4 Reasons I Don’t Write Holiday-Themed Blog Posts About My Pets
This was my first- and last- attempt at “dogs in bunny ears” photographs. It was an unmitigated disaster and resulted in 4 very unhappy dogs and a small fire. Apparently, bunny ears are flammable and should not be placed on or near a burning candle. Who knew?
With the arrival of every holiday, which seem to come faster every month, the vast majority of my pet blogging peers write holiday-themed posts and with each one they write, I feel a small pit in my stomach.
I experience fleeting moments of guilt, shame, failure or some combination of the above. By not writing these types blog posts I am the odd-man out. That must say something negative about me as a blogger. Or does it?
During these moments, I wonder quietly to myself and, on occasion, out loud to my husband: Is there something wrong with me?
Am I a lesser blogger because I don’t throw bunny ears on my dogs and then craft an amazing post full of keen insights or crafty DIY projects with awesome photos?
Am I kidding myself with this whole pet blogger thing? I ask because, if one takes a closer look at the pet blogging community today, holiday-themed and pet-centric DIY posts are simply what a pet blogger does these days- or so it seems.
But the cold, hard truth is this: I’m not that kind of blogger.
It’s not who I am.
It is not my authentic voice, and if I take a minute and breathe through my feelings of self-doubt and anxiety and if I stop comparing myself to most everyone else I know- people that I respect immensely by the way- I’m okay NOT being that type of blogger. I’m happy being the mutt in an AKC crowd.
My difference makes me who I am.
I don’t write posts about making festive Easter baskets for my dogs because I don’t create or give them to my dogs.
I don’t dress my boys up as Leprechauns or American flags because I think it’s a little weird. Sure, the photos can be stunning, and if done right- with authenticity and a clear vision- these posts can be outstanding. Check out my friends at MyGBGVLife or Coco The Couture Cat for proof of this.
But go ahead, knock yourself out trying to find a cute Catwoman suit for a 92 pound deaf dog. They do not exist.
And that’s a difficult hurdle to clear, no matter how inspired I theoretically might maybe want to be, which I’m not.
Admittedly, another problem is that I forget that most holidays exist, that is until my blogging friends start to remind me a fews days in advance with their creative posts about dyed Easter eggs featuring a hand-painted silhouette of their dog or cat on it.
So I’m working hard on not putting myself down for being different, for not being like everyone else. I have a few explanations, not that my authentic self needs an explanation, but here are a few of the things I remind myself when I’m feeling like a poser.
–> I am male. Though I’m gay, I’m still a man, which means I think like a man. I experience the world as a man, and I am creative like a man. For lots of reasons- some good, some questionable, and some unknown- men typically aren’t drawn to cutesy DIY Pinterest-friendly projects. I admire them but I’m not compelled to try my hand at them.
–> My maleness informs my blog and my voice. As one of a precious few male voices in the pet blogging community, I am different by definition. That is ok. I celebrate my contribution to the pet blogging community because men do have valuable contributions to make. We aren’t always acknowledged by the community in the way I think we deserve, but hey, men enjoy oodles of other gender-based privileges in life that more than make up for this.
On a side note, not all men are neanderthals wondering from carburetor to backseat Tinder date (or Grindr, if you’re that kind of boy) then home to a filthy, unkempt apartment with dirty socks piled in one sink and dirty dishes in the other. Okay, maybe that part applies to me, but still…
Men also share their life with pets. Men adore their pets, and shocker!, men also spend money on their pets. Marketing and PR folks, in their quest for female customers, may forget about all those XY dollars they’re leaving on the table. That will change, my friend, and new studies about the spending behavior of millennials are proving my point.
–> Though all pet bloggers tackle important subjects and meaningful topics in their own way, my interests are unique even within the sea of wonderful pet bloggers. Yes, if you write a blog about your pet, you are a bit odd. Embrace it, because I love you for it! It’s just that my interests are little further off the beaten track. I write about deaf dogs and street art for God’s sake!
Talk about niche…but, then again, niche bloggers can help steer the larger conversation and offer tremendous value.
–> Most importantly, I don’t know how to be anything or anyone other than who I am. It’s not always pretty or Pinterest-ready, but it is honest, and in a world where information is flying at us at warp speed from all four directions, I believe in the power of honesty and authenticity. Those qualities will help me (and you) stand out. My voice and my approach may not gain the largest number of readers or social media followers, but the ones I have are loyal. They know who I am, what I‘m about and they listen to me for a reason. Then they come back for more and i love each one for it!
So here’s to me being exactly who I am. Ditto for you. Check back in a few days for a cool post about a deaf dog collar that intersects perfectly with my passion for deaf dog advocacy. My pictures will probably be good but don’t expect homemade Simplicity patterns for crafting these collars at home. My idea of sewing is going to my tailor. He knows that I dress left- and he accepts Visa.
I tried being crafty once for a post.. it didn’t turn out well. What I thought was going to be a simple DIY dog treat post left me feeling pretty inept. My dog treats looked like mushy blobs, and no fancy backdrop was going to save it.
