I just started blogging on WordPress, thanks to the urging of my cousins. Having somewhat of an addictive personality, I find myself now constantly and obsessively checking my stats. I become ecstatic each time I get more hits and forlorn when I see the number of visits graph plunging.
Before this my addictions involved a social networking game called ‘Farmville’ on Facebook. In order to stop my addiction I blocked the application. It was pretty crazy. I was always checking up on my virtual farm, because I was buying seeds and planting crops that would wither in four hours, just so I would get more points. It was exciting because my friends and family were obsessed as I was. It was fun seeing your farm expand and getting to buy more stuff like farmhouses and tractors. Silly I know, but somehow the ‘evil’ creators of the game knew how to lure you in.
In real life I am not that competitive. Actually I’m pretty laid back. I don’t mind if someone else wins at board games or bowling, but I don’t know why I get so competitive when things become electronic.
But anyway, I discovered one aspect of blogging that is so lovely. The other writers on WordPress. They are the nicest, most supportive bunch I’ve met. They are so generous with their comments and it’s a huge morale booster when someone likes your post. Another magical aspect of this is that they are from all over the world. That makes WordPress even more exotic to me. Even though our cultures are different I feel deep down we’re essentially the same. Each of us reaching out to connect with someone.
Another thing about blogging is that I can’t seem to restrict myself to one topic. I started off trying to use the blog as a private one to attempt fiction and improve my writing. Instead I got greedy and it grew into a kind of messy thing where I delve into what it’s like living in Singapore with a keen focus on food (I suffer from the deadly sin of gluttony), and I also use the blog to vent my frustrations and gripe about bad work situations my friends and I faced.
Sometimes when I write I become very self-conscious. Besides having an addictive personality I am a bit of an obsessive compulsive perfectionist. I want every post to sound perfect and that’s how my writing becomes blocked. I’ve since decided to cut myself some slack and just relax and try to write in my own voice instead. The one that’s always in my head. The one that’s not very eloquent, but I hope is friendly and approachable. She can be snarky and whiny at times, but I hope that’s part of her charm.
