The sky is the limit!
We should all follow our wildest dreams, shouldn’t we, people?
OK, maybe not if our wildest dreams involve abandoning our ten children and moving to Antarctica. Or maybe if our wildest dreams involve the seven deadly sins. (If I could remember what they were, I’d alert us about them.)
But if our wild dreams are more innocent–more ordinary–within reach–we should follow them, shouldn’t we?
My wildest dream was to write.
And write I did! Wa-hoo! How many years now? Losing track already. Four, five years in the blogging world? I wrote my pants off, sisters. I wrote every kind of blog imaginable, brothers. Rarely predictable. Sometimes a photo blog, sometimes a humor blog, sometimes a nature blog, sometimes a spiritual blog, sometimes, well you get the drift.
No, no, don’t panic (or sigh in relief!) I am not quitting. It’s been too fun to quit. Tut, tut, don’t even think it.
But I have a dream, OK, maybe not like Martin Luther King, but a dream nonetheless.
I want to be a once-a-week blogger. A mature blogger. A thoughtful blogger. Not a spur-of-the-moment-churning-out-a-blog-from-the-typing-fingers-every-day.
Never—errr–rarely–editing. OK, maybe three minutes of editing, tops.
Never really thinking about what one wants to say or portray. Certainly not mature and thought out. More like letting the typing fingers have their way. Go fingers! Do what you want to! I will try to live with the results…just don’t get too wild & crazy.
(“What would wild & crazy be, Miss Kathy?” asks the typing fingers.
“You know,” I reply.
“No, I don’t,” the fingers type back.
“I’m not having this discussion with you,” I retort. “You know what’s acceptable and what’s not. And that title you chose is really on the edge of acceptable.”
“Are you firing me?” the typing fingers type.
“No, you are still useful,” I insist. “I do love you. But we are hiring an overseer. No, maybe that’s too much a slavery word. We are employing a larger perspective that does not necessarily involve stream-of-consciousness writing.”
“Forrver?” sighs one finger, slipping in between the “e” and “r”. **and of course we can’t edit that word in spell-check because the fingers are pouting.**
“No, heavens no!” I adamantly declare, “Since when is anything forever? We are only attempting this mature grownup once-a-week blog until–how about–Summer Solstice? Once a week until June 20th. Mostly because all good projects should begin or end on the Solstice or Equinox. Remember the outdoor bog? We began that on the Winter Solstice, didn’t we?”
“skgfhieourepiubjlbjvkj,” mumble the typing fingers.)
Did this birch curl know which way it was growing?
Back to the mature initiative. Once a week. Like the grownup bloggers.
I am going to start next week. April 23rd shall be the beginning of this dream.
Because today is simply too soon to begin something as wild & crazy as following one’s latest blogging dream. One needs to mentally and emotionally prepare for such a unprecipitated move. Besides, I already have a blog or two or six planned or unplanned for this week. So next week it shall begin.
My heart beats faster already! Oh, folks, what shall this blogger do with her time? Shall she go on spiritual retreat for nine weeks? Shall she take long walks in the woods? (What are you talking about, Kathy? You already take long walks in the woods. You are always meditating.)
I shall perhaps go sit under a tree for nine weeks, except on the days when the mature urges strike. (Are you forgetting your jobs, m’dear? The six million chores? Your Nurse Kathy obligations?)
Maybe I will take mature photos all week long and only show you the GOOD ones (versus the ones that I like, whether they are good or not. That’s what mature photographers do. They only show their in-focus magnificent shots. Of course this may mean you will not see ANY photography from this one, as the camera rarely agrees to a magnificent shot, darn it, camera, get on the ball!)
Just think, you regular readers! You can now get caught up on Kathy’s posts. You don’t have to fall behind. Better yet, I will have time to read YOUR blogs. (If the tree lets me go, that is.) I will be able to thoughtfully respond to comments without falling behind. Yes! It’s SUCH a good idea!
So, how exciting! Another dream about to be fulfilled. I KNOW I can be a mature once-a-week blogger. Can’t I? Please tell me I can do this. Please. I SO want to do this. Please don’t let me fall back on my daily ways. Please don’t tell me I’m too impulsive to fulfill this deep desire.
