Gwen asks: Project. What did you start this year that you’re proud of? Wow – a question with an easy answer! When I retired from teaching a couple of years ago I determined to start a blog and a web page. It took a little while because first, I had to get into the rhythm of retirement. If you asked me to explain that to you, there’d be no good answer. I suppose I just had to be retired long enough to – -to — to what? My days never seem to have any predictability about them. I am NOT good at schedules but I am good at late nights. As long as I’m home. I suppose enough time had to pass while stuff muddled around in there. There meaning my head.
Then too, it helps that I have a son-in-law who constructs web pages. So I have the blog. You’re reading it. I have an index page, photography tutorials, short stories, travel journals, stuff about me. And I have the web page. With my photos and art. I was hoping to sell something but that was a pipe dream – after all, photographs are a dime a dozen, everyone has a blog.
Now I’m left with the bigger question. I have the web page and the blog and I’m proud of them. I fulfilled a promise to myself. But why? Why does it matter if I have a blog? Everyone has a blog. Everyone has photography tutorials. Am I imparting wisdom that will make a difference to people? Is there worth in me putting myself out there? Why should anyone care. Am I playing into the narcissistic trend? I have a feeling, not unlike the Black Eyed Peas i suppose, that it’s going to be a good year, but during the next year my blog will disappear and become a journal again. A private journal. To help me wrestle with life issues and find my way to growth. We’ll see. I’ve been mulling this over for a while, unless I get a clear indication of where this is going, it’s going to change direction.
i totally understand what you are saying. i was writing my post today, and it felt like blahblahblahblahblah. felt like nothing more than navel-gazing. though i’m enjoying the rhythm of writing daily, though i’m enjoying the (much needed) discipline, i daresay i’m not doing my best writing yet, and that is not satisfying. are you imparting information of value? absolutely. and i’d hate to see you tuck in and go private on your journal because i’d miss you even tho’ our paths have just crossed – but i’d also absolutely understand. good luck untangling this.