Dear Blog Fatigue

Dear Blog Fatigue,

I don't know what to say here, Blog Fatigue. I kind of have you these days, and it's not helping my creativity or motivation. Not at all. Why? Why?

I find myself thinking from time to time, "I should write another letter for my blog." And then I try to think of a good topic - something really WORTH writing a letter to. And I start flailing. I look at all the random objects in my vicinity and try to measure its blog-letter worth: "Hmmm. 'Dear House Plant?' No. What about 'Dear Water Bottle'? No, that sucks. I could always write 'Dear Nothing Creative to Write' or some other such half-assed excuse semi-topic. No - that would be stupid."

It goes on and on. So many random objects and concepts in my life. So many of them that I use from day to day. Yet I still struggle to come up with one that really enables me to WRITE something of any worth. And when I struggle like that, you sets in, Blog Fatigue.

What do I mean by that, exactly? Well, I mean a lot by that, actually. Thanks for asking, Rhetorical Reader. What I mean by "you" is that feeling I get when I just don't want to do it. When I feel a little bit beat down and unable to write something of any worth. When I remind myself of those thousands of other bloggers out there EXACTLY like me, and how bad their blogs are. When I think about how stupid "Dear Pencil Sharpener" really sounds, and how much of a stretch a "Dear Not Wanting to Write This At All Right Now" is. Writing a blog of any nature is a very self-centered endeavour by definition, and it becomes quite difficult on those days when the self isn't feeling so kick-ass as it normally does.

And then come those Loyal Reader(s). I think I have like four or five of them now. And even though that is a pitifully low number (considering family and almost-family makes up half of that, leaving me three friends in the world), I still feel this (albeit mild) pressure to "produce." I mean - just read those impatient "Write More Now!" comments from Glotto, and you can see how you happens to me, Blog Fatigue. My adoring fans need more CVT letters, so I put my hands on the keyboard and try to bang out something readable, and all I can come up with is "Dear Driving Five Miles Above the Speed Limit?" Ridiculous.

The flip side of that coin, of course, is having TOO MUCH to say. Those days when I have at least five or six REALLY GOOD topics to discuss, and I can't choose which one should be my focus for the day. Although I have done multiple letters in a day before, that's not really going to be a regular thing for me, so it is quite difficult to choose between equally wonderful letter recipients. Hell, I STILL haven't written that "Dear Cornnuts" letter that I've been meaning to get to for so long. And with that, there's the knowledge in my mind (while trying to make a decision) that I'm not likely to end up writing those other letters that I do not choose at the time. Because there is a RIGHT time for writing "Dear Watching Guys Trying to Hit on Girls on the Bus," and there is a WRONG time. And if I don't choose the RIGHT time to write that letter, it's just not going to happen.

And so these things add up and pile on and give me you, Blog Fatigue. They give me that feeling that I'm just writing nonsense for the sake of nonsense, and it's not even particularly well-written. And when I'm PHYSICALLY fatigued, as well (like I am today), it makes an especially good excuse to just screw it and not write at all for another day.

So how do I go about combatting you, Blog Fatigue? Another great question. Sometimes, I don't do anything at all, and that's when I end up going letter-less for days on end. However, I DO have a secret weapon for dealing with this situation when I'm not tired enough to just give up. And that secret weapon is called "writing a letter to a descriptive phrase for how I am feeling at that very moment." Like "Dear Somewhat Tired But Not Ready for Sleep." Or "Dear Not Really in the Mood to be Writing a 'Dear Anything' Letter Right Now." Or "Dear Blog Fatigue."

Does this secret weapon work? I don't know if I even need to bother answering that one, as this letter likely speaks for itself. It's a terrible, cheap gimmick, and I acknowledge that and take full responsibility. That said, it works like an f-ing CHARM, and I'm not about to stop anytime soon. And so you, Blog Fatigue, will never get the better of me in a long-term sense. Sure, you'll get me for a few days or so, but I can always pull out my secret weapon when necessary and just blast you out of the freaking water. And that's that.

But I still respect and appreciate you, Blog Fatigue. For without you, there would be no challenge in this whole writing process. Without you, I could knock out "Dear Misty, Drizzly, Haze" and "Dear Goodwill Glove Grasping" until the proverbial cows came home. And people would be entertained. Perhaps even impressed. But there would be no true satisfaction in my writing. No challenges overcome. No pride or character built. And that would be a damn shame. And we don't like damn shames around here.

And so I thank you.

So Many New Letter Topics In My Head After Writing This One,
CVT