So this is what a hangover is. I don’t remember this picture being taken. Why am I putting this on the internet?
I was eating a PB&J out of tinfoil during class and thinking about blogging, as I often do. I had recently read a friend’s blog that he just started a few months ago and doesn’t update very often. Its future doesn’t look good—a few more months it will likely become another blog corpse silently occupying net space. As I read his first tentative posts, I was reminded of my own blogging beginnings that stretch back to my senior year of high school.
It was a secret blog, called The Drevet (now deleted), and I posted a mere two times. The first one was the obligatory and awkward, “Hello world,” in which it seemed I was preparing to face all of humanity and be utterly rejected. It was the kind of introduction that set the bar so low even I couldn’t reach it. After only two months I stopped thinking about The Drevet and life moved on.
As I continued to reminisce and munch on my sandwich, I stumbled across another phase of beginnings: college. At this point, I suddenly realized the striking similarity between getting drunk for the first time and blogging for the first time.
When I first overindulged, not a moment before I turned twenty one (wink), I was fascinated with the very experience of it. “Wow,” I thought, “so this is what being drunk is like.” It didn’t matter what came next in the evening because we were already having an awesome time through the act of inebriation itself, which was to us was inherently interesting.
In the beginning, I was also captivated by the phenomenon of blogging. The fact I could publish whatever I wanted for strangers to read and maybe enjoy was both thrilling and terrifying. And just as newbies feel awkward around alcohol, like they’re doing something taboo and exciting, I would get nervous in front of the computer screen, staring at the blank blog post box and wondering what I would say to the world. What if someone actually read it?
As a baby lush, I felt the constant need to discuss my level of sloshedness with my fellow drinkers, “I’m not drunk guys,” “Do I seem drunk?” “I’m drunk drunk drunk drunk drunk,” etc. To everyone else this kind of blathering indicated it was time to change conversation partners. The more experienced drinkers had already found out that being drunk is not interesting or special, but to me the topic was endlessly engrossing for everyone and worth repeating dozens of time in the same night.
Similarly, in the first blog posts, I was self conscious about the fact I was blogging and tended to talk about the act itself, how it was hard to think of something to write or that I didn’t think anyone was reading it (no one was), and the end result was that I wouldn’t say anything at all and my predictions would come true. And just like a group of okay friends that get drunk at home hoping for something exciting to happen and then end up going to bed early, I wasted the potential of blogging by using it in a sarcastic and apathetic manner, only to defeat myself in the end.
Through many unfortunate nights and some unfortunate blogposts, I learned the real magic comes with a critical combination of both substance and medium: blogging and content, or alcohol and activities. But like most things, this is the kind of lesson that one must learn through their own experience, though we hope for our own sakes that newcomers learn it before anyone heads to the bathroom to vomit.
And my metaphorical vomiting days aren’t over yet. I will always be learning both how to drink better and how to blog better.
Snotting black 
I love when you write down everything of the complexity, the suffocating world inside your head and heart into this writing. My limited language still able to perceive it.. regards
I’m glad it was accessible. Thanks for stopping by.
it’s a pleasure, hey greetings and regards from tropical islands.. 🙂
Thanks for writing this. I just started blogging a few weeks ago and am having fun with it! (hope I’m not causing too much vomiting) I’ll have to ask my 4 followers… 🙂
Just make sure you keep having fun! A little vomiting never hurt anyone.
Hmmmm this makes me think I shouldn’t be “getting sober” and “starting blogging” in the same week… great presentation and love your writing style 🙂
You could start a blog about getting sober…..glad you enjoyed it!
Good God, I started blogging with the exact same message: Hey, look at me, I’m blogging! I think I likened blogging to standing over a subway grate and having my skirt blown up over my face. And I thought I was being terrifically original. Loved this post– articulate and fun.
Sooner or later we all have to fact the fact that the Simpsons has already done everything. We can only do it in slightly different ways. Thanks for stopping by!
So this is what a hangover is. I don’t remember this picture being taken. Why am I putting this on the Internet?
Because you are beautiful!
Well now I’m blushing.
At least drinking wasn’t scary… 😦
That’s true….unless you happened to be drinking in an abandoned orphanage. For me it helped to remember that if I was happy with the post, then that’s all that mattered.
Have you ever thought you might have a blogging problem?
Daily. I consider that daily.
Reblogged this on natestv.
I enjoyed this. Given how well written this post is, I’d say it’s great that you perservered.
When I first started writing I went through the same process but with one additional stage. I created a niche blog (about film) and kept at it for almost a year before I realised it was far too constraining. Perhaps it works for some people, for me it just became tiresome as my interests changed over time.
