There are many reasons you may see a few days go by without a new post from me.
Often, it's because life gets in the way.
- I have a full-time job.
- I have a husband I (gasp!) love hanging out with. :)
- I have family and friends I crave spending time with.
- I volunteer.
- I have other writing projects in the works.
Life happens. I know you all get that. Life happens to you, too, of course.
But sometimes, it isn't life -- it's me. I get in my own way.
I'm not talking about writer's block (although I get that, too, from time to time). This is something that actually kind of makes me fear for my own sanity.
I'm not sure how other bloggers get their ideas, but for me, they usually come in flashes of inspiration (whether or not it's a good inspiration is a completely different subject altogether). The problem is, these "flashes" usually happen at the most inopportune times:
But sometimes, it isn't life -- it's me. I get in my own way.
I'm not talking about writer's block (although I get that, too, from time to time). This is something that actually kind of makes me fear for my own sanity.
I'm not sure how other bloggers get their ideas, but for me, they usually come in flashes of inspiration (whether or not it's a good inspiration is a completely different subject altogether). The problem is, these "flashes" usually happen at the most inopportune times:
- While I'm driving
- In the middle of a conversation with someone
- While I'm doing yard work
- Juuuuuust as I'm falling asleep
- During a conference call at work (Note to my boss, who graciously reads this blog: Just pretend I didn't say this one. Hee.)
None of these situations lends itself to either A) writing an actual post or B) writing a well-thought-out description of the central idea of what I want to say. So I end up trying to later decipher things like this:
- "The meaning of telephone poles." {Voicemail left to myself, accompanied by Lady Gaga playing in the background and the sound of rushing wind}
- "Is Facebook destroying us as humans? Deep discussion. Reconnect: No Growth?" {E-mail sent from my phone while I apparently was half-asleep}
- "Gum: Pervasive smell. Why?" {Note hastily scribbled on the back of a receipt and then crumpled at the bottom of my purse}
- "Just one sound required" {Post-It note on my desk at work}
Um.
WHAT?!
By the time I'm able to revisit these at a convenient time for writing, not only do I have no idea why I thought it'd make an interesting blog post, I have absolutely no idea what I was thinking at all. Gum? Facebook? TELEPHONE POLES? Was I high?
So don't think of these absences as me being neglectful. I'm really just doing you all a favor by waiting until I have a semi-formulated thought.
I'll get back to you when I have one. :)
6 backtalk:
i love your notes to yourself. i have a saved post in my blogger draft full of lists of weird ideas to write about. sometimes i look at them and cant remember what the hell i wanted to say.
i also get a ton of ideas while driving! usually to and from work. but my big brainstorming activity is pumping. nothing like standing in a bathroom by yourself three times a day to get the old brain firing... for some weird reason.
stupid job, keeping me all busy and employed and happy and whatnot. (just kidding! job, never read this! i actually love you!)
I do the same weirdo stuff. I have saved nonsensical notes that sometimes turn into blog posts. I also have notes to myself on my phone, next to my bed and in the kitchen. It's fun.
I often text myself a good idea. Then I wonder if I am crazy since I am texting myself. I have decided no.
I do this too! Voicemails to myself. Texts to myself. A notebook next to my bed for those middle-of-the-night epiphanies! (I think I'm much funnier and smarter in my sleep than in my daily life.)
I currently have a text on my phone, from myself, that says, 'Josie's on a vacation far away' but I have no idea why. I, unfortunately, did not write that line from The Outfield's Your Love; maybe I was sleep-texting while sleep-singing? (It could happen.)
Shannon you hereby have my permission to jot down your blogging inspirations while on a conference call. There are reasons we take these calls at our desk. There's a certain degree of messin' around that has to happen to just get through the day. I know this. You know this. You're always 100% on top of it anyway. Let the ideas flow! We're "creatives" for a reason. :)
And now you have it in writing.
Ha! I can totally relate. I have all of my ideas either on my phone in a note, or on my computer on a "sticky" in the "stickies" program.
And I'm like you - I sometimes have no idea what in the world I was thinking:
"Meatball"
"Guilt"
"Co-mingling"
Wow
Haha! This made me laugh. I want a post of all the "post notes" you've made to yourself that are all crazy and nonsensical.
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