I haven’t posted a new blog entry for awhile and, despite the purpose of this blog being to journal and organize photos in a logical fashion for my reference, rather than to convey interesting or valuable information to others, sometimes my innate and persistent propensity for public approval gets the best of me. A few nice comments from even a couple of people leads me to feel like I need to post, and worse, come up with a decent post, in order to keep your interest or approval. So, each day for the last few days, I’ve found myself thinking, “I should blog today.” And each day I think, “I don’t have anything to say. I haven’t taken any photos. I don’t feel like writing anything, and, as much as I love capturing moments in “film,” I don’t feel like taking any pictures.”
I knew I was really crazy when, about to cut into the chicken pot pie that I made for dinner on one of these chilly summer days we’ve been having in these parts, I stopped, and thought, “wait, I should grab the camera and take a picture for my blog!” Maybe there’s nothing wrong with that, but, it doesn't sit right with me. I want to take pictures because I am moved or inspired or experimenting, rather than set out to take photos for purposes of the blog. Cart before the horse, or “blog” before the blog type of thing.
But, I did take a photo.
So, I'll share it. It tasted even better than it looked! The recipe is in Pioneer Woman Cooks or here. Highly recommend it. And, it’s super easy, and still super, with a premade pie crust. I used up a generic brand pie crust that had been in my freezer since I swore off of premade piecrusts years ago! (WARNING: Do not take this as an endorsement of using premade pie crusts for anything else…ever…unless you are really sure about it. (My favorite recipe for pie crust: 2 cups flour, 1 cup chopped up butter, 4 T cold water, 3 T sugar, tsp salt) (leave out the sugar if using it for something savory!)
As I dug into my half of the chicken pot pie, I thought (after thinking, "mmm, this is so good!"), “Why on earth am I feeling like, by failing to write, photo, or post, I am effectively cutting class or neglecting my responsibility?" How delusional and egotistical, and, how plain crazy of me to fall into the same trap I too often set for myself. See, I took up this whole "blog" thing with the deliberate objective of doing it without regard to the fact that anyone may or may not read what I write. It was basically a personal convenience. A way to collect photos and words in an easy to find place, and, enable family and friends to keep up with me a bit. And yet, just a few months into it, it seems that something that I made such an intentional, concerted effort to do solely for myself and for my own benefit, so quickly turned into yet another endeavor in which I am seeking or motivated by, success or public approval. I found myself feeling that I should blog, rather than that I wanted to blog. Sometimes "should" things are good things that need doing, but other times, "should" things are things that are based on doing for the wrong reasons.
I knew I was really crazy when, about to cut into the chicken pot pie that I made for dinner on one of these chilly summer days we’ve been having in these parts, I stopped, and thought, “wait, I should grab the camera and take a picture for my blog!” Maybe there’s nothing wrong with that, but, it doesn't sit right with me. I want to take pictures because I am moved or inspired or experimenting, rather than set out to take photos for purposes of the blog. Cart before the horse, or “blog” before the blog type of thing.
But, I did take a photo.
So, I'll share it. It tasted even better than it looked! The recipe is in Pioneer Woman Cooks or here. Highly recommend it. And, it’s super easy, and still super, with a premade pie crust. I used up a generic brand pie crust that had been in my freezer since I swore off of premade piecrusts years ago! (WARNING: Do not take this as an endorsement of using premade pie crusts for anything else…ever…unless you are really sure about it. (My favorite recipe for pie crust: 2 cups flour, 1 cup chopped up butter, 4 T cold water, 3 T sugar, tsp salt) (leave out the sugar if using it for something savory!)
As I dug into my half of the chicken pot pie, I thought (after thinking, "mmm, this is so good!"), “Why on earth am I feeling like, by failing to write, photo, or post, I am effectively cutting class or neglecting my responsibility?" How delusional and egotistical, and, how plain crazy of me to fall into the same trap I too often set for myself. See, I took up this whole "blog" thing with the deliberate objective of doing it without regard to the fact that anyone may or may not read what I write. It was basically a personal convenience. A way to collect photos and words in an easy to find place, and, enable family and friends to keep up with me a bit. And yet, just a few months into it, it seems that something that I made such an intentional, concerted effort to do solely for myself and for my own benefit, so quickly turned into yet another endeavor in which I am seeking or motivated by, success or public approval. I found myself feeling that I should blog, rather than that I wanted to blog. Sometimes "should" things are good things that need doing, but other times, "should" things are things that are based on doing for the wrong reasons.
This whole blogging thing was intended to be something I was doing for myself, for my own enjoyment. It was my big chance to show myself that I could pour time into something that I was doing just for me, and without a care about what anyone thought of the way I think, the way I write, the product I produce, the photos I take, who I am.
Suffice it to say, I have been second guessing my foray into blogging. Making things worse, in the days that followed, I fortuitously landed on a the most lovely, perfect little blog of Flower Patch Farmgirl. I’d heard of "blogs" and "blogging" before I started, but never really knew much about blogging, and only called my blog a blog because I was using the free template and storage space from blogger.com. I never realized there were blogs like mine, but far prettier, more interesting, and more sophisticated (ah, such is the story of life!), that people actually follow by the masses, and that I would actually find myself envying. I'd checked in on the The Pioneer Woman from time to time, and taken quite a liking to her and her recipes. But, I've never really thought of her as a "blog," but rather a a professional businesswoman with an amazing and fun website.
