Ending the Post A Day Challenge

I took up The Daily Post’s Post A Day challenge in 2011, meaning that I did my best to post something every day last year. I missed a few days (mainly because I’d been out with friends later than I expected), but overall, I’ve done surprisingly well — nearly 99% of the year. Although I’m not necessarily proud of everything I posted last year, I do feel a sense of accomplishment from having stuck to it. One year, however, was enough. Obviously, I haven’t committed myself to posting everyday this year. 

2011: A Year In Blog Posts

Since I’ve been posting every day this year, my blog has, in some senses, taken the place of a journal for me this year. The highlights, the low points, the important decisions and processing to be done — nearly all of it has been recorded in some form or fashion. I’ve looked through my posts from this year and have seen how they have covered how 2011 has gone for me. This is the result.

Five Things I’m Afraid to Write About

The Daily Post’s Topic #274: Make a list of 5 things you’re afraid to write about

While I was brainstorming for this post, I couldn’t think of a whole lot of topics — I’ve published over three hundred posts, and I’ve covered a fairly wide range of topics. As I was writing it, however, I kept thinking of new things that I’ve found myself avoiding. I may end up making another post titled “Five Additional Things About Which I’m Afraid to Write” (yes, ending the title with a preposition bothers me a little, although it’s clearly not stopping me). 

Wedding Weekend

My best friend and her fiance are getting married tomorrow! The wedding weekend is finally here, and I couldn’t be happier for them. Between work and the wedding festivities (bachelorette party last night, wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner tonight), however, I have barely been home (literally — I left for work yesterday morning and didn’t get back until about half an hour ago) and thus have had no chance to write blog posts. 

Happy (Belated) 1st Birthday To My Blog

On September 8th of last year, I posted Beyond Bryn Mawr’s very first post. Since I don’t keep track of anniversaries quite as well as I’d like, this post will commemorate the year-and-a-day anniversary of my blog. Congratulations, Beyond Bryn Mawr, you’ve come a long way.

Blogging About Prison Abolition

I have referred to prison abolition numerous times on my blog. I have not, however, devoted a post specifically to prison abolition. For a number of reasons, really — how could I condense everything I want to say into one post? There’s also a lot of pressure for that one post to be perfect: it’s an important topic. I want for learning about prison abolition to change people’s minds, people’s worldviews, people’s lives. And I don’t think I’m the person to do that.

The Weirdness of Having a Public Blog

It’s a kind of weird having such a public blog. Partly because the quality of writing (especially since starting The Daily Post’s Post A Day challenge) is not always up to my personal standards — it’s a little embarrassing for so many people to see posts that I’ve just thrown together after almost running out of time. Mostly, though, it’s odd because a lot of what I write about is rather personal. Oh, I suppose my blog isn’t truly public in the sense that it doesn’t show up in a Google search of my name (yet — I check on a regular basis), but it’s visible to everyone, and I link to it on Facebook, so most of the people in my life could easily read it.

The Thoughts That Got Away

Describe the one who got away.

Every night, as I attempt to fall asleep, my mind just doesn’t want to shut down. Ideas fly through my head — emails I need to send to friends, blog post ideas, conversations to have, thoughts about what I’m doing tomorrow or what I want to do with my life — it’s as though turning the lights off makes my brain go double-time.

I Just Can’t Do This Right Now

I know I said that I would respond to yesterday’s blog post about Aura Blogando’s response to SlutWalk today. I should, and I will, but just not today. I just can’t do it right now. Emotionally, mentally, I need some time. A few minutes ago, I finished reading one of the most blatantly transphobic pieces I’ve read in a long time (on FoxNews.com about Chaz Bono) — someone linked to it on Facebook, and I ignored the voice in my head telling me to just skip it. And the sheer transphobia of it (not at all masked by a pretense of pseudo-science) just makes me want to cry. Usually, I’d dismiss it as the utter b.s. it is, or I’d get angry and in the mood to fight injustice. But right now, it just makes me want to cry, or hide, and that’s how I can tell I need a break. 

From Exploring Trans to Beyond Bryn Mawr: Blogging Changes Within the Past Year

A little over a year ago, I started a blog dealing specifically with my personal trans journey that I titled “Exploring Trans.” I wasn’t yet publicly out as trans, so I kept it mostly private and unconnected to the rest of my life. It allowed me to express my frustrations and confusion without needing to burden or educate any specific person. The anonymity of it allowed me to be more honest, more uncensored, than I would generally be — I was basically writing to strangers, not to people who know me, people with whom I interact. However, since coming out and finding trans / genderqueer / gender-knowledgeable community of my own, I’ve essentially abandoned my old trans blog in favor of posting here. Now, my old blog posts function more as a way to remind me where I’ve been, mentally, over the past year of my gender journey.