Here's to Mistakes

Here's to Mistakes

I'm foregoing the Friday Five for a bit.  Turns out that I don't actually DO five things each week toward the big move....yet.  Or, I should say that I don't do five NEW things each week toward the move and I can only say "one more German lesson down" or "cleaned another closet" so many times.  Boring!

I was all gung-ho about it for awhile and thought it would be a great feature for An American Girl, but it was becoming more a source of anxiety than a motivator for me.  Rather than enjoying the idea of blogging and actually feeling inspired to write, I was filled throughout the week with thoughts of "what am I doing, what can I tell everyone I'm doing?  But wait, I'm not really doing anything, but I have to think of something."  Oh boy. 

So, until such time as I am actually in the throes of doing new and enlightening things all the time because the move is getting close at hand and I have to be, I'm going back to the original plan.  Blog a few times a week, sharing thoughts, ideas, pondering issues or tidbits I have heard and working on my writing. 

I have to say that this whole exercise - blogging - has been pretty interesting and challenging.  It feels odd to try things like the Friday Five, like searching for a good look & feel, like posting writing that I consider to be unpolished, all in a public forum where others can see the missteps, the messiness.  And I'm actually inviting others to see the process!

I'm one of those people that doesn't do new things in front of people.  Ever.  Not in front of strangers.  Not in front of people I know.  I've never learned to play pool because I'm terrified of making an ass out of myself.  I don't play board games or card games because these aren't things you can  learn on your own and perfect before taking the show on the road.  

I have not perfected the art of writing, the art of blogging.  Nor will I ever, I fear, but I am strangely accepting of this.  Maybe it's easier because I never see any of you, dear readers, while sitting at my kitchen table with my laptop as an intermediary.  It's a lot safer than being in a crowded bar with people staring over my shoulder as I make attempt after attempt to actually get a ball in the pocket at the pool table.  But there is still a sheepishness when I make a mistake or decide that something isn't working and I have to change things.

Ah well, here's to mistakes.  And learning to love them, laugh at them and move on.