Turns out that trying to fit an entire modernity ward into Facebook just clogs up everybody's pipes and attracts crowds of disgusted onlookers. I abandoned my blog at a nadir of creative energy -- or so I thought, anyway (more in a bit on that) -- and then found that the constraints of Facebook's itty-bitty short form reignited that energy and lent an element of focus to the proceedings as well.
In other words, I get strongest when I have something to push against.
In the blogless interim, I transformed some things: some relationships. The backyard. The inside of the house (ongoing). I surprised the hell out of myself by becoming a disciplined runner and changing the way I ate -- not the what, but the how.
I learned to sit with hunger a little bit. I learned that I could push myself. I learned that I could start from essentially nothing and become something new, and that being new on something was uncomfortable but freeing as well.
And I feel stronger and more grounded and more resilient than I ever have in my life.
In retrospect it wasn't a nadir of creative energy, just a shift: something telling me I needed to focus that beam inward, elsewhere. There are a lot of transformations coming down the pike and I needed to make myself ready for them. In reading back through my blog I realized that I have been talking about nursing school for THREE YEARS. And now my applications are in and I'm just waiting to hear back (in a month? Two?) about what will happen next. School is just the tip of the iceberg. Underneath the water line is something new: confidence, I guess. Ballast.
So here's the blog back, you wonderful vultures. I should be a little embarrassed at how much I depend on you all for your responses and your commentary but maybe that's a relic from an era when the internet seemed separate from real life. I don't think there's a line there any more. So, real people of the internets, thank you for everything. I'm ready to start putting out again.
Welcome back!
Posted by: Lisa | January 21, 2012 at 11:19 AM
oh yay!
Posted by: marta | January 21, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Glad you're back! I love your posts.xoxox
Posted by: andrea ross | January 21, 2012 at 12:17 PM
Welcome back!
Posted by: kdiddy | January 21, 2012 at 12:34 PM
Hooray!! "Leery Polyp" was one of the first blogs I ever read, back in the day. I'm so happy you're back!
Posted by: Debbie | January 21, 2012 at 12:38 PM
Hooray! I am thrilled you are back.
Posted by: Miriam | January 21, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Can I make up my own code name?
Posted by: Angel Funk | January 21, 2012 at 01:07 PM
You GO. Oh wait, no, you stay. Good! :D
Posted by: Jill | January 21, 2012 at 02:58 PM
FB-size Jo posts just weren't doing it for me. I'm thrilled you've brought back the blog!
Posted by: Tine | January 21, 2012 at 03:03 PM
Yaaay, garbage heart header!
Posted by: MFA Mama | January 21, 2012 at 03:03 PM
Yesssss! Welcome back Jo! Can't wait to hear what you have been up to.
Posted by: Claire | January 21, 2012 at 03:27 PM
Awe! Some!
Posted by: Robin | January 21, 2012 at 04:13 PM
Yay! Welcome back :D
Posted by: Toria | January 21, 2012 at 05:04 PM
glad your intake period is over. : )
Posted by: Maggie | January 21, 2012 at 05:44 PM
It's really good to see you back, knew I was right not to remove the feed from my home page!
Posted by: Vicky | January 21, 2012 at 06:06 PM
Wow, surprised & happy to see you back! I started running while you were gone too. Only 3-8 miles a week, but still.
Posted by: Peace | January 21, 2012 at 06:43 PM
Yay! I love it when you put out.
Posted by: Colleen | January 21, 2012 at 07:29 PM
This is great! I've been enjoying your (neverending) updates on Facebook, but it seems weird to "friend" a blogger. I never comment because I don't actually know you and it just feels like the people commenting actually do know you, so I stay out of it. But HERE--I feel like it's totally cool for perfect strangers to get all into other people's business!
Posted by: Amy | January 21, 2012 at 09:06 PM
Yippeeee!
Posted by: Dawn | January 21, 2012 at 10:14 PM
Welcome back. Your dreams are our ticket out.
(ID that for a prize, my dear, but the sentiment is true)
This is good news!
Posted by: Joanna Brichetto | January 22, 2012 at 07:37 AM
Amy, most of 'em *don't* know me in the traditional sense of the word! I'm okay with that though. :)
Youse guys, you are the everloving BEST.
Posted by: Jo | January 22, 2012 at 08:42 AM
Yay, I'm glad you are back.
And, selfishly, I am hoping you will fix the link to Sophia's birth story over there to the right. I want to read it...
Posted by: redzils | January 22, 2012 at 04:42 PM
Oh crap, is it taking you to that blogbar site? I can't figure out why those links don't work. The old Leery Polyp ones, I mean. Does everybody have that problem?
Posted by: Jo | January 22, 2012 at 06:47 PM
YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY! I kept scrolling by your name, just hoping...
Posted by: Mary_Flashlight | January 22, 2012 at 09:09 PM
Hooray! So glad you are back. Thank you! Thank you!
Posted by: Cathleen Trail | January 22, 2012 at 10:13 PM
Welcome back!! :)
Posted by: amy | January 23, 2012 at 12:09 AM
Yay! Thank you for coming back!
Posted by: Heather | January 23, 2012 at 01:17 AM
Wheeeee!!!!
Hello again!
Posted by: Heather | January 23, 2012 at 08:34 AM
Amy...ROCK on! Good for you, girl! Can't wait to hear baout your time. Any chance you'll share what you leernad? I linked bact to your Twitter 101 ( 2 days ago, I think...) ...I told you I would! Hope you are well!
Posted by: Freon | July 06, 2012 at 06:40 AM