It’s been a long time. I’ve debated just giving up and letting the blog go, but when the renewal notice came in recently I decided to keep it.
I haven’t been blogging because I haven’t felt like writing. I haven’t felt like doing much of anything at all. It’s been really, really hard for me to get motivated to do anything. If you’re been following me for any length of time, I’m sure you can guess why.
One reason I started this blog was to try to build an audience for my work. My writing, photography and art. Another was to ‘meet’ people online, from all around the world to have interesting conversations.
I haven’t had much success with the first goal, I’ve never made a dime from anything to do with my blog. I have kept on hoping to find a way to earn some income here, whether from directly selling a painting or photo to someone who sees something they like, or someone likes what I’m writing and gets in touch to see if I can do anything for them, or even figuring out how to put some relevant ads on here (instead of the ridiculous crap they’ve been putting up- I’m pretty sure no one here is really interested in those ads for skin creams or the diet pills that ‘really work’).
I’ve had much better luck with the second goal: to meet interesting people around the world and learn from each other about all kinds of things. I really was hoping for more back and forth discussion, but maybe a blog is not the right place for that? Facebook seems to get all of that sort of action.
I don’t want to scare off anybody, but I’ve decided that sometimes I do really want to just go at it on here. I want a place to express my thoughts and not have them censored. Facebook and Twitter are getting to be really bad about that sort of thing.
So. I hope if you’re still hanging in there, following me and looking forward to seeing whatever I may post, that you won’t get scared off by what I’m fixin’ to do.
I managed to get back offshore. I’m actually on a drill ship off the coast of Guyana (South America). I’ll write more about that soon. As usual, I don’t have a lot of time or internet access to be able to blog much from out here, but I will try to post more often than I have been lately (that shouldn’t be hard at all). 😉
Please comment and let me know what you’re up to and your thoughts on this. I’m really hoping to get back into the online community (I still miss the old wordpress).
So glad to see you back in the blogosphere, Jill! I look forward to reading about your current gig, as well as what’s on your mind. Something tells me we’re on the same page about a lot of things. Stay safe, and post soon.
Hi Penny, thanks! I did miss keeping up with all my blog friends. I enjoy seeing all your posts as well.
Don’t give up, Jill.
Thank you Barista Uno. I will try to keep this up. I notice this blog is looking like hell lately. I don’t know what happened. I am not techie enough to fix it, especially from out here on the ship. I removed the background image, so at least you can read the posts now. I’m looking for an expert to help fix all the other issues. Hopefully, they can just do it all remotely and quickly
I’m not. Yet.
It’s just been hard to motivate lately.
I always enjoy reading about your travels, and hope things are looking up a little now that you are back working.
Hi Joan,
Thanks for your nice comment. It’s nice to hear that people actually do like seeing my posts. Things are definitely better for me when I can find enough work to pay my bills. 🙂
This trip should pay for my property taxes this year (I hope).
Hi Captain Jill. I haven’t been on wordpress in a very long time. I recently wrote a blog but I haven’t posted it because I am not sure I am ready to reveal what I am doing right now. It is not illegal, it just might be frowned upon by critics. Go ahead and get real if you are comfortable doing so. I think you will find you have a lot of support from your friends, and audience. I really admire you. Today I decided to so some reading on wordpress and you are the first person I thought of. You are truly inspirational. I have always wanted to captain my own boat and when I think about you as a captain of large ships, my mind is blown. It sounds so harrowing. Can’t wait to hear more… Stephanie in California.
Hi Stephanie,
Thank you so much for your comment. I really appreciate your support. I know what you mean about keeping your thoughts to yourself and wondering about what others may think. I’ve also been self-censoring, believe it or not!
I’ve about gotten to the point of not giving a damn anymore about what anyone else thinks. I mean, why should I care what people I don’t know and who don’t know me thinks? I’ve been told a few times already that things I’ve posted online have resulted in me not getting hired for various jobs. That hurts, but at this point I think it’s a LOT more important to speak out about what’s going on than my future job prospects. Seriously. I’m getting old and don’t have too many more years I’ll even be able to work. This industry is regulated by the US Coast Guard and they have physical standards that I may not be able to meet for very many more years. I’m pretty sure I’d be able to survive until I’m eligible for Social Security, even if I never work another day of my life. It won’t allow me to live anywhere near the way I’d like, but I will survive.
What concerns me more is the way I see the country destroying itself. I feel like I need to do whatever I can to help and all I can see to do is to try to get others to help convince the politicians to actually do their jobs and uphold the US Constitution and stop pandering to anyone who throws enough money at them! America is supposed to be a FREE country, NOT full of so many “laws” no one can even be sure of how many thousands there are- much less obey them!
I’m sure I piss off a lot of people with my political views. This blog was originally intended to be a travel blog and a way for me to work my way into being a ‘travel writer”. I may have blown that with all the other things I post about here, but I’ve found a lot of value in just posting about whatever I find interesting and interacting with all the people who take the time to comment.
I really hope you do get your own boat someday. I’d like to hear your stories. 🙂