Dude, why are we all putting this kind of pressure on ourselves to be the perfect bloggers? I am so proud of us for saying to hell with the rules.

But that got me to thinking about my word.

My what? Well, a few years ago when I was really into scrapbooking, I read something about picking one simple word in January and making that your focus for the year. It’s usually an action word, because like, if you picked Cantaloupe or whatever, it might not really have the effect you’re going for.

But you know, whatever… to each their own, I guess.

Anyway, I’ve always liked the idea of picking a word, but I’ve never really followed through with it.

So, this year, I am going to do it.

Do what, you say? Well, that’s the thing… I am going to do. That’s my word. 2012? The year of the do. (Yeah, I laughed out loud when I typed it.)

And so, when I get stressed, and I over think things, and when I feel like there are 47847321 things to be done, and I just want to go crazy insane. I am going to stop, and I am going to quit freaking out, and do instead.

So, thanks Nike. Maybe I’ll get a brand new pair of sneaks to remind me, eh?

The thing about blogging, and then not blogging for a while is that, when you want to come back to the blog, you feel like you need to explain why you haven’t been updating.

You see the thing is, sometimes I think I know too much. Back when I started this blog… there weren’t really any rules for blogging. You just sort of started an online diary and chronicled your adventures however–and whenever you wanted.

But now, now it’s different. There are pages and pages of the internet all about how to construct the perfect blog post, build your readership, and even the best times to blog.

I mean seriously, there are certain TIMES you should post your blog.

You see what I mean about too much? That much pressure for something I started back in ’05 with little or no plans to make it into anything. I’m always reading that you should take time to make your blog about something– find a topic and write about that.

But I don’t have a topic… I mean… unless you count me.

Can I be a topic? That’s a little narcissistic, don’t you think?

So, I started thinking about it, and I realized something… I am thinking too much. I spent a lot of 2011 thinking too much. The only times 2011 rocked? When I actually didn’t think.

So, from now on– I’m going to update what I want, when I want. I’m throwing the rules out the window. If I want to write an 8,000 word essay on my new favorite color of nail polish (how freakin’ cute is that color, btw?) then guess what? I am going for it!

If this means I lose readers, I am okay with that. If this means I gain readers? Well, then maybe I will prove all those experts wrong, eh?

Either way… I started this blog because I wanted to have a little outlet for all things me. And in 2012, I am bringing it back to the roots*.

If you want to join me, I’d love to have you. But if you don’t… I understand. It’s hard to break the rules!

*Every time I say or think the word Roots, all I can think about is my Junior History teacher, and how instead of actually teaching us anything, we just watched it OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

That’s why, when someone takes a phone call in the coffee shop, I am pretty much screwed. Here’s the thing– I don’t answer my phone in the coffee shop. It’s all loud in here, and it just doesn’t really seem like the right place to talk to anyone–business or no.

I actually hate talking on the phone to pretty much everyone except my mom. I am all about the texting, though– don’t get me wrong. If you saw the ridiculousness that is my texting every month, you’d probably make fun of me.

What I want to know though, is– why does the guy next to me insist on making a sale via his cell in the middle of Starbucks? I am just trying to write a damn book, and he’s got me all interested in lighting fixtures.

WHY DO I CARE?

I don’t know– but dammit… I do.

So, this morning, I’m doing the sit-in-my-driveway-drink-my-Starbucks-and-listen-to-the-radio thing while they make me laugh out loud. Then someone makes a snot rocket joke. Now, don’t get me wrong– I love me some 13-year-old-boy potty humor, but I hate snot. So what do I do? I immediatly turn off the car and go inside.

Then, I got to thinking…

All it took was one bad joke to lose a listener.

Wow. They had me literally in tears from laughing so hard, and they had me on the hook until they made one stomach churning remark. Is this how the rest of the world is? Or am I just completely intolerant? Is there something that would have made me more likely to sit through the jokes?

Then I got to thinking about my own stuff. My own writing, and my own marketing job– it’s basically my entire life’s work to keep people from stopping. Is that an impossible task? Am I funny/witty/creative enough to do that?

And what about you? What’s something that makes you stop listening/reading/talking to a person, etc.?

So, you’ve been warned.

• Why is it that on a beautifully fantastic day where all I want to do is be outside– I have a sick kid and we have to spend the entire day INSIDE? Dude, it’s fantastic out there. *turns on yet another Disney Channel original series*
• How come my box of Cocoa Pebbles tells me that there’s a full serving of Vitamin D in it? Dude… I am having Cocoa Pebbles for breakfast…. Vitamin D is not my greatest concern.
• Speaking of Cocoa Pebbles. Why do people think that Cocoa Pebbles, Cocoa Crispies and Cocoa Puffs are all the same. They’re not people. Learn your chocolatey breakfast cereal, or we can’t be friends.*
• 
  Also, why are Fred and Barney still the spokespeople for this cereal? Are there even new Flinstones cartoons coming out? Do our kids know who they even are? Is this the only gig that Fred and Barney can get anymore? Poor guys.
• Speaking of Fred and Barney… anyone remember Captain Caveman? That was like the coolest show ever. Oh– maybe I can find a clip.

*I put a star there so you would think I was joking about that. I’m not.