This blog has lost its focus
February 1, 2007 at 10:27 AM
by Ashleigh
Also entitled 'How all the posts on this blog are now categorised into food & drink or life'. Hah.
I am enrolled in creative writing course at the moment and one of the golden rules, and a golden rule for blogging too, is 'don't lose your focus!'
So what's a girl supposed to do? Especially when her blog has morphed rather dramatically ...
This was a stitching blog. Hopefully it will one day be a stitching blog again. Right now, not a chance.
It's also an expat blog, except after four years in Holland I don't think I'm an expat anymore. Maybe I'll change that definition to 'integrated foreigner' like Mevrouw Cupcake.
It is definitely a mommy blog from time to time, although it doesn't have enough focus on nappies, snot and drinking in the sandpit to be a 'real' mommy blog. Peculiarly I could find no real definition of mommyblogger, even in wikipedia. This was as good as it gets (and a good example of a mommyblog it is too!)
Sometimes it's a 'memoirs of my childhood' blog, but I don't have that exciting a childhood to write memoirs about. Well, maybe I do, but still.
What if I wrote all that stuff and then my mom read my blog? I'm not sure I want to do that. Doesn't everyone edit their life to suit their audience?
My childhood has terrible overtones of colonialism and the kind of racism that sears the eyes of the innocent bystander. Do I want to write about that on my blog? This is supposed to be a nice place to visit, people!
Occasionally, not as much as it should be perhaps, it's a 'rant about husbands' blog. Perhaps if I did this more often I might get more readers. Neil has a theory about people wanting to read about the angst in other people's life.
Things my girlfriend and I have argued about, etc.
Except then you have to have interesting things to argue about. Whether or not someone replaced the mildewed shower curtain without seeking approval first is not a thing to argue about.
Neither is why someone watched the whole episode of Monk where Mr Monk goes 'normal' and Sharona leaves, without waking the sleeping behemoth on the sofa. The emphasis is there for a very good reason! We'll have to find more interesting things to argue about for the sake of the preservation of the blog.
It's patently not a sports blog thanks to achilles tendonitis, a diet blog (I wish!) or a cat blog. Speaking of cats (and crafts) go vote for Crazy Aunt Purl at the Bloggies.
I would love to write a garden blog, but as I don't have my volkstuin yet, you are saved from that particular fate for a while. Just you wait though. There will be tomatoes, and peppers, and courgettes and lettuce growing on the balcony this summer. That will provide at least a few posts, don't you think?
I don't think I have enough experience to write a sex blog. Embarrassed coughing ensues.
Mostly right now, it's a food blog. It shouldn't really be a food blog because I desperately need to lose weight, but hey, cooking is cool!
Cooking is also something that someone in our house has to do every day. That someone being the same someone who replaced the shower curtain without consultation. The same someone who slept through the Monk episode which has now been deleted!
Plus, to support the food blog route, there's World Nutella Day coming up and everyone has to make something for that, right?
Then there's Valentine's Day. Then Easter. Lots of reasons to eat cake, and hot cross buns, and simnel cake, and stollen, and ...
I think that all of you who visit for other reasons will have to endure this blog doing a very good imitation of a food blog for a while.
Comments
Hmmm. Points to ponder. I can see why in a 'creative writing' or novel etc class, you'd need focus but this is also a 'blog' on your life.
While you may be an eclectic individual, your blog may also reflects that. It is 'life/world' from your point of view anyways.
I don't think you need to excessively filter or edit your feelings just because of your audience. (this is my opinion), after all , an engaging read is about honesty and not about playing to the audience.
Of course, I avoid certain topics which I think may be hurtful for others, nonetheless, I don't hide/gloss over my life on my blog.
I guess, it all depends on what you use your blog for. And I like yours as it is, categorised or decategorised. Ashleigh cannot be put in a box. That is nice about her.
