A BLOG IN TRANSITION
My blogging experience covers the past 5 years with approximately 250 posts. Those posts are mostly professional around topics having to do with education, leadership and change. Some have been more personal reflections of what was happening at the moment or with my work or other projects.
I have written essays, articles and speeches and even a few books over the past fifty years. With the advent of social media I have dipped my toe into that world although I remain steadfastly out of the Facebook crowd. I belong to very few groups and do not follow any particular discipline or agenda for publishing.
Writing about writing is a genre in itself and I have deep admiration for people who have tackled that subject with aplomb such as Anne Lamott, Stephen King, E.B. White, Joan Didion, John Steinbeck, and Jennifer Egan. They provide volumes of sound advice and great examples. One of the main points about writing is just sitting down and doing it. Then doing it over and making it better and that works for me. It is also the way I taught writing.
Transition has been and continues to be a major theme since I stopped working full time and morphed into part-time projects beginning about five years ago. I have the blessing of looking ahead as I complete my 80th year and what I can make of that. Given good health, time and sufficient resources, travel is on the docket for the foreseeable future including more documented personal experiences. The recent post on carrots is an illustration of a personal experience although not on a topic I care to pursue.
There were many times when I have been aware of writing for others, often based on my observations and experience. Now I will be writing more for myself and from my own individual perspectives and beliefs. Writing is an exceptionally worthwhile exercise for my mind and spirit, a good investment of time and energy and I can see the results here and now. If others enjoy this process and product that’s an unexpected bonus for me for which I am most grateful. For now, I am preparing for a several month sojourn south of the border, and as yet, no wall in sight.