Email support if you fear I’m wavering! Send cards and letters saying, “You can do this. You can fulfill your blogging dreams. You, too, can be a mature once-a-week blogger. You’ll feel so satisfied when you accomplish this task, when your heart finally smiles in delight and you stand proudly at the Summer Solstice and proclaim:
I’VE DONE IT! I’VE GROWN UP! I CAN BE A WEEKLY BLOGGER IF I WANT! WA-HOO!”
Get on board. It's a new day, a new dream...
Lake Superior Spirit 
Kathy – I’m already on board and living that dream. Blogging once a week (sort of like “Tuesdays with Laurie”) was among the best decisions I’ve ever made. Mark my words, you’ll never turn back…
Thank you for your support, Laurie. I wonder if I will think the same thing come the Summer Solstice? If not, at least I will have added this to the list of blogging experiences. P.S. Love Tuesdays with Laurie!
You have amazed me with posts that are meaningful, thoughtful and pertinent…as well as always good writing…every single day. You can do this, I’m sure, but I warn you…you’re going to appear to be a bit less “superhuman”. Good luck!
I am sure the typing fingers are wagging at me now, Cindy. See, they say, we WERE meaningful, thoughtful and pertinent. (Cindy says so.) I don’t mind appearing less superhuman, honest. It’s just that I can type fast and the fingers can produce a blog in 20 minutes on a good day. Thank you for your kindness.
You can do it Kathy. I rarely blog more than once a week. Whilst I will miss your lovely posts I can look forward to them and savour them when they do come in, like weekends – something to look forward to and languish in.
I want to know more about your photography. Have you blogged on that and I missed it or will you do one?
Savouring, launguishing, oh doesn’t that sound peaceful and lovely? Kind of like slow blogging. (You know, like the slow food movement.) I have had various posts/months over the years dedicated more completely to photos and photography. For an example, maybe see July 1 – August 10th, 2011. I think that was mostly a month of photographs.
Thanks Kathy – I will have a look. Enjoy languishing.
Kathy, I support you. I envy you. My immature self wants to say “maturity is overrated” but I know that you are actually wise. I have tried to stop blogging on a regular basis, but my immaturity shines through. Or perhaps it is simply fear that I will be forgotten quickly, that if I stop I won’t write anymore, that I will lose my lifeline to the outer world. Whatever, I hope this journey brings you all your dreams, and I will look forward to reading you once a week.
Maturity is overrated! (Of course it is! Didn’t Jesus say, oh yes He did, you have to become like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven.) We have to play, laugh, sing, dance. (I think I wrote this post with a mischievous tongue in cheek because, well, I think maturity is overrated.) I do have some fears associated with not writing as much, but am ready to face them and see how much those fears mean. I like your honesty in sharing both your support and envy, Lisa.
My fingers don’t want to support you. I have to force them to type congratulations, good luck and you can do it. Congratulations! Good Luck! You CAN do it! The fingers will come around eventually:)
Are our fingers in cahoots? Do the fingers never want to quit writing their little stories? I am glad you forced yours to type congratulations. I love your creativity! Thank you for your support.
I look forward to your posts, even if I seldom comment. Once a day, or once a week, what ever works for you is fine by me. 😉 Just as long as you don’t start posting half a dozen times a day (or more) just to watch your stats go up. 🙂
Ohmygoodness, can you imagine if someone was so in love with stats that they just kept writing to get them? I am fortunate that 80%–no, make that 86.5% of me loves to write and share just for the sake of it. But sometimes we have to admit to that other 13.5% because it’s not honest to share that we’re a mixed bag of intentions and results. I am happy to report that my love of stats decreased from 13.5% to maybe 6% a few weeks ago. Feels so freeing!
Kathy, I know you will do whatever your heart calls you to do. And it will be a blessing, wherever it leads. But as for maturity, in general…. highly overrated, don’t you think 🙂
I DO so agree with you, Colleen. And I swear the typing fingers were laughing as they typed today. They were actually giggling so uncontrollably that they almost couldn’t form words. Silly fingers! Using words like “mature”. Don’t they know we have to become like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven?
