It really is all about the stupid idea.
Blogs, that is. Posts in particular. Once I get an idea, my mind starts racing in about twenty directions simultaneously and my verbal diarrhea goes into full swing. I fall into this fugue like state and the next thing I know I have a post that is only slightly shorter than a doctoral dissertation, although hopefully easier to understand.
If I have a little time on my hands I write a shorter post. It's true. Who was it who said "If I had more time I would have written a shorter letter?" It's a famous quote. I should probably google it and see who said it. But I can't. I don't have time. I have to come up with an idea.
Is there a blogger out there who hasn't pounded their head against a computer screen in frustration because the idea fairy has skipped town with the goods? I've had ideas over the course of the day. I'm just not sure what they were. I even (honestly) woke up in the middle of the night last night with a great idea that had something to do with the dogs, but by morning I couldn't remember what it was. Of course I was in the middle of a dream about toxic nerve gas at the time, only to wake up and realize that the intestinally challenged one was snoring on my feet and injecting reality into my slumber state. So that was one idea gone.
I could write about how Sasquatch wants me to lie to his AP European History teacher because he can't find the information he needs to finish his homework and god forbid he lets anyone help him. And how he's mad at me because he can't understand why I won't lie for him. Nah. No one would believe it.
I could write about how I walked out my back door today and stepped onto a solid sheet of ice on my patio, skidding about four feet and screaming at the top of my lungs the whole time. Nah. Too embarrassing.
I could write about the new book series I'm reading that I love. Okay, they aren't new at all. Just new to me. I'm three books into the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich and am enjoying them hugely. That woman is funny.
I could write about how out of date my reading list on my sidebar is.
Or I could try to come up with something else. But I've got an idea that it isn't going to happen.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
gimme an I...
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25 comments:
Ooooo. Someone just recommended the Stephanie Plum books to me last week. Let me know how you like them.
There is no Idea Fairy in Michigan. I'm fairly sure she left the state when the Deer Hunting Fairy moved in.
I do the same thing: dreaming about a good blog idea and then wake up only to have it vanish. I hate it when that happens!
Evanovich is the best. Good chick-lit, but a lot of men read her too. You might try the "Spellman Files" by Lisa Lutz, I liked it better. It's the first in a new series. And I love Harley Jane Kozak, her series starts with "Dating Dead Men". Good Reading.
But see, posts like this are just lovely because they help us all feel...well...normal. Like we're not the only ones whose brains are leaking out our ears, who want to scream with frustration at the stupidity of some things, who are so far behind that curling up in the fetal position sounds just dreamy...
In short (ha), I -love- posts like this. And you put it so well!
love it....a long post about not having a clue about what to post about. It was like looking into my brain. love it.
have a good day!
I'm pretty sure that would be T.S.Elliot.
Hoorah for the lack of inspiration! This is the first item I've ever read one of your posts in one sitting!!
Third time's the charm they say! I deleted those other two, I'm trying to leave a link but Blogger does it a little different to others, sorry.
Anyway, I thought you might be interested in how I dealt with this same problem.
If this doesn't work this time, I'm just leaving it. Sheesh! No wonder I don't leave comments any more!
I loved the Stephanie Plum series, too! She is really funny. I got quite a few stares from Isaac when I would laugh out loud while reading them. (I try not to do that often because "the stare" is pretty annoying.) I even read the books that comes between the numbers. They are not as good, but I wanted a Plum fix.
Even a post about not knowing what to write turned into a great read. You have quite the talent for writing, my dear!
Oh, and the quote comes from Blaise Pascal, if I remember correctly. I have it on a poster in my classroom. It has been awhile since I've been there, though, so I wouldn't swear to it.
Blaise Pascal said, "I have made this longer, because I have not had the time to make it shorter" in reference to a letter he wrote.
I looked it up.
I couldn't stand it.
And it's so true. Sometimes I start a blog entry, look up and it's two hours later. Usually, I delete it; usually, because it's a worthless rant.
Aren't ya'll glad I don't post that tripe?!
You see, you're too picky. I'd have done the dog farting invassion into your dreams as one post. And the slide on the ice, hee hee. And now I have to read Evanovich. Tsk.
Stephanie Plum ROCKS, RC. Glad you're enjoying them, I loved them (can you tell). I am similarly challenged in the idea department most days. I can usually rely on the Boys to give me blog-fodder, but sometimes they just don't deliver the goods. Honestly. I keep telling them, 'Go on, be winsome and amusing, blast it!' Do they listen? Ha.
