Renovating My House
I never thought that a meme would make me think for longer than it took me to write its post. I certainly never believed it would have my pondering for days, cogitating about the future of this blog. But it has.
I have been in a blogging funk, as we know. But when I got tagged for the 5 Reasons Why I Blog meme, it forced me to sit down and remember all the reasons why I love to do what I do. It required me to realize how much I miss blogging and the release of writing, of spilling my heart out into a text editor.
But that’s not all: I realized that I want to do more with my little slice of the world wide web. I want to create a space that I am proud of. I don’t want to write just to write: I want every future piece of writing to be something that I love. I want to write and rewrite. I want to perfect my prose and craft art with my words. I want to redecorate this window into my soul.
While I don’t write for my readers, your opinions are clearly important to me. Good writing, by definition, is comprised of sentences and paragraphs that readers can connect with. So I need your help. I have so many ideas floating around in my head, but I can’t even say that I know what my strengths are. And we have to write to our strengths.
So now I ask you for your help. From the first-time visitor to my longest-subscribed reader (and I know how many of you there are, so no excuses!): please, stop lurking and come out of the shadows to tell me what of my writings you like best, even if this will be your first and only comment. Tell me what you think my strengths are, what you would like to hear more of. Are my more sarcastic moments what keep you coming back? Do you enjoy my philosophical ruminations the most? Or are my silly stories what convince you to stay subscribed? Please, come and tell me. Because I really need your help.
After carefully going through your archives. I found what I liked the best. Actually. I found one…or two…or three. I’ll just put it all down here cause I can’t choose. Or if I did there would be more.
The One Who Got Away
After The Love Is Gone, Who Will Mow The Grass?
Love Is Not Enough
What can I say? I like posts as raw in emotion as those.
I’ve been digging through your archives, and I have to say, that coming up with posts that I like is hard. And I don’t mean that I hate them. I mean that there are so many.
Like Edrei, I like those raw emotion posts. I can relate to a lot of it to some extent, and I always come away from those posts in deep thought. Also like Edrei, I like this one.
I also love your silly side. Such as your In The Name of 10\/3 poem.
It’s hard to pick out certain posts and tell you, write more like this or write more about this topic and such. I just like reading what you write, whether it be something that’s emotional or something that’s silly. There’s just something about the way you write that draws me to read your blog.
Seriously, if I made a list of all the posts that I liked, we’d be here forever. :p
I read your blog so that I can look at pictures of myself…… SOLO BROMIANDO MAE. I think the reason that I started reading your blog was because you reminded me of me in some weird random way. It is weird and random because as we have so many things in common, we are also such two different people. We share a love of Daddy Yanky, but fight when it comes to which YouTube Channel we are watching. Teehee. Mainly I like knowing what’s going on in your head.
My New God-Like Computer.
Compassionate, sweet, understanding…
stuff you’re really excited about.
Not really
Hmmm.. no
Maybe
I just read the site cause, like Elle, i want to know what’s going on with you.
Who is Elle? I am bell hooks, please don’t capitalize my name.
I forget what the title of the blog was, but I liked the one in which you talked about [a] past relationship(s), because it really showed the true Karina letting her heart just keep pumping out the thoughts from inside. I guess what I’m trying to get at is, I love the posts where you reflect on your personal life, though I do enjoy reading your rants about mowing the lawn.
I’m no help at all–I like it all. I like that you blog like like I blog: honest, truthful, raw.
I especially like that you don’t attempt to be something you’re not just to get the hits. I like that your blog is all you, all the time.
(and what else did you expect from someone who’s unsympathetic?)
If I were to name the one thing that I like most about your blog, it’d be the fact that it never gives the impression of being contrived or pretentious. All I’ve read here -and it’s a lot, although I almost always fail to comment- provides new insight about who and what you are (or are not). I think that that particular trait of your posts is what keeps me coming back.
Hey guys, thanks so much for taking the time to respond to this one. I really do appreciate it and am taking everything you said into account.
I, too, like my posts that focus on raw emotions, but they are draining. When I finish writing them, I want to cry but am too emotionally exhausted to do so. And that’s good. It’s cathartic. But I can’t do it all the time, which is why I need to practice writing posts that are not fueled by pure emotion. And that makes me excited.
Hang in there, if you will, and be patient with me. I’m reading a few books that teach how to write better and I’m also compiling ideas for future posts. Some drafts have been started. I hope you like what is to come!
I like your writing because it inspires creativity.
I’d love for you to write more.
Maybe some fiction!
and some non-fiction. Maybe you can start documenting little things in CR that make it so awesome. Like maybe you could do a duckumenary about a family of ducks and just trail them all day with photos. I dunno you’re smart enough to come up with something.
