The Canadian Writers' Collective

Writing, and writerly tangents

Thursday, May 31, 2007

They didn't teach blogging in school

by the kid sitting in the last row

I told myself I would write something short for this post, because I’ve been busy the last few days and yesterday I found myself working on some fiction. So what does that mean? Is blogging like that stocky guy whose only job is to carry the real performer, the artist, on his shoulders? Wait. Let me try again. Does everything else take precedence over the blogging? I don’t mean everything else, of course. I’d rather blog than fall on my head. I’m talking about the kind of writing that has no stress attached because until it’s done, it’s yours, yours, yours alone. I’ll say yes, but only for me. There are some great bloggers out there who seem very relaxed in their posts, comfortable with their opinions and intellect. Me, I find blogging somewhat painful. It harkens me back to Elementary School. I wasn’t one of those kids who could raise his hand with an answer. I’d cringe. I’d hide behind the kid sitting in front of me, studying the rosettes, whether the hair was combed and clean or dirty and unkempt, until the teacher would finally move on. I was so pathetic; the teachers simply ignored me and my tactics. So I'm still learning, trying to improve. Tell me, who are some of your favorite bloggers and why? Post a link. And while you're at it -- what kind of kid were you at school?

6 Comments:

Blogger Tricia Dower said...

I was the one with the hand up, wanting to show I had the answer. But as I got older, I lost the confidence that I knew anything someone else needed to hear. I don't know if it's the fear of being wrong or just that I don't find myself especially interesting.

Thu May 31, 12:07:00 pm GMT-4  
Blogger Andrew Tibbetts said...

I was like Arnold on "Welcome Back, Kotter", with my hand in the air and the other hand yanking it higher while bouncing in my seat. However, on the playground I hid in shrubbery.

Thu May 31, 01:06:00 pm GMT-4  
Blogger Antonios Maltezos said...

That's funny, Andrew! I did fine in the playground because I loved sports. Inside the classroom, it was different. A lot had to do with lack of confidence, as Tricia said, but mostly it was me just not getting it. Math was the worst! It was there where the teachers passed over me during question/answer time. They just didn't bother, and me being relieved was pathetic, that I would accept such absolute failure in myself, and I knew it, too, that I was pathetic. So I had issues about self-worth from early on, but I have no one to blame. My parents weren't the kind to insult us kids. They were kind and supportive. Hey, maybe I was just dumb for math. I did good in Art and Gym classes! And I loved to read, so I don't know... I'm over it now, though.

Thu May 31, 03:53:00 pm GMT-4  
Blogger J.A. McDougall said...

I don't think it's pathetic at all, Tony. For some children, coping with the crazy single-minded structure public schools use is challenge enough. I was shy in the early years but became more brave gradually until it wasn't a challenge to speak up in class anymore. Then I moved out into the "playground" and got caught up with the trouble makers :).

Favorite bloggers? Just one I've had my eye on this week ready to pop!

Fri Jun 01, 01:53:00 am GMT-4  
Blogger Sandra Cormier said...

I held up my hand and answered, because I was sick and tired of waiting for another student to speak up. That got me the reputation of a 'brown noser'.

In the playground, I sat against the wall and buried my face in a book.

I like Andrew's answer.

Fri Jun 01, 10:15:00 pm GMT-4  
Blogger Antonios Maltezos said...

Hey, Jen! Just checked Heather's blog! Wonderful!

...Chumplet. Your comment has me realising something else about myself. Even if I knew the answer I wouldn't put up my hand. Damn, I was lousy as a kid. Well, at least my own children are growing up gutsy, and I'm thankful for that.

Fri Jun 01, 11:00:00 pm GMT-4  

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