#bloginstead Day 1: What is interesting so far?

| Melinda Johnson

I was up early (child, dog, job), and that first groggy waking moment had a crisp edge of curiousity on it because TODAY is Day 1 of our #bloginstead challenge. I have the WordPress app, so I peeked at the notifications after breakfast. Sure enough – there you were! I saw posts from friends, and friends commenting on posts from friends. I love this!

Relief

Leaping off a social norm is always interesting, and I expect many moments of insight during #bloginstead. The first? It’s striking that the primary expressed emotion among the group is RELIEF. Blogging is slower than Facebook/Instagram/Twitter, and it’s deeper. And at least for now, it’s beautifully free of the death spiral of insanity we see daily online. I know not every blogger is sane, but the group intentionally communing for #bloginstead? All quite sane. Lovely. Articulate. Interesting.

Mechanics

The second thing that struck me was my own awkwardness at getting around to see all of the participating blogs. It’s been a while since I did this, and the participants are on several different platforms. Makes me realize how I’ve adapted to the one-finger scroll on social. That awkward feeling is just the brain stretch of releasing one habit and looking to build another. No problem.

Food for Thoughts

Yes, that was a typo at first – “thoughts” – but then I left it because it fits. Already, just a few hours into #bloginstead, the experience itself and the posts and comments have spurred a host of ideas, questions, introspections, speculations. Perhaps that’s the natural result of any step outside routine. Or it could be that this platform – which was intended to help you WRITE – is naturally more conducive to THOUGHT than the frenetic anxiety scroll in which we usually indulge. It’s too soon to draw conclusions, so I’m planning to enjoy the wondering.

11 thoughts on “#bloginstead Day 1: What is interesting so far?”

  1. I agree with your thoughts.
    I just wanted to tell you that we have met in the way past! I still vividly remember the first time we met. We were sitting on pool-side chairs while our littles swam at a Sailor’s Dormition party in Brier! A very long time ago.
    Then the 2nd time we met was when you were the speaker at Holy Resurrection Pre-Lenten Women’s Retreat.
    So fun to meet again in a very different venue!

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    1. I have always had a feeling, when I saw you online, that I knew who you were! Thank you for filling in the cracks in the picture. Like Emmie was saying on justonerobin.com I often feel fragmented online… too many things flying past my head at high speed!

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  2. Everything you just wrote contains words I’ve written on other blogs. I find myself sighing in contentment even though it is time consuming. I’m tired of the “brush by HI” on social media.

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  3. Pingback: Social Media & Stale Potato Chips – Emberings

  4. As someone who just started my blog after years of putting it off, it means so much just to know someone has taken the time to read and interact with what I’ve shared. What a great way for us to celebrate and support the creative effort of fellow writers in giving them our time and input!

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  5. I hesitated to join your group because I have grown so accustomed to interacting via my phone that blogging again feels almost impossible. Typing on the tiny keyboard? Figuring out how to follow everyone? I have become so reliant on apps that when I’m ready to make a life change I hit the App Store first. (This strategy works, by the way.)

    If I can figure out a way to follow along from this device in my pocket I will join you. Until then, kudos for following through on this fun idea!

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    1. One of the original characteristics of this plan that hasn’t really happened (yet) is that we can blog the way we’d post on social – it doesn’t have to be multiple paragraphs. You can share a picture and two sentences. I’m fascinated to see if that actually happens, and how it works. All of which is to say that I’m glad you’re hanging out with us.

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      1. I have added everyone to my old rusty RSS reader and am reading through them all now. It’s like a forgotten corner of my brain is waking up again. Maybe I’ll write some.

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