Flower Patch Farmgirl showed me a whole world of blogging that is just lovely. Flower Patch’s blog is beeeeutiful. I love this farmgirl and I am inspired and awed by her blog and the stories she tells. It's everything I would want my blog to be!
 |
The poppies have gone wild. I think Flower Patch Farm Girl would like this pic. I do! |
Reading these other blogs—links to which I have now posted on my website—brought out the competitive tendencies that have both served me well and harmed me greatly over the years. I jumped from one blog to another, and for a moment, found myself determined to figure out how to add "buttons" and “badges” to my site, to buy Photoshop and spend time editing my photos, to tag and organize my photos into neat little categories wrapped up in adorable little photo buttons (visit Flower Patch Farm Girl or Enjoying the Small Things and you'll see what I mean), to get my name in the “Best Mom Bloggers” (albeit I'm not a mom).
 |
| The honey bees were also going wild in the few hours of warmth the other day. |
After the two hours spent figuring out how to make buttons and favicons, I escaped from the grip of the blog world and realized that, my competitive and ambitious spirit aside, focusing the sort of time and energy on my blog that earns followers, accolades, sponsors, just isn't going to happen. For starters, I don’t have the passion or desire to make the time for blog beautification and to give what it takes to compete in the blog world! (Key phrase, "make the time", meaning prioritize and move blogging to the top. I don't believe in or like the "don't have time" lingo. If we're honest, it's about where we want to spend our time, not how much we have or how busy we are.)
For a few moments, I tried to make excuses for myself not entering "the race" so I would feel less inadequate. I speculated that these awesome bloggers (turns out most of the really good ones are by moms) hired someone to design their websites or help them out, they had money or people that helped them, they didn’t have professional jobs and had a lot more free time on their hands (then I acknowledged they were in fact moms), they had backgrounds in writing, photography, or webdesign.
Then, I buttoned up, was honest with myself, and acknowledged that these gals who weave together these fabulous photos, and words, and useful bits of information quite likely have no greater time, money, or benefits than do I. They do, however, have a passion, purpose, and commitment to it that I don't have. (From the looks of it, they also have inclinations towards crafts and scrapbooking, the antithesis of yours truly).
If I were entirely practical, rational and selfless, then, in light of the far superior blogs out there that effectively say things I would like to say far better than I would say them, I would conclude it is an irresponsible use of bandwith and time to continue my blog. But, I actually do like "blogging" (or as I think of it, keeping some thoughts and photos in one place for organizational purposes) even though, I am not going to win any awards, be able to put a "Best Mom Blogger" or a syndicated "BlogHer" logo on my page, much less paid advertisements of trendy, hip little businesses. Some might say I’m a bit of a Type A, so it is hard to just carry on with my blog, resigned to be mediocre and unknown, after this newfound knowledge of the blog world; but, I am determined to do so. So, all of this is to say that I am retaking my pledge to blog only when I want to, to take pictures because the subject inspires me, and to string together words, photos, and music on this blog as if (or, perhaps more accurately, "even though”) no one is watching, reading, or caring. Posts may be infrequent, photos will continue to be amateur, but hopefully show improvement. Most importantly, given my personal goals at this period in my life, my heart will be in it.
Now, then. I am SO excited to share with you some of the links to super fun, usually inspiring, and often informative, little blogs from women with whom I am greatly impressed and enamored. Enjoy! And, I won’t for one moment blame you or be disappointed if you abandon my blog to follow one of these. I feel comfortable letting these lovely ladies speak for me!
For a few moments, I tried to make excuses for myself not entering "the race" so I would feel less inadequate. I speculated that these awesome bloggers (turns out most of the really good ones are by moms) hired someone to design their websites or help them out, they had money or people that helped them, they didn’t have professional jobs and had a lot more free time on their hands (then I acknowledged they were in fact moms), they had backgrounds in writing, photography, or webdesign.
Then, I buttoned up, was honest with myself, and acknowledged that these gals who weave together these fabulous photos, and words, and useful bits of information quite likely have no greater time, money, or benefits than do I. They do, however, have a passion, purpose, and commitment to it that I don't have. (From the looks of it, they also have inclinations towards crafts and scrapbooking, the antithesis of yours truly).
If I were entirely practical, rational and selfless, then, in light of the far superior blogs out there that effectively say things I would like to say far better than I would say them, I would conclude it is an irresponsible use of bandwith and time to continue my blog. But, I actually do like "blogging" (or as I think of it, keeping some thoughts and photos in one place for organizational purposes) even though, I am not going to win any awards, be able to put a "Best Mom Blogger" or a syndicated "BlogHer" logo on my page, much less paid advertisements of trendy, hip little businesses. Some might say I’m a bit of a Type A, so it is hard to just carry on with my blog, resigned to be mediocre and unknown, after this newfound knowledge of the blog world; but, I am determined to do so. So, all of this is to say that I am retaking my pledge to blog only when I want to, to take pictures because the subject inspires me, and to string together words, photos, and music on this blog as if (or, perhaps more accurately, "even though”) no one is watching, reading, or caring. Posts may be infrequent, photos will continue to be amateur, but hopefully show improvement. Most importantly, given my personal goals at this period in my life, my heart will be in it.
Now, then. I am SO excited to share with you some of the links to super fun, usually inspiring, and often informative, little blogs from women with whom I am greatly impressed and enamored. Enjoy! And, I won’t for one moment blame you or be disappointed if you abandon my blog to follow one of these. I feel comfortable letting these lovely ladies speak for me!
