Self-imposed, Sisyphus-style blogging vs. Fun

It's an olive branch! A COCKTAIL OLIVE branch!

The way I'm often yammering on about one thing or another, I bet you've been shocked that my mouth could stay shut, my fingers could keep from typing, for nearly One Entire Month!

My Guy has asking questions, too: "What's wrong?" "Why are you being so quiet?" "What can I do to make sure every month is this peaceful?"

He did of course manage to enjoy most of this Zen For Me time, but I'd like to personally thank two friends and bloggers who checked in on me with questions similar to those My Guy has been asking: Lynne at Savvy Sisters Studio and The Altered Alice and Terry at Terry's. Ladies, I'll be replying to your e-mails later today!

So, just what the hell have I been doing? Well, first I was going to make a big announcement at the end of September ... I killed that announcement though. Realization hit just in time! I'd been feeling overextended because of challenges I'd joined and was considering opening my own challenge blog.

What in world was I thinking? Being the boss makes things easier? After years and years of middle management jobs I know that being boss only makes things harder and more stressful.

So, I declined that promotion and decided instead to just take a break. Just. Stop.

Stop joining and commenting and replying and worrying and forcing uninspired creativity and blogging and start having fun.

Stop pushing the words and the art out every week only to start again the next week, the next month, and on and on and start creating things that are fulfilling.

It's been a lovely break that has had one negative: I've missed seeing what my friends in blog land are creating, and leaving them messages telling them what amazing people and artists they are.

Now I get to start again, checking in with everyone and sharing whatever it is I feel like sharing. Hopefully you'll forgive me for my absence and gather here for future activities.

Instead of challenge or blog hop pieces, I'll share art and projects and recipes that I think you'll like, or that might inspire you or that might make you laugh.

Maybe I'll show off one of the twelve altered art and paper gift projects I completed in the last month. Or one of the nine new recipes I managed to try during these weeks away from the computer.

I could even show off photos of the wee vegetables our garden gave us this year or talk about the sewing and knitting projects that are currently annoying me.

Yeah. We're finally getting back 'round to that title, aren't we? See, I'm putting an end to the "self-imposed, Sisyphus-style blogging" that I've been doing.

Now I'm going to be a fun blogger. A having fun blogger.

I hope you'll drop in occasionally and have some fun, too, but my feelings won't be hurt if this new concept isn't what you're looking for in a blog.