After reading Getting Things Done and trying a couple times to implement the system, I think I've only taken away the parts that actually add MORE stress: everything is work, and you just need to prioritize and do it.
With that mentality, blogging falls in with booking hotels and airfare, planning bachelor parties, regular household chores, and of course, actual work work. The trouble is that all of those things take precedence over blogging, so I just haven't been doing it - and then I feel like there's one more thing on my to-do list.
I started this blog with the best of intentions: I wanted to actually write interesting, well-written posts - unlike the short trivial crap I used to post in LiveJournal constantly. I saw (and still see) a lot of really talented writers that are blogging about all sorts of things, and I wanted - to some extent - to emulate that. But the truth is, I'm not a good writer. I have ideas for blog posts all the time, but I don't feel like expending the time or energy to write something GOOD about it, so I just don't bother. In general, I really like writing about stuff on here - frankly, I think it's more for me than anyone else. It's kind of therapeutic to write about stuff, to work through my feelings on the matter. But so often, my desire to write something is overwhelmed by my desire to write something good. It feels like an obligation, but an obligation to whom? Only a small handful of people read this site, and as much as I love you all, I don't think any of you expect a whole lot of quality out of me. Maybe I need to adjust my own expectations and just post stuff when I feel like it, whether I can make it good or not.
Furthermore, Movable Type and 1&1 have been giving me hell lately. In the MT admin, I get 500 Internal Server Errors on almost every page load, so even a simple post is a frustrating exercise. I managed to import all my entries and comments in WordPress, so we'll see if this works better (and incidentally, you may get all my posts again in your feed reader - sorry about that).
Long story short, blogging has left a bad taste in my mouth for a couple of reasons. I'm going to keep doing it, though. It won't be polished and it won't be pretty, but I think I'm OK with that.
(And yes, I hate blogging-about-blogging as much as everyone else, but you'll get over it)
Comments
I love your short, funny,
I love your short, funny, sometimes not totally thought out, posts. When I read them it feels like we're back at RIT having a conversation.
Your writing probably is better when you spend some time on the posts, but since I use LJ to keep in touch with friends I'd rather have more frequent posts from a slightly less polished Brock than less frequent posts from a more refined Brock.
(posted on LiveJournal)
I think you underestimate how
I think you underestimate how good of a writer you are. And the more you write, the better you'll be.
If you want to write something good, who's definition of good are you using? Yours or someone else's? Write about what's important to you and I think that might fulfill the good requirement.
I don't always have the time or energy to write a decent blog post, so I jot down the title and a few sentences into Wordpress and leave it. Then I can come back to it when I have time.
In short, don't stress so much about blogging. That's how you turn it from a hobby into a chore.
I completely agree with Ryan
I completely agree with Ryan where he says "I think you underestimate how good of a writer you are". Your writing has always really impressed me and I have always thought of you as one of the strongest writers I know.
I think we all experience lulls in blogging, but you really have to get past the "I want this to sound awesome" to the "I just want to get this idea/thought out into the world".
For me blogging has sometimes become a chore, so I mix it up with photos from my cell phone. That has seemed to work OK for me. Whatever you choose to do just realize that it doesn't have to be perfect and we more just like to see new blog entries from you. :P
dude, your blog is you at the
dude, your blog is you at the time, short, about things here, or there, or rant, or whatever, you know? Do whatever makes you happy. I do enjoy reading yours though, well, from time to time, when I get here anymore,lol
(posted on LiveJournal)