Gently Said

Last night I spent an hour reading some of my old posts. A little traipse through my history. I was pleased to see that, for the most part, I lived up to my theme of 'Say it gently'. I started blogging as a lark. I was goofing around on the computer one day and came across a blog. I was wondering how one created a blog so I googled the subject, and quickly found myself in over my head. As I was about to back away from the subject I saw an add for Blogspot explaining how simple it was...just follow the easy steps. I did. Somewhere in the process it asked me for a title for my blog. Without thought, I typed in Gently Said. Before I hit the enter key, I leaned back and thought about it. Since I had no idea what I would write in my blog, had no limits or rules in mind, I quickly understood that whatever it was would reflect my personality, however warped it is. Gently Said didn't limit me in any way and left the door wide open. And whatever I wrote I knew that would write it kindly. It fit.

When I told Marilyn I created a blog she wasn't too impressed. When I tried to explain to her what it was she was even less impressed, for she quickly realized that I didn't understand it either.

I found that there were abundant articles about how to write a blog. How to make your blog interesting. How to sell yourself. What every blog post must have in it. This immediately brought to mind writing courses I had taken in college. When they gave me a subject, I could whip out something in no time. When they started applying rules I was stymied until I figured out that I could write about the rules, and gently mock them. I didn't, and don't, do well well with rules and structure.

It didn't take long for me to figure out that a blog is a stage. A presentation. When I would open up a blog I was immediately confronted with a curtain opening up. The set design would establish the tone. Some of the stages were filled with garish design, some were rich and warm, others roaring, and some soothing. Before a word was read, a mood was created. With some I expected to find a screaming hard rock group center stage, others a symphony orchestra, others a glaring spotlight on one person. The blogs I initially read were so diverse -- preaching, extolling, crying, trying to convince, begging for understanding, lecturing, self-serving, babbling -- I wasn't sure where my voice could fit in.

I once saw a concert by jazz singer Mel Torme. The curtain opened and there he was sitting on a stool center stage, by himself. He started singing. Soon a bass player walked out and stood next to him and started playing. A good part of the concert was Mel sitting on the stool singing with that bass player. It impressed me. Simple, and connecting.

So blogging, from my perspective, is entertainment. My stage is simple. I sit on my stool and just talk about stuff. No agenda. No controversy. Mildly entertaining with a splash of humor. That's me.

Marilyn just woke up so I took a coffee break with her to talk about the day's plan. She asked me what I was blogging about today. I told her I was just talking about blogging. That is when she said, "I don't like how your blog looks. It is so boring."

My blogging world, simple and unsophisticated, just came crashing down.