Stephanie Plum is a fun read. Try the Anna Pigeon series by Nevada Barr. Anna is a park ranger and is very funny and thoughtful. Lisa Scottoline writes hilarious books based on members of a struggling all-female law firm.
Yummm, dessert for the brain.
what? what? you're giving up on "Lonesome dove"?
heheheheha. i plowed through that and the sequel and then bought "comanche moon," the prequel--and realized i was all mcmurtried-out.
re writing short: i have seen that quote variously attributed to Mark Twain and Thoreau, but i believe it was t.S. Eliot. not sure.
re blog ideas: i tend to start blog posts when i think of the ideas--just start a post, jot down a word or two (like "skating" for today's post), and then get back to it later.
i do most of my writing on saturdays and sundays, because there just isn't time during the week. i polish 'em up just before posting.
i hope they don't feel too canned.
This is the quote I always remember from T.S. Eliot:
"Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers."
For someone without an idea today - you did very well!
There is something about a blank screen that causes a blank brain. Or maybe the blank screen just makes me realize I have a blank brain.
I used to have a brain. I miss it.
I like reading whatever you write so don't worry about it! :)
I admit I have a lot of draft posts lurking because as soon as I think of something I write it down!
It doesn't matter what you write about your blogs are always great. That is a cracking quote isn't it. I often gets ideas for really fantastic blogs which will attract just about the whole world - in the middle of the night, usually when I'm dreaming. Then forget about them the next morning.
Crystal xx
pixelpi - I love the Stephanie Plum books. Love them. You should definitely give them a try. My friend who recommended them insists that they should be read in order, so I am.
jan - thanks for the new ideas. I really do like chick-lit. I mean, I know it's not Thoreau or anything, but it sure is fun!
kimberly - I'm so glad it's not just me. Sometimes I sit in front of the computer and mentally drool until something pops into my head.
corey - yay! We should form a club. I like having all this company.
willowtree - har har. Are you calling me long winded? Huh?
stacie - I've done the exact same thing. I actually have laughed out loud hard enough that my family looked at me weird. Man, those books are funny.
kaycie - the rest of us post our tripe.Whatsa matter? You don't want to play tripe wars?
jo - well, see, I've already done more than one post about lethally gassy dogs. I feel like maybe I'm going to the well once too often.
potty mummy - I tell my kids that too, not that it does me any good. But they're contrary enough that I usually get a misbehaving story out of it.
flutterby - welcome! and thanks for the book ideas. I'm always on the lookout for dessert books. Why not?
laurie - still chipping away. Slowly. I keep a list of blog ideas too, and add little bits and pieces at a time. But last night I wanted an easy no brainer and all my ideas were more labor intensive. Dang.
And your posts aren't even remotely canned. What a thought.
aims - for someone without an idea most of my life I've done okay!!
ped crossing - my brain left me when I conceived - never to be found again. Yours?
akelamalu - I do that too. I've got a whole bunch of mangy drafts that will probably never see the light of day.
crystal - what a sweet thing to say. Thanks! Yeah, I do a lot of my best thinking in my dreams too. Sad that they vanish when I wake up.
I, for one, want to hear the dialogue between you and S. about History, HW, and lying!
p.s. You haven't finished RC/RN. We haven't heard how you left the ICU for the ER.
Boy, you have to comment quick here or you go to the end of a long line! The Stephanie Plum series is definitely fun. I always laugh out loud when I read them, the grandmother is such a hoot. And maybe I'm breaking blogger rules, but if I can't think of anything, I don't write. But I worry my posts are too short, so whaddya gonna do? Your stuff is great, no matter what the topic. Thanks for another good one.
I usually have no idea what I am going to write about and I think it shows. I just sort of rattle on about whatever happens to come up in my head. It may be a good idea for me to pick a topic, but then I would be banging my head too.
You do a good job, RC. It shows in the amount of comments you get, so don't you worry about a thing. You've got humor and that counts.
I love Stephanie Plum books. They just crack me up. I read them so fast! I even have my husband reading them. So funny, with Grandma and Ranger, Morelli, Bob the dog, the hamster.....I just fall right into the fun. Great stress reducer for me.
I do the same thing with my blog. I have these great ideas about what to write about during the day or at the night, and when I get to the computer, my mind goes totally blank. Bloggers freeze. I hate that. However, with you RC, even when you say you don't have anything to write about, you do, and I still love reading your posts.
Have a good Wednesday.
XOXOXO
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