My Personal 4-Week Challenge

I'm taking a look at this blog, and the website it is attached to, and I am seeing how out of date some of the features are. Also, the blog is a random mess of whatever I feel like posting, which to be honest, I rather like. I've devoted too much of my life to organizing. Living in the sloppy mess of life, that's where I'd like to be right now.

I would also like to be better about keeping this fresh. I'm seeking new places to express myself, and I believe this blog could be one of those places. However, I feel a deep resistance to this blog whenever I consider posting here. So you know what I did?

I journaled about it. That's right, I got out my current journal and a pen, and I wrote about why I feel resistant to this blog. Here's what I uncovered:

• I find this site to be clunky, a bit unresponsive and frequently updated so that I can't find features. This means I have to devote more time to technology and less to the act of writing. Not what I'm after.

• In my mind, this is supposed to take a short amount of time. I would estimate 20 minutes, no more. In reality, blogging (and dealing with the technology) takes longer.

• Is anyone actually reading these posts? Does that even matter? I tend to think no, no one's out here. However, every once in a blue moon, I get a comment from someone that reminds me these ARE being read by friends, colleagues and people who want to know more about me. So yes, they are being read. Not that I'm even sure if I really care.

• My old computer (from 2016, honestly!) was a pain to work on. My new computer is zippy and fun to be with.

Uncovering this was incredibly helpful and led me to my challenge.

I'm going to blog once a week for 4 weeks. I'm designating one hour for each week; that's 4 hours total for those of you keeping track.

I'll also be cleaning up the website, starting with the Virtual Studio. I've removed the videos from 2020 - wow - and will be creating new, more relevant content this spring. First on my list will be a video for singing when sick. I am still stunned by the number of anxious, panicked requests I get (frequently when I'm away from the studio) from singers who have a gig and have "lost" their voices. Your voice isn't lost, it's tired and sick! I can help, and I will.

Also, adding photos and videos to this blog is a pain. The photos are on my phone and I'm typing on my computer. Does anyone else get tired of technology that has too many hoops? I recognize it is better, in some regards, than pre-technology days. Yet I find, especially in these early days of AI, the everyday technology is failing, is clunkier, isn't working as smoothly. Friendly note to all you techies - just because you CAN upgrade doesn't mean you HAVE to.

And my 20-minute timer has dinged at me. Excellent! See you all next week.