Friend Friday: New Year's Resolutions and an Outfit

It's Friday and I'm participating in Modly Chic's Friend Friday forum.  To learn more, pop over to Katy's fantastic blog.  I was hoping this would be a collaborative post, but since most of my co-bloggers are visiting family and friends, Shakespeare's Feminine Ending is allegedly building an igloo, and Megarita is nesting in preparation for the birth of Sprout, it's just me.

1. What's the one thing you vow to learn or do in 2011 to improve your
blog?
At some point this year, I vow to get a tripod and remote and to start experimenting with taking my own photographs.  M. is a great photographer and his skills have improved so much, but mine seem to have stagnated.  I'm also hoping that in 2011 I will post a bit less here and my co-bloggers will post a bit more.    

2. What did you learn about blogging in 2010 that you plan to put into
practice next year?
I learned that a cleaner layout makes for a better blog for us.  I also learned how to use twitter (sort of).  I'd like to get more of the FA team to join twitter, even if it's mainly so I can converse with them in 140 character messages all day long.  I also learned that CFPs are a lot of work for us, but the posts are so much fun to read when they are finally put together.  I'm sure we'll be announcing our next CFP sometime soon....

3. Do you have any high-level goals for your blog in the coming year?
Monetization? More comments? More connections with other bloggers? A
new template?
We would love to make more connections with Etsy vendors for giveaways, product reviews, and sponsorships.  So far we've only had mixed luck with this.  I love making connections with other bloggers, and I'm sure I'll continue to do so through commenting, tweets, and emails.  

4. If you could collaborate with one other blogger within your sphere
of influence in 2011, who would you like to collaborate with, and what
would you like to collaborate on?
Crap!  One!?!?  There is no way I could pick only one blogger I'd like to collaborate with.  I love to collaborate!  This blog is collaborative.  I'd love to do something fun with the awesome ladies of IPF (D-Med, we are running a half at some point in 2011!!), Be Fabulous Daily, and The Cohabitating Closet.  I'd also really love to swap posts or work with Courtney of Sartorial Sidelines.  I'm sure AUH and SFE would love to collaborate with Anthroholic. The list could go on and on but you'd be reading this post into the new year.  

5. What do you plan to do to support other bloggers next year?
I'll keep doing what I've done.  Comment whenever possible.  Take part in challenges as I can.  Respond to emails, FB posts, and tweets.  


I wore this outfit the other day to work from home on a publication project and some class prep for the new term.  I was hoping to get out for a couple of hours and meet a friend for coffee that afternoon, but by the time she called I had just really settled in to a work groove.  Since deadlines are fast approaching, I took a raincheck and my silk pants and I stayed in for an afternoon of checking a transcription of a sixteenth-century document.

 Shirt - Mandee (via Winners), Silk Pants - Club Monaco (on incredible sale and purchased during my expedition with Kristin), Shoes - Nine West (remixed), Lace Choker - H&M (gift from mother-in-law)

I'd love to know what you'd like to see on Fashionable Academics in the New Year!  Please leave us a suggestion in the comments!

In the meantime, I wish you a healthy, prosperous, and very happy New Year!