Focus

Lately I have been having blogger's block. Things have been in great flux in my RL so I have had little energy to post here.

I started this blog to explore the idea of writing for pleasure and to join the interesting conversations happening in the blogosphere. Unlike many serious bloggers, I didn't think much about my audience or try to limit my posts. I really enjoy this video blog post from Nancy White that describes her thoughts on blogging. Speaking of blogs in terms of candles or mirrors really works for me. This blog has been a mirror that I have used to explore my own thoughts and interests. I have sometimes been surprised by what topics get me jazzed.

It's also a great place to complain about things that are bothering me. I tend to get wrapped up in my work and the difficulties of day to day life and grad school can be isolating and stressful. (Big news!) When I started writing I figured most of my posts would have to do with academia and the frustrations involved, but I'm finding that I have less and less interest in posting on university life (other than the occasion post complaining about having to grade papers.)

The main thing I would like to post about is the recent progress I have been making on my thesis. I'm very excited because I have been able finally identify a topic with a limited, do-able scope and identified a location and found a group already working in the community. Unfortunately, the type of work involved is distinctive enough I don't think I'll be able to write much about it here and still remain anonymous. Besides, since it will have elements of an urban ethnography, I would probably be violating some ethical rules.

Recent posts on The Clutter Museum have brought to my mind the split between anonymous academic bloggers and those who blog under their own names. I have resisted focusing my blog because, frankly, I barely have enough energy to maintain one blog. My interests are so diverse that if I sent up blogs for all of them I would be spread WAY too thin. At the same time, I would like to have a "salon" of colleagues whose work and interests are similar to mine. I certainly don't have that through my graduate program. But in order to do that I would have to jettison my anonymity and be much more cautious in what I chose to blog about.

So for the moment, I'm going to focus more on my non-work interests. This summer has been quite stressful monetarily for our household and so all my hobbies have been on hold. The other day someone asked me what I do for fun and I had trouble answering her. I have a special talent for turning any interest into "work." I want to turn that around and start developing the ability to do "work" and have it turn into "fun." So my new focus for this blog is FUN, FUN, FUN!