I’ve decided to write a blog post every day in October. I do not promise they will be long. I do not promise they will be good. But they will be here. Every day.
I haven’t been writing much lately and I think this is bad for me. A lack of self-reflection is like going outside without looking in the mirror. You’re kind of a mess and don’t even realize it. Actually, I don’t think I’m a mess, but I do think I’ve been stagnant lately. If I were a character in a television drama I think the show runner would write me out or kill me off because my character was going nowhere.
I would prefer to go somewhere. And I really don’t want to be killed off.
Just by writing this first entry of the month, I’ve typed and deleted several paragraphs about how I feel about all sorts of things. It makes my brain hurt in that good way my muscles feel like after a long run. That’s when I realized, “Oh, right, I used to think about stuff.” I used to exercise my brain by writing blog entries. I still think about stuff, but it’s different writing those thoughts out. It makes you look at your thoughts more closely, like sketching a portrait of a person forces you to examine every pore on their face.
I stopped writing about stuff here for a variety of reasons, be it boredom, lack of focus, mean people, or just plain lack of time. Now that I work for myself it’s easy to get distracted by all the madness of running my own business. I do feel like a phony introducing myself to people as a writer when I haven’t been writing anything other than emails and tweets. I have a big list of blog ideas that I’ve never bothered to convert from thoughts into actual posts, so I figure blogging is as good as anything. I don’t know if returning to my past to figure out my future is the way to go, but it is *a* way to go. And going is better than staying.
So here we go!
Naantje says
October 1, 2012 at 8:05 amGood to hear from you Jenette! I had been missing new blog posts from you, happy to have kept you in my RSS feed. It’s funny how we can acomplish so much more just by writing stuff down, I need to keep at it too. Good luck!
magbot says
October 1, 2012 at 9:06 amI’ll welcome the return to frequency! Almost every time I check my RSS feed I’m a little disappointed when there’s no Jenful. (And I’m a Twitter-hater so I don’t read there.)
Whether your posts are profound or silly, Jennette, I always enjoy them, even though I very rarely comment. Over the years that I’ve been reading you (and it must be four or five now), you’ve developed a clear, concise, lovely writing style that really conveys your personal voice, and I’ve come to feel like you’re an actual friend that I check in on from time to time.
So a whole month of posts should feel like a lengthy phone call with a long-distance friend. Yay!
Angie says
October 1, 2012 at 9:10 amHey Jennette
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts throughout October 🙂
I agree with you self-reflection comment – it works wonders!
Angie
Elaine says
October 1, 2012 at 10:10 amGlad you’re back and looking forward to your posts!
El says
October 1, 2012 at 11:36 amYay! Your posts brighten my day. You always make me laugh.
Syhren says
October 1, 2012 at 12:04 pmI’m so excited for the post-a-day! I really love your blog, which I discovered after reading your book Half-Assed. 🙂
Jenni says
October 1, 2012 at 1:01 pmWOO!! I can blog stalk you again!!!! I am glad for your October goal. While I have never met you, I feel like we are kindred spirits 🙂
Margaret S. says
October 1, 2012 at 2:39 pmYaaaaaay! I really have no more to say except, good luck, and may you feel supported by all of us who look forward to whatever you have to say and respect your willingness to open parts of your life to us.
JenFul says
October 1, 2012 at 3:40 pmAw, thanks guys! I guess I’m really going to have to do this now 🙂
Maureen says
October 1, 2012 at 4:03 pmI was JUST thinking how I haven’t been able to find any blogs that I have enjoyed as much as yours! Yay! This desperate-for-adult-contact-while-on-maternity-leave lady is super excited for October!
Sherry says
October 1, 2012 at 4:24 pmJust tell me what you watched on TV last night and what you thought about it. Or any mundane thing. I watched Long Island Medium and am convinced she’s the real thing.
Rebecca says
October 1, 2012 at 6:05 pmYes, I am psyched. I always enjoy your posts. You just brightened my October.
Lane says
October 1, 2012 at 6:42 pmI’m looking forward to reading you again! You’re a wonderful writer 🙂
Shirley @ gfe says
October 1, 2012 at 6:45 pmGo, Jennette! I’ll look forward to your daily musings for sure. 🙂
Shirley
Natalie says
October 1, 2012 at 6:55 pmI think you were the first blogger I ever followed, and I read all your archives and everything. That is so frustrating, by the way, because you want to comment but know they won’t see it if you do! But welcome back.
liz remus says
October 1, 2012 at 11:35 pmGlad to see you back! You’ve been missed! And don’t worry about us judging you for your posts if they aren’t fully thought out or just a line or two. We’ll take whatever you give us 🙂
Julie from Australia says
October 2, 2012 at 7:31 amSo glad to hear that you are back regularly blogging again. Have always loved your writing.
Dup says
October 2, 2012 at 9:23 amSo happy to hear of your ‘post a day in October’ resolution. I’ve been missing you!!!
shauna says
October 2, 2012 at 1:31 pmwoohoo this has made my day!
Gail says
October 2, 2012 at 2:45 pmYippee! I have missed you and your musings! Glad to have you back in my mailbox.
Rina says
October 2, 2012 at 8:37 pmYay! I was so happy to read this and find that you are going to write regularly. I love your style, and I would read anything you write, no matter how boring the subject, I love your take on it. Can’t wait for tomorrow 🙂
Jackie says
October 4, 2012 at 2:41 pmGlad you are back! I’ve been a reader of your blog for a long time and have never posted a comment before, but thought you might like to know you were missed. I enjoy your sense of humor!
elkit says
October 5, 2012 at 3:43 pmI just wanted to say thank you. I have been blogging VERY sporadically, but you are inspiring me. I am posting every day this month as well. It feels very nice dipping my toes into the writing waters again.
Kim says
October 6, 2012 at 8:02 amYay!! I’ve missed your posts!