When I learned to change the oil in my car all by myself, I was prouder than a hen with a double-yolk egg. I was no wussy girly-girl, nossirree. I was WOMAN-HEAR-ME-ROAR. I could also change the air filter, the gas filter and switch from snow tires to regulars. Boy, I was kewl beans.
Don't know how many years I went through that whole routine but I do recall, one hot afternoon, when I was laying under the car, gravel working into my jeans, mountain climbing sugar ants behaving as though I was the south slope of the Matterhorn, and sweat and stray oil working thoroughly into my hair -- I remember laying there and saying to myself, "Self? Tell me again why this is a Good Thang To Do."
Self could not come up with an answer that convinced me of the worth of continuing to service my own car. Self was, however, able to list, oh, seven or eighteen perfectly good reasons to drive into a service center, pay the nice fellows at the desk and let somebody else do all the dirty work.
Interestingly enough, my experience of online journaling has evolved in much the same fashion. When I first learned html, once again, I was prouder than a hen with a double-yolk egg. I was no push-button web master, nosirree. I built it all myself, from the ground up. Layout, graphics, gizmos and passing fancies. I was WEBMASTER-SEE-ME-ROAR.
Gradually, over the half-dozen-plus years I've been doing this, the almost daily posts started dwindling down and showing larger and larger gaps between posting. More and more I noticed myself looking wistfully at web sites that seemed to simplify the process so beautifully. More and more I found myself thinking about a post -- and then procrastinating because I simply wasn't in the mood to mess with the html and ftp routine -- with the inevitable result of no post at all.
So there I was, in the cyber-equivalent of laying under the car, covered with ants and oil and sweat, and thinking to myself, "Self? Why don't we start doing this the easy way?" Self got so excited it almost had a Depends moment. "Chill," I said. "There will be a learning curve, you know. We might not find this to be as easy as it looks. This is an experiment, understand?"
Okay. What the heck. I will bumble and fumble around and probably have some fun while I'm at it and -- who knows? I might love it. It's not like the adventure is costing me anything. (Google, I love you.)
Oh! While I'm at it, for this first entry of the Grand New Year of 2007, let me wish all of you all that is good and wonderful for the months ahead. Thanks for hanging in here with me!
Don't know how many years I went through that whole routine but I do recall, one hot afternoon, when I was laying under the car, gravel working into my jeans, mountain climbing sugar ants behaving as though I was the south slope of the Matterhorn, and sweat and stray oil working thoroughly into my hair -- I remember laying there and saying to myself, "Self? Tell me again why this is a Good Thang To Do."
Self could not come up with an answer that convinced me of the worth of continuing to service my own car. Self was, however, able to list, oh, seven or eighteen perfectly good reasons to drive into a service center, pay the nice fellows at the desk and let somebody else do all the dirty work.
Interestingly enough, my experience of online journaling has evolved in much the same fashion. When I first learned html, once again, I was prouder than a hen with a double-yolk egg. I was no push-button web master, nosirree. I built it all myself, from the ground up. Layout, graphics, gizmos and passing fancies. I was WEBMASTER-SEE-ME-ROAR.
Gradually, over the half-dozen-plus years I've been doing this, the almost daily posts started dwindling down and showing larger and larger gaps between posting. More and more I noticed myself looking wistfully at web sites that seemed to simplify the process so beautifully. More and more I found myself thinking about a post -- and then procrastinating because I simply wasn't in the mood to mess with the html and ftp routine -- with the inevitable result of no post at all.
So there I was, in the cyber-equivalent of laying under the car, covered with ants and oil and sweat, and thinking to myself, "Self? Why don't we start doing this the easy way?" Self got so excited it almost had a Depends moment. "Chill," I said. "There will be a learning curve, you know. We might not find this to be as easy as it looks. This is an experiment, understand?"
Okay. What the heck. I will bumble and fumble around and probably have some fun while I'm at it and -- who knows? I might love it. It's not like the adventure is costing me anything. (Google, I love you.)
Oh! While I'm at it, for this first entry of the Grand New Year of 2007, let me wish all of you all that is good and wonderful for the months ahead. Thanks for hanging in here with me!
14 comments:
Heh! Be careful where you lead us, Dee... you may surprised how closely we follow you! Happy New Year back atcha and I promise I'll try to be a better correspondent in 2007...:) John Bailey (www.oldgreypoet.com)
Life is complicated enough. I'm all for simplifying things whenever possible. Happy New Year!
So glad that you are back with us. You've been missed, Dee!
Selena
Dee, I hear you lady. More words, less work--I'm looking forward to reading.
If it's not too hard to do, can you add a way for us lazy folks to sign up for a notify list? Thanks!
Well now she blogs. :-) I never did learn html for the most part. I cheated with an editor. (blush blush)
Happy New Year right back atja. Pet Ralph and Mei Tu for me.
Yeah! I've been wishing you would go this route so your readers could leave comments. Happy New Year Dearest Dee!
Hi Dee.........how delightful to see you, and this seems to be a grand place to blog. My brother in law has his here, and I have often thought of putting a back up over here for a rainy day.
Glad you are letting someone else change the oil these days. :) It's just grand to see you.
Oh, wow! What a nice surprise to stumble into with my first cuppa of the morning! Thanks, everyone. (See this big goofy grin on my face?) Wendy, I hear you about a notify thingie and, yes, I'm going to try to figure something out. Maybe I'll even have something by tonight's entry. Check back, please. (That would be a "cliff hanger" if we were at the Saturday matinée.)
Dee,
Good to see you here... You've been a part of my morning routine for a long time. I've been one of those dreaded "lurkers" up until now...
This is kewl beans, Dee. I will continue to be one of your groupies, coffee mug in hand and always curious as to what goes on in your world. I still have you on my fantasy list of places to go...one of these days.
Love, Ava
Dee...It's great to see you here. I have slipped over the great divide, too, and find that the blog is usually where my words go.
Looks pretty good so far, Dee. I can see already one great feature of you doing this as a blog. We can add instant comments!!! I think I'll like that.
Jo H.
Don't tell me I'm the first UBer to arrive in yer new domain? Or are they hiding under other names? Congrats, Dee! ** Cj**
Happy New Year sweet Dee! What a happy surprise to find a new post this morning! I check daily by way of John's journal list, since both of you are at the top of my all-time favorites. Believe me when I say that I know from procrastination! I have fought that awful habit since puberty, and that's a long, long time. ;-)
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