What is the sound of one blogger blogging?
by gillis
So it’s Day 26 of the Slice of Life Challenge and I’m wondering -what happens when the challenge ends? Will my blog be a vernal pool that dries up when the month is over? Or will I figure out a way to keep it alive so that I write on a regular basis? And if it stays alive, what is the sound of one blogger blogging? If a blog falls in the blogosphere and there is no one there to comment, does it make a sound?
I can tell you that shortly after successfully completing the Weight Watchers at Work for 12 weeks last year, my midsection blew back up to its customary Superdome shape within 8 weeks of the program ending. I don’t have a great track record for imposing structure on myself once the structure has been removed. I tried to keep a blog a few years ago but I kept forgetting a.) to write in it b.) to let people know that I had written in it c.) that I wanted people to read what I had written and comment on it, and d.) where the blog was, what it was called, and my username and password for it. Clearly I was not ready to commit to a blog. This challenge has helped me to get into the routine of writing regularly but beyond that, I’m not sure I have a lot of focus for a project like a blog. When I hear about people who have several blogs and I know that they write in them daily, I’m amazed. I understand parts of it – a professional space to write about teaching and learning and a personal blog to write the rest of it – but I can’t imagine maintaining and writing more than one blog regularly. It’s like bigamy of the mind, and frankly one marriage is more than I can handle some days.
I think my charge this week is to (and this may call for some courage in a bottle) read through my posts and see if a pattern emerges. I think I’ll find most of the posts have been pretty light-hearted but I wonder if that’s just because the audience is largely unknown to me and I don’t want to offend anyone. Maybe as I look further into things I’ll see what this blog wants to be when it grows up. And if not, maybe it’s okay for the blog to be a Brigadoon of sorts. Lots of things should go away after they serve their purpose (no, I’m not talking to you this time honey). It might be fun to have a March blog to look forward to without the pressure to keep it going all year.
What are your thoughts about this challenge? Was the SOLC challenge your first blog attempt? Will you continue to write in your blog? Are you a bigamist blogger? And if you have one of those attractive blogs with photos and quotes floating around it, do you tend to take better care of it and nurture it? I’d love to hear about how others will go forward in the great blogosphere come April 1st.
gillis and her big mouth 
Ruth and Stacey keep Slice of Life going every Tuesday throughout the year, so you may want to consider that as an option. Of course, you could find some niche to write about on a regular basis, or become a “slow blogger”– ie, one who only blogs once in a while.
I know I have enjoyed your posts, Kathleen, and our connections with the Western Mass Writing Project (and, well, that we know each other) have made it a nice way to become a reader of your writing.
You’re in my RSS reader now, so whenever you write, know that you will have least one dedicated viewer.
🙂
Kevin
I think I’ve figured out the RSS thing (next up – ball point pens!) so I’ll at least lurk in the shadows.
Make that 2 readers!
I share your concern and the reflection that many of us felt today – realizing this is the last week. It sort of feels like the last day of a vacation or perhaps as we approach the last week of a school year. Something special will be ending soon…so how do you keep the feeling going?
Perhaps we both have to join Keven at the weekly SOL Tuesday – we’ll still have time to exercise and cook a few meals and yet we can still look forward to reading and writing.
Tuesdays it is! (Exercise? what?)
I smiled when I read ‘what is the sound of one blogger blogging? If a blog falls in the blogosphere and there is no one there to comment, does it make a sound?’ I share your questions and interestingly have began reflecting on SOLC and what I have learnt from it. I am sure it is a blog taking shape in my head. My blog partner is a bigamist blogger – wait until I tell her:)
I keep an educational blog and have done so for about two years now. This is my third year participating in this blog. I drop in occasionally on Tuesdays to check in with Stacy, Ruth, and the regulars. I don’t put pressure on myself to do so, I do it when I feel like it. I think you have to fit blogging into your lifestyle. If you need structure…plan on writing something for each Tuesday. There is not too much pressure for that and it will keep you sharp for next year’s SOL:)
I’ve found a few little groups to join along the way. That will help me, as it gives me a built in audience.
I intend to keep up the Tuesday slicing (That seems so easy after a month of “every day”!)
I’ll keep up my “It’s Monday” and “Newbery Challenge” updates.
I found a “Book Buddy” in @TheBrainLair and we’ll be reading and discussing a book each month. This Wed will be our first post about Graceling. You can always join us there!
OK, I’ll find you. Wearing my mustache accessories today. Enjoyed the ridiculous Fake Mustache very much, think my kids will love it. Still jealous of your Batgirl shoes.