After trying my hand at it I had a whole new admiration for those pet bloggers that show off their skills every week. I have no idea how they do it and keep their sanity. They create awesome stuff, and me? Well I just stick to words because me + cooking or a glue gun = chaos.
Cheers to you for being who you are and creating such an awesome blog. It’s amazing what you’ve accomplished in such a short time.
Don’t worry , I am not that type of blogger either. Sure I put up a easter pig post but what is little known is that post was written at 2:30AM. Many of our fellow bloggers have already put up their Easter posts so they could push them all week long. Me? Nope, I get lucky to put the holiday post up and then I move on.
We don’t get Easter baskets, we don’t get many Christmas presents and as for the holidays, we don’t do much for them. Scooby and I have more than we want and everyday is a holiday when you are a Poodale or a Scooby Doobie doo.
Aw! But those bunny ears are so cute! I thought about putting yoda ears on my German shepherds today, but then I remember I gave them away. Enjoy your dogs and your blog however you like!
Thank you for this! I often pass on many of the holiday posts…because they are just not holidays that are a big deal to me. I waffle between feeling left out and being true to myself. DIY? I’m a woman but I don’t have a DIY bone in my body, and my only creativity comes through writing and photos. I do have a lot of American flag bandanas and such, but the patriotic holidays are what’s important to me.
You’ve made me feel good that I stay true to myself and don’t just hop on every bandwagon that goes by. I think it’s great if that’s what you are into, but I’m glad now that my post for today had nothing to do with Easter, but with something more important to me. I think that being genuine and true to ourselves is very important as bloggers. We need to remember to be individuals as well as pet bloggers.
That’s great advice, Janet! Thank you for the heartfelt feedback. 🙂
You are so awesome! Thank you so much for the mention. We are glad you don’t post about holidays if it isn’t you. We often feel like we are swimming upstream as we don’t post about a lot of real popular topics such as abuse or rescue, but they don’t fit who we are. We promote health and fitness, but all with fun and laughter, so holidays work well for us. It’s so important not to get sucked in and follow the crowd. Do what you do best, and you do a darn good job with your posts on deaf dogs and that is a great niche to excel in! Honestly, if your pup was in ears and an apron cooking like we do, it really wouldn’t fit what we would expect from your blog. Dare to be different, it is not always easy, but it will set you apart in a good way! Regardless…happy Easter 😉
I am happy to be different and you should be too. Everyone sees the world from their own perspective. We are all a bit odd, don’t you think? It’s what makes us fun! Happy Easter with bunny ears and chocolate candy on top!
I appreciate someone who isn’t afraid to be who they are. Thank you! When I was blogging, I found it a bit tiring to see the same theme over and over on all the blogs I followed. Yours would have been a refreshing read in a holiday season, just for the fact that it wasn’t cut from the same mold as everyone else’s.
I should totally just take the time to read every day. Maybe if I set a reminder…. And asked my kids how to do that…
LOL! Thanks, Karen!
I’ve seen you knock it out of the park a few times on some DIY projects, and your Pinterest boards are terrific. It may not be your thing, but when you choose those projects, you do them well. I love reading a lot of different blogs and feeling like I know the bloggers and their dogs, which may be ironic since I hardly ever blog about my own dogs.
Thanks, Beth! You are way too kind about my DIY skills. 🙂 You, however, are fantastic!
It’s important for bloggers to maintain their authenticity and unique voice. Sometimes it feels wrong not to jump on the bandwagon with everyone else, but being true to one’s self is what makes us great. None of my guy friends like DIY projects unless they include power tools so don’t feel bad! I do love Edison’s photo in his little bunny ears, but I’m not surprised to see those same bunny ears torn up, LOL!! It’s really just a chew toy with ears, isn’t it? You’re a great blogger, just keep on keepin’ it real!
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
This is how I feel about the Sunday Selfies blog hop. It’s not me and sometimes I feel bad since I really like Janet who runs it. Cats just can’t take selfies and some of those entries are downright ridiculous. Yes, I do holidays though because it’s an excuse to use photoshop. No hats or clothes will ever tough this cat’s body. You’ve got to keep it real.
Much to the brown dawgs chagrin, I do dress them up for some of the holidays. Of course the tasty treats seem to be an acceptable trade off for the bunny ears. However, I think the best bloggers write about what they are passionate about rather than those who write based on a prescribed calendar.
I love your style and voice (OMG, your voice) so much I want to curse! And I am an uptight, proper euphemism user! Damn, this is a good piece of writing! To hell with DIY (OK, as in YOU doing it, and me, for that matter. I hate making my own things! But bunny ears? Well, to each his own, dude.) 😉
Thank you, Elizabeth! I adore you.
I, too, feel I am the odd one out on holidays. I have done a few posts, but not that many. Like you said, large dogs are hard to find cute outfits for. I have done it. I have a few Easter bunny ears pics somewhere, but it’s normally not what I do, either. To be honest, I wish I DID do more of them. But I’m usually so busy with the family celebrating the holidays…