On Topic
So, I am temporarily back from San Jose. I will have to follow the prior posts instructions (in a modified form) to get back down there. At least now I already know the way.
In any case, I have been in San Jose because my sweet hubby is going a show down there. He's rehearsing and then performing through March 16. I will head down when the show is in performances so I can see him be awesome. I guess he is always awesome, but his job allows him to be publicly awesome and I get to participate in that. He will be doing the same show, and being publicly awesome, in Seattle after San Jose. Should be fun. So, I am currently home playing single mom. Now is time to note the name of my blog.
Listen, I have got to be honest, I am not a very good blogger. Please don't stop reading here. It's just that my blog doesn't have any focus. I don't know if I imagined there would be more about the adventures of a gal who flits about while her hubby entertains the masses. I actually came up with the phrasing "theatre widow" with a guy whose wife did shows with my hubby. We joked about being widowed by the theatre who stole our spouses for long stretches. My mom used to joke that she was a "golf widow" because my dad would take off for the course regularly. All this "widow" business seems a little grim right now, and certainly doesn't address what I blog about. But what the heck do I blog about?
As for being a personal essayist, that seems quite accurate. I studied "Personal Essay" in college-- one of my favorite classes ever, might I add? I loved the short attention span theatre of it all. You could title something, "On ______," muse about that topic for a couple pages and be onto the next thing. That is me. I like short stories, one act plays, TV shows, etc. Not that I don't have the commitment to longer endeavors, but I like the get to the crux of the matter and know the whole tale. Now that I am saying this, I am clearly the product of a lot of TV viewing. A psychic told me once that I would write a book. That isn't too far off, as I am a writer, but this gal doesn't have the commitment to writing a novel. A collection of personal essays. That I can do. Ergo, I'll never write a novel. I have even written this post in spurts. I can't commit to 500 words of continuous writing.
Maybe it's just all about the baby now. The reason I do this in small segments is because she is so entertaining/adorable/needy that I can't keep focused on one this. Maybe this is just another Mom's blog now. Somehow I don't think that's it.
Lots of blogs are commited to commenting on a specific topic. Is there anything I know enough about to commit a website to? Not really. I know a little bit about a lot of stuff. I'm not sure anyone would consider me an expert in anything. [Aside: I sometimes dream of being on a TV special (VHI, MTV, TLC, E!, etc.) as "Pop Culture Expert," or something like that. I mean they have people who are TV experts and I don't know how they get those gigs. I looked into where I could get a pop culture masters, actually. In fact, I found a program that studied theology and pop culture. That would be the PERFECT program for me. Scene.]
Now I have recently seen blogs that review stuff. I like schwag. Seriously. They don't call me "Clearance Pants" for nothing. I worked in radio for a long time, and I won't lie, I loved the freebies. So, is it possible I could commit to reviewing stuff and getting to try it? How does that work? Who sends free stuff? Who would want to know my two cents on anything anyway? If I could write and get free crap that would be fine by me. So, start sending me stuff.
Finally, I ask you, oh readers. The few. The proud. The Noreens. Do you think there is already a clear voice here? Do you find what you are looking for when you stumble upon this barely actually existent location? Is there something more you would like to hear about from me? Would you honestly like to hear less?
If you have an opinion, I'd love to hear it. But be nice. My ego is fragile. Not fragile so much as accident prone and already bruised.
posted by Noreen @ 1:40 PM
8 Comments:
As honorary president of the Rainier chapter of The Theatre Widow Fan Club, aka The Noreen Blog Lurkers, we would like a little of all of the above.
Given your propensity for writing less than 500 words, and seeing as you have much/are someone that we, your NBL faithful are interested in, why not short, pithy posts on all things Noreen?
If you pick just one aspect of your blog, then you leave out all the other things that amuse us - like your word finds, stories about your wee one, musings on television between you and that sister blog of yours, and general theatre widow musings...and we would be sad.
We might strike. And then you know, as the writers taught us, that leaves everyone unhappy.
But at least Finian Road Image & Design can design the strike signs!
But I digress. {Isn't digressing what blogs are for?}
As we are your Rainier chapter of the fan club, we will go along with whatever you choose, but know that we will be about 50 minutes behind you because of the commute.
Oh, Noreen. Just today I was contemplating taking my blog off the market for just the reasons you're doubting in your own blog (i.e., I don't blog often enough, with much consistency in content, etc...).
Now, I hope I can take my own advice.
I love reading what you write because it comes from you. Whether it's a hilarious story, a list, a gripe, it doesn't matter. What matters is your honesty; this comes shining through each time you write. THAT is by far what keeps me coming back to read.
I do have other friends/acquaintances that blog, but they don't get me clicking back everyday to see if they've updated. You, on the other-hand, get a click and day from me, lady.
Keep writing. The psychic said you'll write a "book" not a "novel". Could just be a bunch of random tidbits on pop culture and religion.
It's a mystery.
Thanks for making my day Jill and Shelley. You two are some of my very most favorite people and if you think I am worthy of clicking back to, I must be doing something right. Big smooches to you both!!!
And I must say, I LOVE reading your blogs. You are both so insightful, funny and honest. You make me want to visit you on these here interwebs even when I can't visit you in real life.
What I like about blogs is the small glimpse into somebody else's life. What they cook for dinner. The latest baby story. Something funny the spouse said. So I've enjoyed yours for those reasons. I think it's OK not to have a set focus, because for me, a blog is a nice way to check in on people.
But hey, baby pictures are nice, too!
Umm, you've noticed that I write about a whole lot of nothing right? Write about your life, what moves you and throw in a review or two. Simple as that. Don't limit yourself to one topic.
I say keep doing what you're doing. I like the variety -- little stories here and there, tributes to Mom, pictures of Little G, funny observations, a weird new profile picture. (I want to print it out and color it. With crayons. Or colored pencils. But not markers.) You are a great writer, and it's nice to read your commentary and stories. Keep it up, kid.
You have to decide what your piont is. Who you want your audience to be.
If you're happy making your friends happy, then you have a very successful blog. If you want high traffic, free stuff, fame and fortune or whatever, then yes, you need to do something different.
It can be whatever you want it to be! If it's anything else, it's not fun, and it defeats the purpose of a blog.
Keep it up, I say. Try to obsess less over each post. Just post a couple of sentences about what you are thinking about that day. For example:
"I hate when people say, 'a whole nother'."
I bet a post with little more than that would illicit tons of commentary.
I'll echo what Zesty said ... it kinda depends if you're blogging for personal outlet or if you're trying to get a niche audience. I started attempting the latter, now I realize I kinda like the former a bit better with a bit of the latter mixed in when I feel like it.
In the meanwhile: I like what you're doing. Just keep doing it ... then if a niche emerges, you can always start a second blog! :)
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