A Bit About Blogging

Well, I am with a family member of mine who has been very ill…only they are sleepy tired after a treatment in hospital. I had planned to go for a walk in this beautiful area, but I haven’t brought the right clothes to face the abysmal weather. It was such a snap decision for “him” to drive me up to just north of the midlands and spend a little time with me before bundling me onto a train bound for Wales, I did not pack very well. Both me and the dog are itching to stretch our legs, but dubious about getting a good soaking.

I thought I would spend a little time completing training for work – but I quickly became bored with that. So WordPress has saved me from an afternoon of boredom while my beloved relative sleeps. I am going to have to brave the weather and nip to the shops to make some dinner for everyone later.

I think it was last night when I was trying to read all the posts from other bloggers that I had missed over the weekend (couldn’t read all of them, there were sooooooooooo many!) that I noticed Dr Tanya, the creator of Salted Caramel, had an interesting list of questions in one of her posts. Well, I found them interesting anyway. You can check them out in her post below:

Blogging Insights #1–Why Do You Blog ?

Do you blog to promote your business?

The answer to that question is no.

However, now that we are on the subject, although I also work through employers, I am registered as self-employed. Which I wouldn’t describe as having a business as such. I have experience in painting/decorating, office work, proof-reading, accounts, event-organizing, basic gardening, cooking, laundry and ironing, all aspects of house-keeping, animal care (not child care – kids are scary)…and other kinds of work.

Or is your blog a launching pad for your social life?

The answer to that is definitely no.

I have an anonymous blog. Very few of my friends know anything about it, and as for all the people I socialise with, I would be ribbed mercilessly if they saw my blog! Not going to happen!

There is a social aspect to blogging, and it is very pleasant. We are all human (except the robots of course) and it is the people side of blogging that makes it compelling – anyway, that’s what I find.

Does it exist only to complement your Instagram account?

I no longer do Instagram. I used to have an account. I have no interest in ever returning to Instagram. There are only about fifteen photographs on there anyway…flowers, scenic views, cakes I had baked.

The last photo I posted, not long before I was attacked, was a yellow rose in Queen Mary’s Garden in Regents Park. That strain of rose is called “Keep Smiling”.

I took that photo around a time when I was swallowed up with despair. But people who loved me were not letting me be negative. They kept on trying to cheer me up. “Keep smiling” were the words I kept on hearing. Since I was a little one I have been told I have a beautiful smile. People kept seeing a tearful me. They were not comfortable with it. They kept on telling me to smile. But I don’t think they realized that putting a brave face on, hiding my despair, was actually quite harmful.

I have been checking “his” Instagram account recently, only to make sure “he” has not posted any of the photos “he” has taken of me, or the two of us together. I have made my feelings very clear about that being an absolute no at the moment.

Is your blog making you real money (if so please let me into your secret)?

No, not a single penny.

And neither am I interested in making money out of this. It’s a hobby, pure and simply. A useful one that helps me to unwind, to process thoughts and feelings and explore a much neglected creative aspect to my personality.

When I started the blog, I knew it was going to be an opportunity for me to write about some tough stuff – hence the name CRUSHED CARAMEL. I had not spoken out properly about what had crushed me. I needed some sort of outlet. This one has been extremely helpful to me.

But I always wanted to make sure there was a balance to my posts. Lots of light-hearted, fun posts and the occasional post about something I found challenging. Because that is life…lots of wonderful, occasional challenges. You don’t have to keep smiling all the time. It is ok to have a few tears and to speak up when you are experiencing hardship. If people don’t allow you that, there is something immature about their emotional health. But balance is something that is it takes some people a very long time to learn.

I enjoy it blogging. It is delightful to be in touch with so many other pleasant bloggers. All the reward is in that friendly interaction. I have learnt a lot from other bloggers about their experiences, how they dealt with their own challenges and I admire that they too are determined to keep balanced. Some of the most honest and courageous mental health bloggers have lots of very positive and fun posts, as well as the occasional really hard to read post.

Are you blogging because you are so adept at this craft that you want to teach it to others?

I have no such noble motives. I am still bumbling along, learning about blogging and formatting, and just trying to keep up with the pace. I wouldn’t deem to teach others, but I have passed on tiny nuggets of advice to others in some of those award posts. Basically my advice is ENJOY THE PARTY. DON’T STRESS ABOUT STATISTICS. BE NICE.

Or are you like me : blogging just due to the urge to write?

I have been writing letters and e-mails since I was a little one. I wouldn’t describe it as an urge, just a life-long habit. It is very natural for me to sit down and write about what I have been thinking, feeling or doing.

When I started blogging, a friend helped me post a poem and some short stories (real life experiences of mine) that he thought were funny. But since then I have found I have enjoyed writing and sharing all sorts of other “stuff”. I am pleased I have made a few attempts at fiction too, and some bad poetry.

I am blogging because I am enjoying it. I am enjoying the party. I don’t let it stress me out. And so far 99.9% of bloggers are really nice, so I have continued. If it changes…if a nasty atmosphere developed, or if I wasn’t enjoying the party anymore, I would probably just vanish.

What are your reasons why you put the proverbial blood sweat tears into your blog posts?

I don’t think I do as such. It is natural for me to write personal accounts on the whole. Some of my posts did take enormous effort at the time. When I wrote about what happened with Jack, the events that literally CRUSHED CARAMEL, that was very hard. But that was because I had not yet managed to tell anyone else how I felt about that situation. It was exhausting. But I am so glad I did it! Those posts need editing, they are full of spelling mistakes and terrible grammar, but I feel exhausted at the idea of reading them again.

Sometimes bloggers ask fascinating questions on deep subjects. You may have seen some of the thought provoking questions from Fandango in FANDANGO’S PROVOCATIVE QUESTIONS or from Melanie in SHARE-YOUR-WORLD. I take those questions seriously and the result is often a very long waffley post where I contemplate the question at hand. I like to feel I have “done it justice” so to speak. They do take a lot of effort at times, but I enjoy the chance to contemplate, it’s not a burden.

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I hope you can see from my answers to Dr Tanya’s questions that I am blogging simply because I enjoy it. It has not been a burden, neither do I intend to let it become so. I have no great ambitions for my blog.

I don’t know if I will always be able to find time to write and read as much as I have been able to so far. Life is full of twists and turns, circumstances change. But whatever happens, I will say so far blogging has been an absolute pleasure! I had no idea when I started the CRUSHED CARAMEL (LEARNER AT LOVE) blog that it would be so much fun.

So thanks a million for making it so much fun! The idea is that Caramel is a sweet addition to the blogging world. So I do hope you enjoy her being around 🙂