8 posts tagged “blogging”
Wow. One month of NaBloPoMo obviously didn't instill ANY good habits at all for me, did it?
I'm blaming the germ invasion that took over the house. Human forces, armed with Vicks and Mucinex, are attempting to drive out the intruders prior to homeland festivities scheduled for 12/25 but the battle is expected to be challenging.
Force leader (aka Mom) has pulled herself from double duty (aka real job) to focus efforts on the home front with little success. Immersing herself in the battle only allowed the germs to increase their stronghold. After a quiet weekend on the front, the human forces do seem to be making a resurgence and all hopes are that everyone can pull double duty (school/work) with ease while still making process on the germ-eradication front.
So yeah- we've all been sick. A lot. And I was tired of hearing myself whine on twitter and assumed (gosh, I hate that word!) that it would be best to avoid it here as well. But, there are Christmas lights twinkling at the end of the tunnel and I think I feel a bit of Christmas spirit finally pushing its way though the mucus-filled cavities in my body.
Stay tuned for more battle updates...
Today is the final day of NaBloPoMo. I'd like to promise no more meaningless posts in the future, but I highly doubt that's going to happen. I know myself a bit too well.
Reflection time - So what did NaBloPoMo do for me? It forced me to come here every day and write, even if it was just an empty sentence or two. That was good- hopefully it helped build a good habit of trying to get words out on a more regular basis because even if it is rambling nonsense, those words often help clarify things that are floating around, in the same rambling way, in my head.
The bad? I actually pulled more away from reading and commenting on blogs. Maybe it was a bit of resentment that built up about having to blog every day. Some days, it was basically post, then get the heck out of blogosphere. I wonder if others found that too? I thought I'd get into it and discover a lot of new blogs and terrific writing. While I'm sure both are out there in mass quantities, I got a bit too stuck on focusing on churning out words of my own to step outside of my box to explore all of the bloggy goodness out there.
So those are my final thoughts. I'm glad I did it, proud that I did it.
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...
I started blogging because I needed an outlet. At the back of my head, though, I was convinced that once I started writing regularly again that my pieces would be witty and hard to resist. You see, I was a journalism major and while I was truly terrible at news writing and copy editing, I did rather well with features and humorous pieces.
Apparently that tiny bit of talent disappeared after years of neglect.
I was reading someone's blog that said you needed to tell a story, to have a hook to bring in readers. That's true, I suppose. I don't really have a hook or a story- other than one that many others have... that of a mom dealing with all of the challenges that work and parenting throw at you. But then again, I'm not trying to have a million readers or make money off of this. I mean, would I really want a lot of readers? I'm terribly paranoid and if I actually had more than 1 or 2 people stopping by daily, I might have to change my name and move to the other side of the country.
The other part of blogging that I give myself an F on is commenting. I think it's integral to comment on others' blogs if you really want to immerse yourself in the gigantic blogging community. I have tons of blogs that I read but most are read with breakfast or lunch in hand (my self-assigned blog reading times) and I rarely force myself to put down my food to start typing. It's definitely something I should do as there are so many talented writers out there and they deserve my compliments for entertaining me
I have no idea what I'm trying to say with all of this. (Another reason I stink: I rarely have a point or if I do, I tend to digress so far that no one could ever remember it. Ahem.) These are just thoughts floating in my head and really, that what this blog has turned into - a brain dump.
Welcome to my fuzzy, confused little world.
I am a coffee addict - have been for years. When I created a new message board name a few years back, I went with something that fell along the lines of that obsession and it only seemed natural to do so when it came to my blog. But I'm not feeling it anymore. (Why yes, I do bore easily.)
I need to cut back on coffee for health reasons and besides that, the title really doesn't convey 'me.' It says that the writer is a coffee addict that might have a problem. Which is true, I suppose. But, I wanted it to say more. I know it's just a blog title but still- it needs to feel right, particularly if I have to come here every day and see it.
The other day I was chatting with someone about everything going on and how crazy it's been these days and I said "I feel like I'm juggling jello."
The person with whom I was conversing stared blankly at me then changed the subject.
Really though, it fits. Lately, I feel as I have a lot of things in the air and it's increasingly tough the keep them up there. Some slip and fall and boy, can it be messy. But life in general is still sweet. It might be hard to see it through the mess, but it's still sweet. Just lick the damn jello off your shirt or the floor and you'll see how fruity and delicious it really is.
Eventually I'll work on a better header as I threw this one together in 10 minutes, but when I want change, I want it now. That's why my husband spent the morning lugging our gigantic 15' couch downstairs and our old one back up. (Sorry. babe, but we needed a fresh layout in the living room too.)
So yeah- these times they are a changin'.
So post every day, eh? A huge challenge for me - the blogger who stops in weekly for a sentence or two. I'm hoping it will spur me into a good habit of actually sitting down to write, even if for a moment or two, on a daily basis. There's a lot going on and I truly think it will help.
Here goes nothing...
I'm Chris- the really bad voxer. Life gets crazy and I retreat. Like a turtle hiding its head, I suppose. I've had so many things pop up that I think to myself "I should write about that" yet I have yet to force myself to sit down and actually start typing. Instead, it's been tv (brain numbing), a book (brain stimulating), or bed (brain resting?) that have called to me
October is upon us and for the first time in months, I'm actually feeling a bit of a pause in my life- time to stop running and start gasping for breath while looking around and readjusting to the view. It's refreshing. We had plans or were gone nearly every weekend this summer. A long trip out west, quick weekend trips elsewhere, a new job, new schools for the kids, new issues popping their heads up... It's all starting to fall into place- well, a lot of it. I'll work on a post for friends very soon re: kiddo issues/updates.
Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I love the cooler weather, the changing leaves, the smell of it all. College football on tv (even if it is the terribly disappointing Nittany Lions) and corn mazes- all good stuff. And perhaps a wagon ride or two on our way to pick pumpkins?
That I shall write a post of substance... WHEN I get back from a 2-day orientation dealio that I had forgotten all about. Classes and no computers for 2 days. It shall be a struggle, dear friends. But I will make it. And hopefully with tales to tell.
Till then...
We're off to DC in the morning for a quick anniversary getaway. The only thing actually planned/booked is a visit to the Holocaust Museum; otherwise, we're just going with the flow. This goes against all my super-planner instincts, but it's good for me. At least, I keep repeating that to myself.
I've been stewing in my quiet funk this week but hope to be back to normal after a rest and some time away to gain perspective and continue to think things over in the whirlpool of mush that passes for my brain. I promise to be more blogacious soon. Really.
