Aleen Mean

Because I’m a pioneer, I have kept some kind of blog since the mid-1990s.

I’ve never written with any kind of purpose in mind; I just needed some way to get the words out of my brain and in front of a couple of other people. It’s never been about building a large audience or establishing expertise or creating a portfolio. I write because I need to write. I write because, for whatever reason, I feel like I am the most Aleen when I am trying to wrangle words into sentences that feel right.

Due to a variety of factors, both personal and global, I haven’t really written much in…years. More years than I want to consider. It’s strange to say that I can feel the absence of writing in my life, but I can. I can point to a spot on the left side of my skull, toward the back, and tell you, “Here. This is where it’s wonky.”

I always say that I’m going to fix it soon. I’ll write again soon, when the timing is better, when there are fewer barriers, when things are a little more optimal. I always know that’s a lie when I say it, though. Sometimes, you just go with the amalgamation of circumstances you have and turn soon into now.

At some point, writing here became overwhelming because I started thinking of it as a place where I needed content that was Serious & Well Considered. I think this is because I had Twitter for the random observations and ridiculous jokes that would spring into my brain. Twitter serves me less and less well as time goes on, though, and I find myself craving the security of my own space. I don’t know what that means for this blog, really, but I guess we’ll find out together!