My Life As A Blog Guest Post By . . .
Blogger: AmberLee Fawson
Blog: Giver’s Log
Shop: Ticket Chocolate
I am a hopeless introvert. No, seriously. Do you need proof? When I was in grade school, I didn’t take “hot lunch” until I was in 4th grade because venturing into the hot lunch line was a little too far out of my comfort zone.
Fortunately I made some progress by the time I hit higher grades, or I’m pretty certain I would not have survived to be writing to you today. But especially in all my creative projects, I like to dream them up alone, work through the logistics alone, and create them alone. I just seem to think better that way. In high school art class, I’d use class time to talk to everyone and do math homework. Only after I had toted home all my art supplies did I feel like I could work in, ahhh, privacy.
So, when I started a blog, I only had two local friends who knew. Otherwise, I kept quiet. And for a couple of years I continued to almost never tell anybody. Somehow it just felt like less pressure.
What about you? Do you have a blog? Do you tell?
When I snapped pictures for a post, I was sure to do it in the backyard, not the front. You know, just to be safe. (I should tell you at this point that I live in the country and there are a grand total of 5 human beings who ever drive by my house. And that includes the UPS man!)
If I needed to work on a post, I’d never bring it up, even if I was stressed and would have loved to talk it through with someone. There were times when I’d see bloggers’ awesome local friends and neighbors leaving comments, but I’d always end up keeping quiet.
Then two things happened. First, my secret started leaking out around my neighborhood. I can’t even remember how. ‘AmberLee has a blog!’
Second, I opened a business. My little chocolate shop.
Then, maybe because my life was so crazy, I just couldn’t hide it any longer, or maybe because having a shop AND a blog suddenly felt more professional, more legitimate, (which seems silly but that’s just exactly how it felt) I didn’t mind admitting: ‘I have a blog.’
The result? I suppose there are some days I am sure that I am going to let someone down when they discover that I am not the ultimate cooking and crafting queen of all time, even though, yes, I have a blog. But mostly it has been completely wonderful. It has been amazing to have my warm and wonderful local friends know what I’m up to. It has been a relief to be able to talk about a post if it comes up, and it really felt like all my friends were heaping on the support when I needed it most. Seriously, it is pretty great, even for a hopeless introvert.
I should have tried this years ago.
What I want to know is this: does that have anything to do with how often you like to post? I’ve been playing with the idea of granting myself a short blog sabbatical to bulk back up on my creative storage. But sometimes I wonder, if I’d been born into this world as a social superstar, would I be more refreshed with the idea of adding to my post calendar? Or does everyone need time to refuel in their own way? Just something I’ll be thinking about.
I hope you enjoyed AmberLee’s post, which is part of an on-going series on Blogstar. If you would like to contribute your own My Life As A Blog post, please email me at sbrydenbrown[at]gmail[dot]com.
I really enjoyed this post. As a major introvert as well, sometimes I feel like blogging allows me to *say* so much more than I can in social situations; but on the flip side, I feel like blogging is worthless because it’s not “real” life. I liked this post for the matter-of-factness. I can’t change the way I am, and that’s ok!
From one introvert to another this is very interesting. I would never have thought to question a person who felt the need to take a step back, relax, refuel, and begin again. I guess everyone looks at their own creative processes differenty.
Curse you AmberLee – I’ve just discovered your blog and have done nothing else this Monday morning but read as many posts as time would allow – I love it! Your photography is beautiful, your ideas are amazing and your writing is warm, funny and sharp. It’s hard for me to believe that you’re an introvert but I’m often told the same, and I’m one too. I am so, so happy to have discovered you here – consider me your newest fan!
I really enjoyed this also.
I to am a closeted introvert. From my exterior, personality and even my profession (i own a bed and breakfast) everyone would assume i’m an extrovert. But I crave and need alone time. Sometimes dancing around my house with the music blaring is the best medicine for literally any situation.
I never really thought about how it affects my posts. Maybe deep down it does. I do ofter feel lacking compared to all the other bloggers out there. That my work is never quite as good. I’m not sure if that relates to my introvertedness. I do take blogging breaks at times, usually not by choice, but because i simply don’t have the time or energy. but, now that you mention it i do feel a renewed energy when i do return from a blogging break. Hrmmm… maybe you are on to something?
thanks, Tiny
. it’s nice to know I’m in good company. and that’s totally interesting about your perspective of being able to say more. i love that.
