Nine

Nine years ago this month I released my very first blog post. I think I gasped a little as I quickly looked for the "undo" option. If I had been smart enough to figure out how to unpublish posts at the time, I probably would have done so. I certainly didn't believe this blog would be much more than a flash in a pan moment. But here we are, two hundred and seventy-seven posts later, and my fingers keep tapping away on my keyboard. No predictions for the future and I am always just one post away from the final one. 

The teacher in me continues to look for lessons learned along the way and here are a few of mine. 

1) Just do it.--I am not a risk taker as is evident by the name of this blog. But, there are times when one feels the urge to jump into the pool despite an ill-fitting bathing suit, icy cold water and questionable swimming skills. Dog paddle your way to the other side and pat yourself on the back for at least trying something new. 

2) Don't take yourself too seriously.--My aspirations for blogging do not include reaching for the stars. I never saw blogging as an income generator so there is no pressure to be perfect or, heaven forbid, glitzy. Beige will always be good enough for me and the minutia of every day life will most likely continue to fascinate me.  

3) Be realistic.--If it becomes evident that a new skill is becoming more of a noose than a gift, give yourself permission to cut the cord. Most adventures have a shelf life, be it a few moments or many years. Give yourself a break if necessary and move on to something else when your still small voice begins shouting in your ear. 

4) Sometimes it is easy. Sometimes it is not.--There are times when my fingers can barely move fast enough to keep up with the flow of ideas clamoring to become words on a page. And then there are times when I stare at a blinking cursor taunting me to put a single word on the page as my mind feels uninspired to produce coherent thoughts. By setting deadlines for myself I am learning to push through the curse of the blinking cursor.  I also hearken back to lesson #2 and remind myself not to get bound up in doing things just right. Gratefully, I have a very forgiving audience.

5) Be aware.--I recently finished a book that included a chapter on Jack London's time in the madness of the Canadian Yukon gold rush. He never found gold in nuggets but he found gold in observations. It was a pivotal moment in his career as he went on to claim success as a writer and thankfully, he recovered from a bad case of scurvy. Most of us will never experience adventures to the level of Jack London, but that matters to no one else. Keep your eyes open and you will see things that will make you smile, laugh, cry and ponder. 

So, whether you are contemplating a recipe for making the perfect chocolate cake or you are considering learning how to play the accordion, go for it. Just keep me posted. I love cake and I am a sucker for a good polka.