Rethinking This Blog

Current status: After a week’s vacation visiting nephews, relaxed for the moment.

I may not be here on the page, but I ponder my blog often. I think to myself: Ah, I should write about that. Or: That would be a good blog post. But then, I don’t get around to writing the new posts. Instead, I jot a list of the posts I will write. Something like this:

Library
Cultivating creativity
Taking stock

Hmm…Now I don’t remember what I was going to write. I’ve led myself into a blog-tangle, as if my posts need to be deep or significant — and include an appropriate photo, too. I’ve complicated the process.

Silly.

So, I’m going to try a new blogging method: Shorter posts (hear these are better anyhow, for readability), not necessarily with an image. Reminder to self: This blog is about the trials and tribulations of my writing life. Most of the time, these trials and these tribulations aren’t deep or significant. They’re the daily blips that I imagine are typical of most fictionistas.

But hey, look what I just did–wrote a mini-essay about shortening my posts…And, included photos, too!

My first post in a week. What’s up with that? Have I run out of things to say? Am I bored with myself? Am I stressed and busier than usual?

No, nah, and nope.

I simply needed a break. We’ll see how long the break lasts; for all I know, I’ll kick back into gear this week…However, I’m predicting that I won’t. Mostly because these two adorable boys, my nephews, Trevor and Andrew (Christmas 2007), arrive today for their annual summer visit. I can count on getting nothing done while they’re here, which is as it should be.

Meanwhile, I wonder if anyone out there can relate to this: This blogging thing, it’s meant to be fun, right? For now, for me, it’s a hobby. But, since I’m me, and I apparently like flogging myself, I crack that whip if I don’t blog two-three times a week, if I don’t vary my posts between fluff and more serious stuff, if I don’t visit other blogs to keep up with what’s going on, if I don’t…etcetera etcetera etcetera.

In other words, I’ve allowed blogging to become another responsibility, another task on the to-do list, another endeavor that could lead to failure (whatever that means) if I don’t do it just right — and God forbid my stats plummet! Oh no! Am I losing readership? Are my fellow bloggers bored with me? Do people still like me? Will I get fired?

Ugh. Puh-leeze. Even I have to remind myself that the blogosphere isn’t reality. It’s barely reality-based. It’s all about the personas we choose to show others…I wouldn’t say anyone who only knows me through my blog actually knows me, just as I don’t actually know any of my blogger pals. (This could be a whole ‘nother post and chat…)

Enough of that. Extending the break another week is obviously a good idea. I have reality to see to, which this afternoon includes dog-washing because the boys are eager to meet Luna and best paw forward, right?

I have a writer-friend who always, every day, gives herself permission to quit writing. Somehow, it liberates her to continue writing. So, I hereby allow myself not to blog.

(That said, check back next week, ‘kay?)