gapingvoid’s thoughts on blogging, 2010 | Hugh MacLeod
…held up in my JJL mirror…
Just 4 days since saying “game over” for Joyful Jubilant Learning, and recommitting myself to my Talking Story blog, my understanding mothership since 2004, I must say that much of the “random thoughts” about blogging Hugh MacLeod shares in his posting resonates strongly with me.
He writes 10 different points, ending with:
I don’t intend to quit blogging any time soon. It’s become a central part to what I do, that’s just reality.
Same here.
Hugh does not mention community or conversation, and putting all should-ing convention aside to the contrary seems right too; you really have to blog for your own focus and self-sustaining needs first, similarly to what we speak of within Managing with Aloha; self-manage before you presume to manage or lead others.
I had coached myself not to expect much conversion from Joyful Jubilant Learning to Talking Story, if any at all, the kind comments which were left there not swaying me from my tempering of expectations, for I came to see how much the JJL community, while sincerely devoted to each other, needed a release from their monthly obligation and any “maintenance habits” right now.
Yes, even from learning.
It’s a good feeling to be at peace with that thought, and to be genuinely proud of those who are stretching in other directions, or like me with Talking Story, going home to their own nests and sense of place, as they leave the proverbial flock. Homecomings are so amazingly generous in their open spaces. Nurturing.
The smartest thing we twelve who founded Joyful Jubilant Learning did, was come together committed to Joy as a value equal to Learning. They must go together, and stay together. The ‘joyful’ and the ‘jubilation’ was never redundant, one a process and the other a result… I learned so much by giving those years I gave to JJL, and perhaps that was my biggest lesson, coming to a better understanding of the human necessity of joy.
Blogging IS hard. The process is instructive, and the rewards are worth it. Yet we must keep it joyful. We must.
