One of Those People

Hola!


I am very slowly, frustratingly slowly, learning about this world of blog. Just like any little microcosm of varying interests, gamblers, outdoor enthusiasts, Trekkie's, the blogosphere, is a unique community of people dedicated to sharing their thoughts and wisdom with the world. Just as one could assume that all the successful actors in the world are required to have some amount of narcissism (after all, they must get addicted to the rush of seeing themselves on that big screen, the camera zooming in on their blessed faces and sculptured physiques, slow-motion panning from top to bottom, basking in the adoration of execs, agents, personal assistants, all the people they make money for), one could assume that it is necessary for bloggers to possess a certain level of expertise when rendering a blog-o-pinion. Although I haven't had the time nor interest in perusing a ton of mediocre blogs in order to find the true gems, the ones I've been drawn to are indeed, well-written, informative, and worthy of adhering their suggestions. Which, in turn, makes me question my standing in the community.




I don't know how few and far between the success stories are, but the blogs I've recently subscribed to, have resulted in, for the originators, a world of opportunities: press releases, book deals, income, thousands of followers. This is also the case for a couple of people who were guests on Oprah the other day too, and I can only imagine, their status has skyrocketed since.



I know I'm far off from that point, but I wonder how you get on the path to follow these success stories?



A few, obvious, pointers I'm assuming (and came up with all by myself) are these:



First and foremost, honesty. I think readers and followers are savvy. If they are following your blog, most likely it means they have a direct relation or interest in the topic one is writing about. Because of this, I think it's really easy to read between the lines, and they can sense when a blogger is passionate, truthful and fair about what they post.



Second, I'm not totally sure, but I think it would be best to narrow down the main topic of what most of one's blog is going to be about. This is where I'm having some difficulty. I have so many ideas I want to share, that I don't know what to exactly focus on. I've gone from writing about cakes to haircuts! And I still haven't found a great opportunity to start posting blogs about our business, and home improvement suggestions.



Which then leads me to my next dilemma, which is really just an insecurity. Do I possess the expertise to express my own thoughts and wisdom to the world (the world being the 5 people that follow this blog)? Yes, I have worked in the construction industry for 6 years now, and I'm aware that I know more than the average person about joint compound and the difference between oil and latex; But when I see these blogs created by these incredibly talented, creative, artistic people, it makes me question, again, my standing in the community. I am mere resident, they are city council, mayor even.



Perhaps this all has to do with my turning 30. Well, in a roundabout way. Let me explain. I believe the most successful blogs have to do with people that write about what they are most passionate about. If you are passionate about something, chances are, you have a sufficient amount of knowledge regarding the subject matter, because you will have studied, researched, and kept current about the topic. This happens to be a recurring them in my life, pondering my true passion, my reason for living, the thing that makes my life fulfilling and worthwhile. I would have guessed that by the time your thirty-ish, these question would all be answered.



I have such admiration, and envy, for the people whom I read about. Their skill for photography, their eye for design, their skill in writing. I admire and envy friends like Bailey, who knew, since I've known her, that she wanted to study medicine, or Heather, who although found herself working in the unexpected field of finance, is satisfied and enjoys her job, and has cemented her future and progress with them. Britt, although unhappy in her current job status, is an undiscovered talent, and I am convinced that the day she decides to retire her life in academia, will be a successful and highly pursued photographer or boutique owner, which happens to be among her passions.



How do you get to be one of those people, who know what they want and go after it? Whose successes and rewards come naturally, since through pursuing their passion, have been free to work hard and dedicate themselves to something they believe in and enjoy doing.


I see and read about these people that are full of such creative expression and I am awed by their talent, and wonder how I would love to have people like them in my local circle of friends so I could hang out with them and maybe their abilities will just somehow, magically rub off on me. However, although I can easily idolize and appreciate these imaginary friends of mine, they are living their dreams. I have to find my own dream to aspire to.



So then, how does one go about finding their true calling, their passion in life?



Here's one way...Since I seem to be having a difficult time thinking of the perfect fit for me, I thought I'd conjure up a list of all of the things I love to do and what I consider to be passionate about, and put it on you, "the world". If anyone has any suggestions or ideas of what kind of job could potentially actualize from this list, please let me know...asap. I'm already 30, you know, I need to get this wrapped up already.



1. Travel


2. Culture


3. Food


4. Volleyball


5. Writing


6. Creativity


7. Talking with people (though not in front of a lot of people)


8. Home improvement/DIY projects


9. Interior Decorating



...and if I'm being totally honest, like we talked about earlier, I'm really passionate about laying on the couch, watching reality television, playing brickbreaker on my blackberry.


Aloha Y'all Later!