(BTW, expats can stay expats forever unless they've decided to be local :-))
Yours, Nina xxxx
p.s The NT2 exam would be a walk in the park for you. If I could pass it, you can certainly do it. Your Dutch is light years away ahead of mine!
How nice of you to drop by my blog!!
Did you check your Bolletje-products yet? Beware of the maggots!!
I see you live in Amsterdam...cool. I studied there. Where are you from originally? And will you stay here permanently?
I agree with Nina (maybe because my blog is totally unfocused too). A blog is a like a scrapbook of who you are. You are obviously more than just a cook, or just a mom, or just an expat. You are all of these things and much more and I love how your blog reflects that :)
I think losing focus is ok once in a while, hey, that's the spice of life! And, you are a Monk fan? God Bless You! I love that show. I discovered it once on an airplane flying back to the States and now every once in a while I download it on iTunes. So funny.
I think there must be something in the air in regards to blogging at the moment - everyone is very unfocsed!
I love the description of it being a scrapbook of who you are - my blog certainly feels like that.
I much prefer variety on a blog, I hate it when people just go on about the same thing all the time, I like individuality.
My blog is a kind of diary and way of expressing myself and keeping in touch with people I know... but that's probably as I have NO theme or focus at ALL.
Mine is about kids, work, sex, travel, exercise, outings, and my view on the world and movies etc... just about anything that comes to mind.
Definitely agree. You shouldn�t feel bad for rambling or talking about different topics, life is certainly about variety!
I do the same thing in my blog at times and I don�t feel guilty about it.
You are not losing focus, you are gaining scope. Whatever you write about, I sit on the edge of my seat to read it. I wish you'd write a BOOK! I'd buy it. :)
I just baked a few goodies for Nicky's birthday tomorrow. Lots more baking in the near future!
Well, I never thought about your blog this-or-that....I read it as an Ashleigh-blog. Maybe we should introduce a new category: "You-blogs"
BTW maybe you get infected by the dutch-skills to put labels on everything. Everybody in his/her box...and don't you dare to come out or we'll have to label you again. Please don't and stay you.
Oh Ashleigh, you are a hoot - that was such a funny post! We do get carried away on our blogs, don't we! I got cross with myself and also frustrated, very early on in my blog life, as I veered between vintage linen, my own stitching, and my 'other life'. I started Patra's Other Place for my 'other life' but now and again they overlap each other.
Hi, Ashleigh. I googled my way into your blog following the biscornu and found myself in the most moving blog I've read. I hope you will allow me to visit again. I wish you the very best with the precious Sebastian.
I think it's important for an individual post to keep its focus but fine for a blog to wander. Blogs, like people, are works in process. We should be allowed to evolve and grow!
I think a blog should be about your life...and I love reading about your life in Holland (where my in-laws are originally from).
I tried starting various blogs for various aspects of my life, but found it didn't work for me. Sooo...that being said my blog is about everything in my life: stitching, gardening, my mutleys, my husband, cooking...life.
I love your blog just the way it is and hope you don't change a thing about it. Yours is an interesting life (even though you may think otherwise). =)
What can I say that is not already said? Don't change. Focus is highly overrated. Your blog is about you and that makes it lively and worthwhile. (You'll understand that I copy this and put it there where I can see it every hour of the day..'cause I'm the most unfocused girl in the hood) All that and more and an achilles problem...
So stay where you are, I like you!
See, while you may think that you've lost your focus, you're still gaining new readers (like this one).
I'm not so sure that focus is really that necessary if an interesting blog unless you've really set your mind on it being a particular type of blog. Some of the best and most interesting writing comes from tangental meanderings.
Having recently done a 'colonial post' albeit one without the searing racial overtones that also affect my past, I'm interested to know where your past was. Another country, you say? Well, the past is always another country wherever you come from. :-)
I could, of course, do lots of delving into your archives but will do that another time.
Well, you may feel you've lost your focus, but there's always something interesting to read on your blog and your cooking pictures always make me hungry! :)
February 1, 2007 11:29 AM