#100DaysToOffload stalled, but that's OK
So my attempt at “just blogging something” for 100 straight days as part of #100DaysToOffload https://100daystooffload.com/ has stalled, but that’s OK.
I have a home painting project going that keeps expanding in scope every time I look at it. I’ve gone on a couple weekend backpacking/canoeing trips, and (biggest time sync of all), I’m in the middle of a job change. That sucks down time and energy. Oh yeah, and the country/world is in a little turmoil right now (COVID-19 and protests) which is, to say the least, distracting, disorienting, disturbing, destructive and otherwise detrimental to a simple goal of blogging every day.
Figure 1: The ever-exapanding painting project
That said, I think #100DaysToOffload was (and is) a success for me. I’ve gotten into a “writing mindset.” My paper journaling (started just before COVID-19 hit) continues on a mostly-daily basis. A number of the blog entries I’ve written have spurred conversations with friends. I’ve posted copies of a couple of them on my linked-in feed because I thought they were relevant there.
I seem to be a failure at building a large social media following, but that too is OK. I write what (to me) is interesting, thought provoking stuff and get 3 or 4 “likes” and 10 or 20 people reading it. I guess I’m not cut out to be an “Influencer” or “Thought Leader” (both terms I despise). TED talks anyone?
I am and always have been about one-on-one relationships. The whole idea of broadcast media (you know, TV, Radio) bothers me. You’re just “one-of-the crowd”. But then, hyper-targeted advertising feed by corporate spying and machine learning isn’t much better.
I’ve taken to writing every blog post (except maybe this one :-)) with an individual in mind, kind of like an open letter. I write for one person. Some of the models are Cicero’s letters to his friends and the correspondence John Adams and Thomas Jefferson carried on late in life. As personal letters, the writing can be focused and specific while still dealing with topics of possible general interest. For instance this, https://eludom.github.io/blog/the-stuff-of-time/ was written for my cousin the family genealogist reflecting on us both having a lot of family “stuff”. And this https://eludom.github.io/blog/opening-day-2020/ was written for my friend Ken who has been going to Reds games with me for 30 years, reflecting on changes in the game and why we go in the first place (friendships, diversion, traditions, hope…)
And I’m also writing for myself. The process of thinking and writing let’s me collect my thoughts, capture them for myself and anybody else who may care. It also allows me to start conversations with people, referencing my writing if appropriate.
So I’ll keep writing. Don’t look for me to complete 100 posts in 100 days. Life has not gone like that. But there is value to me, and I think potentially others, so I’ll keep it up.
Day (well, post) 17 of #100DaysToOffload https://100daystooffload.com/