I’ve hit a wall.
It’s been a couple of weeks now since I wrote anything and now I don’t know where to begin. It has become a thing, a chore, a nag at the back of my head – ‘you really should write a blog post you know…’
Yes I know, thank you brain for your ever helpful input.
You know when you leave the washing up for too long and you get to the point where you’re having to butter bread with the back of a spoon because all the knives are dirty? You know you should just wash up, but somehow you can’t. You’ve left it too long and it’s become too much. It almost feels like it would be easier to just sweep all the dirty dishes into the bin and start again with new ones.
Well that’s how I feel here. I feel like I’ve left it too long, but every day just makes it longer, (what with the relentless passing of time and all…), so here I am, writing, before I am overcome by the urge to press delete on the whole thing and start again with a blog all about something stupid like ‘vegetables that look like members of thr royal family’ or ‘things I find on the street’.
To be honest, that might not be a bad decision. I do like finding things on the street. I once found a lovely purple knitted beret, and during the winter I found a scarf on a wall which, once I had got it home and defrosted it, was actually very pretty.
I digress.
Just as you should do when faced with a mountain of dishes, I have decided to bite the bullet, grab the bull by the horns, shake my metaphors roughly by the shoulders, and just write. Something. Anything. Just to take the pressure off, just to quieten the voice in my head. (Everyone gets voices right?).
My plan is to take this opportunity just to let the words pour out, much like lancing a boil, so that next time I can write something good.
Now there’s something to look forward to.
I’m tired though. I’m sat in bed, my fingers are moving slowly over the keys, clumsily. I’m having to concentrate hard on sending the right messages to my hands, on hitting the right letters. It feels like hard work. This isn’t the random, yet charming, spewing of words onto the page I was hoping for.
I frown at the screen.
‘Hush,’ says my brain, ‘it’s late you know. You don’t have to do this.’
‘Yes I do,’ I whisper back, ‘it’s a Thing remember, a Thing I Need To Do.’
‘No,’ my brain insists, ‘it isn’t. No one cares. No one will have even missed you.’
‘Oh,’ I do my sad child face.
‘Just stop typing and lie down. Everything will be fine. Hush.’
So I stop typing and lie down. And my brain is right, everything is fine.
I’ve missed you! I’m glad that you ignored the voice and wrote this, it’s classic.
I actually think this is one of the best blog posts I’ve ever read. Anyone who writes is thinking: Yes! I know that feeling! And I at least am also glad that someone else in the world butters with the back of a spoon. Well done on a great read – what a talent to be able to say something about nothing, and to say it so well.
“You know when you leave the washing up for too long and you get to the point where you’re having to butter bread with the back of a spoon because all the knives are dirty?”
You mean that’s not just me? Just today I made my sandwiches by resting the slices of bread on top of the spread lid because I couldn’t be bothered to do any plates. I have an excuse, honest – I’d been gardening and stung my hand so didn’t want to get it wet, because it really hurts when it gets wet…. but still, I know I’ll be milking that sting for days :)
Always nice to see your posts!
Thanks, Jo, you’ve inspired me to post, for the first time in almost a year. You can find it at kenatrandom.blogspot.com/2011/05/just-random-thought-no 15.html.
Wow, a whole year? Good work Ken!
Love this actually and I DID miss you, but it made me feel less guilty for not keeping mine up! You produce so many wonderfully easy to read and relate to pieces of writing it puts a lot of us to shame so it’s relieving that you also have blocks. Now you’re back on the wagon (maybe that’s not the most appropriate analogy hehe) I bet I’ll be getting a constant stream of wonderful entertaining posts in my inbox!
I’d like to ask you, when you first started did you find you needed to post new blogs very regularly to get people interested and how long did it take you to get people following you?
I’m off to write a blog now and break my silence too, now what to write…
Actually, I reckon the most important thing when I first started was reading other blogs, and taking an interest in other people. When you start getting involved and commenting people wonder who you are, nose at your blog etc. I also made a point of looking at the links of all the people who were reading and commenting on my blog.
That said, I am absolutely hopeless at doing that now. I just don’t seem to have time for reading anything more than just a handful of my very favourite blogs and I do feel bad about it.
well see if you were all like me and didn’t take butter, problem solved. welcome back, hardest steps done now, metaphorically the dirty dishes are in the bin and a new dinner set bought so use it wisely this time….lol
yes it is a very nice posting, thanks for writing it
ps have you entered my comp that closes at 12 noon today http://fun-as-a-gran.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-television-bedut-and-celebratory.html
to win some lottery tickets
D’oh! It’s after noon now :-(
Why don’t you write a guest post on my blog? I’ll give you the subject and pay you with a big bar of Swiss chocolate…
Ooh yes please! I was actually thinking the other day about asking you to guest post for me, so we could do a swap?
Cool. It’s a deal. Lemme have a think about what and I’ll get back to you.
M
Well I noticed that you hadn’t been about! It sucks feeling like this but it will pass for sure. As long as real life is happy then that’s actually the important thing my love ;)
I think that’s a lot to do with it actually, real life is seeming pretty good at the moment so maybe I just haven’t got anything to complain on my blog about :-)
I missed you! I was only thinking yesterday that you hadn’t written for a while, so it was lovely to get something from you when I opened my inbox this morning. And yes, everybody gets voices (I hope!?) x
Blogging always seems like such a great idea at the beginning… until you realise you really have to keep it up ALL THE TIME. CHORE! Having a little break to refresh your mind is no bad thing, but I love you’re posts – including this one – so keep it up and rest assured we are all smiling. With you, not at you;)
X
I hit a similar wall just the other day..http://stigmum.blogspot.com/2011/05/when-its-hard-to-get-started-blogwise.html Only I hadn’t been gone a week like you, just a few hours. I’ve been tempted to stop aswell, was going to, but the gravitational force of blogspot is keeping me here! Keep writing, never mind if it isn’t ‘good’ because yours is!
Well I did notice things were quiet. I assumed you were busy or perhaps even lucky enough to be enjoying a holiday.
Thank you to everyone who said nice things! I feel bad now, like I was fishing for compliments – I really wasn’t! Still, it is always nice to feel missed :-)
Yay, you’re back! And making everyone feel good by admitting to things we all do but never talk about – as usual. That’s why I love this blog Jo, so I’m adding my name to the list of people who are glad you ignored the whispery words of doom (and yes, we all hear them… we just don’t like to admit it!!) x
Don’t feel guilty for commenting on other people’s blogs. Although I did just tag you on my blog hint hint. How much are you worth in the current market? http://mommyhasaheadache.blogspot.com/2011/05/are-you-saleable-in-current-market.html
Ha ha… very subtle…
I will have a think about what I’m worth. I fancy it won’t be much on the housewifery market.
Hi Jo,
I’ve only just discovered your blog – came via another website. I have to say it made me laugh out loud. It’s not an easy task writing a blog and I often have very little to say but once I lay down to go to sleep my head is in a whir with everything I should have written. I can empathize with the whole sink/dishes thing. Although I have a husband who quite often leaves dirty dishes and water in said sink for me to sort out the next morning. Not a very nice greeting I can assure you ;-)
Anyway, I do a photo blog of myself and my 3 boys. It’s a daily challenge (to upload a photo a day) but it’s kinda got me looking at the world in a different way. You’re under no obligation to check it out but please feel free should you wish to! If you want to see previous days posting, click on arrow half way down photo :-)
http://www.blipfoto.com/cousinit
Hi Caroline, Thanks so much for your lovely comments!
I did check out your blog and am very impressed with your managing a post every single day – I see to be struggling with once a week at the moment…