I found myself thinking about my blog today in the middle of a conversation with someone. Not proper etiquette, of course, but I stayed enough engaged in the conversation that I don’t think he noticed. What I was thinking is that I may be trying to do too much with this blog. I want it to be a discipline for writing; I want to talk about the church and postmodern stuff; I want to build community with others; I want to talk about family, and be funny, and stay “up” on things in the news, and reflect on the things I’m reading, and…and…and…
Like most things in my life, when I try to do too much, it just…sort of……….slooooowwwwwssss dooooowwwwwnnnnnn……….and then stops. It’s been 18 days since I made a post that seems to me to be thoughtful and meaningful, and in that time, I’ve only posted five times.
But, I’ve decided I’m not throwing in the towel. The good part for me is, I’m going to keep writing, even if I’m all over the map, incoherent, not focused, and don’t finish things I wish I would have finished. The bad part for you is, you have to read stuff that goes 1000 directions at once.
So…here’s what’s been on my mind. I had an idea for a book today. I’d like to write about my grandpa. My idea even came with an opening paragraph to the book, which I may share in another post. Here’s the problem: my mom’s family is so quiet about things, that we know very little about Papa. So, either it’s just a book about my memories (in which case it’s less of a book and more of a pamphlet), or I make it fictional-but-based-on-a-true-story sort of book, or I do a ton of researching and then it wouldn’t be finished for decades. I’d really, really like to do the last one. I imagined myself showing up in Rushville, Nebraska, sleuthing through old newspapers in a dimly lit library, taking pictures of old run down houses, even standing on the track where Papa ran the 440.
So mom, I know you’re reading this….start digging up the family stuff you have. Everyone else: start chipping in for the “travel to Nebraska” fund and the “take care of the kids” fund. It’s time to write a book!
Two things: keep writing, and apart from the reason you give, I can’t think of very many good reasons for going to Nebraska. Maybe Cabela’s in Sydney.
This makes me think of something Anne Lamott said (oh, her again!)in a video Sherry Macy loaned me. When asked if she would write about her family, she said something like, “Of course I’ll write about my family. If they didn’t want me to write about them, they would have behaved better.” Unlike my own, I am sure your family has behaved just fine. Do the research – it’s a blast even if you don’t ever get the book finished.