Blog renovation

by Eve, in General (8 Comments)

This blog is half a step above Tumbleweed status. I’ve discovered I’m really not suited to ‘mummy-blogging’, so this needs to be something different. I revolve around my toddler-shaped bombs of entropy on a daily basis, as a matter of necessity — why would I then spend my precious leisure time writing about them? That leaves even less time for the non-child-related things I’m interested in. Motherhood didn’t kill those. Those interests are still there — they’re just frustrated.

I’m interested in page layout design, typography, and photo manipulation.

I’m interested in Tango dancing (I can’t do it myself, but I like it anyway), in watching movies featuring it, and in imagining a Tango music video when I hear a compatible music track. This fantasy often stars me, because I can Tango in my imagination.

I like reading dystopian science-fiction, paranormal/supernatural fiction (with particular interest in angelology and demonology— absolutely none in vampires or werewolves), stories about psychology and neuroscience, and thriller novels with biohazards and nanotechnology.

I sometimes fantasise about the novel I’ll write one day—which I probably won’t really do, although in my imagination it gets me at least locally famous. Some cafe in town will know me and my preferred ‘writing seat’, and what kind of coffee I’ll need placed at my right as I tap away at a keyboard, sitting in the sun. It’s always sunny in my imagination. Except if I imagine reading a rejection letter from a publisher. Then it’s raining, and something melancholic bleeds from radio speakers.

I love the digital piano (not the electronic keyboard), but it’s been so long since I owned or played one, I probably have to re-learn it. But I remember getting immense satisfaction from playing one.

I like jigsaw puzzles, but not the ones that are all one colour (like an ocean or forest) that are designed to simply frustrate. Jigsaws are supposed to be a leisure activity, not an exercise in character development. But I haven’t done a jigsaw of any type for ages. And I expect it’ll be a far-off fulfilment. It’s not a hobby compatible with toddlers.

I enjoy sitting quietly on a beach, watching the waves.

I enjoy people-watching in cafes while I drink coffee. I invent backstories and scenarios for them.

I enjoy driving, in bare feet.

I enjoy blogging. That is, I did. Before I cornered myself in a niche where my topic was supposed to be my kids.

I’ll likely never tango, or write a novel that gets me famous beyond my own family, but I’m taking my blog back. I can at least have that. I will write about whatever thoughts are high-diving from my head to my fingers. Sometimes, I’m sure, that will include something about my children. But this blog will be mine, not theirs.

I expect I’ll symbolise this fresh start (timed at the beginning of the year by coincidence, not design), by changing the look of the site, even if only in colour scheme. Of course, I’ll have to get rid of the Baby’s Dummy logo thing. I don’t want to look at this website and see a parenting blog.

The supposed ‘rule’ of blogs is that they are to have a direction. An objective; a niche. But that was how I ended up trapped in Mummy Blog Land. Since this blog isn’t monetised, I don’t have any employer to please, or sponsors to cater to, so I can break that big golden handcuff rule.

This will be my new blog. My headspace. I am a mother. But that’s not all I am. And now I’m going to prove it.