Thoughts on Blogging

Okay folks, I think I've discovered why exactly it is that I've been neglecting you.
Yes.
It's true. I've been neglecting you somewhat actively. And I didn't realize it until I started rifling through Everyday Emma (apparently the new blog home of her former Food Coma blog, one half of the duo that brings us A Beautiful Mess). I had inklings before that I was letting my blog fall into disrepair on purpose, but this sealed it. I was reading through Emma's effortless (looking) blogs and I realized I should really just take the pressure off myself.

I stress myself out when it comes to posting because I am not a photographer. Photography stresses me out, ever since I took Journalism 203: Photojournalism at the good ol' U of A. I knew then what I knew now and figured out in the second grade when we were all tested to see if we were eligible for the gifted classes and I scored heinously in the "spatial" category--I am not a visual person.

But Samantha! you gasp. I thought you designed documents and brochures and newsletters!
Well, I do. Maybe it's a matter of perspective, but I look at the design work of this blog or any of those other things to be purely technical in nature. I love to create using elements, such as words, or images, and make them into something enjoyable. I think of writing and designing to be acts of technical engineering with a creative outcome through which people can derive pleasure.

So I've been stressing myself out by making myself feel like I need to constantly be taking beautiful pictures like those I see on the blogs I follow. The act of uploading these photos impedes my writing progress, my real outlet here. I would feel the creative urge to blog and would promptly convince myself that I shouldn't since I didn't have any cool accompanying photos. Reader's Digest version: I was guilt-tripping myself with what I thought my blog needed and not really being true to my purpose in creating this space for my person expression.

From here on out, I resolve to be true to my blogging self! I can't apologize if it means you like my blog less. That's your own personal taste. But my blog is supposed to be about my life, and that's the way it's going to stay!