100th Blog Post




I absolutely love this statue. Believe it or not, it's actually on top of a tombstone
at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio.

 
This is my 100th blog post! I want to take a moment to reflect on how writing this blog has affected me.

When I first created the blog, I worried that posting every day would be unrealistic. And I still worry that there will come a day when I'm all tapped out and unmotivated to write anymore. I thought that day would have already come, but instead I find myself writing more. I write little blurbs, thoughts, and short fiction that I wouldn't have before. As a freelance magazine and newspaper writer, I usually only wrote what I thought I could sell. Now I feel free to write whatever I want without worrying whether there's a market for it. This has been very liberating.

I also find that more than ever I've become an experience junkie. I've always liked trying new things, going to odd places, visiting events, listening to lectures, etc.. Now I do it even more. Now I'm always on the lookout for new inspiration. I love it! In the past I'd often see free concerts or lectures or events and think that it might be fun to go. Then on the day of the event I'd lose my momentum to get up and go. Not anymore. Now I've driven miles and miles to wait in line for over an hour on the off chance I'd get in to hear Leigh Anne Tuohy or Adam Richman speak. I probably would have stayed home before. But now I feel compelled to go see if they spark an idea in me. I am busier than ever.

My perspective has changed. I see the world around me in a different light. I am constantly on the lookout for pictures to snap and topics to write about. I carry a camera with me wherever I go. There are potential snapshots everywhere!

I have stopped myself from invading people's privacy and taking pictures of them just because I thought the pictures might spur me to write a blog post. For instance, one day I saw a burly-looking man sitting in the library knitting a pastel blue, pink, lavender and yellow blanket. He had a whole knitting bag with him and was pretty far along with his creation. I was dying to take his picture. I even scoped out various angles I could take it from and how I might surreptitiously take his picture. I debated walking up to him and asking him if I could take his picture. I spent 10 minutes just prancing around him deciding whether or not I was crossing a line. Wisely, I left him alone and now find myself writing about a picture I didn't even take. See - this blog has brought out the habitual storyhound in me!

This blog has been incredibly fun. It's changed my perspective and many of my writing habits. It's increased my sense of adventure and has taken me out of the house and off on adventures. I see potential all around me. I look forward to thinking up a new topic to write about, or creating a little fiction to go with a picture. I don't worry anymore about writing what I could sell. I'm finally writing exactly what I want.

100 blog posts and still going strong.