Just Words

I haven’t blogged in so long. And certainly not like I used to. Years ago, my posts were filled with images and quotes, and I was so focused on followers and SEO and stats and – well, you get the picture.

Keeping that up became so stifling. Every post was a production. Have I just gotten lazy where I don’t want to do that anymore? Or were my expectations too high, practically unfulfilled, and defeating?

I’d hate to think that I’ve gotten lazy. I think, if anything, I have become more focused as a teacher and as a writer in these past 10 years. I’m putting in more work than ever (well, as a teacher), and yet my lessons are not necessarily flashy or filled with images, quotes, and stuff that would send SEO lovers into full-moon swoon.

My following was never that great, either (voluminously speaking). I had just one post that would classify as “going viral”; it was an open letter to the Baltimore Orioles a few years back when they made it to the playoffs after a really long stretch of losing years. Other than that, I’ve had a small but loyal following. It’s a lot like it is on Facebook or Instagram. We’ve got a nice little community. We’re all liking each others’ stuff. We’re all taking care of one another.

Maybe I lost sight of that with this blog. I tried too hard. I was striving to break out of that community bubble and reach an audience far and wide beyond that little friend group that always took care of me.

Looking at that right now. . . . Gosh, that’s just awful of me. Typical story line, though, right? Of the person who abandons their true friends in an effort to make it bigger out there. They forget where they came from. For me, I never went anywhere “bigger” to look back and regret it. I just stopped writing.

Just awful.

So, friends (if any of you are still out there), I had a good weekend. My wife, Amy, and I spent it doing spectacularly regular things. We went out to dinner. We took our grandson to see the original Kung Fu Panda in the movie theater. We ran a lot of errands around town. I graded papers. Created lesson plans. Sent emails to my students. Planned a nice little contribution to our English department’s “Sweets and Sonnets” gathering this Thursday (I’m actually excited about this: 30 special treat bags with handwritten sonnets on each one; my students are helping me write them and put everything together).

The sonnets thing is really cool. I’m using the 30 sonnets I read to my students in April 2020 right after we went virtual after shutting down the previous month due to Covid. They are here, on this site, at this link: https://thebaltimorewriter.org/2020/04/

I also provided the audio for each one, as I knew several of my students were auditory learners. My voice is so scratchy on the recordings because I was still recovering from my own personal bout with Covid. Those were challenging days for all of us.

Anyway, that’s it for today. I’m glad to be back here. I’m trying my hardest to realize that it’s not all about the glitz and the pizazz. It never was, to tell you the truth.

And that’s it, I think. The truth. I’m just here to share some words. Thoughts. I thank you for reading and being here with me.