Thursday, July 11, 2019

The Bitchy Bookkeeper Turns 1!



Good day, Bitchy Readers!

It has been a year since I began writing about being childfree. I created this blog as a way for me to speak freely about my decision. 

My original idea was to write about three topics--money, celebrities, and the childfree lifestyle. 

I have this printed on the back of my business card. Handy for when someone asks me if I plan on having children. 

I still discuss money and celebrities from time to time. 

However, writing about being childfree-by-choice has opened up a new level of living, for me.

Before creating The Bitchy Bookkeeper, I felt like an outsider when socializing. 
(My small social circle aside.) ⇐That's a tongue twister. 

Most of the women I know are mothers or have the desire to become mothers, eventually.

Scores of mommy-blogs and parenting lifestyle tips flood my social media feeds. 


Someone needs to create an algorithm for the childfree!




Instagram collab with author Kristen Tsetsi


I've spent 12 months exploring ways to create relevant childfree content. I've funded this myself, which is an incredibly scary thing.


Every day, I ask the Universe....

"umm.. is there anything else I should be doing? Because it looks like I'm sitting around doing arts and crafts all day."

In reality, I'm having fun with it. The bills are paid, so who cares if I don't have a "normal" job. I spent 12 years as a self-employed violin instructor and performer. No one expects me to have a normal job.


I worked for 6 years as an office manager and my work circumstances weren't normal either.


Bottom line-I don't do normal.

My feelings about not having/raising children have grown into a passion for connecting with other like-minded women.

It's no secret that I love my alone time. I live alone. I travel alone. I do most of my activities alone.

I embrace my solitude. I rarely go out of my way to seek new friends. 


I've gotten to know other CF women who are creating products and services designed for the childfree community. (I’ll share three of my favorite discoveries in a moment.)

It's easy to think " Oh, they're my competition" but that is not the case.

We all have our individual style and approach to sharing our message. I find value in what they share. Hopefully, some of them find value in what I share. 

We come from different parts of the world. 
Being a childfree woman in Canada isn't the same as being a childfree woman in the United States. 

For example-

Women have access to free basic health care, including abortions, here in Canada. I can go visit my doctor without worrying about the cost. I took this for granted until I learned what some other women are dealing with.

My point is that we each have stories of value to offer the childfree community. This helps spur on appropriate action for change. 

Banff National Park, Alberta Canada

The Bitchy Bookkeeper is a brand that supports the childfree & pro-choice communities.

Its purpose is to entertain and inspire. 

I keep my website and blog free of ads and pop-ups. I appreciate the need to monetize. As a woman who loves having her own money, I’m all for generating income.

But, I also want my Bitchy Readers to keep coming back. 


This summer I will be introducing the first Bitchy-Bookkeeper-brand product. It’s being tested out first in real life because it’s an actual physical product. 

This will be the first item for sale that results in The Bitchy Bookkeeper earning cash money.

From time to time I will also mention other childfree products & services.


Not as a way to generate income for me, but as a way to support other childfree women who are creating things of a certain quality.

By that, I mean the item resonates with me and aligns with The Bitchy Bookkeeper's intent to inspire. 


I'm not going to promote every book, course, podcast, t-shirt, etc.

I make my email address public and any legit request I get, I look into. I take the time to become familiar with the content and creator.

If I am moved by it, I'll respond.

If not, it goes into a folder for later. I'm busy and sometimes I’m not in the right mood.

I have two favorites that I wish to share with you now.

 ( In no particular order. Click on the titles to link you to the websites. )

The Age of The Child-- A novel by Kristen Tsetsi. 


My Instagram post.

I received a copy of this book and it grabbed my attention. 

The author-Kristen has crafted a story from the childfree perspective. The main character doesn't change her mind about motherhood after she becomes pregnant in a time where birth control is banned. Abortions are illegal. Miscarriages are investigated. It may be fiction but it sure sounds real, right?


The reader gets to see what happens to children born during such a time. It's the details, the dark humor, that I love best about this book.

It will kick you in the gut!  

I contacted Kristen to share with her how I felt about the story and the fate of the characters. We've since begun a fun collaboration on Instagram

She sends me questions about being childfree and I post my answers in an artistic screenshot. I posted one earlier in this blog. In case you missed it. 




The Honest Uproar-podcast for the modern, childfree woman. 

" Modern, childfree women share their life stories and discuss important topics for the kidfree community."

Isabel-Founder & Firebrand (a term I've just discovered⬌a person who is passionate about a particular cause, typically inciting change and taking radical action.)


I received an email asking if I'd be interested in being interviewed on The Honest Uproar podcast. I found it on Spotify and loved the vibe of the introductory episode. 

I ended up listening to all of them.  

Isabel interviews CF women from around the world. She has a warm interview style and each woman speaks so openly about their life. As I listened, I felt this awesome sense of connection. Even with diverse life circumstances, I could identify with each woman, including Isabel. 

Hearing how they navigate through life as CF women was enlightening. 

I'll post a link to my interview when it airs. Better yet, you can subscribe to the podcast and listen to all the awesome childfree women!


               
                                           *************

There you have it, Bitchy Readers. CF creations that resonate deeply with me. 

It's hard to pinpoint why certain things/people click with you and why certain things/people don't. Sometimes you get an inner nudge to check something out or contact a person. 

Ideas form and collaborations begin. Nothing forced, just natural. It's the greatest. 

Thank you to everyone who has supported The Bitchy Bookkeeper in any capacity over these past 12 months. 

Have a lovely day!


Sincerely, 

LeNora Faye
Bitchy Bookkeeper (neither of these things, but I know how to be, haha)
Almost an Author  (getting closer now!)
Former Fantastic Violinist (practicing again)


email: info@lenorafaye.com

Click For all the links!