Lately, I've been having to search my own blog more and more to make sure that I haven't told a story or presented a certain perspective already. Often, a thought occurs to me and I think a particular topic would make a good post but I don't always have the time to sit down and write when the thought is in mind. At this point in time, I can't always easily recall if I've just thought of writing about the topic or actually written about it.
It seems I've reached the point where I'm in serious danger of repeating myself so I'm searching for keywords and trying to track down previous posts on similar themes. While I don't mind writing something new on a topic I've discussed before, I am annoyed at the idea of actually repeating myself like some doddering old grandma who tells the same story again and again to an audience doing its best to politely stifle a yawn.
In fact, in real life, this is something that I seem to find myself doing more than in the past. While the first (and perhaps obvious) conclusion to reach would be that my bulb is growing dimmer as I journey over the age of 40, I think the real reason for this is that I'm talking to more people about varied topics than ever before. It's easy to forget who you've told what stories or bits of information to when you're talking to 10-15 people a week. I've noticed that my husband, who talks to vastly greater numbers of people than I, suffers from this problem as well and has taken to prefacing his news with things like, 'have I told you before...'.
While I'm doing my best to always offer a different perspective, idea, or tale in each post, I'm sure there will be times when I fail to track down a previous post because I've used the wrong keyword or missed a paragraph as I scan back through old entries. I hope my kind-hearted readers will be patient with this old grandma when she tells the same story again as it will inevitably happen.
Hello, Shari! It's been a long time since I've been here.. SORRY (-_-)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think when you blog for quite some time you can't avoid but to repeat the same topic on some of the post you had posted before. But if you yourself can't remember it, there's a greater chance of your readers might not remember it as well.. ;P hehehe...
I think I do that often repeating the same topic, tale, perspective etc. because I think as long as I am not over it there's really a great probability that I'll post it again and again.
So it's just OK, don't worry about it too much.
Have a good weekend and take care!
Hi, Mitzh! It's good to hear from you again.
ReplyDeleteI actually have a good memory for the most part and I have perfectionist tendencies (though I'm trying hard to soften them).
Thanks for your kind and reassuring words. It's very appreciated. You have a great weekend, too!
Why don't you let your readers take votes on what to write? Or nominate subjects for you, at least.
ReplyDeleteMy vote goes to: health care in Japan.
lol. Because I don't think I have that many readers. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAlso, most of my readers have their own blogs and could discuss any topic they were interested in.
I think Luis at BlogD has written quite a bit about the health care situation in Japan. I actually have relatively limited experience with it beyond paying thousands of dollars in health insurance bills. :-p
Shari,
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons I loved guiding tours of Japan was the opportunity to tell my old, worn but still serviceable stories to a new audience each time.
As a practical issue, can you use the "Spotlight" feature on your Mac to search for your blog's key words?
But I would not worry about a certain amount of repetition. Even if it's the same story, you're likely to have a slightly different take on it.
Wally Wood
I have a quote in my head, whose author I cannot quite place:
ReplyDelete"You learn more by climbing one mountain a hundred times, than from climbing a hundred mountains once"
Repetition is not a bad thing. Repetition is not a bad thing. Repetition is...
Shari: I love reading your blog because it lets me see japan from the viewpoint of the "average joe" so to speak. It is just good to see a perspective on a place that isn't all from the tourists' pov. I like reading your blog for those little moments when we get to see the dirt under your fingernails. I think the posts I like the best are the ones about everyday living, what it is like to go to the store, what they don't have over there, the weird products and relations with other people. So keep up the good work, and don't feel that you have to have something super fresh every week. I read your blog everyday. I think like many I sometimes read the post but dont' have anything to say about it.
ReplyDeleteEven if you rewrite a topic you forgot you had posted before, often you will include something that you did not previously and it adds a little different insight so it is not a complete waste of time.
ReplyDeleteWally: Hi there. :-) I can actually use Firefox to find keywords but sometimes they occur so frequently that it makes me skim too quickly. It's more of a failing on my part than my software.
ReplyDeleteChris: That's an excellent saying and it did make me think. I guess as a climber it's the sort of thing you would have heard.
cmuwriter: I really appreciate that you read everyday and I completely understand that not everyone has something to say. After all, I read a lot of blogs and don't always comment on things!
tornados28: You make a good point, though I'll still try to avoid obviously retreading the same territory.
I want to thank all of you for your kind encouragement and comments. I feel quite reassured that no one is going to become impatient if I inadvertently repeat myself. You guys are the best!