11 July 2008

Six more weeks of posting

Hello? Is anybody there? Can I open my eyes? Is it safe?

No, your tenuous grip on sanity is not slipping-- I didn't post yesterday. And, might I add, I'm happy to see that the world as we know it still seems to exist. That means I can hold off sending out those tote bags for the foreseeable future.

I know that my daily posting is a subject probably only worthy of comment in my own mind, but I've let myself become obsessed because I'm trying to use it to help build my writing habits, and I'm wary of slippery slopes and the power of temptation and all that. That being said, I'm going to try not posting this weekend, to recharge my batteries after a long week (possibly helped by a free Slurpee today).

Hopefully then I'll be back with daily posts of some sort, at least, as I try to work out some kind of schedule that allows me to focus and produce higher-quality material interspersed with conversation posts and other such amusing trifles.

I just know that if I was to start regularly holding off posting each "good" post for a day, and spend more time editing and crafting it, I'd be likely to start deciding that each one needed another day* to be really good, and I would then either take an extra day (or two) to make each one better or, more likely, put off doing anything with it in favor of whatever else in the world came up that was not what I had planned to do. You know how many mostly-written posts I have cropped up in my Drafts folder that I can't stand the sight of because they feel like a chore? A lot.** But I need to overcome my reluctance and weak stomach to get to rereading and revising things more, or I'll never get any better.

So in the meantime, I ask you all to read my posts with a grain of salt, however that works physically, and see through the extra crud and tangents for what the end product would be if I took more time and if I read through them more than once. You'll find the quality of this blog rocketing up immediately with that filter applied, I hope (depends on how vivid your imagination is).

While you're at it, add a liberal dose of deliciously snobby literary allusions and deep metaphysical insight, leaving me something just short of a typical Black Hockey Jesus post at The Wind In Your Vagina. Yes, I suppose that is what I now aspire to-- silver medals are just as nice.

Or at least that's what my mom always told me.


* Read: the portion of the day I get to spend doing such things.
** See, I'm so drained I don't even have a trademark witty*** exaggeration.
***
Witty as defined by me, while in the Love zone of my love-hate relationship with my self.

Editor's Note: Until I actually receive a silver medal, I'll have to console myself with this very latest surprising recognition.

21 comments:

Leslie said...

Congrats on the "surprising recognition"!!! That's very cool.

No one notices me!? *pouty face*

Leslie said...

First to comment! Cool.

Anonymous said...

I can so relate - I even have a disclaimer in my "About Me" explaining why there is no way I have time to polish my writing before posting! Congrats on the surprising recognition ... very cool!!!

Swirl Girl said...

Congrats! I think you are witty**

**witty as defined by me.

MsPicketToYou said...

wait? what does "polish writing" mean?

anyhoo, you rock, LD.

Anonymous said...

Yea, LiteralDan! Gotta love the recognition! Please keep up the daily blogging...the rest of us need our fix!

Anonymous said...

Awesome! I can't believe we finally get to see your whole face! Congrats on the recognition! I know how you feel about posting...I've kind of just come to accept that some things I write are going to be good and resonate with lots people; some days not so much. It's all good--we can't be expected to be 'on' all the time (at least I can't.)

TentCamper said...

So let me first tell you that you are one of the best blog writers that I visit (in m mind.) I wish that I could write like you.
Secondly, I battle with this all of the time. I know that if Ispend more time on a post...it will be a better "product" in the long run. But on the other hand. I don't know that I am trying to produce a good "Product"...I want to get the spur of the moment truth out. When I spend more time...it just becomes less real (more crafted and contrived) for me.

Regardless - I love your posts!!

Manager Mom said...

I could use some Pledge on MY writing, for sure..

מי זה נטרופ? said...

just got a round to check your blog, though i don't have kids of my own i found your blog very funny & well written!

Anonymous said...

Dude, you've only been blogging since January 2008? Any time I see someone with success on their blog, I just assume they've been at it for years!

When I first started blogging, I spent at least an hour, usually two, making sure I had it just the way I wanted. But who has that kind of time? Sometimes I do, but what kind of readership would I have if I only posted once a month (even if it WAS awesome)?

