Monday, June 18, 2012

Real-Live Blogging

The following post contains some adult language. Reader discretion is advised.

Actually, reader discretion is always advised, regardless of content. 

I started blogging as a method to document my trip to the central Pacific over three years ago. Then writing posts became 1) a way to keep my long-distance family "in the loop," 2) my version of revving my writing engine as I sat down and worked on my thesis, 3) a stress reliever. After graduate school, I played around with blogging, writing about my journey of getting a new job and moving to a new area. I find I enjoy this medium. My family can still keep track of me (and make sure I haven't completely fallen off the deep end... at least until they read until the end of this post). I can express ideas, stretch my writing skills, and I find that writing still serves as a form of stress relief for me.

For a hot minute, I struggled with the direction of this blog. "What's the point!? I am writing to the air, publishing to the vast interwebs, and who cares!?" My awesome[st] brother-in-law [ever] encouraged me to write. The last time I visited him, he reminded me of the advice that seems to float out there about just doing what you enjoy and doing it often in order to get better. That sounds like an excellent idea!

I channeled my "perishing without a vision" feeling into creating another, more directed blog about theories regarding my work/studies/ideas on both. I was reading interactions of other bloggers, chewing on the ideas they set forth, biting at the bit I had imposed upon myself. I want to be a part of that conversation, too! So I made up my mind to do just that.

Creating my History and Interpretation blog freed me up to goof off even more on this one. I am still working on the "engagement" aspect of my other site, but discovered the opportunity to get my feet wet in the world of interacting-by-blogging for this blog. And it turns out, my story includes late-night Twitter decisions, similar to those I will be interacting with (wait for it, you'll see).

I follow a wide assortment of Twitter personalities, from the super-serious to the super-ridiculous. Michael Ian Black just happens to be one of those. And only one. He recently (and by "recently," I mean "last week") published a book entitled, America, You Sexy Bitch, with Meghan McCain and the two of them have been promoting it. One of the promotions rested in a retweet by a blogger, Mandy, of The Well-Read Wife. This retweet advertised free copies of this book as a means for Mandy to launch Mandy's Blogger Book Club.  When I first saw the notice, I thought to myself, "that'd be fun, but it is probably for real-live bloggers and I am just an amateur." I went about my day, planning how I could make myself into more of a real-live blogger. Then I got home and drank a Shiner Bock, wrote a little, read a little, wrote some more, and ran across the announcement again via Twitter. "Why not!?" I filled out the form, pressed "submit," and put myself to bed. I am going to be a real-live blogger starting tomorrow!

Today, Mandy announced the bloggers who will be receiving free copies of America, You Sexy Bitch to review. My name AND blog is listed. I worked myself into a tizzy and had to calm down before the end of my lunch hour after seeing the announcement. I still had a solid four hours of work left, after all. I am aware that my reaction to being selected to be a member of a blogger book club may reflect the dad's response to receiving the "Leg Lamp," in A Christmas Story. It's not a lamp, it's a major award!

You've been warned that I will write again about this book. A real-live review! Don't worry, however. I have a spastic-enough attention span that I will continue to write about whatever it is that pops in my head, too.

2 comments:

Mandy Boles said...

I have struggled with the content of my blog too. I started two years ago and it was strictly book related until sometime late last year. I finally decided my blog is my space, and I'll write about whatever I want. (It's still mostly book related though.) So always know that your blog is your space.

I am so happy you're a part of the book club, and I can't wait to hear what you think about the book.

ekd said...

An excellent reminder, ma'am! I appreciate your encouragement and look forward to participating in the book club!