I just found your blog today and I was captivated. You needn’t be insecure as you have a natural talent. No one can tell you what to write as you will automatically write to your strengths. That said, I love it when you tell any kind of a story or get in depth about any subject. Thank you for being there. I’ll be back
Danny, it’s funny you say that my writing inspires creativity, as I consider myself to be a relatively non-creative person. With regards to fiction, I simply can’t do it. I’ve tried in the past, and I simply cannot weave an interesting enough web of ideas. That’s why I do nonfiction: life provides me with the web, all I need to do is write about it. That said, maybe I’ll try to write some more about Costa Rica, though I’m determined to not just write about simple events… I’ll have to think about that one!
Michael, thank you so much for your kind words. Seeing your comment yesterday put a smile on my face. It’s not that often that new readers come out of the woodwork to express themselves, but I always find it extremely fulfilling when they do. Welcome to gringuitica.com and please, don’t be a stranger!
From my humble opinion, blogging is fun if you know what to write about things that you love. This could make a wonderful discussions on hot topics as time goes by.
You’re right, Syaf, blogging is fun. Sometimes, though, I have trouble being inspired by just my own head. That’s why I like to know what you guys like to read; if I can latch on to even the vaguest of ideas, maybe I can find something to write about because writing is the goal. I not only write because I have something to say, but also because the only way to perfect one’s writing is to practice. I know that in order to write better in the future, I must work hard today, and that’s why I force myself to write, even when I’m lazy or my muse is on strike. It’s good for me.
I happened upon your blog a few months ago because it was about Costa Rica. I re-visit because your writing is fun to read. You are a very bright lady, have a wonderful sense of adventure, and a warmth that comes through in your posts. I don’t think you should strive to make every post literary… just write. Your emotions come through moreso in the ones that are written quickly, I’d bet.
I hope you are enjoying CR at least as much as you thought you would.
Thanks, Stan. I agree that not every post should be literary, and it won’t (because I’d find that boring). I’d like to make more intellectual posts, though, because I do enjoy them and I don’t write them enough. But my inspiration always comes from my personal experience and my emotion, so that will always be the reason I write. Please stick around!
(And yes, I’m enjoying CR immensely!)
I first arrived on your site while I was researching CR. That is what first brought me here. What brings me back is your way with words on other topics of life. You bring up things that I think about and other interesting things to ponder. You have a nice way with words and your openness encourages a two way dialogue. When you write about what you are passionate about your genuine thoughts shine through. During my last trip I was unplugged for 10 days. On the flight back you had me wondering what you would write about next. Keep up with your writing, you are doing great
When I visited CR 2 years ago, I read up on the types of visas the country has, but don’t remember them now. With the one you have, are you allowed to work?
Stan, I’m on a tourist visa, which doesn’t permit me to work in-country. Luckily, I work via the Internet, so that’s not a problem.
I do the same thing. I work for a company in Wisconsin from down here in Costa Rica.
The only annoying part is having to leave the country for 3 days every 3 months. When your visa runs out I suggest you head up to Granada in Nicaragua - I just went there a couple of weeks ago for my 3rd “outing” - it’s really something special.
Ben, I was just in Granada 2 weeks ago for my 3-monther. I agree: very special!
Heh, we would have been in Granada at the same time - I was there 27th/28th/29th.
It’s definitely the nicest place I’ve gone to on my trips out of the country, and possibly nicer even than the places I’ve been to here in Costa Rica.
It most definitely beats Managua and Boco Del Toro (Panama) which are the other places I’ve been to on my trips out.
I accidently happened to come across your blog at work and was immediately hooked much to the chagrin of my fellow cubicle mates. Your blogs are so down to earth and so refreshing that one cannot help but to read on. I just wanted to thank you for sharing your thoughts and views and wish you all the best in your exciting new life. By the way, it doesn’t really matter what you write about. Whether it be about fruit (yeah), politics (yuck), and everything else in between, keep them posts coming. It is thru your eyes that I live in CR.
@Ben: I went to Bocas del Toro a week and a half ago and, while it was beautiful, I definitely prefer Granada. Bocas was too hot and it didn’t feel like there was much to do but eat, get burned, and sleep. In contrast, Granada is so beautiful with its old buildings that you just can’t help but try to see everything.
@Darwin: Welcome to the blog and thank you for reading! I wrote this entry at a time where I was floundering, unable to find a focus. I’ve come to realize that a personal blog exists primarily so that I may write what I want, when I want. I hope that this style and posting frequency isn’t too much of a deterrent to my readers.