Well, I’ve
had this blog up here for about a month now, and I’ve done nothing with it for
a plethora of reasons:
1) I don’t know how to blog. I am used to writing newsletters, which are
long-winded, comprehensive, and usually have a theme. From what I can infer, blogging is comprised
of brevitous snippets of thought and reflection; I am not known for my brevity.
2) I am afraid of blogging. Yes, I’m a “millennial”, (I think…but maybe
I’m a Gen Y? How does one discover the
hip term applicable to their stage of development?) but I don’t really like
technology. The internet is wonderful,
don’t get me wrong, but I like looking at people when I talk to them, and quite
frankly, I’m not comfortable with the idea that anyone can check in to my
ramblings in a public forum (like this one), or see pictures of my every social
interaction on Facebook. I’ve probably
just watched too much Law and Order SVU or read too much Science Fiction, but
the idea of everyone having access to the speed of my latest sneeze freaks me out!
3) Blogging seems self-indulgent. I guess if you’re writing an advice column that's an exception, but it just feels
presumptuous to assume that people are interested enough in my life to
interrupt their own and read about it.
Perhaps this is some left-over self esteem issue missed by a middle
school counselor, or perhaps I have the wrong idea about blogging, but blogging seems synonymous with public diary writing, and all my experiences with diaries involved
tiny gold locks. Usually, things with
locks are supposed to be somehow protected from other people, no? When one considers writing their most private
thoughts in this format, #2 becomes an even greater concern.
So that’s
my disclaimer…BUT the Presbyterian Church is encouraging me to write a blog in
this, my second year of service as a Young Adult Volunteer, and I’m taking
their advice. I want to keep up with
those few and varied people in the world who are interested in my life through
sharing stories and thoughts, even if they aren’t as brevitous as seems
appropriate, and also, I am trying something new, which is really what this year is about for me. Becoming
a YAV again seems crazier the more I think about it—I am turning 30 this year
(what?!), I had a stable job with health insurance, I’m not accustomed to room
mates, I’ve never even visited New Orleans—BUT I am having a year of
adventure, a year of trying new things. All last year I sat in my
little house with my big dog and watched my world get smaller and smaller, and
that is not how I wanted to live. This
is my year of hitting the metaphorical “reset” button on my life.
So
anxieties, be damned! I am excited to
live with seven other women! I am aching
for Christian fellowship! I am pumped to
explore New Orleans! I am stoked to eat
boudin and live in a city and gaze lovingly at the Mighty Mississippi! Bring it, New Orleans--with your food and your love and your hurricanes and your history! I’m throwing caution to the wind to live
joyfully again!
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