Welcome to Leaf & Steel! I’m so happy you’re here.
This fall, I’ve been putting way more effort into this whole blogging thing.
I’ve published 21 posts so far in October – a mind-blowing record for me.
With that, I’ve had an influx of new followers and readers.
I wanted to share 5 things about me to let my readers know a little bit more about the face behind this blog!
I’m a Stay-at-Home-Mom
I have a sweet little baby and I love staying home with her! My favorite part about being a stay-at-home-parent is being able to walk through the day slowly. There’s no rushing to get her dressed or fed or out of the house. I’m especially grateful for being able to stay home on the days where we do have to be somewhere at a certain time. I love being the one to meet my daughter’s needs throughout the day.
I firmly believe that bagels are God’s gift to mankind
…and the best bagels are on Long Island! I’ll fight anyone who disagrees. A toasted sesame with cream cheese is absolute heaven.

I didn’t go to college
Someone recently told me that if we are upfront and honest about the things we are ashamed of the power gets taken away from that thing. I don’t fully understand why I feel ashamed for not going to college. It been years since anyone has asked me if I’ve gone to college. Maybe it’s because I went to a very competitive high school or because The funny thing about shame is that I would never judge anyone else for their education, or lack thereof. I would just tell them, “so what?” and move on.
I like to be alone
…okay, I love to be alone. I enjoy the company of my friends and family immensely, and I love to be alone. Shopping, manicures, walking, cooking – whatever it is, I prefer to do it alone. I make sure I get in enough socialization so that I’m able to stay on light side of solicitude and isolation.
My dream is to own a hobby farm in upstate New York
And it must include (but not limited to), one highland cow, two goats, three chickens, and a barn cat.
I’ve fallen in love with the Hudson Valley and Catskills over the years. There’s something about the wide open spaces and small towns that is so refreshing coming from Long Island. I’ve found that the people are nicer, the air is cleaner, and I feel more connected to the universe when I’m up there.


What are five things about you?
Let me know below!
O.
My friend lives in upstate New York! We’re in the Midwest, and the handful of times we’ve driven up for a visit… Oh, my heart. It’s beautiful up there.
1. I went to college…and changed majors 8-9 times in two and a half years before choosing a brand new major, transferring colleges, and finishing up a computer science degree in two and a half years (with no major changes, magna cum laude!). (A college degree can be a very good, very useful thing, but college is not everything.)
2. My dream was to be a novelist, and I did finish my first novel (after working on a million revisions since I was 14. The early versions were awful. I would like to believe they got progressively better… I was told by credible sources that the most recent revision was good). I submitted it to a contest in 2015. It was rejected. I’m glad because I’ve since realized I need to change major things (and the company that held that contest actually disappeared within a year or two… They’d held the contest for years before that). That was over six years ago… And while I think about my novel all the time, I haven’t written another word since I submitted it.
3. I love sewing. I don’t sew very often.
4. I have a terrible compulsive habit of pulling off my split ends when I’m stressed out/anxious/nervous, since I was 14. It’s not as bad as an adult, but I can’t fully kick it.
5. I used to drink at least one can of Coke a day for years (regularly a 32 oz fountain Coke, sometimes bigger, occasionally up to 3 cans). It was a vice I kicked when I was pregnant with my first, but I resumed drinking Coke not that long after she was born. I only had about one soda a week with my second, but I drank about one mini can every day with my third, and even more with my fourth. I finally kicked it last spring (when baby was about 9 months old), and I’ve been cola free for a couple days short of 5 months! My initial goal is one year, but I’m secretly planning (shhh… Don’t tell me…) to never drink Coke again. I’m not sure I’ll stick with that plan… But we’ll see.
😁
Sorry for writing my own blog post in your comments… I swear I tried to be succinct… 😭
Thank you for taking the time to comment 5 things about you! I really admire your perseverance to your novel! And I stopped drinking Diet Coke as a New Year’s Resolution in 2019 and haven’t gone back ever since!
Wow Olivia, congrats on the growth for your blog. I’m positive you’ll reach your dream.
For me:
1. I’m in my early 20s
2. I love chicken a lot
3. I aspire to be a family chef👨🍳 I really like cooking.
4. I have a dream of owning several companies some day.
5. I’m still trying to understand how the universe works.
Thank you for taking the time to share 5 things about you! I love to cook too!
5 things about me
1) Clementine Julep is my pen name. And I am definitely going to use this name and publish many novels.
2) I am an Indian.
3) I am a college student and in the journey to ace the postgraduation course coming in the next 16 months. I am doing this cause I love doing this. And let me make this clear that I do not believe everyone needs a college education. Just do what you love to do & that is what matters.
4) I am a blogger who became one of them without even planning to be one.
5) I love helping people with whatever I have And I want to keep on learning to be a down to earth person too.
Thank you for taking the time to share! I can identify with becoming a blogger unexpectedly!
I understand about being alone!! I do love the solitude it brings!
Thank you for reading!
I have the under appreciated skill of knowing useless facts
My biggest daily challenge is not telling someone I was right
I have a fear of balloons
My accent is your accent aka I tend to mimic how people talk
I hoard books but in a healthy way
PS i loved your post thank you for sharing!!