THE MEANDERWALKER

“The will to blog is a complicated thing, somewhere between inspiration and compulsion. It can feel almost like a biological impulse. You see something, or an idea occurs to you, and you have to share it with the Internet as soon as possible. What I didn’t realize was that those ideas and that urgency — and the sense of self-importance that made me think anyone would be interested in hearing what went on in my head — could just disappear.”

That’s from Emily Gould’s 10-page story in New York Times Magazine about oversharing on the Internet. While I relate uncannily to much of her story — and not even in the Internet sense, but more in the being a 20-something woman and dealing with changes in your life sense — this quote definitely stuck out to me because it’s a condition I’ve been stricken with lately when it comes to The Meanderwalker.

I used to blog daily about whatever I happened to be mulling over or whatever interesting junk I’d come across on the Internet that I felt needed my commentary, whether it was read by anyone or not. In the past 6 months, though, I’ve lost this compulsion to share my thoughts and things online. I’ve posted blog entries serving only to direct friends to my Twitter or Tumblr pages if they want online tidbits from me, but neither of those really offer the amount of insight that a nice, long WordPress post does. I use Twitter, I reblog on Tumblr, and I read other people’s blogs everyday; so why am I not participating anymore?

Maybe it’s just that I have nothing going on or haven’t been thinking critically about the world around me? Maybe I’m just really busy all the time? Maybe it’s a reflection of the ever-changing Web 2.0 world we’re living in? Or maybe I’ve just been oversaturated with the Internet — staring at it until my eyes glaze over and I resolve myself to fact that I will never actually be able to consume everything or stay up-to-the-minute; that I’ll never be able to keep up with it all AND be a part of it, too.

I’ve been keeping a blog in some form or another for about six years. It’s always seemed like a natural compulsion that seamlessly integrates into my life. I never thought about it or had to make a point of doing it, it’s just something I do. And I think that’s where I lost it — when I started thinking about it too much.

To end this on an positive note: I’m optimistic that my Will To Blog will return eventually. Until then, readers, in true Web 2.0 fashion, I redirect you my Twitter and Tumblr pages.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Also, for what it’s worth, I’ve started writing in my moleskin notebook again. What’s next, watching movies on Beta?