This little bubba has turned six months old! Roughly. Whatever. Who actually needs an excuse to eat cake?
The vast majority of the time we use the French phrase “faux pas” to refer to a social blunder or awkwardness caused by not conforming to what society has deemed the norm. However, when you translate it directly from the French, “faux pas” means “false step” (although I think you could also say “misstep” or “incorrect step”). When it’s translated like that it makes me think of someone strolling blundering along their path in life (ooooh, deep and meaningful and we’re only in the first paragraph! Shut up, Alex.) It is a mistake, a trip on a rock you didn’t see was there or stacking it when you lose your balance walking through some mud.
Unintentional missteps and mistakes.
Fun fact for you: this blog is about half a year old! Yay! Half a birthday cake! It’s strange that it simultaneously feels like a lot shorter and longer than six months (if you know what I mean). Anyway. Thank you for your readership, you gorgeous squirrels.
Now, it wouldn’t be a real half birthday without reflecting on the past six months together. Here are some of my reflections (delivered to you as a conversation between me, myself and I. (Yeah. I know. I probably should stop talking to myself aloud sometime soon…)
“Let them eat half a cheesecake. ” – Marie Antoinette ft. Alex
Hi, Alex. So, what has your experience of blogging been like thus far?
A1: Hi! It’s been great, thanks. I really enjoy it and I’m so glad that I realised that I get a kick out of stringing words together. That was a very good light bulb moment, indeed.
A2: Yeah, I’m loving it, too. In fact, it’s got to the stage where, if things are going pear-shaped I type it out of my system as a way of de-stressing. So, yeah, I guess in some ways it’s therapeutic.
Do you have any suggestions as to how the imperfect peach could improve or where you’d like to see it going?
A2: Well, I think that as you expand that mind of yours, Alex, that your content will begin to shift naturally.
Was that a politically correct way of suggesting that we have fewer Alex’s love life and failing-at-life-moments posts?
A2: Ha! Well, not necessarily. Although, I guess you do expose yourself quite a lot, don’t you? I mean, I know there were times when it was a big thing to select the “Publish Post” button and putting things which were intensely private out on the interweb was a big deal… but there are times when I worry that you cross the line and over-share that bit too much.
A1: Hmm. But you know what? For many reasons, I’m proud of you for having done that. For the stuff which was hard to post I think publishing it allowed you to let go of it and to move past it. And anyway, if you don’t laugh at yourself what’s the other option? Cry?
A2: True. Also, you have such a tendency to accumulate failing-at-life moments and love life drama that I’m sure you’ll still be sharing some of them in the way you currently do. But maybe it’d be helpful to wear a sign saying “If you ask me out on a date, there is a high chance that I shall make an anonymous reference to you in a future blog post.”
A1: OHMYGOD! Someone please make that sign!
Haha. Thanks, guys. Do you have any other suggestions for the the imperfect peach going forwards?
A1: Well, although I enjoy your failing-at-life moments and reading about your love life, I’ve been meaning to ask, can we change up the content a bit, please? Not totally, but I’m thinking about adding some other stuff into the mix. Perhaps some posts which are career-oriented or deal with the pre-moving out of home stage, for example, which are both very pertinent to your life at the moment.
Yeah. Ok, thanks. I like that idea.
A2: And fewer faux pas…
Yeah…
A1: What are you referring to?
A2: Well, I know there has been at least one time when you’ve posted stuff that one or two friends have found insensitive and hurtful. I know it wasn’t ever intentional and that your motivation wasn’t to upset anyone, but I think you need to be more mindful of how the people in your Real Life may feel about what you write going forwards.
I completely agree. Point taken. I’m going to be very conscious of that.
A1: Although the faux pas haven’t been ideal, it’s interesting to note that the fact that you’ve stuffed up is in keeping with your theme of “imperfection”…
A2: Observant as ever, A1.
I hadn’t thought of that either, but I guess it’s true; imperfection is my area of specialisation… Anything else which you ladies would like to add before we wrap up?
A1: Keep on tapping that keyboard, Alex. But not too much. You have a tendency to waffle. Keep it short and simple. If you can express it in fewer words, do so.
A2: But don’t force it. Life is too short to invest time in things which you feel ambivalent about.
Thanks, A1 and A2!
A1: Bye, Alex!
A2: And happy half birthday, the imperfect peach!
Ciao!
Alex x
*Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m still going to be blogging whilst I’m away. Yes, that’s right: I am still going to provide you with something to help you waste 10 minutes of your day. Yay!
the imperfect peach. 