I’ve thought several times over the last year or so about writing a blog, where I would chronicle my life, share my opinions on current issues or offer suggestions on various topics. I’ve even gone so far as to start a site on BlogSpot, trying several names I thought were appropriate for the intended future subject matter. As you can see, I finally gave up on the URL and simply used my name.
Why I want to share these thoughts and musings so publicly with the world? I could just keep a diary, where I could record my most private thoughts alongside other ideas, revelations and musings. I could write semi-private letters or Facebook notes to friends and family, keeping them updated on what’s going on in my life. But neither of these options offers the opportunity to open a wider dialogue beyond my current social circle, expand my exposure to other viewpoints and make new friends.
So why have I failed to actually post to it? Fear, I guess. Fear of failing to keep it updated. (I tried writing a blog as part of a previous job but didn’t end up finding the time more than once or twice a year to update it.) Fear of sounding like I don’t know what I’m talking about. Fear of nobody caring what I have to say.
But tonight I’ve decided to do this. As part of my new life, I’m going to start this blog. I can’t make any promises about how long it will last, but I’m going to try. One reason I’ve decided to try this again is that I really need to get in the habit of writing on a daily basis. Now that I’m in graduate school again, I’m going to be doing a lot more writing. So I need to sharpen my skills. After fifteen years in marketing, I’ve found that writing anything more than a couple of lines of advertising copy or a media release doesn’t come as easily as it once did. I suppose that’s another reason to write a public blog instead of a simple diary. When I’m writing a diary, strictly for myself, I’m often lazy about grammar and style. I would like to keep this a little more professional.
In the way of an introduction, in case anyone reading this doesn’t already know, I am embarking on a new chapter in my life. At the age of 44, I am now living with my mother in a small town in northwestern Ohio. I moved back here in late May to relax, recover, and get my head screwed on straight. Although I had already decided by the middle of June to stay for a year or so, the decision was solidified when Mom’s partner passed away unexpectedly on July 1. Jimmie was a wonderful man. They had been together for almost 17 years. I don’t want to leave Mom alone right now.
I have also started a graduate degree program online in Aging Services Management (Gerontology) with the University of Southern California. I had intended to pursue the degree on campus in Los Angeles but life had other ideas. Fortunately, the same guidelines for financial aid for the campus program apply to the online program as well so I’ve been able to begin my graduate studies.
My goal upon completion of my degree is to build my next career caring for senior citizens in a nursing home or assisted living facility in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo, Iowa, area and move back to the place that I have recently come to realize is where I call home. So the journey begins.
