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Monday, February 22, 2010

Wanted: my voice back.

What's taking over the bloggosphere? People have been questioning their abilities as bloggers a lot lately and a lot of the blog posts have been tainted black. Mine included. Well mine hasn't really been tainted since it's non existence meant that it could not be coloured in any way.

I cannot count the number of times I have sat down in front of my computer and tried to write a post. It wasn't for lack of material, what with Marie's birthday, Noelie's 3rd hearing test, the strange spots she has on her forehead, midterm break, the horrible day I had on Tuesday, Marie losing yet another tooth (she calls herself a vampire these days), Josie's writing workshop at Sleep is for the weak.

So what was wrong with me? Had I caught the weird virus going around the bloggosphere? Do I write just ramblings and rubbish that people are not really interested in? Was I a bad blogger? Well, I didn't think so as the number of followers had grown by 5 bringing me to a quite reasonable 25 followers (thank you every single one of you!). And my last post received more comments than any other post I had written before (*little happy dance*). I could have made it sound a lot more important by writing instead that my blog grew by a staggering 25% hence demonstrating my theory that numbers don't mean anything, really but no, I am proud of my 25 friends.

Was it some kind of superpower slapping my wrists for telling people that ideas could be found in everything and anything? Well, no, because I had ideas, I had 7 post titles saved and my week has been quite interesting and tiring too. I had also picked 2 posts from Josie's workshop. So what was wrong with me?

I sat down countless times, trying to write, only to be faced by an unintelligible mumbo jumbo of words. I changed subjects, tried different techniques (if you can call them that), I just could not put any idea into words. Whatever was on the screen was flat, not funny, nor sad, nor angry. Just flat, as flat as a bottle of soda left open for a few days. Perhaps it just reflected the way I was feeling last week. I was just exhausted. A birthday party with 12 screaming kids (actually, 11 kids and Mr Foodie whose strange idea of fun is to get 11 kids together in a room smaller than a closet and get them to scream at the top of their lungs but that's a whole blog post in itself.), a day that went completely wrong, a few interrupted nights through nightmares, teething and a runny nose had left me somewhat akin to a flat tyre. I read blogs, but just didn't even have the energy to comment, I felt like I had nothing interesting to say, or even if it wasn't interesting at least write it in an interesting way. But no, I was flat. Mr Foodie was also quite concerned at my lack of energy for blogging, considering it was quite a big part of my days. He even offered to write a guest post, bless him. I avoided Facebook, and Twitter and my own blog. I wasn't very sociable (not easy when you have a big birthday party to attend, with friends and family). I was quite happy with my own company and Oprah's and Ellen's and Baby Einstein's. And I had elected Mr Couch and Mrs Blanket as my best friends for the week too. After a whole afternoon, in front of a screen that I kept filling up and erasing, I just gave up. I just came to the conclusion that I had lost my voice. And left it at that for the rest of the week.

I feel a bit better now, I have managed to thoroughly clean the house this morning, and I feel like things have gone back to somewhat normal. But just in case, if anybody finds my voice, can you please return it to the following address:

Miss Foodie Mummy
Foodie Cottage
Foodieland.

The postman knows me anyway!

15 comments:

  1. its hard sometimes isn't it, to sit down in front of that blank screen and fill it with words. Sometimes a break is what's needed, give you're mind a rest from it all. glad you are back, hope you find your voice soon

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  2. That happens me sometimes, I just feel flat and find my own stuff uninteresting and can't present uninteresting blogs to people! (This is where someone jumps up and says my blog is very uninteresting!!). I find this happens when I have something on my mind that I don't want to blog about but it won't go away and free up my headspace until I sort it out. Last week seems to have been rough for a lot of people, I wasn't in great humour myself. Delighted to see you back, had missed you around:) Jen.

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  3. There really is something going around I think... I felt as flat as the proverbial pancake last week too... For me, I thought I'd lost the will to blog and tweet and, although my blogging mojo has returned slightly I'm still a little shy of Twitter for the time being.

    I don't know about anyone else but my motivation and inspiration comes in peaks and troughs and I just have to go with it when I have a peak by drafting as many posts (or even just titles) as I can come up with at that time. That means I only have to do some editing or tweaking at a later date if I'm feeling uninspired.

    Hope your voice comes back fully soon but try not to stress about it in the meantime. I, and your other 24 followers no doubt, will be here to read your posts as soon as you're feeling up to writing them again!
    x

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  4. make that 26 - popped over to see your sunshine award! Staying for more, don't even go there about troughs - life bad enough trough here.
    BNMx

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  5. I think it is called blogging paralysis. Happens to everyone at some stage - apparently. I think we can all get a bit too paranoid. You probably just needed the break to get a bit of perspective back - so welcome back!

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  6. hey foodie mummy, you probably just needed to recharge. Sometimes I find that if I read too many blogs though that I cant write my own? Some blogs are so funny/ witty/ sad that my own voice sounds flat in comparison. But then when I don't blog I miss it, so I am just going to keep blogging and think you should too!

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  7. Awww, wondered what had happened. I think it's a pressure thing....maybe? I don't know, I've been writing fewer posts myself lately. I suppose there is only so much cold weather and snow talk you can think about. Lets hope Spring arrives soon and we'll all be bouncing around with ideas! ;0) xx

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  8. Brilliant post - you describe it perfectly. I'm having a week like that. I've tried to write 2 different posts and they are just complete rubbish; I almost cringe when I proof read them. I'm hitting the slopes tomorrow for some skiing so hopefully the fresh mountain air will clear my head.

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  9. I think there has been 'stuff' flying around about good blog/bad blogs etc etc, none of which I actually read but I've heard mutterings about it on my way round the blogosphere, and I think that may have caused a few blank screen episodes! It's also a good thing sometimes to take a step back into the real world with real people in order to recharge and collect new ideas. I tend to post at the most once a week, which suits me and means blogging is a pleasure not a competitive chore. I really like popping in to see you and reading your posts, so hope you get your blogging mojo back soon! You will.You have already - that was a thought provoking post! See?

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  10. I thought you'd been a bit quiet, and it's great to have you back. I can totally relate to everything you've said. Sometimes I think that life takes over, and there's no brain-space left for blogging. I started out by posting at least once a day but I'm slowing down. The more blogs I encounter and enjoy reading, the less time there is for my own!

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  11. I am new to the blogging scene, so I haven't really been plagued yet with this. (yet )

    I find it more of a time thing-hubby and kids complaining that it has been taking a lot of my time, why is the house a mess....


    I hope you continue to blog as long as it makes you happy for yourself. HUGS!

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  12. And your followers have doubled so you must be doing ok :D I have come through yet another dry spell, though it seems to be over now. I find them frustrating though as I enjoy blogging so much. Glad you found your mojo:) Jen

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  13. One of the best blogging bits of advice I ever read was to blog what you feel when you feel it. Whenever I've done this, I get a spike of hits and feel better about blogging altogether.

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  14. Glad you came through the flat spell, I always find february tough. All the New Years promises fading, spring not quite arrived, and it's mighty cold! It's hard to make the most interesting topics interesting to read with all that.
    Hope your voice returned quickly!

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