The beauty of it is, we can change our minds whenever we want to! Decide on once-a-week now, then decide three days from now to do something else! I love reading your blog, Kathy, and as you know, I think your photos are awesome. I’ll read whatever you put out whenever you do it. For me, I am newer at blogging but not new at writing. I found blogging has loosened up these old fingers and instead of staring at a blank rectangle for twenty minutes “thinking of something to write about,” I am getting faster and better and I can slam those words down in no time . . .hey, somebody stop me here. This is supposed to be a comment only!
Patty, I have discovered that when I announce something while blogging, I’m ten times more likely to follow through on it. That’s the only way I got through a year of daily blogging for the outdoor commitment–saying I was going to do something, and then following through. It’s time for this little change. It’s something I’ve wanted for a LONG time but have just gathered the energy to make it happen.
Yes, it is more binding when it’s announced. I have also found that to be true. That’s the mark of a responsible blogger!
Funny – “Mature. Once a week. That’s how grownups do it” made me think of my marital relations. At least, it got me to peek in. Knowing that your heart’s desire is always right on, Kathy. Hugs.
Tee hee, Deb! Shame on those typing fingers! I would never write about marital relations, ever. But those typing fingers–one must keep them in some control. This feels like a right decision. It may be hard, but it feels like something I truly truly want to try. Hugs to you.
I won’t back down, Tom and Susan, I won’t back down…lol…
I have definitely given up trying to blog all week long – I have pretty much stopped posting Friday-Sunday (reserving that time for family). It’s kind of refreshing, it allows my mind to recharge and think about what I want to do the following week! YOU CAN DO IT!! 🙂
….. at least give it a try….. 😉
Yep, the giving it a try feels so important. You have so much going on in your life and definitely need time for your family and job. Makes perfect sense that you should post just during the week days. My problem is that I could write sixteen blogs before tomorrow morning. There is a part of me that never ever wants to stop writing. Other parts never want to start. This is a good compromise. At least for a short period of time.
You always make me smile, Kathy. (In a good way.) There is something to be said for not saying it until the time is right. Love the tree…
Isn’t that true, Christine? There is a time when the time is right. Before that it’s simply too soon. It feels right now. I can’t wait to see/feel the difference.
I’m going to be a dissenting, non-supportive voice! Don’t be ridiculous. I am with Colleen when she said that maturity is highly over-rated!!!
And when I think of all the delight we’d be missing, all the blogs we’ll never get to read because you never wrote them. I shudder, honestly I do!!
It’s mature to be willing to trade-off. Only you can decide what trade-off’s you want.
And now I’ll switch and be supportive of your experimenting with different trade-off’s!!!!!
For awhile anyway!
LOL!!!
You mean the dissenting non-supportive fingers weren’t enough, OM? Tee hee. Maturity IS over-rated. I should have never let that sentiment get through the censors. (Except I was laughing too hard when the fingers typed it to change it.) Remember who gets in the kingdom of heaven? It certainly wasn’t the mature!
I love that you turned your dissent into support in just a few short sentences. Isn’t that fun to do? I like the idea of this experiment. Then the once-a-week blogger can never say we didn’t try. **smiling**
Since it feels right to you, you should go for it! I think all of your loyal readers, myself included, are happy to read whatever, whenever you post. I think in writing it’s always good to challenge yourself sometimes by stepping outside whatever mold you’ve created. Even if you end up stepping right back in, the new perspective is helpful. Good luck and I’ll look forward to reading next week! P.S. I can’t even manage to post once a week– you rock.
Sarah, I love stepping out of that mold, too. I like how you expressed that. When something whispers “let’s change this around a bit” it’s good to listen and give it a try–if we can. I have been wanting to once-a-week blog for over a year. It’s taken this long to commit to it for a short while. P.S. I’m not starting until next week–so you can come over and read a few posts before this commitment begins. And you watch, you’ll probably START blogging every day. It’s such a karmic universe at times!
Kathy I think this is a great idea. I have been running with no particular schedule since January. It seems to work or me but I am not so sure it works for my readers necessarily. Your once a week seems to be a fine idea and I know it has been working for Laurie. So good luck with your dream 🙂
Terrill, sounds like you have a good thing that works for you. I love the idea of blogging without a particular schedule, but whenever I TRY to blog like that it ends up being every day. Sigh. We’ll see how it goes. Can always switch back on June 21st when the sun shines its longest day.
