Last week Paul tagged me in an ongoing open project that gives bloggers the chance to share their writing process and tag other unsuspecting bloggers, which is what I’m going to do at the end of this at this post.
Here is Paul’s post. Paul is one of my favorites because he’s funny, smart, kind and he scours the internet for the most disturbing and/or cutest pictures to work into his beautiful messages about life and recovery. He also writes the most thoughtful and kindest comments I’ve ever seen. He’s priceless.
Here are the questions and my answers to the blog tour thingy.
What am I working on?
Today I am working on how I’m going to clean the bathrooms after work and before karate class. So I am working on hopefully inspiring one of you to invent an affordable bathroom cleaning robot. I would suggest a self-cleaning bathroom, but last week I self-cleaned the oven and started a small fire so a robot seems safer.
I am also pre-writing a post based on a surprise visit with my grandmother last weekend after I said I wasn’t going to visit her and you all left touching comments about how you lost your grandmother and miss her very much. When I say surprise visit, I told her I was coming, so it’s not like I rang her doorbell and hid in the bushes and jumped out.
How does my work differ from others in its genre?
I have a hard time writing over 800 words. I include pictures I’ve taken myself or occasional doodles. I write about non-sober things like grandmothers and cats and running and trees. None of this feels different and I like that about blogging. I feel no pressure to fit into a certain mold. It’s very freeing and fun.
Why do I write/create what I do?
Years before I got sober and while I was struggling through a tough time, I started a nonsense blog that had approximately 3 followers. It was a lot of fun and I was instantly hooked. I switched to a sober blog to work through the first year of sobriety and then it snowballed once I realized what a great source of support it was. I get to connect with so many amazing people I never would have met otherwise! This is my favorite part about writing. Writing is an extroverted introvert’s dream come true.
How does my writing/creating process work?
I usually have most of my new ideas while running. I had this great idea for a radio collar-activated cat door on a run but later saw it had already been invented, so I try and stick to thinking up blog posts. I pre-write them on runs (or in the car/shower/bed) and usually remember at least a few points or key phrases. If I wait too long in between having the idea and getting to a computer, the post vanishes into the ether, but I know another will come along shortly like a bus or a bill. With 800 words or less, these posts are usually quick to write and edit.
Michele writes beautifully on a variety of topics, from music to meditation to grief, but she is best known perhaps for motivating a bunch of us to choose a
word of the year each December to work on in the coming year.
Sherry is a funny lady and a straight shooter and I’ve seen her reach out generously to help newcomers in recovery.
This post she wrote recently pretty much covers it.
Josie is not only a blog buddy but my go-to for local 5Ks. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with her in real life several times, which I never thought I’d be doing when I started here three years ago. She’s even more terrific in person. What I love about Josie’s writing is how dedicated and instructional she is. Here is
a recent favorite post about acceptance, a topic she seems to cover when I am struggling with the same.
There is no pressure at all on any of these ladies to write a post and tag others if their schedule is too busy. This blog tour thingy is my way of sharing a few writers who helped me over the years through words and kindness. As Paul said to me, it’s not a chain letter 🙂
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Oh damnit, I was going to choose sherry!
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You should still tag her! She deserves a double tagging.
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Awww…thanks!
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“Writing is an extroverted introvert’s dream come true.” I so relate to that. I’m all for someone inventing the bathroom cleaning robot and I wouldn’t mind a dishwasher emptying robot either. Come to think of it, I just need Rosie the robot from the Jetsons. I love reading about your writing process in 800 words or less! I always love where you take me. 🙂
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Rosie was pretty great. Of course the Jetson invention I really coveted was the shower/hair/makeup machine. Or maybe the automated dinner maker.
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This seems like fun, i am very new to the blog world and actually starting a new one soon on my sobriety walk. Problem is i don’t know who to “tag” do i just answer the questions on my post and tag back to you and maybe a couple of other randoms?
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Sure! And welcome to blogging 🙂
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it isn’t a chain letter???
No one is going to die or become a zillionaire?
ok then….I will get to it (in my inimitably slow fashion)
Thanks…and yes, that “extroverted introvert’s dream come true” struck home here too. We could possibly have a convention.
xo
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Paul said it wasn’t a chain letter, but you notice I completed my obligation. Love the idea of a convention. Love.
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Hi Kristen!
You always have the knack of making me laugh or cry. Today’s order of business was laughing…several times! I giggled at your duties for the day and lost it when I visualized you jumping out of the bushes and scaring your grandma!
(Paleeeeese send me that bathroom cleaning robot as soon as you invent it. While you’re at it, create something that finds lost socks.)
I love the writers you picked and smile fondly when I think about “extroverted introverts” meeting for a convention (Michele makes me giggle, too!) There’s so many of you that I would love to meet and it warms my heart to know that you see Josie from time to time.
We are in a really great space, aren’t we?
Thanks for making my corner of the world brighter tonight….I’m off to see how bad that bathroom needs cleaning…
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I love the extroverted introvert reference! Me to a tee. Blogging is the ideal platform for us! Lately I’ve been a little too introverted to even blog but hopefully I’ll become more outgoing again.
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It’s not a chain letter … That’s great 🙂 I am so enjoying these little snippets into bloggers lives and their creative process. You’re clearly destined for great things and I hope you become well-known for your bathroom cleaning robot invention, because that means it worked and I need one, stat!
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I love the privacy and intimacy of blogging knowing that you are silently at your desk but also connecting across the planet. And actually helping yourself and others is just amazing.
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