Is there a shelf life for bloggers? If so, sometimes I feel like my expiration date has passed. Often I feel like I'm boring, like I have no more stories to tell, that nothing is happening to me that is blog worthy. Sometimes I blog about my weeks, and I think I sound like some of those boring "Twitterers" who say things like: "got up. at work. at home. fell asleep." Blech!
When I first started blogging, I was inexperienced, and experimenting so I was all over the place and had no focus regarding content. Then I moved to the Wild West and for three years, I could blog about my new life experiences since I went from a Midwest City Girl to in the middle of nowhere Wild West girl, with a new career to boot. And for those three years, I might not have always been scintillating I usually had something that I felt worthwhile about writing.
But sometimes, now, I struggle.
As I'm sure you can tell from the offerings of the last year I was sometimes desperate: memes, Johnny Depp pictures, promos for EventChaser and Razorgator with nothing else on those days. I even resorted to a blogger ploy when one doesn't know what to scribe: ask for your input. I wrote a post with several topics and you the readers voted on what you wanted to hear about from lil' old me. It was probably pretty obvious I sometimes feel I have nothing to write about that anyone would want to read. Like serving bread without butter, cheese without crackers (you thought I was going to say WINE/ Whine!) or a Margarita without salt.
I don't want to just kvetch all the time. We all have our down periods in life but right now I feel like I've had a looooooooooooong down period and I don't want this to be a whiny forum, anymore than it already is. Especially since Christmas is coming. And I have a JOB so I feel like I should be bouncing off the walls with joy when I'm really now worrying about catching up on my bills as much as possible before I no longer have a job in June.
Maybe my 'wacky' period in life is over. I can't live like Lucy forever, can I? Maybe now I'm just like a no name extra cast member of Wagontrain who just keeps on wagon training until I die of typhoid in the episode 2?
I promise a spinning class and a Zumba write up but every time the new 'Y' offers a spinning class, I was scheduled to work one of my crappy part time jobs (that yes I was thankful to have because half of the country is out of work, blah blah blah) Over Christmas vacation I will take a Zumba and spinning class- one each. I know those classes should be posting worthy, unless it kills me. Which could happen. But I guess if that does occur, there's a post that will result from it, one way or another. I have a few people who will blog in a moment of my unfortunate untimely demise.
I think Hemingway was on to something with his writing and drinking concept. Not that I want to commit suicide or anything but I really hardly drink at all since I've moved back here to Civilization. I think I can count on one hand the numbers of times I've consumed, or at least both hands with some fingers left over. Maybe I should reopen my relationship with the bottle to see if I can get the creativity flowing again?
Maybe I need a shtick? You know Julie Powell did her thing with the Julia Child cookbook. Maybe I need something like that? Okay, not exactly that of course since it's already been done, but you know, a concept, a goal, a project. Who knows? (and if you have any ideas, send them my way. You know I'm game for ALMOST anything.)
I'm also thinking of doing something that other bloggers do: give stuff away. I'm going to come up with stuff people want, make readers do things to get the stuff and then pick a winner and mail out prizes. I don't when I'm gonna do it, or what I'll give away, or what I'm gonna make readers do to get it, but a giveaway is a'comin here to "shoes and purses."
So I think I'm going to be thinking and evaluating what I want to do with my blog. Keep it, trash it, go on a hiatus, change the focus.... not sure. In the meantime, I'll be posting as usual and who knows what could happen?
the winds of change are blowin',
Maggie
7 comments:
I for one love reading your stories. And I vote to hear the other stories from the ones we voted on. I just think you might have a touch of the winter/Christmas blahs. Yeah maybe a little early for winter blahs but I think I have the same thing. Can't get in the spirit of the season. I know, I think we need a pedicure/manicure.
Please, please, please don't go away. I know what you mean about struggling. Sometimes I just sit here with my fingers on the keys and say, "I've got to write SOMETHING!!!" I'm going to allow myself NOT to post the next time I just draw a blank.
You can always fall back on old stories from high school. I'm still using those every now and then. But rest assured that you are NOT boring!
Curley- thank you! And I would say let's go get a pedi this weekend!
Bragger- aw shucks, thank you. Really, thank you. I swear I've thought on occasion I was just going to write "I have nothing to say today." and leave it at that, but I haven't. yet. I know what you mean about letting myself NOT post but then I feel terrible. OCD am I?
I'll have to think of old high school stories. it's strange but I can't remember much of that time, but I have a few good college stories and I have lots of "when I was a kid" stories, which you'll see by tomorrow's fare.
You should be having fun, darling! I think you're at your best when you let yourself ramble...don't you think a Julie/Julia project would get monotonous rather quickly?
Ptourist- you have a point. I do "free association" blogging better than when I think I have to have a plan. haha!
I do think I ramble well...
I hear you. And I've been playing at this blogging thing for only a matter of months.
That said, I found it much easier to find something to blog about every day when I was doing the November challenge and felt like I had to blog. So maybe that's something.
Or, come up with a list of 'getting to know you questions' and frame blog posts around them: If you had only six months to live, what would you do first?
Who was your hero as a child?
If you could travel back in time, what mistake(s) would you want to correct?
You're never, ever, boring, Maggie.
Although I have to admit that pictures of Johnny Depp don't do much for me...but I can see the attraction for you!!
Everybody has times when life and blogging don't mix too well, but I know you'll find plenty to write about.
By the way, I've been reading JE's blog. I know a lot more about you now.......
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