A Ramble about this blog

I am having a bit of a blog crisis.  I realized this when looking at the number of posts I have written in the past few weeks, and how it has dwindled.

Call it the 18-month (!) itch, but I am struggling with the discipline required to keep this blog focused.  In the past few months, I have made a concerted effort to have most of my posts relate to local, sustainable food choices.  But where does that leave the rambles?

For instance, I would love to be able to post the story about how Jason reprogrammed our remote control so that it takes pictures with his D70 instead of making the television work.  Or about how stoked I am that Chris Noth is going to take over half of the Law and Order: Criminal Intent from the ... guy ... withthelong ... pauses .... in .... his speech - Vincent D'Onofrio.  Or about how it is such a sham that Freddy and Kendra won The Amazing Race last night instead of the nicest couple ever - Kris and Jon.  Or about how the window I look out of while working has a view looking east into the San Francisco skyline, and how the color on the buildings changes minute by minute, hour by hour - and how I wish I could just gather all my friends and loved ones here and have them understand exactly how amazing it can be.

But I don't feel like there is room for all that in this blog.  I feel like I have set it up to be a blog with a specific goal in mind, and I feel like readers come here expecting to find something along those lines.  So I am considering a couple options, including spinning this blog off into two -- one that would allow for my randomness, and would help to keep the other blog focused.

I don't know.  So I am asking you to excuse my crisis for a bit longer, and hang in there with me ... I have plenty of blog posts waiting in the wings that just have to be polished up and posted.

Comments

[chronicler]

I could so take up a paragraph or two ranting about Chris and John not winning! So if you really want to do that I'm all for it! Seriously though, take the time you need, we all need a break now and then. And, IMO throwing in a story once or twice about life in general makes you real, not just a person out there obtaining food. :-D

[Dr. Biggles]

Oh man, ain't that the truuf.

I hit my wall about 8 months in or so. I was done. It took me a bit, came up with a few ideas that lead me in to others. At some point you're going to be a used tube of toothpaste. Take a breather and regroup.

I would reconsider the idea of having several blogs or sites. I believe it may pull you in half leaving one lonely.
Listen, the name, Life Begins @ Thirty doesn't steer anyone in any direction. In fact, on the right you have your categories listed and they cover tons of stuff. Add a few more!
I truly believe the important part of leading a decent blog (yers is better than decent) is that it follows YOU, not the other way around. If you're wishy washy? Go do something else. If you're inspired, go for it.

Personally I would love to hear about the remote for the D70. I've read about it, but wondered if it's worth lugging around a full sized remote.
I'd also like to know if you've used a Nikkor AF-D 50mm 1.4 lens on the D70 and how it stood up compared to the Manual Focus rig.
Tee hee, what about hosting Knife Skills classes?
Inspiration is just around the corner ...

Biggles

[Your friend]

I'm with Biggles. This blog is about YOU! As we intelligent and worldly 30-somethings now know, nothing in our lives happens in isolation. Am I right? Sure, your passions may include locally grown, sustainable food and good photography, but where would we be without entertainment and nourishment for our mind and soul? You never know which "ramble" may inspire someone, even if it seems silly at the time. If they don't like it, they don't have to read it!

[Jeanne Bee]

oy. yes. Mr. Biggles and Your Friend are right on target. And this is from someone who is over "30-something" and a blogger. I work myself up into a foam on that layer of complexity thinking I don't belong in the mix. I think we all wonder what the "F" we're doing with this blog journey. I can only tell you what works for me--I had a melt down over it if you'll call at the end of 2004. It's like high school. I'm not popular like the rest of the kids (food bloggers) because I don't seem to be like the rest. But that's public now and can be read if any wants. This is about you. And that's just it. It's your freakin' sandbox no one can tell you what's right or what's wrong. That's the beauty and that's the beast. We're harder on ourselves than anyone else. The only one saying you can't is you. At the end of the blog day you need to be satisfied with what you are writing so that you do it. Write what you want, find your tune, others will follow--sometimes it just takes longer for others to find the rhythm. Just write, and write often there's something along the way to discover.

Signed The Old Broad Blogger

[Melanie]

Hey...I...Like......Vincent D'Onofrio!

[Chris]

First I certainly agree with all the other comments regarding your post, on the other hand I am as into food as anyone else I know but I only really read your blog and World On a Plate on a regular basis because both blogs resonate with the way that I see the world and live my life.
When I read "Meditating with Marcella" I knew that you understood what actually cooking dinner every night can bring to your own life, especially after you have had a rough day and cooking seems to be a huge waste of energy. The “A story about my grandmother” entry reminded of my own grandmother. When I told her that I had made a fresh coconut pie I could see the instant respect in her eyes for the work involved in producing this dessert. In regards to the non-food related entries such as “Love the place you live” they are great – must people who live in great places totally take it for granted – take it from someone who lives in Colorado and has the most beautiful view of the Rocky Mountains out the window each morning. As someone who has visited San Francisco it reminded me of the magic that everyone feels when they visit this city for the first time. My favorite quote ever regarding food and life is from Winston Churchill “Take away that pudding—it has no theme!" I think that your regular readers know that you have an overriding theme behind both your food and non-food based blog entries – your love of life.