Fast thinking about not-blogging in bed
Blogging in bed. That’s what I’m doing this morning, now, at 6.03 am. Stand back for a live demo of fast thinking, otherwise known as stream-of-consciousness.
The opposite of blogging is not-blogging. And a synonym for not-blogging is thinking-about-blogging.
According to WordPress, I have been not-blogging for almost two months. How could that be, when I love to blog? You are my bloggy-buddies (or just friendly strangers wandering by) and blogging is (generally) my delight. It’s a fun outlet for all sorts of ideas. It’s an informal network of delightful people. It’s a reason to draw terrible sketches and share random photos. It’s a hotch potch of truth and imagination and cameos from my daily life.
According to WordPress the last time I blogged was on 1 January, with Fear of Large White Table Napkins. That date, 1 January, shocked me. In my own mind, I had last blogged about three weeks ago.
And no, by the way, there’s nothing bad happening in my personal life and to quote the immortal Willie Nelson, “I woke up still not dead again today.”
Clearly, my blogging habit needs an audit (see above) and a new approach. Which I’ve just done: it took 8 minutes, because now it’s 6:11 am. Here is the result of some fast thinking.
- Reason for not-blogging: I’m flat-out with other projects. They take precedence.
- Or maybe I was adjusting to life after my play, The Secret Lives of Extremely Old People.
- My other projects are my work (much as I love them). Blogging is a hobby.
- It’s right to approach a hobby somewhat casually. I was giving it equal priority.
- I was even feeling a little — could it be guilty? — for not-blogging.
- Not-blogging could become a whole new guilt-trip. How stupid!
- So I will from now on treat my beloved blog more lightly. As a fleeting diary. As chat with a friend met casually in the street, a friend who I’m sure to see again next Wednesday. Not as a lecture or an exam or a serious journalistic obligation. It never has been, it never will be.
Consequently I expect to pop up little thoughts and events more frequently, just as I used to.
I can tell from your comments that the less I labour over a blog post, the more you like it.
Good news — I’m not blogging today
When fast thinking is fine
This blog post was fast thinking plonked straight onto the page. Fast thinking is what we do most of the time and is perfectly appropriate for a harmless, casual, personal blog. If my conclusions this morning turn out to be false, nothing is lost and all will come clear and no kittens will have their feelings hurt.
But it was good to remind myself of Daniel Kahnemann’s book. I realised that I hunger for conversations that involve a bit more reflection, a bit more logic, a bit less of the “I think this and therefore it is true.” And nobody is more guilty of the latter than I am.
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahnemann I spent 15 (15!) minutes dithering over what link to provide and finally reverted to Amazon, which shows the enormous influence this book has had. It incidentally shows examples of fast and slow thinking: compare the book’s “Ratings” (quick reader responses) with “Editorial Reviews” (the product of reasoned, deliberate thought).
Time to get up! That’s enough blogging in bed. Nice to be with you again.
PS But I did release something in those blank two months. There’s a new podcast episode on my website. However, it’s far better to subscribe to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Good to see you back. Always worrisome when blogs go blank and more so when the writer starts out with the thought ‘from bed.’ Last time I did that I had broken my ankle and was continuing to work on my laptop in bed, so glad to see you’re just being lazy.
Wow, I’m sorry to have alarmed you and I can certainly see why. That was a tough time for you. Yes, I was just being lazy, and hooray for that. (And playing catch-up.)
Welcome back, Rachel. Lovely to read your witty post about being absent. Funny, as I do miss those bloggers who suddenly don’t post. Thanks for the book recommendation it’s on my kindle to read list. I must get into listening to podcasts it might improve my listening ability, then again.
Hello Suzanne! Thanks for your message. So much to do — so little time! I am a podcast enthusiast, listening once a day (usually for the first 15 minutes in bed). Your comment sent me down a rabbit hole, investigating what sort of people those 460 million listeners are… Thank goodness I’ve popped my head above ground once more.
Agreed, there is too little time to do everything. Like you mentioned it’s a hobby so we shall enjoy your posts when you feel the urge. No pressure. 460 million listeners, well, I am behind the herd. Best I get cracking and listen to a few.
Yes! Good luck starting your podcast search. When you do, please tell me what you like and don’t like. For mine, next week I’m interviewing Lois Daish about changes in food and diets in her life time. She’s roughly the same age as me 🙂
Ok, will do.
I am delighted you were away for good causes and will be with us again. I always enjoy your vibrant posts.
I think you probably understand just how it is. Thank you, Anne!
I have also been wondering if all was well and then thought how busy you are in so many creative ways and also that it was post play…but just know I missed your writing and also yes, it should only be fun and no pressure to produce anything unless it suits you. Glad to know you are doing well.
Thank you Judi. That’s such a welcome message.
I sometimes think of possible blog content in bed, in the wee small hours, and sometimes need to get up and write it down in case I forget.
Ruth, hello! You speak of something very familiar to me, that urge to get up and write down a blogging idea. Alas, those ideas never develop any further for me, because they are jostled aside by new thoughts. Tricky, isn’t it?
The above comment was from me, but I wasn’t logged on.
Ruth, thank you for revealing your identity and the reason for briefly posing as Anonymous. Some readers won’t have known this.
Good to see you back. My blogging has slowed down but that’s because my subject is very specific to an era. I love blogging and when I started I was churning them out. But I started to run out of topics to write about which I hadn’t already covered. But I still enjoy the blogging world, both writing and reading posts.
So I think this comment is from you, author of the delightful blog kids of the 50s and 60s. Brilliant detective work on my part deduced that because your subject is indeed “very specific to an era.” An era familiar to me although I was a kid in the 40s. Love the latest one: pure nostalgia.
I too have appeared here as anonymous because I had been logged out.
I love doing Wordle and Connections while still in bed, and I think blogging from your bed is even more creative. Hello. For some reason, I thought of this poem, which is not really the same as blogging from bed but it is about talking in bed: “Talking in bed” by Philip Larkin.
Thanks Maggie. That’s a wry poem, which is easy to find with Google. (WordPress is wary of comments that contain links.)
I was missing you, but as you said it’s a hobby and you’ve serious work to do. Do keep on popping up in the blogosphere. 🩷
It’s been mutual, this missing business!
Hugs! Take care Rachel
A fine stream of consciousness – since you seem to have been awake
I have found sufficient evidence of my awakeness, Derek 🙂
Things to do, places to go, people to see. It’s good to see you as always Rachel.
And you, pondering Peter.