Learning to be myself

This blog came into being in late 2010.  It was my first holiday season as a married lady, my first in my own home, and my first time realizing that I was never going home; I hadn't lived there since right after my 18th birthday [when I joined the military], but it never occurred to me that I wouldn't go back.  So, I decided I needed to do something to keep my family in the loop.  Emails are boring, Facebook is impersonal, and Twitter doesn't let me use that many characters; but blogging works.

A year later, and I found myself in unfamiliar territory.  The blog had changed from familial updates to something more of a hobby, but this hobby wasn't me.  I found myself gravitating toward these mega-blogs, full of projects and crafts and recipes and kids and perfect lives.  They overwhelmed me with their impersonal attitudes, but I thought all blogs were like this.  So I mimicked.  I tried to art and craft, host give aways, write humorous articles about daily life; it was all I had ever seen.  All I knew was to try and build a fan base, collect readers and followers, publicize my posts to my maximum ability.

About a month ago, it hit me; that style just isn't me.  I am not a DIY recipe-making crafting kid-chasing farm-loving herb-growing kind of gal.  I honestly don't even like reading about that stuff most of the time. So why was I trying to become something that I'm not?  I still don't know.

I've made a resolution.  This blog is now for me: my interests, my hobbies, my life.  I will never become a mega-blogger because I have no interest and spouting off what others want to hear.  So from now on, I post what I like.  Maybe I take too many pictures; well, I love photography and showcasing my meagre abilities.  Maybe I talk about thrifting too much; well, it's a passion of mine that I seriously enjoy.  Maybe I talk about personal issues; well, it can be hard to find people who relate on a daily basis, but here I know I have support.  So sue me.

I still like give-aways, and I still like guest blog posts.  I'll still post Bookish Sundays because I am the world's biggest book worm, and I may participate in link-ups that capture my interest.  I think having varying points of views on a forum is necessary to break up the monotony.  But I'm done reading mega-blogs [except for one or two that I actually like], and am hoping to make legitimate friends out of people who share common interests, or who are so different from me that they're interesting.  And a little of the in-between.

So you can expect tons of pictures, thrifting expeditions, and travel posts.  Another facet of this blog is going to be more opinion based posts; I've kept my head down [on the internet and in real life] for years, but I'm over it.  And if you don't like where this blog is heading, I promise I'm not wounded.  I'm sure the mega-bloggers would love to boost their numbers.

p.s. I think is my first post ever that didn't include at least one picture.  I feel kind of naked without one.

p.s.s.  Thanks to Miss Patricia, LWLH, J, and Kendall for showing me that you can be happy and still be yourself.  They may not know it, but their blogs have inspired me to move in this new direction.  Thank you, ladies, for your support and for being your wonderful selves!