Dancing Geek

Charlie has written about how he sometimes finds himself writing very long comments, which he then knows he wants to turn into a blog post instead.

I can totally relate to this, I have often found some of my best thoughts come out as comments, rather than blog posts.  The reason for me is quite simple.  The idea of publishing a post about something means that I get all hung up about having to say something coherently, or at least with some real thought as to what I’m wanting to say.  It’s only when I really allow myself to just write out what comes to mind that I’m able to sometimes get a post written (like right now).

I don’t write, edit, re-write, hone, refine and then post.  I write and hit publish.

Some conversations just don’t allow for rambling thoughts.  Or rather, rambling thoughts aren’t going to add to the conversation.  They deserve serious reflection, such as Jonathan’s post about how we define our relationship to  ‘work’.  I feel so strongly about this, and am still playing with this idea, that I feel unable to write anything sensible about it that won’t be full of blatant pot holes and fill me with shame within 5 minutes of hitting publish.

Hence I haven’t written anything more than a strongly worded comment in response to one very angry commenter.

Yes, it’s my stuff that stops me.  And yes, I don’t need to write massive complex posts that solve the issue once and for all (cause no-one’s able to do that in some cases) but I *want* to.  And that stops me from posting more about that sort of thing.

It suddenly appears as a huge time sink, a massive committment to a monumental undertaking. Blogging is not about massive commitments for me.  It’s about writing out my ideas and sharing them because I think they might be useful, interesting or a way to connect to like minded people.  To have an in-depth conversation for me I want to be face to face.  Able to tweak my meaning with real-time responses, give nuance with my body and tone, and read the understanding rising in the other person as I try and explain my idea.  Seeing it morph and grow in response to their reactions.

I struggle to have that kind of a relationship with blogging.  It is too slow, too detached for me.  It feels very one-way.

But then maybe what Charlie’s talking about will help to resolve that.

I haven’t written to anyone in a while.  Not on twitter, not on my blogs, not in the forums.  For some reason just thinking about writing makes me feel very, very tired.

I don’t know why, I’m doing lots of stuff offline instead at the moment (just jointly laid a laminate floor).

I’m feeling bunged up, literally and figuratively.  I’m also feeling disconnected, but I’m still reading about you all I’m just not out there being chatty like I usually would be.

I’ve been feeling bad about it all because I miss everyone, but right now I think I need to go inward more to come back out again or something like that.

Heh, even I’m not convinced by all that (apart from the ‘missing everyone’ part).

I don’t know what’s going on, but drowning might be a good analogy.  Why?  I don’t know, that’s just how it feels right now.

If this is too depressing, try Daily Bunny.

The method

If you believe that you can receive the perfect job, if you only knew what it was, then here’s something that I’m trying out.  Thought I’d share it with you all, aren’t I nice.

It works as a series of questions, so at each step just start writing the answers that pop into your head.  Trust your gut and don’t edit your answers, you can reflect on it all at the end.

1. What jobs don’t you want to do?
2. For each job you wrote in (1): What is this job to you?
3. For each attribute you wrote in (2): Do you mind doing/being this? (Cross out any attributes where you answer “no”.)
4. For each attribute left from (3): What is missing when you think of <insert attribute>?
5. For each attribute from (4): Does this describe what you want to have in your work? (If yes, put it in a list titled “Job description”)
6. For each attribute from (4): Does this describe how you want to be in your work? (If yes, put it in a list titled “Identity”)
7. For each attribute from (4): Does this describe where you want to be in your work? (If yes, put it in a list titled “Environment”)
8. For each attribute from (5): What would this attribute enable you to do in your work?

You’ll probably be able to merge some of your answers from (8) to give you a tidier list.  Give this a title of “Core competencies”.

If you want to, you can now write a personal ad for your perfect job and post it on the web so it can find you!

The result

Because it’s only interesting if you can see what comes out of it, here’s what I got today (and it may change drastically, who knows, but I was curious after using my sister as a guinea pig for this idea!)

Curious, sensitive guy seeks someone who sees his value for mutual fun and growth.

I am attentive, honest and compassionate.  I will bring everything I have to support you.

You are uncertain, frightened or confused.  You need someone to help you work things out.

Together we will go forward into the unknown, navigate the complex and find the missing pieces of the puzzle.

So, what do you think?  Crazy waste of time, just crazy or are you willing to have a go and post the result here?