Kathy, I’m amazed at what you can do through your stream of consciousness. Who determined initially how often you would post to your blog ? I post when I feel like it. Three in a week and then a gap of two weeks. ‘course it could explain why I have so few visitors. lol
I will be happy whatever you produce. You always speak to my heart …
Now that is the question of the blogging century, Sybil! I determined initially I would blog every day with the outdoor post. Like I just told Terrill, it would be wonderful to blog without a schedule, but then I end up blogging every day, and my heart wants more breaks in between. Go figure. Glad our hearts meet, my friend.
My maturity is saying go for it Kathy…you’ll be glad you did…you’ll be more centered and focused. But……………..my fingers aresaying “What????? A diet???? You’re making us go on a diet????” lol….yep…my fingers are a long way from mature….lol
Honestly…do what your heart calls you to do and rejoice in the freedom to pick and choose along the way ♥
lol…my fingers were so upset they forgot a space up there…..*sigh
Ha ha Brenda, maybe that’s what we need to remind the fingers…that we need space, too. **big grin**
It sounds like you totally get it, Brenda. The difference between the fingers and…well, we can call it maturity…but there’s probably a better word. We could call it the heart, maybe. I am glad that some of you will miss the daily blogging. (I will, too.) Loving that we have that freedom to pick and choose along the way.
Funny – like debyemm, I thought you were making a joke about “relations” as well, but I figured it *had* to be something not explicit if you were!
I’ll miss your posts, but I’m sure you can do it. Especially since you set yourself an attainable deadline. After all, you made it through when you just posted photos and captions! Good luck! (And perhaps we should express some luck to Barry who will undoubtedly be partial bearer of your non-blogging woes;) )
Who knows what the typing fingers thought, Heather? It does sound like an attainable deadline, doesn’t it? Not too far out…just right. And, yes, I have set goals & commitments before and met them. I have already warned Barry of your last sentence. He laughed.
Oh Kathy. Go with your heart. You can do what you set out to do, even if those of us who look forward to your blog might be starved. It’s amazing how we forget that bloggers have a life beyond the words and pictures. I will look forward to whatever you have to say, whenever you say it. Blessings.
Oh, please do not starve, Bonnie… I am happy that you enjoy these regular blogs, but after 4-5 years it’s time to try something new for a little while. I am glad you’ll still stop by. Happy spring, my friend!
Step One, I am too creative and my life is unmanageable?
Yes, I am too creative sometimes. But my life isn’t unmanageable… It just wants to veer in another direction once again, Ms. Elisa.
P.S. I loved your creative response!
I love how your fingers talk back! If they get crazy and run away at the keyboard just stick your tongue out at them (from my post 😛 ).
I am a once a week blogger … well, I try to be I do not always succeed. I have to write when the moment strikes, though … so sometimes I write ahead of myself and save it for when I have no creative ideas floating around. I don’t know if I would call us weekly bloggers mature, I think we are just struggling to maintain new posts and envy people like you who can post everyday.
Good luck with your new goal … and, it is not so bad .. having time to read and comment on more blogs is fun, too. You will have to use all the creativity of yours in comments … it will keep your fingers happy, too.
Ha ha, sticking tongue out at fingers, Ms. Bearyweather. I guess I called weekly bloggers “mature”–not because I believe it–but because part of me always thinks that should be the case. I think it’s funny that those of us who post daily sometimes envy those who post weekly. The human mind is rarely satisfied, that’s for sure. Guess that’s what I really wanted to show–that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. Sometimes it’s even snowy on the other side of the fence. Snow on the ground at your place? An inch or two again here.
There was a ton of snow (check out my photo blog Bear in Sight for pictures of it all )
8-10 inches of very heavy wet snow .. would have equalled a blizzard of several feet in cooler/dry months like February. It is starting to melt .. predicting rain, so it should be gone by the weekend.
Good for you! I am a twice a week blogger and I really love it !
Wonderful that you have found a blogging schedule that works for you. And you are so enthusiastic about it!
Go for it! You have to be happy with your choice; fingers could be sent to “spring training” or to “writing classes” to keep them in line.
The mind writes whether your fingers get involved or not.
..
I refer to my”not one word”….I wrote all month in my head.
Yes, readership goes down, however, it is one way to sort out who really cares about what you write when you choose to write.
