Well, my Tumblr was short-lived. Like many shiny new toys, it was fun at first, but then I realized it was taking up too much of my enthusiasm and energy without adding much to the internet or to my life. Do I really need another outlet for my interests and opinions? Isn’t that what this site is for?
So I’m shutting “Me and My Netflix” down and moving some of the content here. That means you can expect to read about my thoughts on TV/movies from time to time. After all, they’re just another form of storytelling, and that’s what this blog is all about: me and stories.
Speaking of which, I think this fizzled experiment turned into a good opportunity for me to reevaluate the direction my blogging/online presence has taken. When I graduated college in ’07, I restarted my blog to be more “professional” — less angsty teen — but I didn’t want to lose the personal feel. All work and no play makes anyone dull, right?
Yet somewhere along the way, especially lately, I’ve felt like I “shouldn’t” post anything that wasn’t polished and/or useful. Blogging became a responsibility instead of an outlet. Now, there’s certainly a place for those kinds of “purpose-driven” sites — I read and enjoy many of them — but it wasn’t exactly what I had in mind for my own webspace.
So (more for me than for y’all) here’s my official declaration of refocus: I want my blog to be a reflection of me. I strive to be professional but personal, casual but not frivolous, and somewhat private but always genuine. I have diverse interests, strong passions, and too many opinions. I want to embrace a sense of experiment and play, even if that leads to “mistakes.”
Hopefully my blog can embody all of this, and evolve and grow along with me. Every post may not stand the test of time — looking back, some may even make me cringe — but like the early drafts of a manuscript, the heart and core are what matter most. If those come through — if I can express, record, and share the raw material of my life, my journey, myself — then I should feel content.
That is what I aspire to here.
13 responses to “Another one bites the dust (leading to a declaration of refocus)”
I hear you on the feeling that we must put up “useful” content. I look forward to seeing some of the changes to the blog’s focus. Gives us the chance to get to know you, Kristan, better.
I’ve been thinking about that too. Sometimes blogging does feel like a chore. I can’t always think of useful things to write about either. In the end I think the main thing is to have fun with it, otherwise it will get dull pretty quick.
Believe me, I’m trying to do that here too. I’ve censored myself so much that I hardly ever have anything to write about anymore.
Glad to hear the new mission statement. I am looking forward to reading these posts! Keep em coming.
Yay, awesome! Your refocus makes me want to spend some time considering what I want to do with my blogs, too. I hate when it feels like a chore, so lately I’ve just been not doing much with them unless I have both the inspiration and the energy to post something (not often, haha). Your declaration is amazing! :)
It sounds like you have an ideal blend for what this blog will be – and in many ways, what it’s been – and I’m looking forward to seeing where you take it. I think it’s easy to fall into a trap where blogging feels like a burden (especially when we already spend so much of our time writing/editing), but at its heart, it should be enjoyable. It should be an outlet, like you said, and through that, a means of expression. I’ve always enjoyed your posts and will continue to, I’m sure of it :)
If a blog is going to last, it has to keep changing and adapting with you. Sounds like you’re pretty good at knowing when it’s time to go on to the next phase.
If we’re going to blog over the long term, we have to be flexibie. Frequency, schedule, topics, length — there can’t be rigid rules (or, we can have rules, but the rules have to be subject to change).
And sometimes we have to try things to find out if they’re a good idea. I’ve started a lot of different websites and blogs over the years. SOme are still around, but many are not. WHich is fine.
I’m looking forward to the new direction here.
Thanks for the support, everyone! I think Shari hit the nail on the head, because truth be told, you guys might not notice too much difference (except for some additional TV/movie content). Mostly it was a mentality that I was struggling to hold onto, and now I’m re-embracing it.
Kristan, I’m so excited to hear this. We just like reading what you write and what you choose to share about yourself and your thoughts. It doesn’t need to be so narrowly defined. I’m glad you’re just having fun with it. Great re-focus. :)
This post really resonated with me, and I think I need to undergo a similar refocusing on my blog, Beyond the Gray. Somewhere along the line it has morphed into a responsibility to post only useful info. Problem is, I don’t really have all that much useful info to share. For me, blogging is the most fun when I’m sharing stories from my life or reflecting on my experiences. Thanks for inspiring me to refocus my energy – I feel better already!
Erika-
So glad to hear that! And ditto this: “For me, blogging is the most fun when I’m sharing stories from my life or reflecting on my experiences.”
I must have missed this post! As you know now, I definitely hear what you’re saying. I think you said what I wanted to say in much better terms, actually. Haha. Direction is good, but so is authenticity and creating content that YOU truly love creating, something I think we’ve both come to realize isn’t always easy. Whatever you do I’ll keep reading!