Big Time Blogging Challenge- Day 1

Challenge

Thanks to Michelle at Big Time Literacy for starting this challenge!

I have been off and on-but mostly off again blogging since 2008. Before Michelle put out this challenge, I had been contemplating blogging again. Recently, I had been reading, or tweeting, or saving various how-two, pointers, etc. for how to blog on the off chance that I might get motivated someday. Mona put it aptly in her tweet to me after I re-tweeted one too many blogging articles-"find my voice, my angle, and go!"

Then, Big Time Literacy started this challenge and I had zero excuses left. Yet, I'm still unsure. I always have plenty to say. I have a plenty loud voice, but I’m not sure what my “angle” is and why that matters.

Learning, Teaching, and Living Loudly

Why this blog title? I have always lived my life out LOUD. I've wished, and tried at points in my life to "be quieter", more reserved, and to blend in. Yet, despite any efforts to the contrary, I have a laugh you can hear anywhere in the building, a voice that carries down the hallway and a personality that transcends boundaries. I just love everyone! Living life loudly is not always easy. First, some people do not like loud. Second, my mistakes are heard loud and clear. Despite these drawbacks, living loudly has provided me many opportunities for professional and personal growth, leadership and making a difference in the lives of my friends, family, students and co-workers. So here I am on my own self-created stage, learning, reflecting, revising, and repeating, for all to hear. Living my life with good intentions, Loudly.

Previous Writing and Blogging Attempts

My first writing experience, my final semester of undergrad, that made me believe I could be a writer was an assignment to write my autobiography. Mine was titled: A Day, or Maybe a Couple of Days, in the life of Kerry: Sometime, and in no Particular Order. It was 40 pages in Microsoft word. Recap: Best stories from 4 years of college. I emailed it to all my friends and had a few copies printed out for the casual reader that came by.

My first blog titled “Kerry in Korea” was about an adventurous year overseas teaching English in the rural Korean countryside and traveling around a bit afterwards. Recap: After this, I can do anything. My 2nd blog, aptly named “Kerry in Kindergarten”, was about my year spent as an aide in three Kindergarten classrooms that each had 30 five-year-olds. That equals 90 five year olds! The recap: Lots of cuteness, teacher gossip, and cleaning up bodily fluids. My last spin off, "Just Kerry" contained a few posts about a year spent in a self contained autism classroom. Recap: Bruises and Bodily fluids.

While re-telling stories about just barely beating a 65 year old man while dressed as a swimming super hero in a Halloween 5K, culture shock, the case of the phantom pooper and about a student I code-named “pinchy”, could at times make for interesting, entertaining or even hilarious commentary, that’s where it ended. These were the types of stories that you could tell over and over at the water-cooler, dinner table, or family party when you run out of other more important things to talk about. Even though I had the best of intentions when writing and thought carefully about what I wrote, I was also always worried about having a laugh about school things in a public place. What if the phantom pooper’s mom reads this blog (with 3 followers)? Whose expense is a laugh for? I still wonder who cares what I have to say and where is the public/personal line? Who cares about my thoughts on my personal writing journey? There are no takebackskies on the internet and I want what I put other here in the future to have no uncertainty about it’s quality and value.

Blogging Take Two Four

I’ve been told I could be a stand-up comedian on more than a few occasions. (REALLY!) Yet, besides the fact that my in-person joke/story presentation is horrendous, I don’t really want to be a comedian. I like sharing and storytelling, but I want to teach, influence, and make an impact, (all while having an awesome time). In each of my previous blogging attempts, I was the observer, recording what I saw around me and describing what happened TO me. Even if I don’t yet know what my “angle” is with this challenge, I think I do know that I want whatever I end up writing about to engage and contribute to a bigger idea. I know I need this purpose to keep me going. My posts can still be funny, but I want my posts to involve, motivate, or intrigue others. I’m not sure how I’ll get there. I’m not sure how interesting or helpful I’ll be. My goal is to take Michelle’s challenge and go from there. I explained the challenge to my boyfriend, G, and I was having a hard time convincing myself, let alone him, that I could make it the whole month! Yet, here’s to DAY 1!

Join The Challenge!