It is a revelation and it was a way for me to clear my thoughts on what I wanted to read and to give thought to comments and even clicking like plus commenting. It takes time to read what is not being said and to care.
So Go For It!
Smiling–spring training for the fingers. 🙂
Yes, indeed, that mind can write and write and write endlessly.
It’s funny, for some reason I am totally OK with my readership going down right now.
I want to focus more on being in presence. Thank you for your support, Ms. Linda.
Thank you, Lady Kathy…just an old lady’s opinion!
I’m trying to cut down on blogging, but my muse won’t let me. Everywhere we go there is inspiration and we just have to write!
Maybe one day, I’ll finally be a grown up and blog once a week! 🙂 Good luck to you and I’ll be here every week to read your words.
Oh C.B., I have had that same situation for so many months! I have tried to cut down on blogging before but that Muse insists upon more. Until a few weeks ago, and now the Muse is finally letting go a bit. It will be interesting to be inspired and then to sit on the eggs of creativity and see if they hatch or disappear. Very interesting…Thank you so much.
I’m fascinated by howmany comments you’ve received on this post! I think you hit a nerve, at least among us bloggers. I made a pact with myself when I started my blog (a year ago! time goes fast) that I would post just once a week,and the other times write on my short stories and novel. It’s MUCH more fun to blog, so that promise to myself was very mature, like making myself read a ‘good’ literary book after each ‘fun,’ chick lit or romance I read. :+) I’m not sure ‘being mature’ is good for the creative muse unless we replace one writing or reading with another. Here’s to continued creativity – in all the different ways it approaches us, and we approach it!
I know just what you mean, roughwighting and, in truth, I have never been an advocate for “maturity”. However, I am an advocate for balance, and balance seems to be tipping the scale in a new direction. Isn’t it so much more fun to blog? The instant audience and feedback is so energizing. It will be interesting to see if the Muse decides to move toward stories or a novel… Loving creativity, and appreciating your thoughtful words.
I was relieved to see, as I worked my way through the first several comments (because there are far too many to read every single one, you know) that you do know that maturity is overrated. A bit of immaturity must be stirred in there just to keep our minds agile and youthful as our bodies become less so. But why do blogs need to be scheduled? Why can’t they just happen when they want to? There is something to be said for spur-of-the-moment happenings.
Carol, my deepest desire would be to write spur-of-the-moment happenings. You are so right! That seems like the bestest way. However, right now in my life, if I don’t in some way limit or schedule, I shall continue to blog every day. My deepest heart doesn’t want that. I am trying my hardest to do what the deepest heart wants. Perhaps, in doing so, I will find my way back to a balance that feels right. Or not…we shall see…
I can’t help but agree with Carol that maturity and schedules are overrated. Yet, I like the ideas of following a plan and improving the ‘what is.’
Just don’t go getting yourself into trouble with all that extra time you’ll have on your hands.
I agree they are overrated, Amy-Lynn. Yet it feels important to seek balance. Will try not to get in trouble! More time for playing in the woods. 🙂
Its nice Kathy, that you plan to bring differences while you blog. Sometimes, you hibernate too long sometimes you blog every single day or may be twice and sometimes you plan to blog weekly. This is how I like things to happen. Its all about trying a variety in life why not be it as simple as schedule.
But, from the note of your readers, you have got us into the habit of “not-sleeping-until-reading-from-kathy” . Awww, pity on us readers. Its gonna be a lot of suspense situation throughout the week.
But you can do it Kathy. yes you can!! 😉
I’ve never been able to do a once-a-week blog, so it will be fun to try, Sonali. Thank you for your kind words, though. I am glad you will miss the daily blogging. (Oh, that’s not very nice to say, is it? But it makes me feel like you have appreciated the words and photos. Hugs!)
I have had a ball just reading this post.Maturity means that you rule your blog NOT the blog rules you………see how this works for you. 🙂 x
Claire, what a cool way to put it! Yes, it feels like the blog has been ruling me a bit too much. Thank you for adding your valuable input.
Oh, Kathy, you are like a person who is always trying the latest diet fad. 🙂 You blog for days on end and then take a break, no wait, then you come back early and blog a few days a week which slowy ends up being most days of the week. You then step back and decide once a week will do for a time.
