If you own or operate a blog in the English-speaking world it’s required by law of all Current & Former Members of the British Empire that you compose a post within the first two (2) weeks of the year to support or discount the idea of New Year’s Resolutions. You must firmly state your opinion on the topic and/or why you refuse to have an opinion. It’s best if you wax eloquent about how your life is secretly superior to those of the opposing view, or anyone who takes part in Resolution Making/Bashing. A personal anecdote or two should reinforce your point. But an air of superiority is absolutely essential.
*ahem*
I jest.
(sort of)
I’m generally phlegmatic on the topic of Resolutions and their usefulness to humanity. If it works for you, good. If it doesn’t, fine. If you hate the idea for some strange reason, and want the rest of the English Speaking World to know about it. That’s okay too, I guess. Plenty of digital ink has been spilled over other inane topics.
So choose your side, and have at it.
More power to you… if you’re into that self empowerment thing, or, whatever…
I do have some new ideas for the blog though, so that’s what I’m filling out this post with.
So far I’ve written mostly self-help style articles for Stay at Home Writer Dads on the topics of time management, publishing markets, and general writing advice. I intend to keep those up for the most part, try to make them a little less boring, and also mix in a little variety spice to this stew of weblogerry.
A New Name
I find that having a website named after myself, even with all my inner braggadocio and self-aggrandizing fantasies, still feels a bit off-putting. At least to me. So, I’ve decided to rename the blog. It’ll now be called “The Pickled Cucumber.” What is a pickled cucumber? A pickle. I find that funny. Because puns and self-referential humor are the 10w30 that keep my brain gears chugging smoothly. Things like this little nugget:
On Content
Some people want more stuff about my kid. Mostly because my daughter is cute. They want to hear about her cuteness. Actually they just want pictures of her, and couldn’t care less about what I write. So… yeah, I’ll try to accommodate that.
Secondly, I’ve been doing quite a bit of research for upcoming projects recently. I enjoy research. I enjoy sharing what I learn and getting feedback on it. So, on occasion I plan on putting together some “20 things you never knew about *insert random topic*” type posts. I think it’ll be fun. We’ll see.
I also plan on putting my neophyte Photoshop skills to work creating more meme cruft to clutter the back alleys of the internet.
Example:
So there you have it. Pick your side in the Resolution battle. Commit, fully commit to your position. Bludgeon anyone who disagrees with you. Then, make your way over to thepickledcucumber.com to read about writing, random trivia, wordplay, and pictures of my cute kid.
Happy 2014.
About Joshua Rigsby
Joshua Rigsby runs an independent bookstore in a small Georgia town. His writing has been featured on Thrillist, Atlas Obscura, Southern California Public Radio, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Atlantic.
One response to “Obligatory New Year’s Post: 2014”
Love it! More pics of the cute kid! Yes!