How do I do it?

So I was once again stuck on a topic. In other words, I didn’t know what to write about.  And by saying it twice, I lower the number of words I still need to use up. 

I’m smart that way.

So  I started thinking about what makes a good blog topic.  After all, once this is posted, I will have written at least 500 words every day for 23 days and I’ve managed to come up with a different topic every single time.

Minor miracle. I’m tired just thinking about it.

During this time, I’ve been inspired by things that have been going on around me. News stories. Conversations with people. Experiences I’ve had. Things I’m thinking about.  And I’ve tried hard to come up with something different than what’s already being said on the news.

Or else I just try to be funny.

But at the same time, there’s a filtre.

Pardon me for a moment while I throw a hissy fit because autocorrect and the spellchecker don’t like the way I spelled “filtre”. There, it did it again!

Anyway, filtre. (grrrr). I don’t write about everything that comes to my mind, or everything that I experience.  There’s a place to be vulnerable, but there’s also a place to be guarded.  For example,  I don’t talk about my current job.  It could very well happen that my bosses come across the blog and misinterpret something I write.  The internet is forever, and the last thing I want to do is get myself into trouble.

I also stay away from blabbing frustrations I have with people.  When I let my emotions rule, I can cause a lot of damage.

Let’s say I get into an argument about seeded vs seedless watermelons.

Wait. Is it even possible to get seeded watermelons anymore?

Whatever.  Seeded vs. seedless watermelons. Say the argument gets really intense, and I’m so upset about it that I go home and blog about it right away, stating my case.

Regardless of whether or not my opponent reads that post, it could be seen as though I’m shaming them and their opinions in a very public way. 

I know what you’re thinking. “Watermelons seeds, Melanie? Really? Who’s going to get upset over watermelon seeds?” Well … I haven’t met anyone yet who would do that.  But what if it was a different topic?  What if a guy broke up with me or mistreated me and I went home and blogged about that?  What if I’m upset with the way a friend has treated me? What if I’m frustrated with a colleague or a situation at work? 

I wouldn’t even blog about these in an anonymous fashion.  If there is a chance a person will recognize themselves in something I write - and it could be understood to be me blasting them for what they think or what they did - I don’t write about it.

Another thing I do is make sure I don’t get too controversial. I have very strong opinions about all kinds of things, and I have been known to push the envelope and say things that others may not say. But not all of my opinions and ideas belong online. So I have to ask myself if what I’m writing could be misconstrued or misunderstood.  And I also question whether or not I will offend anyone.

And lastly, I ask myself if I know what I’m talking about. It is really remarkable how many times the answer is “no”. If I'm not willing/able to put in the time to research and write something intelligent, forget it.