We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.
Anaïs Nin
Ten years ago.
I consider it for a good, long while, then one August afternoon decide to just do it. I start a blog. Over time, one blog becomes three—a gardening blog, an adoption blog, and my main blog. Over more time, common sense prevails and they all come together into one cyber home I call A Slice of Life.
Two years ago.
I wonder if I should just quit blogging altogether. I feel as if I’ve lost my writing mojo, I have little of substance to say, and, frankly, I’m busy with other things. In the middle of a busy canning season, I decide to try something different. I commit to publishing a short post every day in my blogaversary month of August: a quote, one of my photos, and a link to another blog I read regularly (in the early days of blogging we shared links all the time).
August ends, and with it my commitment to posting daily. I find that I have established a routine and decide to continue for another month. The posts get longer, one more month becomes a few more, then a year, and now two.
Today.
With few exceptions, I’ve been here early every morning for the past two years. This daily discipline convinces me of the value of consistency and intention in establishing a habit. Posting daily, remaining mindful of ordinary moments that become extraordinary upon examination as they are shaped into short essays, has made me more present in my day-to-day life.
Some days my words here are few, and I spend more time in my private journal working through something that needs to be worked through. Other days, I create a new post, lose myself in tapping out words and playing with structure and am reminded of how the written word feeds me.
Once I thought I had lost my writing mojo, now I’ve got the first messy and terrible draft of a new book to play with. I credit, in no small part, the daily discipline of posting here for reigniting my passion and reminding me that I had another story of substance to tell.
And so, I begin this day as I do every one: in retrospection and reflection, playing with words and shaping something new. It’s a good gig to have.
Do you have a writing practice? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
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Daughter arrives today, and Camp G and G begins to morph into an upcoming girl’s weekend.
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In honour of my August blogaversary, I’m sharing a link every day to a blog in the eclectic collection I follow. You’ll recognize some from the last time I did this; there’s also a selection of new favourites. I hope you’ll check them out.
The first one is Story Circle Network’s One Woman’s Day (https://onewomansday.wordpress.com/) blog. So many stories about the lives of women here. Stop by and stay a while.
Happy Anniversary, Linda!!! I don’t get over here like I should, but when I do, I enjoy your posts and pictures.
Teresa C.
You celebrated a blogging milestone recently too, Teresa. Isn’t it crazy to think of how many years have gone by and how life has changed since that first post?
Unbelievable! I don’t know any other writers that have blogged longer than you. Wow!
No one would fault you for taking a brief hiatus soon Or blogging fewer days of the week, after August, of course.
Happy anniversary, Linda! I really admire bloggers that post everyday. It was interesting to read your reasons for doing so and how it has helped you find your ‘mojo’ again. It seems my writing practices are all over the place. I keep a journal, a blog of course, and am testing the waters with a little fiction on the side. I need to give some serious thought to daily blogging. I’m afraid I’ll run out of things to say, but the discipline might do me some good!