So I had planned this fun post about how I dislike Christian Tracts (did you know, I love Jesus though?) but I'm still working on it. Can I vent for just a sec?
Look, I've let this whole blogging thing really get to me. I dove head first into all these new arenas of the internet, and I don't think its really come out like I planned. Where did I go wrong? Sigh...here is my deal. I'll focus mainly on the portals that I use and enjoy, to give some focus.
First, there is dear old facebook. Oh, how you've changed for me, facebook. I used to love oogling my friends every move but now it is just a big contact list. Seriously - I use you when I need to find someone, but I don't spend hours and hours on there anymore. Its a great networking too, but not something I want to hang out on and talk up a storm with people (present company excluded, of course). I don't think I'm alone - the whole 25 things about you craze was kind of the pinnacle of Facebook's capabilities.
Then there is my google reader. What began as an endeavor to read other wonderful blogs has turned into a chore. I have 112 subscriptions that I keep up with - one day (2/25 actually) there were over 300 posts. Thats like a newspaper and a half. Not fun. I need to scale back - I need to cull, but I'm afraid I'll miss something. But far worse than just feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of content, I also start comparing my blog to the amazing stuff I find across the internets.
Which has really hurt this, my blog. Rather than writing what I want to write, when I want to write it, I'm trying to get noticed. I'm trying to make a post a day. Well blah to that. Its hurt my ability to just enjoy blogging. And its time for it to stop. Somewhere along the line I decided that a blog should look and act a certain way. And while I certainly feel there should be a measure of quality to this, I'm pretty sure I can't force myself into it.
This is where I turn to myself in the mirror and say, "I'm smart enough, and I'm good enough, and dog-gonnit, people like me."
But that would not give credit where credit is due - twitter. I have been enjoying the tidbits of information coming from people. It isn't overwhelming. Sure, there are good tweets and bad tweets - but its much easier for me to churn out quality updates there than a decent blog article.
So yeah. My creative energies have been going elsewhere. Don't worry, I plan to keep blogging, I'm just hoping to release myself from this desire to always have something good all the time.
Love the Stuart nod!
ReplyDeleteI personally love your blog and tweets. Eh, Facebook...it is friend and foe.
Hey bro, I enjoy your blog. Here's the thing about getting noticed - it's not all it's cracked up to be. I was in conversation with various emergent voices recently, and it ended up being a situation risking any sort of face to face contact. For instance, I visited a blog by a guy named Steve Taylor, an emergent missiologist in New Zealand. The conversation turned toward cross-cultural exchange, which is not what needs to be discussed on email, so I bowed out, graciously hopefully. All that to say, I feel ya on "blogging like others." Blog as you would blog, bro. You know this, but your voice is important to those of us who read your blog; if we dig it, we'll probably link your blog on our own (at least with your permission...LOL...). You're a leader following, my friend, and that's the best kind that exists. I look forward to your blogs (and tweets). Loved this confession and honesty! Peace.
ReplyDeleteYes, I would say the 25 things about you was when Facebook "Jumped the Shark." I'm not quite ready for Twitter but I am thinking of pulling back on FB. I have a clergy friend who gave up FB for Lent!
ReplyDeleteHey - you are worried about people liking you and you have the WOO talent? Scarey for the rest of us...