Just a Reminder of Whose Blog You're Reading

     Today is going to be a little bit of a rant.  Just so you know.  It's more cathartic than anything--I'm not actually angry.

     Let's get something straight: this is my blog.  The name was Odessa's Blog before I came up with something more "interesting."  (I'll be switching it back to Odessa's Blog as soon as I'm done with this AP English class, just so you know.)  Odessa Taylor is the creator of this blog, and the sole author.  The things I write are about--guess who--Odessa Taylor.

     Forgive me if that sounds way conceited, but I'm getting to the point, where I hope I'll sound a little less so.

     This is not a blog written by my followers, even if they are the ones who read it.  This is not the official United States of America blog, even if that's where I live.  And this is certainly not my English teacher's blog, even if he was the one that made me start it.

     If you came here and thought that I would be writing about current events, you are so severely wrong.  I am not going to be writing about that, and I don't care if that's what you want to read or not because that's not what I want to write--and this is my blog.

     So, if you don't mind, I'm going to be writing about things I like, stories that have happened to me, and things that I find enjoyable.

     Don't get me wrong: current events are important.  But everyone else is fully aware of that, and you can find an update on current events anywhere.  You can also find people's opinions on current events everywhere.  You don't need mine added to the mix.

     My blog is a place where I can write what I want without feeling pressured--or, at least, it should be.  And I want my blog to be sarcastic and funny (like me) even while being about serious stuff on occasion (like me).

     I am so sick of seeing current events plastered all over the place.  They're informative up to a point, and then they just start causing problems because they elicit all these negative feelings towards people with different opinions and just cause controversy that doesn't need to be there.  People need to chill.

     And that's part of the reason why I want to write.

     I don't want to help contribute to the angry, hateful world that's out there.  There's plenty of that already.  What there isn't enough of are places where you can read something just to read something--something that will help you realize that there's still normal people leading normal lives in this world.

     And that's what I want my blog to be: a safe haven for people who don't want to be constantly reminded of everything that's going on in this messed up world.  I want people's weary, red eyes to brighten up when they see that Odessa Taylor has a new blog post.  I want people to find some sort of odd solace in my blog.  I don't want people to be afraid to read my blog in case I start talking about something terrible.  I mean, what's the most controversial thing I'll write about?  I don't even know.

     "But Odessa, don't you want to look back and see how you lived through certain events and how you felt about them?"  Right.  'Cause I want to remember all the terrible things that have been happening the past few years.  Like I need or want a reminder of how I felt about them.  Wow, you've got me there.

     I don't want to remember the political debates and the attacks that happen on a daily basis.  I want to remember what I did in Spanish, or the things I did with my friends, or the songs I sang in choir, or the normal and boring things I did on a daily basis because it was those things that kept me sane and gave me hope that there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel that this world is becoming, and there's nothing I can do to stop the darkness or the light.  I'm moving forward, and I honestly have given up trying to care about whether or not the world follows me.  All I know is, I'm not following the world down whatever path it's currently traveling.

     My point is, I'm not going to write about world events.  If you care about my opinion on something, find a way to ask me.  I'm not going to tell you how I feel about current events, except that I hate talking about current events, especially through such a medium as my own blog.

     Maybe you've forgotten that.  This is my blog.  This is my territory.  And I'll chase away anyone who threatens that.  You want me to write a blog?  Then let me write the blog.
     You're in my world now.

     I hope your day is as awesome as you.