An overdue NaBloPomo introduction

We’re a week into NaBloPoMo, and I realised I’ve not introduced myself to anyone that might have recently discovered my blog, sorry! And welcome!

I’m Kel, and I’ve been blogging off and on since about 2003-ish.

My sister first set me up with a subdomain on her site, called Kelly’s World, where I started writing about the Diploma of Justice that I was studying. Originally, my plan was to become a police officer, and eventually a forensic scientist. Instead, I somehow sidestepped into the software industry, where I still remain 23 years later (and love it). I briefly went back to university to start a Bachelor of Chemistry, but after dating someone in the law enforcement industry, I realised that career path wasn’t for me.

Through it all, I kept writing. I found that I really enjoyed sharing stories from my life. I never focused on exposure, and didn’t know the first thing about SEO, so my blogs never got many readers. But it was such a great outlet for me, and a way of processing. I wrote through many breakups, career changes, holidays, more breakups, getting engaged, married, and pregnant. I documented my postpartum journey and difficulties, including my depression, weight gain and loss, eating disorders, therapy, and recovery.

To be serious for a second, I have an underlying belief that the more we become vulnerable and share our stories, the more we might collectively learn and heal. Hence my lack of boundaries on my blog.

In the middle of 2025, I started to feel like my blog had become a dumping ground for negativity. I decided I was ready for a fresh start, and “Kel me about it” was born.

So, who is Kelly as of 2026?

• I’m 42, married, and mother of one.
• I’m dorky, with a terrible sense of humour, and love bad jokes.
• I have a deep love for running, but due to knee issues (no cartilage and osteoarthritis), I need a knee replacement. Supposedly I’m not allowed to run “ever again”, but we’ll see about that!
• I write an annual list called 52-in-52, full of random and wonderful things to do. Sometimes not-so-wonderful, and it becomes my forced reminder to do things I’ve been putting off. I’ve been writing a new list every year since 2008, and only completed it once.
• I love crafting, stationery, reading, and music.
• Some people would describe me as eccentric and chaotic. I’m usually down for doing spontaneous silly things if it means we’ll have a laugh. For example, swapping a shirt with a man on the streets of Thailand because he thought it was pretty (to explain the photo above). Yes I was drunk at the time, and yes I still have the pink singlet (and a great story).
• I’m obsessed with my planner. Probably because every day, week, and month is an opportunity to write a new list, and as we know, I love lists. Plus, I get to decorate things and each day write something I’m grateful for. It’s turned me into a much more positive person.
• I also write about travel, books, goals, family, and random things I’ve discovered. I suppose it’s whatever takes my fancy at the time!

And that’s probably enough random Kelly facts for one post. Although after more than 20 years of writing about myself on the internet, you’d think I’d be better at introductions. I definitely haven’t learned how to keep things concise.

If you’ve found me through NaBloPoMo, hello again! I’m looking forward to getting to know some new bloggers this month too.

If you’re new here, tell me a random fact about yourself so I can get to know you too.