Niches definitely work for a lot of people. I personally like having a lot of freedom in what I blog about, so I’m with you. Persevere!
I have been blogging roughly weekly for 6 1/2 years. I guess that makes me an alcoholic.
Well….yes it does. It’s not so bad off the bandwagon.
Crumbs… I’ve just started blogging and it feels like my first ever pint of shandy… When it comes to post party vomit you should see the design mess I’ve made of my page. What can I say – I’m the new kid who can;t hold his metaphorical booze…
I promise I’ll sober up blog wise and behave like a proper grown up… eventually.
Great blog.
Thanks for stopping by, and it’s okay to be sloppy at the beginning…and every now and then after that.
I’m here courtesy of the FP notice, and yay! I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read so far. Way to be awesome.
In the analogy, what kind of weird drinking game is going on when people share a blog and take turns posting?
Hmm…sharing a drink maybe? Though that’s not really a game, per say. Maybe it’s getting two different drinks and spitting and swapping. Or if you don’t want to drink too much you share with someone else. Just some ideas.
Mm. The good old alcoholspitswap.
The analogy is funny, and I feel it in a similary way since I blog too. We’re a lot tented to write but come a time where we see it with an other eye, time makes is job. Oups, sorry for my ugly english :), i’m probably not very clear.
Vomitiquement Vôtre… 🙂
haha I love the tag! Let’s just say I would sound even worse if I tried to write in another language.
:).
You know, Baudelaire said that in life we must get drunk with all we can, get drunk with sound of birds, get drunk with (fran)tic-tic-toc of clockwork :), get drunk with love, get drunk with wine, with everything you find, make your choice and do what your preference dictate to you but get drunk with something! It’s THE way to the muse and Perception. And I will modestly add: get drunk with writing. Sculpt the expressions and words to emerge new forms, so new significations. “Man pass through forests of symbols” (Baudelaire)
Pffff… Frenglish 🙂 …
The same in french (sorry…): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aIW0sWUpZs&feature=share
Good adventures in Writingland! Warf!
kudos, enjoyed it a lot 😉 writing is about your readers, we have a responsibility to them. you’re right, it is about the substance and medium. Like it a lot 🙂
Thanks for dropping by and commenting!
Whoa !! Maybe that’s why we are humans 😀 Nice post !!
Please check out my latest post – http://raajtram.com/2012/03/12/my-dad-says/
And even my new PhotoBlog – http://raajclicks.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/oh-i-love-my-laptop/
Humanity rocks.
Good read! I drink while blogging often. Is that a bad thing?
Only if you want quality content without spelling errors.
Ernest Hemingway would disapprove of this message. “Write drunk; edit sober,” he once said.
Not that I condone the practice of inebriated blogging. A blogger would probably lose a few readers if he/she kept it up.
If I could write like Hemingway I’d likely have the same philosophy. Why separate two activities that are so fun?
Congratulations on getting Freshly Pressed!!! 🙂 I am taking full credit for it. Why? Because for the third consecutive day, WordPress has FP’d one of my blog buddies, and yes you are one, so the connection is obvious. I’m just a burning hunk of WP FP good luck! (except for my own blog, apparently. lol)
But why did they FP you under the tag of “food”? Oh, I see… it was because you were “eating a PB&J out of tinfoil” LOL! That’s hysterical! 🙂 Ya gotta love FP! Ya just gotta…LOL
But seriously you deserve the recognition and I hope that lots of people read this post as well as your other posts here, because I really enjoy your sense of humor and your style of writing.
Chris! what does it take to make you a WP “friend”? Maybe that’s all that stands between plain old me and proud FP’ed me.. 🙂
Thanks Chris! I love the FP categories—I was FP back in August for “fashion,” which, based on this picture especially, is something in which I should never be considered an expert.
You certainly deserve complete credit. May the WordPress gods look favorably upon you in the coming months. But who knows which way their whims will blow?
Thanks for reading and for your kind words again!
Great post. I revisit the inebriation experience myself, but less frequently than in my youth. The intoxication that comes with posting to the web is ongoing even though the ramblings are much less fun to read than yours. The web is a great medium for recording our remembrances and sharing them with others. The world. Thanks for sharing yours.
Thanks for reading! I am fascinated by the idea that everyone’s skull is an entire universe.
This was awesome! Thank you!
