Monday, May 25, 2009

Poke Me With a Spoon

**Make all your posts happy - no one wants to read depressing sh*t.
Don't just regurgitate what you did all day, no one wants to read mundane sh*t.
Add a photo to your blog posts, people like that.
Why don't you ask a question at the end of each post? It encourages people to comment.
Don't write about your dreams, that sh*t gets on my nerves.
Don't ask people questions when you could easily just google it.
Don't tweet when you have a new post, that's annoying sh*t.
Don't post or tag people for memes - that sh*t is annoying.
If you don't have a feedreader icon in the top right of your blog, I'm not going to subscribe to your sh*t.

So you may have noticed that I took a few weeks off. And I locked down the blog in the process. Symbolic? Perhaps. Melodramatic? More likely.

And I mentally composed varying versions of the same post over and over again. Each with the same title: "Stick a fork in me." (Clever, no?)

And then I got emails. And texts. And DM's. And Phone calls. And more texts. It seems that a few people out there actually liked my words.

You see I felt like I had already put too much out here. This blog has lost me friends. It almost got me sued (in the I actually received correspondence from a lawyer sense). And I was starting to think it wasn't worth it. I mean really - this blog kind of sucks anyhow right? It's not like I'm saving the world or anything talking about my crap.

And the thing is, right now? I'm sad. For no good reason that I can see at all. I have a job, a home, friends, family, health. Everything else is unimportant in comparison.

And for all the ways that I misrepresent myself as a flaky, girly princess- the fact is - I get most things. I get that I just need to examine, diagnose and treat my unhappiness. I get that I am the owner of my life, and if something needs to change, I should just change it. No one can do that for me. I get that the world is a sucky place sometimes- but I also get that no one owes me a damn thing.

I get it.

But I'm sad. And I've been sad for a long time. And that? I don't get.

What I did know, was that I didn't want to write yet another post about how depressed I am. How I don't see the point in life. And how, boo hoo, I was potentially slightly abused as a child.

Seriously Princess? Walk it off.

So I took a break. Considered a plethora of options.
- Shutting this down until I was less whiny.
- Starting up a new, shiny, more positive blog.

But the problem is me. Not the blog. (Although I may be moving over to wordpress soon- stay tuned) I missed the writing and interaction the past few weeks. And starting over? Yeah, like I'd be less whiny there.

So here you have it. A new post and relatively little change. (Perhaps I just lack conviction?)

But no more lock-out.

Thanks for all of your messages though. They have meant the world and a half to me. It's so nice to know that at least a few people out there enjoy my words....

**Advice I've been given about blogging at one time or other. As if it's possible to blog without breaking at least some of these rules!

14 comments:

WendyB said...

Welcome back!

Kyla Roma said...

Aw - welcome back! Blogging is such a tightrope. The reasons you listed for locking down (ok, ok - replace almost getting sued with being stalked lol) were the exact reason that I closed down my old blog. And then I missed the interaction too.

What I've come to is that I can write about things that are deeply private - but if I feel like posting them I password protect them. I can comment and social network like a maniac, but I have pulled all specific mentions of location out. And I can share things in a different way that still maintain my blog friends without making me feel too exposed.

You can definitely find a balance for yourself that will work - and if you need help with changing over to wordpress we can make a day of it =)

Nat said...

She's back. (I'm not one of those follow up with people stalker blogger types.)

Funny I've been occupied with other things lately. I found that I missed people. I get exactly what you're saying.

Faiqa said...

I think it's fine to talk about how sad you are if you're just looking to talk. You're not doing it for a sympathy vote and that honesty comes through. Don't walk it off just yet, ok? Talk it off first.

Yeah. I made a little rhyme. Totally spur of the moment. Maybe I'll become a rap icon when I grow up & you can tell everyone I started here.

Lisa said...

I definitely get needing a break. I've just decided to post when I feel like it and not feel the least bit of guilt when I don't.

I've broken all those rules at one point or another. It's partly a learning process and partly that I don't care so much what other people think. I blog for me first and foremost.

Welcome back!

Rock Chef said...

Welcome back ! I really missed you!

I must have because I had a dream about you the other night. You were giving me a tour of Winnepeg but I lost sight of you. So I started running around alternately shouting "Princess" and your name. People were looking at me as though I was mad. I finally understood when I heard one mutter "I think Princess Diana is dead!"

Glamourpuss said...

I'm glad you're back. The thing is, we're all struggling to get through this thing called life and it helps too know we're not alone in that. I'm a great believer in writing the truth, and if the truth is not so shiny, so be it.

Take heart, Princess.

Puss

Princess of the Universe said...

WendyB- thanks!! xo

Kyla- Man have I ever learned to not write about work anyhow. And thanks for the offer for conversion- I am definitely considering moving to wordpress, but the thought of taking the time to transfer everything is very daunting!

Nat- Well it's only been 2 weeks, I was actually impressed with how many messages I got. Who'd've thought anyone would even notice?

Faiqa - I'm totally cherishing this comment forever, and selling it on ebay in a few years when you're all famous (er).

Floating Princess- I have no idea how anyone could follow ALL those rules. What would anyone ever write about???

Chief- you dream about bloggers a lot! It's exciting that I finally made a cameo in one!

Puss- your support and words have been invaluable to me- thanks my darling.

xo

Anonymous said...

I am glad you are back! I think we all have issues from our past and stuff that haunts us. The best we can do, as bloggers, is put out there what we are comfortable with the world seeing. It doesn't have to be all of who we are all of the time.

The truest quote ever: "Everything on my blog is true but not everything that's true is on my blog"

As far as that other stuff goes that you mentioned up top? Who cares who wants you to do or not do things here? This is YOUR blog. Hey, I have best friends who hate the "Tweeting a blog post" think and I just stick my tongue out at them and keep doing it!

Tryphyna said...

I'd wondered where you'd gone and if you were going to come back. I'm glad you did. I get needing a break every now and again.

I've never bothered with following the rules, then again, I have a rather small readership, but I don't much care.

Princess of the Universe said...

Hilly- thanks honey! I try so hard not to be a downer on here and fail- epically. That is in fact an awesomely true quote though. :)

Shana- perhaps we should think of those rules as more like "guidelines" (a la Pirates of the Caribbean's "parler" rule)

xo

Sheila (Charm School Reject) said...

Yay! You're back!

You had me in full mommy panic mode when you went all MIA, lol.

Ya know what? It's your blog and you can bitch if you want to. It's your blog and you can cry if you want to. Just remember - it's your blog and if people don't like what you write about? Screw 'em.

I'm gonna have to start listening to myself more often - I am good at giving, just not doing :)

xoxo

pipper said...

Welcome back :)

Unknown said...

I missed you! And I was worried about you. I've taken several mini breaks, and its ok to do that. But, you're back and I'm happy...so YAY!!!

And do whatever is going to make you happy. Your true friends will stand beside you.

 
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