It's a Departue

(Sorry for the title, I really couldn't resist. I have a thing for naming posts after songs, ok?)

It's been a while so I wanted to post a short update here, long overdue. I've been thinking for a long time about transitioning this blog from a personal life-story space to basically a space to catalog my thoughts and feelings towards the media I consume.

Every time I've gotten into another great story in the past several months, I've considered writing a post. Thinking "this is so good THIS will be the first of my new style of post!" but I still haven't done it! And now it's been a while for some of these!

I've got a short lineup of posts I will be working on and talking about soon. I don't yet know the order I will write or post them. But I want to get more into the habit of writing. Right now the list of topics stands as "Xena: Warrior Princess (TV show), Wonder Woman Rebirth (Comic series), Uncharted (game series), Horizon Zero Dawn (game), and possibly the Queen's Thief (book series). I will doubtlessly soon add The Last of Us (game) to the list, whenever I get around to buying and playing it. Now that I'm thinking of it I'm going to add Alice isn't Dead, Within the Wires, and The Adventure Zone (all podcasts) to the list too. Because I can.

I will still probably be including small life updates in these posts, but quite frankly there isn't that much to tell now. I'm a substitute teacher and I haven't really figured out what my summer is going to look like despite it basically starting next week. Moving on. In fact, that's one of the reasons I haven't made a blog post in so long, and one of the reasons I want to make this change.

When people say "I hate small talk" I always thought they means "I hate niceties" but I thin I kind of get it now. What I hate is when the only topic of conversation I have with people is me recounting the events of my own life, and my current emotional status, and me hearing about theirs. When a conversation starts "how are you?", followed by a brief answer, only to end and repeat itself the next day. I'm also tied of my own abuse of that space (and this one) to just spend my time complaining in the name of "honesty". In short: There are MUCH more interesting things to discuss than the events of my day! PLEASE let's discuss anything else. Anything that matters more and is more interesting. I don't mean to be rude but I don't especially want to talk just about your day either - I want to hear your thoughts on the more important, more interesting things too.

I have to say I am a bit intimidated by this space, even if it is of my own creation. The reason it's taken me so long is that I feel like I have to have something substantial and good to say before I post about it on here. It feels like I need more than just enthusiasm and appreciation of the topic. But I want to try and push past that. I want to try and use this space to tell you - and record for myself - why I like the things that I like. I may offer critique but this isn't really a space for that. I also would love if this were the spark of more discussion. I would love to hear what you love and why you love it. I'd love to hear your experience and take on the stories I will discuss.

Sometimes I feel like the only purpose I've found on this earth is to enjoy other people's art. And not even to enjoy it especially well. Not to know the art world well enough to be called someone with good taste. Not to critique and improve. Just to enthuse. Which, honestly, is a valuable skill for someone who struggles with depression. And one I cannot at all times deliver on. But I think gaining some practice in at least recording that enthusiasm instead of letting it waste away unheard might help.

I don't know if anyone still reads this blog or if anyone will continue to do so, but I want to thank whoever does. I'll be honest. I don't strive for the best possible content around here. I just talk, and pretend like someone is listening. So thank you for putting up with that and sticking around. I'd love to hear from you!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creatures here below. Praise him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Rissa