthday itself I had to give an important presentation and I rewarded myself with a scoop of Ijsboeke’s delicious raspberry sorbet. My boyfriend and I enjoyed take-away noodles and did some people-watching on the Groenplaats before we headed to the Badboot for a formal party. There’s something about men in suits, so getting my boyfriend in a suit was the best part of my birthday! We danced the night away and woke up to a table full of delicious things: “koekjestaart”, carrot cake and a fruit-pudding pie all for me! My birthday party was prrrretty awesome and it was fun to see so many of my family and friends again before I dive into my exams. Bye bye social life!
To end this post I would like to notice how I did not miss one day of posting during April. I’m patting my shoulder. I’m patting my shoulder.
Have a good weekend!
De bediening in Burgers&Booze is gewoonweg top! Ik ga vanavond weer :p
Happy Birthday!
Looks like you had a really fun birthday celebration!
“…just like with everything on the internet, you should know that my blog never was and never is the complete picture.” Yes, yes, yes! I just love this statement. I don’t really have any more to say on that, just that I agree and glad that people can acknowledge this. 🙂
It’s hard finding balance especially when working in such sensitive field! Good luck to you with new job
Happy Medley
Ik wil echt NU in die burger bijten!
Happy belated birthday Nikki! This will definitely be a big year for you. It’s a bit scary going out on your own for the first time but it sounds like you’ve got a great support system. 🙂
Looks and sounds like a wonderful birthday Nikki! 🙂 I’m glad you had such a good time.
Well done on keeping up with the blog all month too – I know finding time fro blogging has become trickier for you.
I hope you will still share your travels and your travel photos with us, even as you dial back some of the more personal stuff. I completely understand. I also liked that line ”just like with everything on the internet, you should know that my blog never was and never is the complete picture.”. So true! I think more people need to remember this. Can I tweet this? It really resonated with me!
Away From The Blue
we’re both nikki’s and we both turned 23 this april!! haha, so cool! happy belated birthday!
xx nikki
http://www.dream-in-neon.com
Yay!! Happy birthday, Nikki!! I completely understand about your not sharing some of your personal life. I share a small piece of my life because I want to make sure I have some privacy as well, and in your line of work you definitely need to ensure your clients have privacy. I just hope you’ll continue to share food pictures because yum! 🙂
~Sara
Happy birthday! I hope you have a delightful year! God bless
Happy Birthday.
And, as a teacher, I definitely understand where you’re coming from about the difficulty between being professional and having an online presence!
Gelukkige verjaardag Nikki! En ik begrijp u wel hoor, met het een stapje terugnemen van persoonlijke content delen. Zeker met het oog op jobhunts en al die dingen lijkt me dat geen slecht idee!
Volledig gelijk met uw stapje terugnemen etc 🙂 Helemaal begrijpelijk! Geniet nog na van je verjaardag! Liefs xx
Leuke tip die burger & booze! Veel succes met de veranderingen dit jaar!
x Karen
http://dressinginlabels.blogspot.com
A little late I know, but Happy Birthday! In few months I’ll be 23 and 2015 it’s going to be an important year for me too, since I’ll move abroad for my master’s degree. Good luck, I wish you the happiest and most exciting year ever!!
Looks like the perfect bday 😉 Ik ga ook eens naar die Burgers & Booze moeten gaan! Succes met de examens! xo
Nog een late verjaardag gewenst, Nikki! En ik begrijp de stap om een grotere kloof te maken tussen je online en offline wereld zeker en vast. Met mijn nieuwe blog ben ik ook wat voorzichtiger geworden qua privacy. Anyway, door al dat lekkers op uw foto’s heb ik honger gekregen dus ga ik mezelf iets klaarmaken 😉
Zie eens hoe mooi je staat met rood 😉
Geniet van je jaar!
Naomi, x