oh wait, nablopomo

well, we're three days into november (aka nablopomo aka national blog posting month) and already, I have failed. I do this every year. every year, folks. so maybe I'll just get the failing part out of the way, okay. maybe I'll just go ahead and say I suck at this. but I'm doing it anyway. because it's fun, because exercises like this are fun, because I am a fan of fun. and because I have been doing this nablopomo thing for eight years. eight years. wrap your brain around that one for a second.

I can fail at this because there are no rules when it comes to blogging. well, except for that thing about stealing images and/or words and posting them as your own (please don't do that), that thing about linking sources and that thing about kindness, that thing where you try to do everything from a kind, authentically authentic place. but outside of that, there are no rules. do not let anyone tell you otherwise. oh, there are lists of rules out there, there are people making up rules. but here's the thing. the blogging world is still the wild, wild west and much as we try to tame it, there are still miles of wide open country. still a world of freedom at your fingertips. for example, I've posted no accompanying image here. the rules say you should always, always post an accompanying image. but I believe sometimes words can stand alone. I believe we are older than toddlers and do not always need a picture to make the words come alive for us.

additionally, no one really cares you didn't do that thing you said you were going to do. no one cares if you've been gone for a little while, if you've neglected your little online space. I mean, we care but we're not keeping tabs. we understand, no need to apologize, no need to explain, we all know. the rules will tell you this is a big blog no-no, that it's something akin to blogging suicide. consider, for a second, how funny that sounds and then ask yourself why you are even doing this. it's for you, it's you. or at least, it should be. show up when it feels right and not one second earlier.

and this is nowhere in the rules but the idea floats to the surface of blogland regularly enough that it should be addressed. for the love of mary, you are under no obligation to post photographs of your dirty laundry to prove that you are real. we all have dirty laundry, we all have sinks filled with crusted, clouded dishes. we all experience moments where our children behave as if they were raised by wild animals, or worse. we have all found ourselves hunched over the steering wheel of the car, mcdonald's french fries in one hand, large coke in the other (YES YOU HAVE, I KNOW YOU HAVE), we have all stumbled and fallen short. and even though there are one hundred thousand blogs out there showcasing the most beautifully stunningly flawless bits of life (and we are all maybe a little tired of it), it is not on your shoulders to showcase the underbelly of your everyday. unless, of course, you really want to, in which case I say, more power to you. I'm behind you all the way. sometimes I feel the need to do the same.

the beautiful thing about blogging is that really, there are no rules. the beautiful thing is that your space is yours, all yours. and my space is mine, all mine. it's why I keep showing up here, why I've been doing this for almost ten years now. I have., somewhat inadvertently, carved out a sacred little space for myself here and sometimes I share what I write and sometimes I share what I shoot and sometimes I share both and sometimes I don't know what I'm doing. but I try very, very hard to never let rules get in the way. I just keep showing up.

and that's what I'm going to do this month, I'm going to keep showing up. everyday, as much as I can. and if I fail, I fail. but it's the trying that's golden and what good is the wild west without a little gold? plus, you know what they say about rules.

see you tomorrow, rule-breakers.