The Good Ol' Single Days

Blogging: better single, or taken?

I'll admit, my blogs have steadily decreased in hilarity since I've been in a relationship.  I remember while I was on the manhunt, my sense of humor was crazy and even a little rated R (code: perverted) at times.  It was fun, though, blogging about all the bad dates I went on, the guys with weird habits, the mom's that still insisted to meet the girl before he went on a real date with her.  Those were good times.

I recently logged onto an old account that I used in secret to bitch about a guy I was seeing last spring.  I read it, and was intrigued, even though I was the author and had obviously already read this.

Boy, was it dramatic.  But funny.  I got locked inside a mall after a movie, and all of the escalators and elevators were shut down for the night, so we had to walk up several flights of stairs to find an exit.  We kept going out the wrong doors to find the right parking lot.  We were laughing the entire time, but still, this wouldn't have happened on a normal date with my Chris.  Usually we go on dates in early afternoon, when everything is still very much open.  We don't do late night escapades, and we stopped be spontaneous around six months ago.  The most spontaneous thing we've done in a month was running out to get steaks at 8 PM because we saw them on a show and they looked good.  MAN was that an adventure. 

One time I decided to go out bar hopping with my friends and the guy I was seeing, and planned on having a great time.  My old best friend showed up with her new man, but my former fling.  He was wearing the same exact t-shirt as my then current love interest and they both had mohawks.  AWKWARD...but it makes for a good story.  It was an adventure.  Trying explaining why both guys looked almost identical to each other to your friends.  It wasn't my doing, I swear (insert evil laugh here).

I had something to say all the time.  Some nutso story to report.  I had nights out (and in) with my girl friends that will forever go down in history.  I used to be known as the Running Drunk, because every time I was out drinking, I'd get the urge to just run away from wherever I was.  It seems immature and stupid now, but back then, it was hilarious to my friends and I, and I liked writing about it.  It was fun.  I just never knew what would happen next.

Nowadays, it takes a little more than my daily experiences to blog about something interesting.  Some days I can't think of a damn thing to write.  I get tired of blogging about work, I don't like relaying every personal thing about my relationship to a website, and really, that's all my life is.  It was so much easier when I was single to come up with ideas to write about.

But, I've become more creative and a better writer being taken.  This last year while living in domestic bliss I've found I have to research farther out of my comfort zone to come up with interesting things to blog about, or even talk about.  I think this is a natural process for writers.  Eventually, we have to dig deeper to come up with ideas that match the outstanding ones before it. 

I think about Stephen King, and all of his novels, and it amazes me.  How did he keep putting out book after book without running out of ideas?  The truth is, even he admits he was having trouble coming up with new storyline ideas for a bit.  Danielle Steele is another author that seems to have a neverending list of ideas in her head that she just keeps pumping out.

We can't expect our "next great novel" to come from nowhere.  It comes from somewhere.  We are inspired by everything that surrounds us, but how do we reel that in, to create a piece of written work that other people will enjoy, and maybe also be inspired by?  When we live in a monotonous life (not that I don't enjoy it, sometimes I like how not exciting my life is), where the hell are we supposed to get these grand ideas from?

I'm happy to be where I am.  It is really tough sometimes, being in a relationship and keeping things easy-going and stable while all of hell is breaking loose on the outside.  Bills need to be paid.  Work needs to be done.  The bunnies need to be fed (or kids, in most couple's situations).  But sometimes I miss being the single girl blogger, getting a laugh and good story out of horror movie dates and adventures with my girls.  Now, I have to use my brain a little more, though, and that's probably a good thing.

Before, I would get headaches if I had to think too much.  Now, my right eye just twitches.