I love my blog.  I love thinking about what I’m going to write; I love writing in the morning after I eat my omelet; I love looking through my pictures to pick just the right one to insert.  But lately, I have been noticing a strange occurrence that hasn’t happened to me since around 9th grade:  the incessant desire to have someone “like” my post.  Seeing that little orange square light up in the right hand corner, with a number, just waiting for me to click it and see the update.  Pitiful, really.  This really just comes back to a letter my dad wrote me when I was around 14…just be happy with yourself and make good choices, and don’t worry so much about what others are thinking.  Aaagghh!  Have I now reverted to middle school angst?!

Another interesting occurrence is happening also:  I am turning into Lisa Lyons, Roving Reporter.  Like the other day in the restaurant with the cracker basket episode.  I looked at the crackers, looked at my husband, and stated, “This would be a great blog!”  Then I ran out to the car, grabbed the camera, and began to take pictures like I worked for LIFE magazine or something.  🙂

People always say that writers need to live their lives in order to write about life; writers need to “write what they know.”  So it’s important to really live life and be fully awake to what’s going on around you.  But here’s the interesting thing…writing this blog has helped me to do this.  In writing about life and Ireland and music and God, it has made me infinitely more aware of what is going on around me.

All in all, I’m thankful for this blog.  I’m thankful that it’s helping me to wake up.  I hope that it might inspire someone else to do the same.  And yes, I’m still looking in the right hand corner for the lit-up orange “like” button!  🙂    Slainte, Lisa