As I have always told you, blog when you want. Unlike me who needs..no, requres a schedule or nothing would be blogged.
You know, we’ll always be here whenever you post. You are that good.
Oh, the same goes for your photography, too.
Scott, I am glad you have found something that works for you and your blogging. Perhaps some day I will reach that place of blogging balance, too. Thank you for your kind support.
Kathy– think of how exciting and wonderful it is that you have the freedom– nay, the *luxury*– of deciding to experiment with your posting schedule! Isn’t this better than begging your Muse to please offer you a token morsel of inspiration, oh please, just this once? (I would much rather be awash with inspiration than wandering around in a dusty desert of stunted, dry, half-ideas.)
Your writerly self might be thrown into a panic for the first little while in your “mature” experiment, but I think with time, patience, and love for your deepest heart, your Muse will fall into step and allow you a calmer blogging rhythm. (By the way, your experiment coincides nicely with my return to intense hours on the Harbour. If you decide that a once-a-week posting schedule works for you, this would defnitely help me to stay on top of your posts! No pressure, of course.) Good luck!
Ms. Dana, thank you for the whole-hearted support and positive words! One of the reasons I wrote this is to show those that beg the Muse for words of inspiration is that the grass is not always greener on this side of the Muse. Thank you for the advice about the writerly self possibly panicking. That is indeed a possibility–and what has happened in the past. But this time, I feel very calm and good about this decision and think it’s going to work out. And hurray that our schedules will mesh! Happy selling and ocean breezes, my friend.
Following you wherever your fingers and your quest for blogging balance might lead you!
Oh dear, after reading all those comments above I forgot to mention how much I LOVE the pictures of the birch tree reaching up to the sky and the curl of birch bark – very lovely!
Always questing for blogging balance, Barbara, and balance in all other things as well! I appreciate your support. And the photos appreciate that you like them. Aren’t birch trees wonderful?
Give up on this dream and follow your usual blogging instincts is what I advise. I only blog about once a week but if some great inspiration hit me, I’d write it. Also, I’ve sometimes joined a writing meme where I try to post daily – that’s a challenge for me, but those have been some of the posts I’ve liked the best. I think you’re spontaneous, Kathy – I’ll be interested in hearing what comes of this dream.
We’ll see where this dream leads, Barb. I do look forward to perhaps relaxing into just what you suggested after the summer solstice. Right now it feels really important to concentrate on spiritual pursuits for a while. I love trying all kinds of different things–and this feels just right–for now. Spontaneity will happen again, don’t you worry!
I bet you can accomplish just about anything your heart desires Kathy. You seem to me to be that type of spirit.
P.S. – How about twice a week? 😉 That would still give you extra time, but allow for that little extra that the spirit often demands! And please never worry about the technically perfect photos. I think the flawed ones shed some light into our personalities because they are often taken without giving a lot of thought to all those silly photography rules. 🙂
Karen-Karma, welcome home! Can’t wait to hear about your adventures on your cruise. I was so surprised to see you hear this morning–look at how quickly a week passed! 🙂
Thank you for the vote of confidence, my friend. I thought long & hard about twice a week, but decided that wouldn’t satisfy my “dream” to try once-a-week-blogging for a while. Maybe twice a week will happen later on. I only feel photographically inadequate when I compare my pics to some really really good ones. But not really any more. I love it when photos & writing can dance together. And people seem to like these photos, so that feels good.
I know you can do it, but I shall wish you luck and offer up lots of support. Someday I hope to grow up enough to become a mature, once a week, blogger. 🙂
I swear this was tongue-in-cheek about “mature”, Robin! (Yikes…some people thought I was serious.) You know how you said something has to change in your blogging/commenting/subscribing life? Well, that’s how I feel. I already feel amazingly different–like it’s no longer necessary to expend so much energy always reaching outward and always assessing about how & what to share. thank you for the luck and support.
Love this! Good for you for setting up your boundaries and harnessing your time to make way for your dreams. And, (I never thought I’d say this), good for maturity, too. May it, and this new blogging life and schedule bring you everything your dream of.
anne
These last several weeks have been a time of deep spiritual retreat for me, Anne. (That’s what I dream for, so often, but usually have difficulty carving this space.) Who knows what will emerge afterwards? Now is the sweetest time of all…and I thank you for your supportive comment.