Category Archives: Blogging

On Blogging So Far

Hannah and I have been talking a lot about blogging. She’s loving the creative outlet and seeing what girls her age-sometimes across the country-are up to. So far, she prefers the tone of it (the blogging teens she’s met are positive and encouraging) to the sarcasm and snarkiness that girls exhibit IRL.

I’ve liked writing for the sake of getting words somewhere. Out of the brain onto something flat. I read a great post  that has inspired me to post more simply for the sake of recording. This is a good idea in my case because my memory stinks.

Up to this point, I haven’t written much about day-to-day or about the kids and I still might not if I think it’s too personal. But a lot of funny happens nearly every day and I don’t want to forget those things. I still have to figure out the boundaries (physically and emotionally). I definitely don’t want to be blogging while the funny is happening, so to speak. Don’t want to be blogging instead of living. So, I’ll have to jot down some notes for blogging later. Emotional boundaries would be anything that would really embarrass or hurt anyone. So, I’ll try this.

I think I’ve worried up to this point that posts would be boring but Rachel makes a GREAT case for not caring. I decided a long time ago that I didn’t care about “traffic” or popularity through this blog. Boring is fine if it helps capture something about our days for us.

What is GOING ON? and A report from Nashville

Is anyone else a tad freaked out by the natural disasters that are happening everywhere? I’m no geologist but it makes sense to me that when there’s major seismic activity in one place, it will likely affect the earth all over for quite a while. I won’t even recap but 2010 began with the earthquake in Haiti.

I have a friend who lives with her family in Nashville. I really felt silly calling the first day thinking, “Nashville’s a big city, she probably hasn’t been affected directly.” When I didn’t get in touch with her, I figured, she and her husband are both physicians and are likely working extra as “first responders” or something.  I finally got in touch with her tonight and it turns out her hospital was flooded and they couldn’t even work. She was lucky that only her garage was flooded but many of her neighbors lost everything. She was clearly shell-shocked and really couldn’t even begin to describe the devastation but emphasized that she was blessed and was just in a mode to try to do what she could to help where possible.   She did mention that people were criticizing the media for making such a big deal about Opryland but she said that it’s the largest employer in Nashville next to the hospitals so it is a big deal.

I feel pretty helpless.

But seriously, what’s going on? I don’t think it’s possible to prepare for events like this. She’s a serious camper and even she said they were running out of food after 2 days. I remember when a second snow storm came after the big blizzard of 2010 and the shelves in the stores were eerily scant. Scary.

I wonder what would happen if we had a national rather than a regional disaster. I don’t think it would be pretty. She thought quickly to get cash and could only get a $100. The guy who gave it to her at the bank warned her that nobody would likely be able to make change for it but she took it anyway. I’ve always wondered whether cash would have value in the aftermath of a major catastrophe. I’m thinking not. Bottled water, food and bandages or other medical supplies would likely be more valuable.

Just had to rant a little. It’s what’s on my mind tonight. Please pray for the people of Nashville. It’s a city full of real people, not just country music stars and historic theaters.

About Barely Blogging

I haven’t told family or most friends about this blog. I’ve told a few other bloggers but we’re all in the doing less mode and quite frankly, I wouldn’t add my blog to my list of “must reads”. As a result….it’s pretty quiet here but that’s ok. I’m still learning about all of it. Learning what I like and don’t like about other blogs I read.

I realized that I don’t like giveaways. I usually don’t even read the post. I honestly don’t want free stuff and certainly don’t want to figure out how I have to click around and comment in order to enter. I understand it’s a way for bloggers to increase traffic or get sponsors or whatever. I also understand I’m likely in the minority not liking them and maybe someday this blog will be so wildly popular that I’ll change my mind and rake in big bucks from tons of sponsors. I’m not holding my breath, though.

I do love beautiful photography on blogs-since I’m not gifted visually, I’m not hopeful that beautiful photos will ever be what attracts readers to my pages.

I love tutorials. They take a lot of time, though so I may or may not ever get around to a few of those.

Love good recipes but most of the ones I find are from other blogs so I’ll probably just link.

I love reading about brain research and the ideal conditions for learning so I’ll likely refer to those articles and studies.

