The Great Blogging Anniversary is happening right now. In fact, it’s been happening all week. Five bloggers have joined forces to make the celebration
grand and it includes a link up. I am
terribly grateful to finally overcome distractions and join the event. I encourage you to do the same.
Don’t let the fact that the clock is ticking
near to the end of the festivities keep you from answering
one of their seven prompts. I guarantee you’ll
find them to be of value, helping you gain insight to what you are doing in the
blogosphere (you can find my insight below). After you post, you can expand your views by reading other participant’s submissions. And the
bonus is, you’ll get read, too. Double
bonus: I think I read something about prizes!
What I thought I'd Be Writing About When I Started Sperk*
When I started Sperk* I was familiar with expressing myself
through writing. I maintained a
journal since I was an adolescent. It
kept me from writing on the walls and furniture with my mom’s lipstick.
Two years ago I returned to school to finish my degree and
my personal writing fell by the wayside.
Although I missed my time for my journal, I became more skilled as a writer,
adjusting my style to suit the needs of academics. My writing became less stream of conscious
and more purposeful.
Last October, I saw the end of daily academic writing
drawing near with my final course to be completed in November. I knew I would miss it. As autumn was in the fore, I
became concerned about falling into my typical mode of seasonal depression. So, I started Sperk*.
I thought Sperk* may be a creative space—a place to explore
the imaginary in order to connect with the fuzzy stuff in my brain. On the other hand, I thought I may use it as
a space for commentary on current issues in education. And of course I thought, “Maybe parenting?”
After a few weeks, I realized I was mostly writing about
trends in educational technology and parenting.
So I decided I had a niche: A parent’s view of adolescent development
and education. But it didn’t last long.
When reading the blogs of others, creating my blogging community, I was profoundly moved by some of
the stories I read--stories that were not easily left on their pages. They were with me the day I discovered a writing prompt dealing with the telling of family stories. The provocation began to preoccupy me. There was a nagging bug in my brain. I felt that if I did not exorcise my
thoughts, I may not be able to continue Sperk*. And I was shocked that this blogging business had become so important to me so swiftly.
I responded to the prompt but sat many minutes staring at my
computer screen before clicking “publish”.
I had M read it. He said, “Are
you sure you want to post it? Is it safe?”
I said, “I am not sure. But I have to.”
Moving into the world of risky self-disclosure helped me to
understand why I blog. It is like
medicine to me. And the pills are
distributed not only through my act of catharsis, but also through the comments
left by members of my blogging community.
I find words of encouragement, empathy, and brave admissions of sharing
similar experiences. I make meaningful connections.
“Exposure to children is exposure to one’s own unresolved
past”
~Michael Thompson
~Michael Thompson
Sperk* is now a fearless examination of life with two
adolescent daughters. As I parent my
girls, it is important for me to address my own issues so that I am
authentic and effective. It’s not always
easy. I still battle with fear and
self-doubt every time I click “publish”.
But it’s worth it. It brings
empowerment.
I am finding my voice by sharing my personal stories, accounts of parenting experiences, and Wednesday’s Woman--my series that spotlights female role models. It is possible one may stumble upon Sperk* and assume it to be a feminist space. And maybe it is. After all, blogging is number 26 on the Feminist Activities Guide: 100 Activities You can Do Now. But, I avoid using the label because the stereotypical image clouds the message.
My content is not affected by my concern of how a
reader may label or categorize my blog. I understand that my need for voice and connections within an authentic
community trump popularity. But I won’t
balk at popularity if it comes. Why wouldn’t
I want to be Seth Godin? Especially if I
adhere to his philosophy:
~Seth Godin“I'm not writing to maximize my SEO or conversion or even my readership. I'm writing to do justice to the things I notice, to the ideas in my head and to the people who choose to read my work."
Happy Blogging Anniversary!
photo credit: Mexicanwave via photopin cc
photo credit: Foxtongue via photopin cc
