technology – Meg's Memoirs

I saw this article the other day by TheVerge: Bring Back Personal Blogging , and it got me thinking a lot about what makes a retro personal blog, the ways we blogged, and how it felt to blog in the 90’s.

Buy that domain name. Carve your space out on the web. Tell your stories, build your community, and talk to your people. It doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to be fancy. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. It doesn’t need to duplicate any space that already exists on the web — in fact, it shouldn’t. This is your creation. It’s your expression. It should reflect you.
TheVerge: Bring Back Personal Blogging

We wrote what we were thinking – at that moment

I remember just popping open LiveJournal and letting my fingers do the writing while I brain dumped all over the page. No editing. No SEO. Just what I was thinking, and wanted to say at that moment.

We updated DAILY

Again, we posted without abandon, without content calendars or specific niche topics. We used our personal blogs as an extension of our personal journals and daily diaries.

We got to know each other better

We were interested in our blog buddies and got invested in their lives. We wrote with a vulnerability that let people know more about who we are and shared our stories. We shared what projects we were working on, and our cringe poetry, song lyrics and (later) sometimes our blurry nokia phone pictures. We took online surveys about our favorite bands, stuff we have or havent done and what we liked to eat (that were later used for security question answers… whoops)

We kept up with IRL friends and we made new online ones. Some of us even met our spouses via blog, ahem.

We ACTUALLY READ.

Short form, forgettable, quick dopamine content is all the rage now. You scroll to the next FaceBook status, or TikTok quickly – never to be remembered again. Seems like a waste of time. I don’t know about you, but I’m trying to be more present in my life these days and social media is starting to make me feel … bad?

But, how about we live in the present moment and take 2-5 minutes to read about what band your friend saw the other night? I KNOW. SO MANY WORDS. TOO MUCH TIME – But I promise your brain can do it, again. Also, your time is better spent, your friend will love you forever when you bring it up IRL (or in the comment section) and have a memorable conversation about their favorite band.

We spent time in the comment section

(Later 90s)We spent time in the blog post comment sections and having conversations. We left long, thoughtful responses and connected. Everyone joined in. We created communities in those comment sections. No quick emoji reactions. What do you mean 😭 ? Do you really ❤️ it? WHY? I feel like leaving a comment on a blog gave better social cues (and as a neurodivergent, I need all the context I can get).

We owned our own content

Any of the big social media platforms we use today could shut down at any moment – taking your memories with them. I still have database back ups of everything I have ever written while blogging. Yes, we can back up and get a copy of our data off FaceBook. But how many times have you? How much to we really rely on these platforms with our curated documentation of our lives? And who is looking at it and what are they doing with it?

We lived first and then maybe blogged about it, later.

Our blogs never came to mind while we were doing something out in the world.
I never thought “Im so going to blog about this!” while I was sitting in class, or hanging out with my friends. We just did things and brain dumped it on our desktops with the giant monitors later.

I think that led to posts or entries that were more meaningful. Like when I graduated college, got engaged, decided to move across the country.

Do you want to bring back that blogging magic that was the 90’s personal blog with me?

Do you ever feel like creativity is that elusive lightning bolt, only striking when the conditions are just right? It’s like waiting for that sudden, electrifying jolt of inspiration to light up your mind and spark your next big project?

Well, as someone juggling life with a beautifully chaotic, neurodivergent brain, wrangling the wild ride of parenting, and managing the entrepreneurial hustle — I’ve realized something:

Creativity can’t just be a one-off guest appearance. It’s got to be a regular feature in my life for my health, my sanity, and my overall well-being.

So, I am making creativity a consistent part of my day. By exploring new things, diving into fresh experiences, and understanding my own rhythm, I can keep my creative practice not just alive, but thriving! It’s about being authentic and intentional—making creativity not just a visitor, but a cherished housemate. So here’s to turning every day into an adventure and letting creativity be the star of the show!

Make Showing Up a Habit

When I finally carve out time to enter my creative space, I want it to feel like stepping into an alternate universe where time stands still and worries hit the pause button. Just a few minutes in this magical realm can shift my entire perspective (though let’s be honest, I’d love to stay there forever!). The trick is making this a regular habit—like my morning coffee ritual. Hmm, maybe with my morning coffee?

Showing up to my creativity is showing up for myself.

Exploring New Tech

I’m constantly drawn to the thrill of new tech. I have a cool collection of what I like to call my creative droid army. My motley crew of 3D printers, regular printers, cutters, sewing gizmos, and lasers has grown over the years – and some I haven’t touched in a long time, or have been too intimidated to use.

It’s not just about picking up a new skill (though that’s pretty nifty); it’s about embarking on a whole new adventure. Each beep, whirr, and buzz from these little creative companions is like a warm hug to me.

I need to pay more attention to my creative droids.

Child-like artistic play

When you walk down this aisle , do you feel it too?

Honestly, I’ve got so many art supplies stashed away that I’ve yet to even touch—waiting for the “perfect” project. But why wait? I can just grab a sketchbook and start doodling without a plan, like I did when I was a kid. Remember those days? When a blank page was the universe, and a crayon was your magic wand? Yeah, let’s bring that back! Sometimes, the best masterpieces come from a good ol’ fashioned play session. So, here’s to getting messy and letting creativity run wild!

Gathering inspiration

I could leave the house (yikes, I am such a homebody) and visit a local maker space or pick up a hobby that’s always piqued my interest but I have yet to try. My bookshelf has a stack of books that are a treasure trove of ideas. Documentaries, workshops, or online classes can spark a thought that might grow into something beautiful. I LOVE watching movies and stories of all kinds…

Sharing on Social Media

I have no problem sharing my professional portfolio because it doesn’t feel as vulnerable as sharing my personal creative work. I want to share my creative side to find my tribe and inspire, even though it scares the heck out of me.

Setting Realistic Goals

But as a recovering perfectionist, I know how easy it is to set the bar too high and feel overwhelmed. So, it’s crucial for me to set realistic goals and recognize small wins along the way.

And rest? Well, that’s a crucial part of the process, too.

If you want to bring more creativity into your life, I hope my experiences inspire you to embrace and share your creative journey, too.

Let’s support each other and create something beautiful together!

Bringing Back Blogging like it’s 1999!