The Blaug Rides Again
Well I really had pretty firm intentions to remain quite deliberately un-productive for a little while longer yet, but I can’t shake the nagging feeling in the back of my head that says that hey if I can just spare a little time, why not log a post for the first day of Blaugust? That way if I decide to keep up with it, I won’t have missed a day.
And I rather regret not posting anything at all last year; Blaugust 2017 completely blindsided me. So even if I don’t post again for the month, I’d like to leave this little waymarker here.
In some ways, I guess I’m a little wary of our ol’ annual blogging tradition. Nowadays, it doesn’t feel like Blaugust is for me anymore. The coping habits that I used to use to get through old Blaugusts don’t mesh with the new “rules” defined by bloggers with so much more dedication and commitment than I. I don’t feel like I belong anymore. In some ways, I envy The Leaflocker for finding the adaptability to join the new wave.
In May, Staircase Witch challenged us to revisit our roots with a classic blog fest. It felt good to be blogging aside others once again. I tried something different for that challenge; actually creating the art that I posted each day. I burnt out fast, and the decline in posts from my colleagues left us without much further inspiration to continue posting. Each of us did get a bit back on the bandwagon but it was too late; the magic of a blog festival was gone.
Maybe the Leaflocker is right. The best Blaugusts are ones fuelled by camaraderie. Maybe I shouldn’t be so scared of “new Blaugust”. Still, I cling to the roots of the event and eschew the Facebook groups and other communities that steadily build stronger as the Blaugust tradition grows each year.
I think I just crave a good 100-deep email dialogue with my old co-conspirator. Send me an email sometime, Mr Owl?