I think everyone needs time to refuel. I am definitely an extrovert, but am shy and hesitant when meeting people and I hate mingling events and small-talk. I really do not like large events either, but people refresh me. I prefer smaller groups of people or people I know so we’re over the small-talk and can actually just “be”. I also enjoy some time by myself but do have a tendency to gravitate toward external stimuli instead of just sitting and thinking or being along with my thoughts. I flip between blogging a lot and a little and topics I post on. I have several friends who blog and some of the introverts blog more than the extroverts. There must be a huge scale that doesn’t simply reduce to intro/extroversion. Love your posts though so whether you feel it’s legitimate, I hope you continue sharing
This was awesome! I adore Amber and I thought this was so well written and such a great post!
I’m a major EXTROVERT and gave up on blogging cause there was too MUCH to say. LOL
Jheez, this is me to a tee. I had a blog before my current blog and told a tonne of people about it – including all of my friends – because it felt nice knowing that SOMEONE was reading what I was writing, but then I began to write what I thought they would want to read. It was silly of me to think I could avoid that. I think it is better that AmberLee didn’t tell anyone; it seems like, by keeping it a secret, she was able to establish a voice and a purpose for her blog without tailoring it to seem like something ‘real life’ her would write. I like knowing I can be an unexpected version of myself when I write my blog: that’s part of the appeal.
Hmm. Did any of that make sense? Probably not. Hauptsache ist, I really loved this post. This long ass comment was just me trying to say it.
All I know is, I’m glad to find out your real name so I can follow you on Pinterest!!!
Hannah, thanks for saying that! It really is a reassuring thing to feel that people will understand.
Sheri, thank you for completely totally entirely making my day.
Michael, I would have never guessed this about you! Truly, especially in your profession. I’ve been at B&Bs before and thought, i wish i could do this someday but don’t think i could pull it off.
Andrea, I totally agree about the scale. It really is amazing seeing how differently some friends and I approach things. It keeps us all balanced, and humble too, right?
Caroline, thanks for being wonderful, as always!!
Laura–LOVED your note. too funny.
Georgianna, this is such a great point. Maybe I did get the best of both worlds? It is funny how hard it can be to just come through clearly in a blog that’s all your own. Best wishes for your new blog!
Wow! I can’t believe you didn’t tell anyone about your blog! It’s so awesome! I would hate to see you take a break but I think whatever you need to refuel…go for it!
I am a very strong extrovert. I get a lot of energy from large groups and being around people. In college I always left my door open for visitors and studied in high traffic areas. I hated the library. But now as a mom of young children, I crave alone time! I love to be by myself. I love to study, read, write, and work on projects in quiet places. I think personality plays a role but life circumstances do too.
I’m so glad I found your blog. I’m a major introvert, a quilter and a self-employed medical transcriber, working out of my home–the perfect job for an introvert, right? I surprised myself when starting my blog that I actually had something to say. There are many times I feel like taking a major break, because I spend so much time actually writing the posts, reading other blogs, commenting, etc., that it takes away time from creating/quilting, which is what I write about! I’m still trying to figure out a good balance.
I am a tried and true extrovert. However, I took a 1 month blog/online sabbatical and LOVED it. It was so energizing and liberating. I missed writing but I didn’t miss the self imposed pressure to write and entertain and opine. I’m thinking about making the sabbatical and annual thing to be my very own reset button.
as a huge fan of your blog and shop, i find this surprising! and so reassuring. i am an extrovert in almost way except creatively so sharing my writing and crafting through blogging is pretty much the only way i can share this side of me without going all red and getting tongue-tied. i am going to the alt design (blogging) conference next week and i keep getting all of this anxiety about it, like i’m mixing two worlds that shouldn’t be mixed! i couldn’t quite articulate my anxiety until i read this post, though, so thanks for putting it into words.
It’s so nice to know there are others just like me. I think that also, as we age, we don’t want to put up with as much bs in life so gravitate towards more meaningful endeavors and people. Nice post.
I’m much more of an introvert than I’d like to be, but like you I need time alone to think and be creative. I have a really hard time blogging (and must make myself, once a week) because it feels SO revealing, but I know it’s good as a business owner. And I must confess that I always brought a brown-bag lunch in HIGH SCHOOL because the cafeteria line was too intimidating for me.
Oh my gosh – the ‘lunch line’ line really got me–so funny! I have a similar earth shattering moment in my childhood — ordering all by myself at McDonald’s while my mom watched from the very nearest booth — that most people would think is a non-event. For me, I still remember how hard it was for me to do that and how proud I was after it was over. Your story makes me realize that the rest of the world does not get what introverts struggle with…thanks for baring your soul. Really awesome stuff.