Starting a new blog

By Lisa Chandler, 25 April, 2023
Me upside down at Vital Kinetics.

If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day. - E.B. White

I've been hanging out in this liminal space of late, toggling between a life with more leisure and a life of service. It's a privileged space to be in, and one I can feel guilty about- the time to contemplate ideas, the choice to engage or not. It makes me want to chronicle what I have accomplished since announcing my sabbatical. It would help me feel justified in my existence to list all the ways I am not a lady of leisure. But since I'd like to find a new relationship with productivity equaling worthiness, I will resist.

I haven't written a public word since November. To write can be seductively sweet and bitterly challenging. I've usually made it the later though exacting standards and by not having a regular practice. This meant that every time I wrote a blog post, I did so from a standing start. My objectives were to market my business, to inform or to educate, and sometimes enlighten. I am intrigued what writing can become for me if I drop perfection, practice often and write for the sake of capturing and arranging words that tell stories and solidify memories and learning.

That I am writing now is only because Peter created this URL and did all the leg work to set me up. For decades (and way before I knew him) he has beautifully woven his own words together to share his enjoyment of the world while working to improve it all the while. I am grateful he's tenaciously led me here and inspired me to write more too. 

In this space, I want to write for me. I intend to be honest, playful, exploratory, bold and creative. I intend to share beauty and heartache. I am curious who LisaChandler.is becoming as I find my own path, perhaps quite a different path, of world enjoyment and improvement. I relish the idea of creating a body of words that brings me much enjoyment and also helps me improve the world. We'll see. 

For now, I'll press publish on post #1.