I appreciate it!
what is D for drinking..in a ghos town…whithout…the..aroma of the coffee brown..and smiley..woulf of the town..wihout it has beeen…hypnotised..before reached..the …corner of my bed ??…I like the beer too…..some use beer..some use…pot…some use….you name it !!!
The future is now.
Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed. Comments, likes, you better continue blogging! At least until your guest post is over! Seriously, I’m happy for you.
Thanks so much! I will certainly continue blogging if only for the sake of the guest post—-something good is cooking up. I can already taste it!
I recognise all the symptoms. But then what about the later stages when all the excitement is gone and all you’re left only with is the insatiable urge to check your stats again and again. Hooked on the endless analysis of your own site traffic, and thoughts about how the next post will change all that, thoughts that interrupt your train of unthoughts as you glide towards sleep. Oh dear, you have become a blogoholic…
I refuse to be a stats slave. Except for Sundays.
This reminds me of a quote I recently posted on my own site- “I am a drinker with writing problems.” I do both – sometimes together! And, yes, this can lead to an additional “morning after” experience . . .
haha I love it. The morning after experiences are part of the package.
it’s been years since i drank, or was drunk. but i do remember the hangover. which is how i feel after glaring at a computer screen for what seems like forever, trying to end a post with a bang. . .the remedy is the same for a hangover, hair of the dog. i get right back on said computer.
As we say on the prairie: You can’t ride to town if you don’t get on the horse.
Being a relatively new blogger, and not much of a drinker, I can relate a little bit.
Well I hope it was just enough!
Hi, that was cute! Is that an OK word to use? I really like it, and I’m pretty sure we can all relate… the embarrassment, the regretting, the oh-well-there’s-nothing-I-can-do-about-it-now! I’m inspired.
Annie
http://www.dirtyblondeink.com
If cute can be used to refer to fuzzy animals, you can use it to refer to this post. Thanks for reading! Blog on!
I’m a newbie blogger, and I have posted a total of two posts, both of which have been about blogging, and neither of which is very well written, and my blog seems to be headed for the “blog corpse” fate, so I found this post quite helpful. Thank you!
Corpse no more! Be a vibrant blog!
This post reminds me of my first sad attempts of blogging. It started when I was about 16 years old – and oh god, the teenage angst. Needless to say that the motivation for blogging didn’t last too long. Seven years later (which is now, just for the record), my life changed when I decided to move away from home to a foreign country. Now, the blogging has an actual meaning and it’s my personal – yet, very public – way to deal with the ups and downs, the pros and the cons of living on my own, experiencing a whole new culture with all new people. I’m glad I gave blogging another chance! 🙂
I’m sure there are many people that feel the same way–the expatriate life is certainly an interesting one to blog about. Thanks for stopping by.
Hmm. This post ironically comes at a time when I am trying to cut alcohol out of my life. Thanks for nothing. ;D
-Steven
—————–
Stalkers & Bubble Tea? Who knew they would go SO WELL together.
Haha you’re welcome for nothing!
Very true indeed!
i do not know ,but not all
Well…I think Obama knows.
pretty awesome. love the comparison
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I love your style of writing and found myself actually reading the “whole” blog post (sorry, no offense intended toward other bloggers)…..And yes, now that you mention it this blogging thing is a bit like drinking for the first time and I hope to learn to control my appetite for it just as I do with my wine. Thank you for your insight!
And still the simile goes deeper. Thanks for reading!
Reblogged this on My Life. My Way. and commented:
This is absolutely awesome! ❤
Thanks bunches!
no problem!
LMFOA!!! This is frickn hiliarious and real for any blogger old or newbies out there!
Thanks a bushel!
I’m a new blogger and this is kind of how I feel… but I blog anyway. You don’t know until you try it! 🙂
Exactamente, mi amiga.
very humane and touching! there are many similarities in life. it just takes a little bit of introspection to figure them out.
Thanks for coming by and reading.
the pleasure is all mine. keep up the great work…
I was laughing aloud through almost this entire post! So true. It’s like during the blogging experience, I just black out (sort of like Will Ferrell in Old School) and find myself saying, “What just happened?” Thank you for sharing your post. You are very talented with words and congrats on being freshly pressed!
Thanks so much! I very much appreciate it.
Hmmmmm…..maybe that’s what I’m doing wrong……..I should have started drinking FIRST!!
Whatever works for you!
Great read. Sometimes I think I’ll get drunk and then blog but my wife reminds me that I do just fine being an asshole while sober. Besides, me drinking and blogging would amount to a visit from the secret service. That I can do without.
Good job and congrats on FP!
Thanks very much and good luck to you staying out of any secret prisons!