Anonymous said...

i think it's a great goal to post daily but i think 3-4 really, really strong posts is equally as good. i like to write, take a break, fix, take a break, post. i just want my words to match as much as possible my experiences.
i enjoy your writing!
PAPA

Jennifer said...

Hey--Congrats on that write-up in The Trib!!! That's great!!

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

How exciting that you got a write-up. Wonder if the Atlanta paper (or its website) does such a thing. And I have a treasure trove of partially completed things in Word. But...unlike you, they are not waiting for polishing. They are just partially completed. Meaning I ran out of steam. Or thoughts. Or something. I am an excellent procrastinator.

Mama Dawg said...

Whoo-hoo! Congrats on the write-up! That rocks!

Mama Dawg said...

LOL! I just realized you're reading my blog at the same time I'm reading yours!

I'll send you an e-mail with the info on the blog widening.

LiteralDan said...

Laggin: Thanks! And I'm sure lots of people notice you-- I did, after all.

Tierd: Thanks-- I thought it was cool and fun.

Swirl Girl: I feel like a broken record, but a happy and grateful one-- thanks! Can you have that made up into a badge I can show people who might not agree?

Ms Picket To You: I don't know-- it's just some term I read in a book one time.

MamaNeena: I'll see what I can do to find a happy medium. What's your secret?

Christy: Yes, I figured I would emerge from my blue tube at long last. I need to find my "on" switch, flip it, and then break it off. Then the world will be my oyster!

Right?

TentCamper: Wow, thanks! Yeah, I want to try to balance polish and spontenaity. Who knows where I'll end up?

Manager Mom: There are days when I think Murphy's Oil Soap might be more appropriate. That, or Tide-E-Bowl.

מי זה נטרופ?: Hey thanks for stopping by, and for the compliments. I wish I could read Hebrew to enjoy your blog more, because I know I probably would, based on your avatar, video clips, etc. Some languages are universal.

Andrea's Sweet Life: "Success" is such a strong word... :-)

I feel successful in my own personal way, and over the course of the past 6 months, I've decided that's pretty valuable. This experience has certainly been different than I pictured it when I started, but in a very good way.

And amen on the lack of time. This pesky life just keeps getting in the way.

PAPA: That sounds like my ideal, and probably eventual, schedule. Thanks for stopping by, and I'm glad you enjoyed your visit!

Jennifer: Thank you, thank you.

Kat: I'm sure they do-- you should poke around their site and in the paper itself. The Tribune Company probably owns one of the papers down there, since they seem to have so many.

Your description of the unfinished stuff is probably more accurate than mine. Sometimes "polishing" begins with "massive grinding, sanding, and/or rebuilding".

Mama Dawg: Thanks! That's like the Internet's version of crossing paths with someone as you each head over to the other's house and find that no one's home. Except with more poop stories.

Thanks for sharing that helpful info-- I've been meaning to overhaul this layout to make it more unique, and this should help a lot.

Dixon said...

So I am not sure if your 4 year old is like my 3 year old but I know that when I try to write on my blog.. I get as far as opening the internet and I get an ear full of how it is time to play on Noggin. I'am starting to think it is time to invest in another computer. So polished or unpolished to sit and write even a sentence is a great accomplishment with kids around. Like now I am getting MOMMY! MOMMY! Over and Over.. SO CONGRATS!!!!!

LiteralDan said...

Thanks, and yes, your 3-year-old is definitely like my 4-year-old, except he just wants to type in Notepad. We haven't branched out yet, or it would get worse.

My 1-year-old is learning all the same tricks-- she likes to scale the armrest, sit between me and the laptop saying, "Daaaaddy, Daaaaaaaddyyyy", and then press a bunch of keys. And these are the times I'm paying complete attention to her! (she usually needs help up in the first place)

Unknown said...

Congratulations! What a wonderful surprise for you. I think that you might be the only one concerned with your editing, the rest of us are just enjoying your words!

LiteralDan said...

Well thanks, that's nice of you. I'll try to take it easy on myself, but then who doesn't have a hard time of that?