I enjoy reading about learning successes on other homeschool blogs. This one’s tricky because as the kids get older, there’s an element of privacy. I learned very early that it was an invasion of privacy to share Hannah’s writing with close family and hardly ever do it-but I think I could be general-maybe.

I think sharing failures is just as important. I’m referring to parenting failures here. I think it’s good to see that we all make the same mistakes and none of us is perfect.

Finally, I love good stories about faith or answered prayers. One of the best ones I’ve ever read was this one on Elizabeth Foss’ blog. Hers is one I read just about every day. She’s a great writer and clearly anyone raising and educating 9 children has lots of wisdom and faith to share.

So, why haven’t I told most friends and family about the blog? Not sure, I think because it’s sort of a unilateral exposure. I’m not comfortable putting myself out there with no way to respond if someone in my family forms an opinion and isn’t as open about it. Hannah and I have talked a lot about this.  I’m drawn to certain blogs, blogs about  being home with the kids, homeschooling, saving money and practicing our faith. Consequently, I’m more likely to write about those types of things and I don’t think those things are necessarily interesting to most of my family. For one thing, I’m certain that writing openly about my faith and writing about certain devotions or novenas will freak some of my family members out (maybe some friends). Anonymity makes it easier to be candid.

Before I took the plunge, I was emailing Sarah from Clover Lane about blogging and safety. Since she posts photos and the real names of her kids, I wondered if she’s ever had an issue. She hasn’t but does take some precautions related to not revealing their specific location. I realized during the exchange that I was as concerned about being open to ridicule or contempt by people that I knew by writing openly about my life. Again, that could be one-sided. She agreed but said at 40 years old, she finally had to get over worrying about what other people think. She also has a big family and I thought it was hilarious that some of her sisters-in-law read her blog but don’t admit it but sometimes they’ll slip refer to something she’s written about.

I do worry about what people think but maybe it’s time I get over it.

The Word for Me

Remember at the beginning of this year when the blogosphere was abuzz with everyone choosing their word of the year? I hadn’t started a blog when I chose one, so I thought I’d post mine now.

I either didn’t hear about this last year or heard about it too late to be inspired to choose one. I have never been one to make resolutions. I do look forward to the change and momentum that a new year can bring but resolutions never, well, resonated with me.

But choosing a word really does motivate me. I considered about 4 seriously. I even had it narrowed down to 2 and almost hi-jacked Sarah’s word (discipline)-she made such a great case for it in her circumstances and Lord knows, I could stand a little more of it in my life. But then I realized that it wasn’t exactly what I needed to work on.

“Balance” was a possibility because I really think it’s necessary to peace. I’m mindful that balance is important in every endeavor. I didn’t choose this word, though, because I felt like other things needed to happen before I could really work on balance in all areas of my life.

“Patience” made the short list, who couldn’t benefit from a healthy dose of that? Again, I felt like there was a necessary precursor to this which, if not addressed, would set me up for failure. I don’t like to spin my wheels.

Finally, it was 100% clear. (Yes, I considered “clarity” but that’s not the word). “Simplify”. That’s it, that’s the one thing that I crave….simplicity. I didn’t choose “simplicity” because it doesn’t impose any action on my part, simplicity is sort of a state of affairs. “Simplify” is a command, but a gentle one. My friends know that I’m in a constant pursuit to pare down, dejunk, and clear my spaces. But I really don’t think I’ve been intentional about simplifying my life in other ways. I talk about it when I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed but it’s always been more of a reaction than a proaction.

I’m taking it one step at a time but really trying to think about simplifying everything, including meals and shopping, the kids’ school days, managing the house, making commitments, clothing, relationships, entertainment. It’s definitely a challenge especially since I’m only one of 6 people in the family and I can’t simplify without some cooperation on everyone’s part.

Surprisingly, the blog I started about simplifying is helping. It’s definitely keeping me accountable. I can even imagine quitting that blog some day when I’ve streamlined and might view it as an obligation or sabotaging my efforts to do so. For now, though, it’s been a good thing.

I’ll keep you posted on how my efforts to simplify are going.

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak
 
-Hans Hoffman