Monday, August 9, 2010

"The" Plan!


I've been writing this blog for almost 18 months now.

And, I'll be honest, I do it for me.

Getting it off my chest is saving us loads in psychotherapy.

But things are changing and it might be time for more than first-draft ramblings of whatever comes into my head.

I feel I can do better.

And you may be feeling you deserve better too.

1. I'd like to devote Fridays to an ESL blog. Which is going to be a LOT easier said than done. Because it requires forethought and editing. More than one draft of what comes off the top of my head. I do it for two reasons. One is as an exercise for myself. I can do better. And I do it for my German-speaking friends who keep expressing an interest in the blog, but find it too confusing to read regularly. Sure, I find myself witty as all hell....but, if you are trying to figure out the idioms....it isn't nearly as much fun. Most of my friends do read English and they would like to keep in touch as I drag my brood halfway around the globe. So...I will attempt to catch everyone up, and work on all of our English skills at the same time.

2. I've thought of Mondays as a general update on events in our family. Because, again, we are leaving....and because some of you are curious as heck to hear how it all works out. I've never found family narratives very entertaining myself but.....well, we will do our best to amuse and entertain! (Looking at Jim's blog over the weekend I realize that adding some photos might liven up the updates!)

3. But I know you'd all miss my revelations on life, personal growth and the universe as I know it.....

4. I will also have all four kids home as of August. And spending time on our education. And getting rid of all our stuff. Which is NOT as easy to do in Germany as one might suspect. (What? Poor people in Germany won't take a used kitchen table? Well the Red Cross might not so...they never have a choice.) SO that my writing - and this blog - may suffer from the time I put in elsewhere. My goal will be a weekly family update and also progress on our home-schooling experiment. What I learn. Oh yeah - what the kids learn too. Although I'm betting I learn as much - or more - than they do. Typical.

4. Somehow I hope to merge into a travellog too. The crazy German-American in Australia. I think this COULD be interesting - and funny- as hell. All the assumptions that are wrong. All the expectations going topsy-turvy. Preconceptions out the window. Obviously, I'll still be writing from the viewpoint of a parent - and a person - so it should just be a new perspective on an old journey.

In between, I have to figure out how to work from a new computer, with a different email system. And maybe where to get laundry done. And find edible food. In France. (Hmmmm- isn't McDonald's a hot spot?!) Or Stuttgart. Or...oh honestly, please don't try to pin me down on autumn housing plans at the moment! And make sure the kids don't run wild in the streets and get caught by the home-schooling police! So that my whole tiny, ordered, neat, predictable day-to-day routine will be shattered. (Have I EVER had an ordered, neat, predictable day-to-day routine! Let's just work with me on this one, shall we?!)

So...Monday updates, Wednesdays personal views on life as I try to understand it, and Fridays English as a Second Language. And somewhere in between...the beginnings of a German-American viewpoint on Australia.

Or something like that.

Let the games begin!

5 comments:

  1. My advice would be, get yourself moved and 'settled' and just be yourself on YOUR blog. That's what makes it Christine's blog. Sure, write it so everyone can understand and appreciate it, but write whatever happens to inspire you or what is important to you at the moment. The ESL part is of interest being I taught there in Hait for 2 years. Will be interesting to see what ESL looks like theses days! Family anecdotes are fun to read, do not cut them out of your blogging. Just some unsolicited advice from me, I enjoy reading your blog. Plans are good, just make sure you are ruling the plan, the plan's not ruling YOU!

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  2. Hi Christine

    Personally i think it's great to have goals and plans but I think you may be biting off a little bit more than you can chew here. I know how hard it is to try to keep a weekly blog alive, let alone 3. I hope it works out because it will be exceedingly interesting to see all the ups and downs of your family life, but don't be too hard on yourself if you don't make it.

    Mark

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  3. Thanks Mark. Appreciate it. I agree. Just wanted to SET those goals - and if I don't post them it somehow doesn't count in my head as being SET! But yes....sometimes setting the goal is more important than actually reaching it - as long as it inspires you to move forward in SOME WAY! I got an ESL for Friday though - that's the hardest for me! Thanks again for the support!

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  4. Good luck with your goals! Go for it, girl!

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  5. Well thanks all. The most responses I've ever gotten from a blog - unsolicited. The goals are there to push me. But it is really gratiying to know you will read....learn, laugh, cry AND enjoy is a TOTAl bonus....and that I'm reaching others. I DO write for me as well, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel fantastic to have you out there rooting for me too! Mushy hug.

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