So, Kathleen, I started to type a comment to your post, but it got really long. It was one of those “I’ve been thinking” comments that just keeps going. For this reason, I just decided to turn it into my post for the day. Thank you for the inspiration.
Long story short, I am hoping you will decide to keep blogging on at least an occasional basis. I look forward to your posts and can’t imagine them not appearing every now and then. I have a feeling you still have a lot to say. ;o)
Like, Kevin, I have you in my RSS feed so I’ll know when you decide to jump back into the blogosphere even if it is only every now and then.
Cathy
I’m going to do Tuesdays and see what other trouble I can get into beyond that. I’ll be looking for you…
Bigamist blogger, that’s funny! I can’t imagine keeping up with more than one either. Stay the course, Tuesdays are fun and it’s a way to stay connected. Apparently if you write, they will read, so write already!
See you Tuesdays then!
Tuesdays. Mark ’em down. Then there’s the April A to Z Challenge – another month of blogging you can do. I blogged two months straight last year, plus Tuesday’s SOL and Friday Poetry. So there are definitely ways to keep your blogging going, and comments will keep coming! No vernal pools here…just writing lagoons!
I like the sound of A-Z, I’ll have to look into that one, not sure I can do another full month but they say you need to keep a habit going for a certain length of time before it “sets” so I may try. Tuesdays I’m in for sure…
Thanks for all the information folks! Think I better hit some of the blogs with the RSS thing to stay in the loop. Where does the A-Z thing originate? I should look into that…
This cracked me up, “If a blog falls in the blogosphere and there is no one there to comment, does it make a sound?”
I have two blogs for work (one in which I share different cool literacy tips, sites, etc. as I find them and one that I created for myself and other teachers in my building to post children’s book reviews for a book challenge we are doing). Then there is this blog for the challenge. This I think will be the most challenging to keep up. I need to reflect on how I’m going to keep this writing for me going (maybe through the Tuesday slices?).
Wow – that’s a lot to keep going – I’m impressed!
Oh, last year I thought about this too. And I’m thinking about it this year already, but there is a group I’ve connected with from last year’s challenge. Some days there are readers and some days there are not. As in April 1st will be here and we will all still have the itch to write. But you know what? Some days you can just write for yourself. Then, as others mentioned, Tuesday Slice of Life keeps you connected. It is quite the transition when April arrives, but I hope you choose to keep writing. 🙂
Thanks for your share. This is my first blog and I have enjoyed it and feel a little on the outside not as well known as the regular Tuesday people.
I may continue with the Tuesdays…since I have enjoyed the challenge.
Like everyone else said, you can slice on Tuesday’s. There is also a Monday deal (It’s Monday, what are you reading?) hosted by Jen and Kellye at mentor texts that a lot of people participate in. And some people do Poetry Friday, which is also really, really fun. That rotates spots every week, but you can find the schedule at http://www.readingyear.blogspot.com.
Thanks for the link and the info!
I hope you continue to blog because I enjoy reading your posts…and make sure to continue promoting them on your twitter. :). I’ve found this month that my writing has varied from deep and vulnerable to really lighthearted about memories or things I notice. I like that I have blogged about both. While I have a lot of vulnerable things to share, it really takes a toll emotionally to write the nitty gritty, so I know I can’t do that routinely. I need a bit of lighthearted in there as well. I plan to continue with the weekly slices as well as set some personal goals. I’d like to reflect on my first son, who died, once a week. I think those two goals will help me blog more.
I’ll look for your posts then, I like your ideas about setting goals, I have such trouble with follow through myself, maybe I can take inspiration from you!
I agree with many of the above. I think I’ll try to continue with the Tuesday posts and when I can the “It’s Monday, what are you reading?” and “Poetry Friday.” I have a hard time imagining keeping up with more than one blog right now. I think I’ll have to reflect on what exactly I want to do…Hmmm.
Tuesdays it is then, and I think I’ll look into the Monday thing to see what it looks like!
I created this blog specifically for this challenge, and once it’s done I don’t know what will become of it. I may go back to writing in notebooks, where there’s more room for brainstorming and crap writing. I may do the Tuesday thing. Hard to say right now.
I created mine just for this too but I think I’ll keep it going on Tuesdays at least. In all honesty, I have treated this much like a notebook (don’t look too closely, I’ve got spelling and usage errors dotting the landscape of these things) but perhaps if it’s not a daily thing I can take more time to think before, or as, I write.
I’ve had my blog for a while, but it is hard to keep it going every single day. Most days I don’t have enough brain power to put thoughts into coherent sentences. But I do love the stuff you have written!
Sounds like you struck a chord here
Hope you find you way in this blogging life you have begun