I have a life outside of food. GASP! I know. I used to be better at showing it. Sometimes I still am. But most of the time I just share what I have been cooking, talk a little about the thoughts floating through my head, and then press "publish".
I think I am becoming compartmentalized. School. Home. Blog. Each fitting into their little boxes, only opened when it is the right time.
This is a good thing. For example, nobody in my everyday life wants to hear about my students all day long (except my husband, who loves to hear all about them every single day and listens to me tirelessly... or maybe he is just a good pretender. Ha!) and so I am pretty sure you don't want to hear about them every day, either.
Nobody in my everyday life wants to hear about food all day long, either. In fact, out of all of my friends of Facebook (all of whom are truly friends on varying degrees), only about 5% of them follow this blog. I know it's not because they don't support me (because they truly do!), but because, well, blog reading isn't for everyone.
It is a different issue on this end. While sharing details about life, about dreams, and so on are such an important part of blogging, you have to find a healthy, safe balance. Those of you who read regularly feel like you know me, and I feel like I know you. And you know what? I do believe you can know somebody and be friends long before you meet in person. But I am also aware that anybody can follow along. Anybody. And so you have to find that balance -- share enough to keep up a connection with your fellow blog friends, but don't share so much that stalkers and serial killers could find you. You know how it goes...
This has led me to a place where I have been having a hard time of thinking of things to write. Just being honest. Writing purely about food seems so boring, and so I don't do it. Sharing all the details of my life, well, that isn't going to happen. It has to be a balance. Food, life, love, observations... Food blogging is one of those things that isn't an exact science. What works for some doesn't work for others. I don't know the secret formula. But maybe you do... and that is one of the many beautiful things about blogging. I can ask you, whether or not I have ever met you in person. So please, tell me, how do you find that balance?
PS -- Edamame hummus. It's good, really good. And easy. Try it!
EDAMAME HUMMUS
SERVES 8 • PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES • TOTAL
TIME: 5 MINUTES
ingredients
- 1 cup thawed edamame (not in the shell)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 cloves of garlic
- juice of 1 lemon
- sea salt, to taste
- "Unprocessed" pita bread, for serving **I got my pita from Trader Joe's -- meaning it really came from the local bakery. No preservatives, no colorings, unbleached flour... "safe" for October Unprocessed
directions
- In a food processor, combine all
ingredients. Blend until
creamy. Add more olive oil, tahini,
or lemon juice if needed.
- Serve with pita chips (pita bread cut into
triangular eighths, brushed with olive oil and salt, baked for 12 minutes
at 400 degrees).
Unprocessed // 30 Min or Less //
Vegan
That looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteI totally understand your search for balance. I too struggle with sharing my feelings and life, but also leaving a space for privacy. My blog is very personal, but there are also many things I don't share, believe it or not.
Oh, I get it. And totally believe it. It would be a madhouse if we all shared EVERYTHING...
DeleteYum! So easy and looks so delish!
ReplyDeleteWe all have to figure out that balance and it's tooooootally okay to keep secrets. You don't have to lay everything out on your blog for the world to see. The readers that you do get to know and become friends with, well you can email back and forth where your stories are more private :) To me it seems like some people just lay it out there for the world to see, but we have to remember that we all have secrets that aren't fit for blog land!
Yes, exactly.
DeleteAnd thank you :)
Haha, I definitely try to separate my food blogging world from my other world outside of my computer. LOL. This is something I must try!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny how it goes both ways? We not only keep our private life OFF of the blog, but sometimes we keep it AWAY from the blog. I am always a little shy that my friends might be reading my words. Weird, but true.
DeleteI believe I could live off of this. Im such an edamame fan.
ReplyDeleteMe too. Edamame lover, right here.
Delete