Just a Second

I found myself looking through my blog the other day. Not quite sure why, but I was struck by the length of the entries. Ever since I got on that time sucker (although I do love it) Facebook, I've kept my writing to 420 characters or less - the maximum you can have in a status update. I refuse to join Twitter, because then I'd be down to 140, or whatever it is.

I'm not sure if I like that sort of fast food writing or not. It's fun to keep up with people, but it's a dangerous habit to slip into. And all that time it's sucked? It could be spent doing more fruitful things.

When I stopped reading books for awhile and kept my reading limited to magazines and the back of cereal boxes, my attention span changed. It took forever to get through a book when I started picking them up again. I could only read a page or two at a time before I had to put it down for a break. I had to cut myself off from the 'junk food' material and learn to enjoy a full course meal all over again.

Now I find myself wanting to write something that will take a bit of space and a bit of wording to do right. I'm not writing the novel I'll spend years and years trying to get published like 90% of other 'writers' online (although I have profound respect for people who can take the time and have the persistence for that). I want to write something personal and not easily explained. I need to get in the habit of drawing out the details so I can say to someone, "This is how I feel. This is what it means to me," and not have to worry about what I've left out or glossed over.

Another issue is the grammar. Good grief, the grammar. I don't know what was so different about the school system I was put through - it was public school in a middle class area - but oh, the things that drive me crazy! "They're" for "their", "your" for "you're" - they're NOT interchangeable. They each have their own meaning and deserve to be used properly. Call me a language snob, I don't care, but I need to get back to reading and writing intelligent things.

I have my own 'daily' version of the English language. I have my own way of saying things that are hick and not proper. But at least I know it when I do it. The other day, I caught myself saying something, and I honestly did not know if it was grammatically correct. It terrified me.

So, in addition to changing my eating habits (more on that on my Weighing In blog), I'm going to try and change my writing habits, as well. I won't give up the junk food communication, but I will enrich my life more.