On wordless week

I was blogging according to the NaBloWriMo schedule. And then I wasn't. Suddenly, I stopped.

I've never not completed a blog challenge I've committed to before. I've written short and/or crappy posts, yes, but I still posted daily. This time I didn't. Not because I couldn't. Not because I didn't have the time. I have had less time than usual this week, but I still would have found a way if I wanted to. But I didn't want to. So I stopped.

I hardly think anyone missed me. Even the eager readers that still stop by here every now and then out of old habit, won't have minded a few days off. Let's face it, there isn't people out there whose happiness relies on daily posts from me. The only person whose happiness that should be even remotely tied to that, is my own. And I didn't miss me either.

Blog challenges often suit me, because I have a talent for writing about nothing. Spinning yarn from imaginary wool, it's my thing. But really. Sometimes the world only needs so much yarn.

I've lately pondered the concept of talking about nothing. Of talking to, or with, someone if you don't really have anything to say. In relationships, romantic ones or friendships, this can be crucial. Few have so much happening in their lives that they constantly find topics to talk to their spouses with. And so the ability to make meaningful conversation over small things - things that doesn't matter - becomes important.

Blog wise, I'm not sure the same applies. It does if you insist on blogging daily. You will inevitably run into a dry spell, and unless you are willing to repeat yourself, it is highly likely that you'll have to result to a few posts about nothing.

If you don't insist on posting daily, however, many would benefit from posting only when they actually have something to say. And by "many", I mean me. Naturally there will still be the occasional "nothing"-post - I am me, after all - but I think I am done with blog challenges for now. When I first got into them, they were a brilliant way of practicing dependability. Learning how to post daily. Later ones were brilliant networking-wise. Finding new blogs, earning new followers. And some of the blog challenges have been tests for myself, to see how much I can realistically expect to achieve when I deliberately put too much on my plate.

This last one, however, may be the most important of all. It taught me that I have finally found a mode of blogging I am comfortable with. I don't feel the pressure to post daily, or on a regular basis. I don't feel the need to follow any blog "rules". I won't visit more blogs than I have the time to, and then only the ones I want to visit. I don't do pity-visits, and certainly hope no one does to me.

If I have nothing to say, I won't blog. Unless I want to say something about nothing.