Yesterday I read a post by Rebecca Jo over at Knit By God's Hand about how she's lost her blogging mojo after being at it so long and also due to the fact that 2020 has not been kind to creativity. She's decided to get out of the blogging rut, by going retro with her blog. Instead of the scheduled daily memes and blog hops, she is going to do what we used to do in the old days. Just write about whatever is on her mind, how her day went, a scripture verse, things she's thankful for, etc. She's calling her "experiment" Blogtober or Bloctober.
Reading that post solidified what I've been feeling for a while. I've been blogging since 2001. There have been a lot of changes over the years. I've done memes here and there for probably as long as they've been around, but the last couple of years mark the first time that my blog content has been almost totally memes. It can be fun, but a lot of times it feels more like an obligation. I "have" to post and then I "have" to visit everyone else's blogs...or at least the blogs of everyone who visited and commented on mine.
So, beginning tomorrow I'm going to join Rebecca Jo in going old school. The blog is going to be where I do my daily brain dump. Neither one of us will know what's going to pop up until I compose a post. I'm not ruling out all possibility of a meme or two showing up. I'm just not locking myself into them. I'm giving myself permission to walk away from them. I hope you'll keep checking in and that I won't bore you to death.
See you tomorrow for Blogtober!
I enjoy the memes and do a few, I also enjoy just a daily review of what's happening around me.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I will end up still doing a meme or two, but I'm tired of doing them all. When I do them, I'll most likely tack them on to the end of a post.
DeleteColor me, intrigued! I don't participate in many memes, but totally get the 'obligatory' feel. Write on!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement, Myra! When life gets busy I hate the feeling of pressure to get all the visiting and commenting done...and the guilt if I don't because everyone's commented on my post.
DeleteI totally agree and applaud you for this! I don't participate in the memes unless I see something that strikes my fancy and I want to share in the fun. But my blog has always been more about whatever the Lord lays on my heart to share one way or the other. Sometimes it is silly stuff and just ordinary home stuff, other times more devotional in nature, and always some nature involved somehow. I don't like being locked into a theme or having to answer questions that have no relevance to my current life, and I get tired of reading all the same things on everyone else's blogs. But I love my friends and I know many enjoy doing the memes, and I always enjoy learning new things about each of them. But I truly love the more personalized home folks kind of blogs that come from the heart. And pictures. I always love pictures. So, good luck in your new adventure of writing. I know God will bless your efforts and He will speak through you in different ways as the need arises.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the encouragement. My blog always used to be about that, but I don't know...I just got in a rut, hit a dry spell, lost my mojo...and the memes got to be a habit. I will most likely continue one or two that I really enjoy, but they will be tacked on at the end of a "real" post.
DeleteThat is exactly why I decided to not participate in the new Monday Madness. Monday is the only day I write about what we did over the last 4-5 days. The rest are memes. I need at least one day to "journal" about life. I look forward to your "dumps"!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Terri! I know I will probably continue the Saturday 9. I really like that one. After that, it's up in the air if any of the others will continue on a regular basis. I will probably just tack them on if the week's questions appeal to me.
DeleteI saw Rebecca's post too. I did not know you had been blogging that long. Always here on blogger? I had a website back 1999 and we shared whatever too and everyone was like a family. I still have my old website and my blog archives go back to 2002. I do the memes I like and sometimes I want to share about my life. I have always tried to keep things positive cause there is enough mess out in the world. I have you listed under my reads so I will look forward to when you post.
ReplyDeleteNo, not always here on Blogger. I can't remember where it was at first. I know the blogs were one static page. If you wanted to take readers elsewhere you had to create another page and then link it. I believe I had a blog on AOL for a short time. Mostly my blogs have been on Blogger or Wordpress. I can still access a couple of my old blogs. Most just faded away and one, I deleted. I think all of mine have been positive other than the one I deleted. We were going through a very difficult period in our lives with family issues, church issues, financial issues...just everything. It was a rather dark and snarky blog and sadly, probably the most popular, widely read one I've ever had. I learned a hard lesson from it, though, and now I do try to stay positive and never say anything unkind.
DeleteI have been on and off with blogging for so long, and although I am currently blogging again, I do no memes, and I don't have ambitions to post more than twice a week. I do link up with some Christian link parties, but there is no set theme to them (except Christian), so I can write about whatever is on my heart to write about.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Patti
Yay! I'm glad you're back! I went to your profile to find out where you are. I'll be over to visit soon!
DeleteWell you're right, that is what we used to do! Then came Instagram. Now I'm lucky if I can get a post up once a week. Most of my 'brain dump' is in my written/art journal. Good luck with your blog.
ReplyDeleteI keep a written journal, too. Always have and always will. That's where the majority of my brain dumping and ruminating happen. It's nice, though, to share something online and get some feedback. I've gotten some pretty great advice over the years.
DeleteI haven't been blogging that long and have had no problems with
ReplyDeletethe way the new changes have been. I enjoy Tuesday4Meme and Sunday Stealing.
Good luck with your Blog and I will still follow you.
Have a great day my friend.
Thanks, Gloria. I imagine it's hard for you newbies to understand what blogging was like in the old days. There are good things now for sure. I think what I struggle with is that I am a writer at heart and the memes just don't fill the need to express myself. I'm glad you'll still be around. I will still visit you, too!
DeleteHappy you are going to still visit me too!
DeleteExcellent! SMILES...Please don't feel any pressure to visit me etc...smiles
ReplyDeleteAw, heck...yours is the first blog I check every day!
DeleteSQUUUEEEALLLLLLL.... I'm so excited. I keep telling everyone we need shirts that say BBBB - BRING BACK BASIC BLOGGING!!! :) LOL - cant wait to see your posts!!! & hope it really kicks in a new love of blogging for you too!
ReplyDeleteShirts, mugs, hats....we need all the swag!
DeleteI so love this idea you guys are doing. I may or may not try this too. But be assured I will be reading both of your all's blogs. Looking forward to seeing what you all have to say.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cathy. I hope we don't disappoint! I hope you join in.
DeleteHi Stacy - I think that is a great idea! I enjoy the more personal posts, instead of Memes. I do the Friday Faves, and other than that, post what I want to. I will really look forward to seeing what is on your mind. Hope you are having a good week!
ReplyDeleteOh boy...my mind can be a scary place! lol Thanks for the encouragement. I hope your week is going well, too!
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