Motivation

I’ve had this crazy deadline for myself lately – that before I wrote about anything else; and before Christmas happened… I would write a blog post about Thanksgiving that was just as large, delicious and fun as the actual day was. I started the entry – actually, I started it many many times. My latest go at it is saved in my draft folder. It’s rather disjointed as I have been adding a paragraph here and there over the last few days. On Christmas Eve I was running around the house, trying to pack and shut down the house and I kept stopping to write a few more sentences here and there. Trust me when I tell you that that is no way to write a blog post and absolutely no way to pack for a trip. Here I am on vacation with a stack of sweaters, a stack of tank tops and not much in between. Same with the blog post, I keep trying to conjure up for my readers how it feels to be so far away from your family on an emotional holiday; and the surprise you feel when the holiday goes so well that you file it in your top 10 of all times. It’s a hard emotional state to convey through writing and there is only so much you can write about a golden brown and delicious turkey. So, I am going to table that Thanksgiving post. I am going to set it aside and maybe write about it at some point in the future.

I know I haven’t been good about blogging lately; but I’ve had a lot of time to think about my motivations (and de-motivations in this case) and here’s what I’ve come up with. My blog is essentially a travelogue of our time here in Australia – except, we aren’t here on vacation… this is real life happening the way that real life happens. So, sometimes there just isn’t anything fun, exciting or touristy to write about – and that is just going to have to be ok with me; and be ok with those of you who faithfully check this space every day. Also, I need to get myself out of this strange idea that every event must be written about in order. I think I would write more often if I didn’t feel like it was a chore – rather something to be enjoyed… almost something completely selfish.
4 Responses
  1. Erin Maggie Says:

    Oh boy I relate. See I've lived since 2003 and I got into blogging late, thinking that it would be a great way to share my life with my family and frinends who have yet to visit, etc. I started following all these expat blogs and writing about the differences in cultures and "expat stuff' and then one day I woke up and was like "this is just normal life for me now". I kind of got tired of being pegged as an expat blogger. I just want to blog for fun, about my life, like a sort of online journal. But it may not always be about anything cool or exciting or very 'expat-ish'. So I started my new blog, which I'm still building up. But I feel much more at home with it. I let go of the rules I made for myself. But like you I still like to blog in chronological order. As a result I too end up with posts in draft form for days/weeks. lol Anyway, I relate! Have fun!

  2. the american Says:

    my blog started out as a chronicle of my new australian adventure and all the "exciting" things that i would be doing. now it's an outlet for my verbal diarrhea (as i'm sure you are aware). i enjoy reading your blog, no matter what you write about or in what order it's in. life happens :).

  3. Cristin Says:

    I like the tag on this post. :-)

  4. Mimi and Joe Says:

    Hey Erin - Nice to find each other again! Looking forward to reading your newblog just about you. I would imagine that after a couple of years here I will end up doing the same thing :)

    @ the american - I love your verbal diarrhea (wait, that didn't sound good!)

    @ Cristin - seriously! and it seems like more and more posts are getting tagged with this - I need to look outside of myself :)

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