Category: Blogging

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Try Something New

In the past, when I’ve had 10 or 15 minutes of downtime, the habit was to grab my phone and play a game or two during this time. Or perhaps I would scroll social media aimlessly, and the break time would disappear. It wasn’t for a dopamine hit or to see what was happening. It was mainly out of habit, and I was not sure what else I could do in the window of time. So it’s overdue that I try something new with those 10 to 15-minute breaks. They are always going to be present in my day. But instead of opening Threads or a mobile game, I’ll work to make it writing time.

I need to build new habits to get where I want to be.

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We Used to Read Personal Blogs

I am typing this post while sitting on the couch watching my kid play another New Game + playthrough of Spider-Man 2. Recently, I have been thinking about how I want to show up online now that I have retired from live-streaming. Should I keep posting the occasional news article or make time for more reviews? Maybe shut it all down? The thought that consistently returns most for me is to return to where it all started.

I am talking about 20 years ago when it started before I knew about Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, when I brain-dumped whatever, whenever I felt.

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Motivation isn’t everything

I had a plan. I did. Life doesn’t always work that way when I am not in charge of it. I don’t get to dictate how my day goes. My control is limited. But I do my best to make it work.

A sleep disruption for my kid was caused by five weeks of autistic masking during major housework. I ended up at the ER early last week, requiring a scope. This event messed me up, both physically and mentally. I am the person who has every side effect listed on the medication. Blogging for this month needed to be shelved because my health didn’t let me get my thoughts out coherently.

This past week for Blaugust was “Motivation Week,” when we were meant to discuss the what, why, and how we stay motivated. I realized I do not lack motivation. I lack the time to act on my motivation. I have to say no to more than I would like to say yes to the essential things.

I have learned over Blaugust to embrace my limitations. I can’t do it all. One time a week for a blog post or a stream on YouTube is good enough. Simply showing up is good enough. I am a Dad who needs to be here for his kid 12 hours a day. I can’t do the creator/influencer thing I once thought I could. Working within our parameters and nudging the edge to see how much we can push it works. The key is knowing the breaking point.

I learned this the hard way while lying in the hospital.

Motivation doesn’t have to mean you do everything. It just means you can show up when you are ready.

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Online Creation in 2023

It is Creator Appreciation Week for Blaugust. A year ago, this post would have been easy. I’d make a list of all my favourite people on Twitter. Now, Twitter is X. The place is a shell of its old self, and I am no longer using it.

Some remain at the former bird site. Many are scattering for a new home. Some land on Blue Sky, which is locked behind invites. Others, like me, have moved to Mastodon, a place with its own onboarding issues. Threads isn’t going to move the needle until it is in the EU. TikTok is a mess – the shotgun-at-the-wall approach to social sharing.

The forced fragmenting of the social internet by companies looking for more money makes it difficult to follow and keep up with people with whom I used to invest a lot of time.

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