Re-invent

 

It’s Friday again- amazing how fast the weeks are speeding by.

I’m craving this today. A hazelnut napoleon from Old Europe in Asheville.

I decided against doing the Friday Letters link-up today,
I feel like I need to take the time to do a real post.

You know, with complete sentences? Maybe even a paragraph or two?

Over the past few months, I have been seeing a reoccurring theme over the blogosphere: the effect of blogging on our “real” lives.

Jenni from Story of My Life wrote one of the most eye-opening posts on the subject, which you can read here.

Bloggers have a huge struggle between the pseudo-internet world of blogging and Pinterest, and the real world where the alarm goes off at 6 am, dinner burns, and snot is still green.

It’s also very easy to become more involved with your “bloggy” friends than with your real friends.

I often find myself preferring the company of a good blog than a good friend, because it’s clean and effortless.
I don’t have to get out of my pj’s to have a good time.
In fact, I find myself wishing that my good friends would get blogs. (Props to Dianna.)

This is something I really want to change in ’12, to be a better real friend.

But, blogging really hasn’t had an effect on my life. For the most part, I don’t let it consume me. I don’t feel compelled to answer comments within 15 minutes. I don’t feel compelled to blog every day. I don’t even feel compelled to read other blogs on some days…

My problem is with how the blogosphere has
effected my blogging.

I see bloggers struggle with impossible expectations. Not the pressure to have a fabulous life or a perfect home, but the pressure of presentation.

· I blog, so I must have a $1500 camera.

· I cook, so I must take pictures of every meal. Perfectly.

· I vlog, so I must own a Mac.

· I want more followers, so I must do giveaways.

· I want to be popular, so I must not only reply to all comments, but I must comment on every post for all 100 blogs that I read.

· I need connectivity, so I will manage Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In, Google +, BlogHer, Pinterest, Tumbler, Photobucket, Flickr, Polyvore, ColourLovers, and Instagram accounts. And many more.

Oh, and here’s the big one, the one that caused all the others:

· I blog, so I need to create income or call myself an artist/writer/business. So, I will do all of the above + accept “sponsor” advertising.

Frankly, I’m really tired of the bloggers who think that they are artists, or that they should be paid for their creativity. There is a HUGE difference between being an artist, and being creative. Very, very few bloggers have the skill required to propel their blogs from simple “diaries” to income-producing businesses.

Young House Love is a wonderful example of how two bloggers were able to offer exceptional writing and DIY tips. They weren’t pushing products… (hint)

Blogs like Young House Love are pretty rare in the blogging world. Often, I see people who want the fame (no fortune in this), so they put untold time and money into trying to make their blog fit the accepted characteristics of design and content.

Yo, amigo! It’s not real.

You end up with cookie-cutter blogs who post a gazillion pictures, but who never let their real personality come out.

Let me tell you about myself.

I’ve been blogging since 2006.

My experience with blogging has evolved with the twists and turns of life, and it really came to a crossroads a couple years ago.

In real life, I love politics, I am deeply anti-organized-religion, I am one of those creepy “spiritual” people, I have had my funeral planned for years, I am a fiscal conservative, but a social liberal. I am deeply pessimistic, and I love it.

If I spelled all that out for you, you would probably quit following me.

I used to blog about this stuff, but I realized I was going to have to tone it down if I ever wanted to get a job.

No one wants a pharmacist handing them prescription to treat a fatal disease while discussing the finer points of a good funeral.

So I had to make the decision on whether or not I wanted to continue blogging, because I knew that all future blogging would have to be positive, upstanding, Republican. Boring.

I live in the Bible belt, so trust me, the only thing acceptable to the general public is southern gospel music and big hair.

So my blog was boring for a very long time.

I tried to make up for it by posting recipes, travel photos, house ideas, Friday-letters, instagram-like pictures…just a bunch of filler.

And I’ve felt pressure to vlog, sponsor, or do giveaways. I’ve felt pressure to do Instagram, BlogHer, and Google +.

BUT IT’S ALL ENDING TODAY!!

I’m tired of it.

I’m tired of doing cookie-cutter posts that are void of my real personality, dreams, and thoughts.

And I’m tired of bending to the blogger-pressure of having a perfect blog.

I’m not sure how, but from now on, I want to make a point to use more words, and less pictures. Sure, I won’t get any points for presentation, but I’ll actually have to use my brain to write. I want to discuss deeper issues, and expose myself a little more.

And…

I’m doing this for me. Because I love writing, and that’s what blogging is supposed to be.

***I like Republicans by the way, and I’ll forgive southerners for their music….I just like a more multi-cultural pond to swim in.

**I’ll never forgive the big hair. : )