On-again, off-again

As part of a month-long challenge to blog daily, I am following the directions from #reverbbroads11. Today’s prompt: Why blog? Why do you or why do you like to blog (recognizing that these are not always the same thing)? (from Kristen, http://kristendomblogs.com)


My relationship with blogging has been casual, at best. I started this particular blog in July 2008, shortly after receiving my first professional job offer. For the past three and a half years, I have gone on posting spurts, not even reaching 100 posts (although tomorrow will be the 100th!), and honestly, after this month of blog prompts, it's entirely possible that I might go quiet again. Not for any particular reason other than life (and writer's block) getting in the way. I also have a more professional blog, focused on my work as an academic advisor, but that posting schedule also has been erratic.

Despite my best efforts to come up with new, exciting, creative writing topics, I suffer from what I can only describe as low blogging self-esteem. I don't doubt my ability as a writer: I was an English major in college, so I can put together a solid paper. Perhaps part of the issue is that I read plenty of other peoples' blogs. In fact, I have subscribed to 103(!!) different blogs, many of which are updated on a regular basis. My blog reader list shows my varied interests: academic advising blogs, crafting blogs, fashion blogs,  food blogs, higher education blogs, home blogs, sports blogs. What I feel my blogs lack is a particular voice or point of view. I'm not working through renovations on my house (yet); I don't do significant research on the impact of social media on students; I haven't pledged to only spend $365 on clothes in one year. Sure, the writing is all my voice and my point of view, but so often I don't feel like I have a different spin on the topic. Why should I write a post when someone else has already written what I would have said? Isn't it just easier to share the link on Twitter or Facebook and tell others to read the post?

To be perfectly honest, I've even contemplated not writing some of the #reverbbroads11 prompts that I haven't felt "inspired" to answer. Who would notice? But that's not what this month is about. Even though my readership has skyrocketed (really, 20+ readers per post?!), that's not why I'm writing. I don't have to pen the next great American novel. I don't have to inspire anyone to become a student affairs professional. I don't have to have the most original idea, the funniest writing voice, or the most creative story.

But I do need to practice my voice. And I need to stretch my creativity. And I need to take my mind off of all of the stress of closing on our first house at the end of the month. I've learned more about some really great women, some of whom I've met in person and others who I just know virtually. I've realized that we all have our struggles, our strengths, and our silliness.

So why do I blog? Well, because a lot of other great people do and I wanted to jump on the bandwagon. But why do I keep blogging? Because, in the end, I really do like writing. I just don't always take the "thinking time" to come up with my voice. With practice and time, my ideas and my voice will get stronger.

25 things about me

I have been tagged enough by people on Facebook to do this, so I guess I finally will. (Plus it's not like I've been updating here on a regular basis anyway, so I may as well write something!)

1) I really like to be in control of myself. This is partly why I've never been drunk, hate roller coasters, and don't enjoy gambling.

2) I really would like to get another dog. Not a "matchy-matchy" dog, but one that pairs well with Emma.

3) I want to have kids. 2 or 4 probably, not 3 (so there isn't a middle child) unless we had twins.

4) I am trying not to use a lot of my vacation and sick days so I can build up time for maternity leave, even though we aren't planning to have kids for at least a few more years.

5) I cannot wait to have a house of our own. I would really like to paint walls and have built-in bookshelves.

6) While I cannot wait to have a house, I pretty much hate housework. I try to blame our dog for our house being messy, but it really is mostly my fault.

7) A boy in my 5th grade class called me "Sarah the Sumo" almost every day when I would walk home. I still think about that when I'm having a "fat" day.

8) There are very few things that I miss about being in Ohio. I thought moving away from home would be harder than this.

9) At the same time, I would love to get a job at one of several colleges or universities in Ohio later in my career.

10) I have mixed feelings about going back to get my PhD. Some days I think I would love to get back in the classroom learning and have the option of teaching in a grad prep program. Other days I don't really want to have a job that would require me to have a PhD.

11) I go to bed at or before 10:00 p.m. almost every night. I have a really hard time staying up past then.

12) Since we moved, I have been asked on at least 5 occassions if I am more than 21 years old. Apparently I look quite a few years younger than the 25 that I will be turning at the end of March.

13) My summer jobs in Gahanna gave me a love of horticulture. I sometimes find myself missing being able to landscape and prune shrubs/bushes/trees and getting my hands really dirty.

14) I feel like a black sheep in my husband's family because very few of them have even been to college and I have a Master's degree. And I made Jared move out of Ohio.

15) I don't really think that my family understands what I do.

16) My faith was really strong when I was in college because I was surrounded by other people who had really strong faith. Now that I haven't been actively involved in a church for quite a while and have been out of a community of faith, I feel like I am back at square one.

17) I really miss singing in a choir.

18) I enjoy riding the bus to work every day. It is so nice to not have to worry about driving, parking, or gas prices.

19) I have pretty much completely separated myself from who I was in high school. This matter is exhibited by the fact that I only invited two friends from high school to my wedding.

20) I used to write poetry on a pretty regular basis. I had a couple of my poems published in the Ashland Poetry Press yearly magazine.

21) I hate running, but would really like to finish a 5K before I turn 30.

22) I wish my brother and I were a lot closer than we are. When we were in high school we were pretty close. I feel a little guilty for being at college when he was dealing with some tough issues.

23) I think about my friends and family a lot more often than I actually pick up the phone or a pen to let them know I was thinking about them.

24) I am glad that I work in a place with quite a few people my age and that we are starting to hang out a bit outside of work. I feel bad that Jared doesn't have any real friends down here.

25) I am the luckiest girl in the world because Jared is the best husband I could have ever prayed for. He cooks, cleans, lets me sleep in, makes me laugh all the time, and moved to NC for me. I probably don't tell him enough that I love him, but I hope he knows it.

Trying something new...

I have been thinking for a while now that I should start a blog. I have occupied similar web space in the past, especially in high school, but fell away from the cathartic exercise of writing during undergrad and grad school when that action became a requirement. Now that I am in a "professional" position and am not burdened by the looming graded writing assignment over my head, I feel like this may be a good opportunity to expound on some of the things I am learning, gripe about the reality of things I learned in grad school, and mainly just to let everyone know what I am up to these days. (And I have found that I slightly miss having to turn in reflection papers every month!)

So, bear with me as I attempt to make writing a priority again. It feels good to stretch my vocabulary a bit more these days.