Joanne and I had a rare afternoon going to see a movie down at Glenelg without the kids for our fifteenth wedding anniversary. One of the simple pleasures was just having a wander around the bookstores in Jetty Road without the worry or pressure of the boys - just browsing and checking out exactly what was of interest. I don't get to read that many of the recommended reads from my PLN simply because Aussie bookstores stock very few of those titles. One book did catch my eye, a book that I remember Kim Cofino recommending called No Logo by Naomi Klein, and I purchased it. That still amazes me that an American teacher working in Bangkok can recommend a book to read for me here in Adelaide. Another book by Seth Godin grabbed my attention but at around A$35.00 for the hardcover, I only glanced at it briefly. The blurb on the back was enough to help me understand where I've been going wrong on this blog for quite a while.

I've been really struggling with this blog for some time now. Posts have not come easily for the last six months or so and I haven't felt like that I've had anything important to write for quite a while. It wasn't quite blogger's block but a sense of that the longer I left this space alone, the greater chance of it turning into one of those blogs that gradually becomes one of those spots in the aggregator where after a while you notice, "Well, that person hasn't posted for a long time. Wonder if they will ever post again or should I just unsubscribe?"

(Footnote: Rachel Boyd, if you're reading, your blog is one that I'd love to read again on a regular basis.)

What I got from the back of Seth's book is that a blog is a place to write about ideas. I reckon that would be a good starting point to get back to writing here on a regular and passionate basis like I was a year or so ago. I don't have to wait until I have achieved something of interest in the classroom, have a grand theory relating to the role of technology or a new Web 2.0 tool to evaluate.

I just need to write about an idea. No more fretting about the worth of my thoughts. No more waiting until I have enough background. My readers will help to fill in the gaps and point out the gaps in my thinking. For now, it's time to simplify my expectations for this blog and focus on one thing.

My idea.

Image credit: http://flickr.com/photos/charlotteinaustralia/2797345622/