5.26.2009

The beginning of Something New

“Any ideas what my blog should be about?” I posed this question on our lunch break to three friends/co-workers sitting around the table in the kitchen at work. Three blank faces stared back at me. I had just informed them that I had decided to become a freelance writer. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it sooner, since it’s the perfect job for me. It is creative and flexible enough to fulfill my artistic side, and at the same time, intellectual enough to be considered a legit profession. There were four important factors I had to consider when sifting through my professional options: 1) I want to be my own boss and make my own schedule 2) I want a schedule flexible enough to have a dog 3) I want to be able to stay home with my eventual kids and 4) I want a job that will give me time to work on my true passion, which is music. Conclusion: Freelance writer. I doubt you will be able to argue my sound logic.

This brought me to starting a blog. I have always written poetry and short stories. I journal religiously and read ravenously. But I have never had a blog before. At first I was excited; there are so many possibilities! I can write about whatever I want! I will gain hundreds of thousands of followers and my reputation will rival award winning journalists from around the world! My second, more lucid thought went like this: “Wait a minute…what if no one wants to read it? What if people don’t like what I have to say? What if my punctuation is terrible?” I mulled over my fears and insecurities about putting my heart and opinions out for everyone to read and judge for a day and a night. Then I remembered a quote we have all heard. “If you want to fly you have to be willing to fall.” Yes, it’s a little corny, but it’s exactly what I needed to hear. That made the decision easy. Hell yes, I want to fly! I’m sure I will fall countless times and yes, it will hurt, but who cares? I will, however, offer one tiny disclaimer right now, but don’t expect any more. I do not claim to be a great writer, I simply claim that one day I will be. With this take-on-the-world attitude I made a firm decision to start a blog.

I had invited emails and late night calls from my three co-workers if they suddenly had a clever theme idea for my blog, but I hadn’t heard a thing. So, last night I sat with my friend, Chianne, drinking wine at her new apartment, and trying to decide what to write about. I want to travel. I want to see new things. I want to meet new people. I want to do things I’ve never done before. Hmmmm. Something new… “Something New!”, I excitedly shouted at Chianne. She just stared at me, waiting for me to continue because, clearly, I had a brilliant idea. “That’s what I’ll write about! Every week I will write about a new experience. A new restaurant I tried, a new park I went to, a store I’d never been to before. I’ll learn how to blow glass! It’s perfect! And I’ll call it ‘Something New’.” Well, maybe it’s not perfect, but it’s going to be a ton of fun. This week’s new thing? If you can’t guess you should start reading again from the beginning.