WHY I WRITE

I have two blogs, the one you are reading now, and one called “My History Fix…the Fun Side of History.”  I started with My History Fix over two years ago, in March 2014.  It’s about material culture, the stuff of life, the way people lived.  I spend a lot of time researching and writing for it.  I started it as a way to use my master’s degree in historic preservation.  I moved to Boston thinking I would find work in that field.  What better place for historic preservation, right?   Well you know the saying about plans and life…

I knew Boston was an expensive place to live, but I didn’t realize that I would be priced out of my field.  Even with a roommate or two, it would be tough going.  And besides, I came to Boston to strike out on my own.

So I work in event planning, another field of mine, in fact, I think I was born planning events!   I’ve always got multiple gigs or projects going…I can’t seem to help myself!

Once I got settled here in Boston I started to feel stagnant.  My project had been setting up household and learning a new city.  Once I got comfy, I got, well…bored.  I must always have a creative outlet…it’s what my soul requires!  I’ve been a dancer/choreographer/coach, jewelry maker, antique dealer.  I refurbish furniture and have dabbled in interior design, drawing and painting too.

In the fall of 2013 I found I really missed being in school, back in the historic preservation program at Eastern Michigan University.  I missed learning new things, and discovering connections between history and the present.  I am intrigued by the path things and people take through the world.

So, I decided to start a blog to give myself an outlet to share, not only my writing, but to show people history really can be interesting! History isn’t just memorizing dates and battles. (Not to say those things aren’t important too.) There is another side of history, one of personal connections and day-to-day living—it’s engaging and yes, can even be fun!  My mission is to turn people on to that thinking. When looking forward I feel it’s important to know where you’ve been, both personally and culturally.  That’s how my mind works anyway, I like the big picture.

I knew nothing about how to set up a blog (just another opportunity to learn), but I set out to make it happen.

Over the course of my first year blogging…no, actually it was more like nine months… I found myself wanting to write about other things too.  Things like my transition to a new life, what Boston is like compared to Detroit, the hell of dating… even my cats, and just things that happen to me here!  But those things don’t necessarily fit the My History Fix blog.  What to do?  Start another blog, of course—and Motor City Expat was born!  I’ve come to learn, keeping up two blogs is a lot of work.

So why do I do this, why do I write?

I write to share ideas, to spread information.  I write for release.  I write to reach out.  I write to challenge myself.  When I stretch my boundaries, I learn more about myself.

Perfect example: through blogging I discovered I like designing websites.  Of course, I’ve only messed around with templates, but so far I’ve figured out a little CSS and HTML on my own.  Can a 47 year-old learn coding?  Why not?!  Again, it’s all about stretching and learning…

How might I challenge myself further?  Try fiction?  Maybe write a book?  Take up web design?

Sometimes I swear I’m all over the damn place, but the path of my life is a winding one with lots of sights to see along the way…which is just how I like it!

What is your outlet?  What would you like to take up or learn more about?  Tell me in the comments below!