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slow blogging



The Slow Movement challenges the "cult of speed" - described by Carl Honore in his 2004 book In Praise of Slow. Honore sees himself as a radical activist who, in a world of ever growing and developing technologies, reminds us we must not forget human needs . I am a fan of slowness and to me gardening epitomizes this philosophy. Gardens develop over time, and the act of gardening is an investment in a future that is never completely predicable. Gardening can be a meditative, reflective, mindful process - as well as an outcome. This blog used to be called Slow Garden.

And now to my delight, I discover Slow Blogging. The Slow Blog Manifesto starts off: "Slow Blogging is a rejection of immediacy. It is an affirmation that not all things worth reading are written quickly, and that many thoughts are best served after being fully baked and worded in an even temperament. "

There can be tyranny in the pressure to produce postings. Rewards are accrued to those who are most active - they are the ones who are ranked highly - and who are noticed. I need to work out my own pace, my own priorities, and the Slow Blog Manifesto reminds me that blogging, like gardening is fundamentally about appreciating the Now, the process, and not just about results.
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  1. Anonymous7 December 2008 at 23:41

    Hi Catmint, this speaks to my heart, on the one year anniversary of my blog. I was so excited to begin, had so many ideas and photos to share, I posted every day for a few months. Then what you call the tyranny began to creep into my psyche. The worry that the number of visitors would drop, or the popularity on blotanical would drop, losing sight of the reason I started in the first place. Being highly ranked has its downside, you are beyond wise to see that and so slow. I need to follow your lead.

    Frances at Fairegarden

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  2. Anonymous7 December 2008 at 23:42

    That should read *go slow*.

    F

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  3. VW11 December 2008 at 06:01

    You are the cure for my impatience, Catmint! I look out at my mostly barren backyard, newly planted trees, and way too much turf and wish it was farther along. But the process is the joy. I wanted a yard that I could plan myself instead of working around someone else's landscaping. And it won't ever be completely finished, will it? Next season I'll practice taking closeup pictures since there won't be any sweeping vistas ready. And I'll try to be OK with that. Regards - VW

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  4. Sue Catmint14 December 2008 at 23:49

    Dear Frances and VW, thank you so much for your replies. It's hard to always keep my mind on the process instead of on some unachievable idealized end either in the garden or on blotanica, so it's great to find people like you for sharing ideas and encouraging words.
    VW, let's see the sweeping vistas, and as they change and grow and fill up, we can see time passing. I always seem to have bits of wonderfulness in my garden and other bits of potential wonderfulness (hopefully). I think I will try to photograph the immature plants and the bare bits more. VW - your garden may be bare - but it certainly isn't barren!

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  5. VW15 December 2008 at 11:01

    Thanks for the encouragement, catmint. Good luck finding all my replies to you today - ha-ha- they're scattered all over like down after a pillow fight. It did take me a while of scrolling to find this reply of yours. What about this idea? Long comments/replies go under the blogger's most recent post. I'll always post on your blog, and you always post on mine. Then hopefully we'll catch them all. Though maybe we should post short ones on blotanical, so we can get more points. Oh, wait, you're inspiring me not to be so caught up in points, lol ;-) Never mind! - VW

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  6. joco1 February 2009 at 05:35

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  7. Sue Catmint4 February 2009 at 12:20

    Hi J
    I am so pleased you emailed me your comments. I have found them extremely stimulating and they really stuck a chord and I have been thinking about a lot about them. I would love to visit your blogs but couldn't find them. Would you send me the address please?

    Blogging was new, and I am gradually getting used to it and working out how I want to do it, what I want to get out of it. But I am sure I will never be comfortable, which is why it is challenging and interesting I think. In my real non virtual life I don't like crowds, and it seems to be the same in the blogosphere.

    I am similarly ambivalent about Blotanical. It certainly helps to link you in but there is that downside. I am trying to disengage from the competitiveness. And I have found it helps to talk about it., like bringing a somewhat embarassing thing into the open. For me this is just a hobby. It's not for my job, it's not to make money, so I want to just enjoy it.

    I am so trying to practice slowness in all things - so, J, I really really respect you for 'being a candidate for severe slowness.'

    Look forward to hearing back from you - in time,
    Cheers
    Catmint

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