Wow! When I ask for your help, you all turn out in full force! I did not expect the vehement responses. Between the great feedback from the survey, an emergency phone call from Mom to make sure I wasn't standing on a bridge, and the general encouragement from so many sources, I'm back on track. I did want to take one post to thank everyone and reflect a little more on this collection of musings known as MarryingtheNavy, but then I promise I'll be back to my usual sarcastic, critical, crafty, witty, ridiculous self...
But if you haven't taken the survey, I'd still love to hear what you have to say!
Click Here to take survey
1. Blogs take work. Much of my crisis of confidence came from the fact that I started wondering if putting in anywhere between 30 minutes and two hours to create posts was really the best use of my time. When I started this blog last summer, I was unemployed and had nothing but time on my hands; now with a job, new house projects, an impending family addition (PUPPY, mother, not a grandbaby), etc. etc., writing posts at night became more of a chore than a pleasure. Maybe I should be using that time to actually live life instead of writing about it? Then I realized - I like doing this. Yeah, some days it's harder than others, but not usually. I like writing. I like sharing my stories with friends and family who I tend to do a poor job staying in contact with. I like having a little project to come home to.
2. Blogging is not my job. I have no delusions that one day I'll have thousands of followers and work from home in my pajamas, or see my writings become a book or feature length film. My goal is not to make money. I went back and reread my first post; according to me circa 2008, I had three goals: a) keep my brain from turning to mush, b) keep loved ones updated on our crazy life as Navy folk, and c) impact someone else in the world each day. Not to toot my own horn, but I'd say I'm accomplishing each of those goals. Which is something to be proud of! So it's time to remember that, stop comparing myself to other bloggers who are focusing on completely different goals, and keep my goals in sight...
3. Blog for yourself. While I loved all of your feedback (and seriously, some of you should consider careers as motivational speakers based on your supportive and thoughtful comments on the survey!), your feedback is not going to drive this entire blog. Luckily, the post topics you enjoy most are the ones I like writing about most (hmm... funny how that happens). So, I'll continue to write about NavyGuy and myself (seriously, guys, we're not that interesting), things and people that trip my sarcasm radar, craft projects, house projects, work debacles, and cooking adventures. But if a new topic strikes my fancy, I'm not going to let potential reader disinterest dissuade me from talking about it. I adore that others enjoy my writing, but I have to write for myself first.
4. This blog has brought amazing unforeseen results. Maybe first and foremost - I've met people IN THE REAL WORLD because they've read my blog. Who'd have thunk it was possible? I was worried that spending time blogging would insulate me from the real three dimensional people, but instead it's opened up whole new doors. That's amazing. Secondly, blogging about the important (and even not-so-important) events in my life has improved my scrapbooks! Say whaaaa!?! Well, I discovered this as I was working on a page about my sister's wedding. I had organized several great photos, and was to the part that most scrapbookers dread - journaling. What do you possibly say about an event that likely took place months (or even years) before you finally get around to putting the pictures on the page? Lo and behold - I reread one of the blog recaps I had written, cut and pasted a few lines, and boom! Awesome personal journaling to include in the scrapbook; there were stories and details I included in the blog recaps that I would never have had remembered over a year later.
Bottom line, I have to agree with most of you - I like my blog. Unnecessary freak-out notwithstanding, I'm quite happy with what I've done, so no more over-reaction-self-absorbed-question-my-purpose posts. I've stuck with this blog for over a year, and I've got lots more to say. And based on your feedback, that's what 100% of you want... more posts, more often! (With photos!) Stay tuned!
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