NaBloPoMo Reflection

Whew.  30 posts in a row.  And I didn't even "officially" get on the blogrolls.  I was a crasher! 

It's amazing how much I have learned about blogging and other bloggers in the last month.  I have found some GREAT blogs to follow.  Before starting all this and actually spending time exploring BlogHer and other forums for blogger moms, I didn't realize the level of support and community that was out there.  I am not planning on jumping into the digital world and seeking all my socialization and affirmation through the Internet, but it has been nice to know that it is available and to get those comments from other women that I think (unless you are a cyberstalker, psycho, or poser... and then, I guess you tricked me good) I have a lot in common with.  Well, cyberstalker or not, we all admit we love the comments and support, right?

That said, I know that I did start to worry more about what people who were actually reading my writing thought about it.  Sometimes, I couldn't handle the pressure (self-inflicted, mind you) to get a post in and instead of doing a real, emotional piece, I opted for a shorter, less-involved bit.  I truly am totally obsessed with the cast iron... and I truly do have an update on how awesome it is looking now... But focusing on the skillet gave me a reason to not get out an essay I wrote in college about losing my best friend in 5th grade when the prompt was about dealing with loss.  I didn't want to dig out all that emotion and get all messy on everyone.  So I focused on the mess that I could fix with oven cleaner and SOS pads. 

There is definitely stress in knowing you have to post "something" every day, when there are some posts I have written in the past that took me days before I was happy with them.  November NaBloPoMo put pressure on me to get a lot of drafts going so that I don't forget the idea or the inspiration.  Now I have them started, and I can work on them throughout the month.  But it also put pressure on me to get something, anything posted everyday.  I am happy that I started sharing the "stuff" that I work on, like beading and cast iron, but I also want to stay close to the heart of why I started blogging in the first place.  My kids and my faith.  The mess that my life is, and the hope I have.  I don't want to get away from the "real stuff" in the pressure to write a post every day.  But I also don't want to go six months between "real" posts anymore either. 
I will probably want to kick myself in the head or break all my fingers in the next few weeks, but I officially signed up for December NaBloPoMo.  Now that I know I can do it on my own accord, I want to know that I am officially part of the challenge.  Anyone else with me?  If not, I would encourage you (since you will be bored to death with no pressure to blog daily) to at least leave little comments of love throughout the month.  I am going to need them.

Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 1, 2011 at 8:12 PM

    Wow, I am right there with you. Some days it was just easier to post a picture and a few lines. Looking forward to seeing what you write this month!

    ReplyDelete
  2. NicoleDecember 2, 2011 at 12:26 AM

    Thank you! I guarantee there will be more pictures and one-liners... Days just aren't long enough!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Despicable Shadow Puppets

Image
We watched Despicable Me today.  At the end, when they do the shadow puppets I had an idea.  I remember when I was little that my mom went through this silhouette phase in her artwork and made us kids pose for silhouettes.  I didn't like my own silhouette, even as a child. I also remember loving to do shadow puppets, and the very few times my mom would get out the old projector to show us slides, we would ask to have time with just the light on the sheet so we could play shadow puppets.  So my brilliant idea today, since we use a projector to watch movies instead of having a big, expensive TV taking up space, was to pause on a good spot and let the kids pose.  Here is what we came up with.  Not without a little begging and pleading on my end!  Two bunnies hopping towards a duck   Two ducks quacking at a bunny   Butterfly   Guy with mohawk   First shadow puppet ever...not sure what she is going for   Baby Girl  
Read more

Peanut Butter and Bananas

Growing up, my favorite sandwich in the world (when it came to peanut butter at least), was a peanut butter and brown sugar sandwich.  Crunchy peanut butter made it better.  My best friend's favorite sandwich was peanut butter, banana, and honey. "Gross!" I said. "Gross!" she said.  We both agreed that we wouldn't know until we tried it.  So, one day in her kitchen, we made our favorite sandwiches.  She sliced her bananas as I wrinkled up my nose.  I sprinkled brown sugar as she looked nervously at me from the corner of her eye.  We presented one another with our beloved sandwiches.  We had to try.  To understand one another a little better.  Just one bite... That's all it took.  And we switched right back.  She finished hers, and I finished mine.  Right now, I am sitting on the couch eating a frozen banana with peanut butter drizzled on top.  It is amazing.  Who would have thought that over twenty years later, I would be loving peanut bu
Read more

Things My Kids Say... Ready to Cry/Laugh/Groan a Little?

When we were young, my mom had a notebook that she used to record all of the cute and funny things we said.  Of course, she was a single mom of four kids under the age of 6, so there were very few things that actually got recorded.  We cherished that book... each of us had a few written memories, and we would read and reread them to one another.  So, when my kids were born, I got each of them a book.  My intentions were just as good as my mother's... but their books are mostly empty.  I've ended up using Facebook and blog posts more often than pen and paper.  I even got desperate in the car one day and voice recorded a few priceless events.  Here are a few that happened over the last month: We all rush in to the awards night for our Olympic Weight Loss Challenge.  The room is packed, auditorium style.  I have Leilee on my lap.  Jason has the boys on his.  They call up each contestant, say the percentage of weight they lost, hand them their card and check, exchange a hands
Read more