My favorite historical figures

One of the relatively more recent additions to WordPress’ home screen, a.k.a. the array of blocks that greets WP users after they log in, is the “daily writing prompts.”  It’s a resurrection of the “Daily Post” suggestion site WordPress offered to its users once upon a long ago that was meant to get writers’ creative juices flowing as best as possible… and to get them to express them through WordPress, naturally.

The blog gets restyled… after going through something “bold”

I want to start this post with a tale involving another Allison — that being Allison Sugarbaker, the more conservative, more snotty cousin to Designing Women‘s Julia Sugarbaker.  (Yes, this is from that season of the show, but please bear with me here.)  As I recall in one episode, Allison came into Sugarbaker’s offices wearing what was obviously an ill-fitting, not-so-flattering wig.  Julia and the rest of the group gave her bewildered, “you look… different today” comments.  The studio audience also expressed some tee-hee-hee giggles.

It’s what’s on my mind… too

Whenever I hop on WordPress to write a new blog entry, I always get somewhat nervous or to see how much readership my most recent and other earlier entries have gained or, if applicable, what kind of comments my postings have received.  Thoughts of “Do they like it?” or “Did they leave a positive comment?” enter my mind.

What Allison feels like seven years into this blogging thing

Life is a play and we all play a part
The Lover, the Dreamer, the Clown
The Dreamer and Lover are always in tears
The Clown spreads sunshine around
— lyrics from “Laugh, Clown, Laugh” by Bobby Short

A little bit of a **CONTENT WARNING** first:  If you feel uncomfortable about clowns — not the obnoxious buffoon version (which we all should have concerns about), but the type that wears red noses and zany costumes — it’s okay if you wanna hit your browser’s back button at this point.  If you also feel unsettled about the important issue of women’s healthcare rights… well, perhaps you should stick around instead.

With that out of the way, I want to spend this post celebrating three things:  The 7th anniversary of this blog; what I think I have become through this blog; and a recent piece of television that was equal parts silly and riveting.

Six years into this blogging thing (and how it hasn’t always been easy)

It was six years ago today — November 17, 2014 — that I started my WordPress account, set up a blog, and added my very first entry.  In the years since:

Four years into this blogging thing

I’ve been too preoccupied this week with getting my car fixed, trying to catch up on tasks in my work assignment, and pondering what subjects to write about on this blog that I didn’t think of the significance of this particular date too much.  But since WordPress appears to be big on anniversaries…

Yep, it was four years ago today that I launched this blog and posted my very first entry.  Since that time, I’ve pounded into my keyboard, and onto this blog, lots of experiences to write about, positive things to trumpet, good people to highlight, fashionable things to marvel over, bad news to gripe over, poetry to express, and memories to share.

Writing this blog is not the easiest thing to do.  There have been times where I’ve wracked my brain on what to write about.  When I know when I want to write out, there’s also the issue of how to write it out; more than once I’ve edited and re-edited and re-re-edited a post.  And of course, there are still times where my non-writing, non-Allison real life can intrude and keep me away from writing a post, just at the time when my writing juices are piqued.

But at least I do make an effort to write, and when I do I get a cathartic feeling over me.  I feel truly excited to share my thoughts and feelings and good words to the world.  It all results in a sense of pride when I hit that big blue button in the corner of my screen marked “publish.”

Hitting that “publish” button also brings a little bit of anxiety, in that I hope that those who read it will like it.  But those fears vanish rather quickly, especially when seeing someone “like” my post or hearing someone tell me (especially in person), “You do a great job on your blog, Allison.”  Even a little bit of constructive criticism buoys my confidence; at least they aren’t saying out loud that my blog stinks.

But above all else, and no matter what anyone else may say, I get a feeling of expressing my true self to the world with every single post.  Yes, its all under a feminine nom de plume, but I feel secure expressing every bit of joy, heartbreak, disappointment, fondness, ecstasy… and pride in being myself and expressing who I am through words on a screen.  It’s a far cry from the moment 37 years ago when a shy, teased, and insecure 11-year-old first felt a feeling of comfort when putting on a feminine garment.

To all of you out there, whether you’re WordPress peeps or simple readers, I sincerely thank you for your support.  Whether it’s the form of good words, encouragement, challenges, applause, or just a simple hit of the “like” button, you’ve kept me going and kept me striving toward my desire to self-express my true self.  Here’s to four more years.

Allison presents “Yet Another Hallmark Christmas Movie”

I don’t need to remind you that this is the holiday season, though I should remind you that it’s only 5 days until Christmas Day as I write this (better get that shopping done très rapide).  This is the season chock full of traditions that normal people never get tired of:  There’s the tree.  The ornaments.  The decorations.  The greeting cards to send out.  The shopping for presents.  The carols and carolers.  The ugly sweaters.  And candy canes, sugar plums, and other similar stuff loaded with too much sugar.

Trying to get things perfect

When reading this blog, you may have noticed I’m a budding poetry writer (well, I consider myself budding), and that just a couple of weeks ago, I took the leap of presenting some of my poetry as Allison in front of an intimate live audience.  That night was a real confidence builder not only for presenting my female side but also my writing abilities.

I do, however, consider my current poetry writing abilities as being at a less-than-perfect point.  So far, with one or two exceptions, most of my poetry subjects have been about LGBT themes and trying to meet eye-to-eye with someone who’s not necessarily part of our community, meaning subject outside those realms can be hard for me to interpret into prose.  As well, I’m one who wants to write, rewrite, and re-rewrite poetry (and some other blog posts) over time, doing so until it feels to me to be as perfect as possible.

A poem: “Freedoms”

Today is Independence Day here in the United States, the day commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by thirteen of Great Britain’s North American colonies, who would unite and form what is now the fifty United States of America.

Writing inspiration

It’s the last day of June as I write this, meaning I won’t be able to respond to every “June Jour Challenge” prompt sent out by one of my WordPress peeps, The Finicky Cynic.  That’s okay, though.  I knew I wouldn’t respond to or even get to think about every prompt before the last of June.  F.C. sent out quite a few “deep thought” prompts this June, meaning I’ll spend some extra time thinking about profound responses.

However, on this last day of June, with F.C. usually using her last “June Jour” prompt to solicit thoughts on her challenges, I don’t want to fail to highlight how inspiring and thought-provoking her prompts are.  I’ve been working on a still-incomplete response about one of those deep topics; I won’t say which one, suffice it to say that it’s brought to the top of my mind one or two pivotal moments in my life that stayed in the far recesses of my mind… so much so that it led me to search for information on the person involved in that moment (no results came up, unfortunately).

One other thing I can’t fail to mention is that at least this year, F.C. didn’t just send out prompts.  Rather, she provided further inspiration for them.  I invite you to take a look at her “June Jour” prompts at this tag page on her site.  And when you do, don’t just click on one link and add a comment or response.  Hit the “previous post” link at the bottom, where this year she offered inspiration on the topics she invited her readers to respond to.  Actually, even beyond June, her posts can provide a writing inspiration to those who can’t think of something to write, but these past 30 days they’ve served as real writing invitations.

So, please give F.C. some love and read her “June Jour” prompts.  And while you’re at it, read the rest of her site as well; it’s awesome and inspiring (and awesomely inspiring) in June, July, or any other month.