A chatty catch up after ages (a.k.a. I’m back!)

Is it odd to start this post (one I am writing after eons!) by admitting that I don’t know how to start this post? Because I think it is, and yet that is the absolute truth. So I am going to let it stay here. Which is actually reflective of how I am approaching this “return” to this book blog of mine. But I’ll come to that in a bit.

First I want to address a bit about where I’ve been and why I have been MIA here. The easy answer to that question is probably.. 2020. But if I’m being entirely honest, that’s not the true reason at all. Not all of it anyway.

Because as odd as it might sound, 2020 has been a good year for me. In more ways than one. Of-course I couldn’t escape the challenges of a global pandemic. But it also brought along a lot of good, for me personally.

I found my purpose, a sense of direction, and clarity in 2020. And for that, I am beyond grateful.

However, it also made me re-evaluate my priorities, and how I was spending my time w.r.t. to my priorities. In many areas of my life, including blogging.

Which led to me getting more intentional about what I wanted to do with my food blog, which was neglected for a long time. And my efforts brought me lot of success on there. But unfortunately this also meant that this book blog of mine kinda slipped through the cracks. Because the food blog took so much of my time, energy and focus.

That being said, while I was away I have thought a lot about this blog. About returning to it sooner, about giving it up all together, and everything in between!

But for some reason that I cannot entirely understand, I have come to accept that I simply can’t quit this blog. It somehow isn’t even an option I am happy to consider hypothetically, even when I have gone months without blogging here.

So that left the matter of the direction I wanted to take this blog in. And while I am not entirely certain what that is, I know one thing for sure, and that is that I want to keep this the passion project that it is, a hobby blog, if you will. Which for me means not worrying about google, pinterest etc.

Of-course this doesn’t mean you can’t do both. I know plenty of folks who do both quite well. I definitely try to do it for my food blog, with amazing results.

I just can’t bring myself to do it for this blog. And it’s not even that I can’t do it for two blogs. It’s not about additional work load. Though that is definitely a part of it. Because it is quite freeing to write for the love of it, without worrying about google and the algorithmic Gods.

But mostly, it just doesn’t feel right. I don’t know how to explain it beyond that. Because even I can’t put my finger to the actual problem.

Though one thing is for sure, I really miss the good ole days of blogging, where we got to know each other through our blogs, our words, and not keywords! If you know what I mean. So that’s what I want to get back to.

Which is why, that’s what you can expect from me here. More informal, chatty blog posts, which will usually revolve around the books I read, but also incorporate my life beyond books. Especially the memories I want to document.

Of-course I have to still figure out what form the non-bookish content will take. But since it’s not going to be a big part of this blog, I am going to not overthink it, and go with the flow, as they say. Which honestly is super difficult for someone like my Type A self to do. But it’s something that I definitely need more of.

So that’s all from me for now. I will be back soon-ish, with a bookish post. Hope to see you guys then!

Hope you guys have been doing well. How has 2020 treated you? Have you been blogging consistently during the past year?