The pressure is overwhelming!
You only get one chance to write your very first entry in your very first blog. I guess there are two ways to look at it: I can write a brilliant entry that I can look back at with pride, or I can write complete drivel which will leave ample room for improvement. I've made up my mind; you be the judge.
This blog has been up and running for longer than I want to acknowledge. It was put up at my behest by my lovely help meet, Tami. I have avoided it since. Here are the reasons:
1. I fear offending people. Everything I feel passionate about has the potential to offend someone I care about. I don't know any way of doing this, short of password protecting or learning cryptology, without rubbing people I care about the wrong way. But if this thing is going to be worth reading (I'm not saying it will be), I must be strive for honesty and transparency.
2. I fear the commitment. To say I'm obsessive is an understatement. If I start enjoying this, it will begin to take more and more of what little free time I have. Hey, with a wife and 1-year-old son, a stressful teaching career, the agony of grad. school, myriad church responsibilities, an insatiable appetite for film, and a fantasy baseball dynasty, you must excuse my reluctance to commence with my journalism career.
3. I fear writing. Ok, I've said it. I'll go a step further. I hate writing. Did I mention I'm an English teacher? But it's good for me, and I'm ashamed of how little I written outside of an email window. I know that this blog will one day be discovered by my students past and present, and I want to set a good example. That's just the kind of guy I am. I always imagine one student in particular reading, and the pressure is stifling.
4. I fear parallelism. See? I can't help myself. If I start using assonance in my entries, I might have to quit.
5. I fear leaving stuff out. But I already know I must, and I can't tell anyone why.
I hope this blog can do some good. I look forward to commenting on everything that matters to me. I hope I can convince you to believe what matters to me should matter to you.
Obediently yours,
~jon
Posted by Jonathan at June 18, 2005 10:58 PM
Comments
whoa Stroud...mine was definitely drivel...
Posted by: Marilyn at June 20, 2005 7:05 PM
I'd say it's pretty good for a first, Stroud. I'm only jealous I never received as many words in my inbox from you! I'm proud to see you overcame your laziness. I can't IMAGINE how many hours it took you to type all that! I'm quite impressed.
So who's this particular student you fear to offend with grammatical errors? Oh, did I mention that I found two on my first read? Hee, hee! :)
Keep it real.
~Wailer
Posted by: Wailer at July 8, 2005 11:51 PM
I started writing my first novel during an extremely boring class the other day. I've been attempting to do so for more than two years, running into the same nuerotic details...worrying about what sounds pretentious, what sounds like I'm trying not to be pretentious but making it obvious...anyway, I can relate. Good job though. By the way, congratulations on your first born and miss the afterhours at Berkmar with your biting witty comments. -Sarah
Posted by: Sarah at August 15, 2005 6:53 AM
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