Here we go...
To be very honest, this blog has been a long time coming. The idea first germinated around a year ago – when I realised that I would start working full time in 2020. I’ve always been someone who prided myself on successfully carrying out multiple endeavours simultaneously. College was a hectic three years – academics, various clubs and associations, extra-curricular activities, and running my own baking business from home (@pipeddream on Instagram if you want to check it out!)
With college ending, and my first job fast approaching, I knew that I wanted to pursue something else along with work, preferably something that allowed me to keep in touch with my creative side. Blogging seemed like the logical answer.
Food, cooking and baking are things I have been passionate about since I was a little girl, and writing was something I discovered and fell in love with somewhere along the way, so a recipe blog was a good place to start. However, anyone who knows me (or any home baker for that matter) knows that I’m very protective of my recipes, having collected them over years from a multitude of sources as well as modifying and perfecting them over time to make them my own. Which led me to asking myself – was I ready to part with my babies?
After tossing and turning over that question for a while, I realised that my love for food primarily stemmed from the joy I derived from sharing my creations with others. Since sharing food = sharing happiness, by extension doesn’t sharing recipes = sharing happiness as well? So here we are!
Post that, there were more fears that held me back – I haven’t done this before, will I be any good at it? Can I even take half-decent photos of food? Will people actually read what I write? And most importantly, will I keep at it?
And I suddenly recognised that to get anywhere, I will have to take the plunge and start. There will obviously be a learning curve, and I know I will develop a certain style over time, but for either of those things to happen, I had to actually start!
While scrolling through old photos on my phone, I came across one of the first cakes I ever baked and decorated on my own from 2014. And looking back now, it was such a sad looking cake - oddly decorated, not symmetrical in the least, and a terrible quality photo taken on an ancient iPod Touch. But I remember being so proud of it as I presented it to guests who had come home for lunch.
First cake order (June 2017) Baby Shower Cake (May 2018) Australia Cake (May 2018) Red Velvet Cupcake (July 2017)
When I compare that chocolate cake to some of my more recent ones, I see the improvement. Even if I compare the first cake order I took in June 2017 to some of my later creations, there is such a huge difference - the more I practiced, the steeper the learning curve. When I see this, I realise that it will be okay (teehee)
Therefore, welcome to Mo’s Musings – a blog mainly focusing on food, with some of learning on sustainability sprinkled in, along with some of my other creative pursuits. It’s lovely to have you here!
My first thought about helping students organise their own learning is that the everyday experience deserves as much attention as the larger explanation. Keeping track of unfinished tasks can make a busy school week feel more manageable. That connection helps me see why student learning organisation can be worth a closer look. I would be interested in a simple example, because it is often the ordinary details that make an idea memorable. What kind of planning system is simple enough for students to use consistently?
Considering rebuilding confidence after a learning setback, I keep coming back to the difference between knowing about an idea and putting it into practice. A disappointing result does not have to define the next attempt. I would use that point as a starting question when considering learning confidence recovery. I can imagine different answers depending on the situation, so I would want to understand the context before drawing conclusions. What helps a learner recognise progress after an earlier difficulty?
When it comes to introducing music through listening and practice, I would rather understand one useful detail properly than rush through a long list of ideas. Listening for one musical detail can make a short piece feel entirely different. That connection helps me see why music listening education can be worth a closer look. A short discussion of an everyday example would make this easier for me to connect with, especially as someone still learning about the subject. Which listening exercises work well before a learner starts studying notation?
The subject of developing skills through focused workshops feels more interesting when there is room for a reader to stop and ask their own questions. A short workshop can be useful when it gives participants time to try one specific technique. I would keep that thought nearby when looking for ideas about focused skills workshops. A short discussion of an everyday example would make this easier for me to connect with, especially as someone still learning about the subject. What should a learner be able to do differently after a focused session?
I can see why exploring nature and local life in Gorzno would invite discussion, since different people will bring different experiences to the same question. Careful observation can make a familiar landscape feel less ordinary. I would use that point as a starting question when considering Gorzno nature exploration. I am more curious about the process than a polished result, because the steps in between are usually where questions appear. What would you record during a short local nature walk?