A struggle to write.

I’ve been really struggling to come up with something to write about for this piece. Because, let’s face it, the world isn’t exactly in a good state right now. And in this tiny little corner of the world, where I throw my thoughts out into the ether that is the internet, that is kind of tricky. I try to keep the pieces that I write and post on here from being just outright rants. I like them to be more structured than that. I think I am a better writer when I take that approach. Writing also helps me fully articulate what I want to say on a subject, rather than it just being a splurge of unfocused ramblings. I also don’t tend to write about events or subjects where I don’t feel that I will add anything to the conversation. With a case like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, my opinion of the events has already been articulated by those who have access to more information than has been made publicly available, or have just articulated my opinion on the subject.

And while I carry a strong interest in politics and current affairs, I haven’t enjoyed writing in that space for a little while now. Because I tend to write in response to a policy announcement or recent item of news, be it the recent local elections or the government potentially breaking the law regarding the Northern Ireland protocol for the four millionth time. And quite frankly I’ve gotten tired of constantly railing against an ineffective, lying law-breaker of a Prime Minister and his government of yes-men. I just feel like I am constantly saying the same thing over and over again. But maybe that’s because they keep doing the same thing over and over again. It’s just ridiculous at this point.

I have written about music and film on occasion but I haven’t really expanded out in either lately and so I just don’t have a lot to say at the moment. I haven’t been to the cinema for the best part of two-and-a-half years now. The last major music release I really anticipated was AC/DC’s last release. And that was purely to see what they had left after Malcolm Young’s death and Brian Johnson’s enforced absence from touring. And what they had was an AC/DC record. AC/DC are not a band to push the boat out. They have a thing that they do, and they do it very well. They don’t chase fashions or trends. They are AC/DC and they play rock ‘n’ roll. But there hasn’t been anything else that I’ve sunk my teeth into. I do like the lore and the storytelling of the comic book movies and of the franchises that tend to dominate the box office. I like the stories that those same franchises tell in longer form with their tv shows. But I don’t feel the need to write about them much anymore. And I think that is mainly to do with how fan reaction has become rather toxic. Some people can’t seem to just enjoy the story that the filmmakers decided to tell. I like not knowing what is going to happen. I will speculate on it but I’m more than happy when the story doesn’t go the way I’m expecting. And getting involved in that discourse just seems like a lot of effort without much to actually enjoy about it.

I do like writing about sport; thus I do write about it quite often. But for those who do read this blog, I want there to be some variety to the pieces that I write. While I am interested in Chelsea, the takeover, what might happen in the summer and what the state of the Premier League is going to be moving forward, not everyone is going to be. So, while I decide what topics to write about, I do try to keep it interesting for the readers of this blog. Because by stretching myself into different areas that I might not usually venture into, I think I make myself a better writer. And that ultimately is what I am trying to do. So, while I may struggle to come up with topics to write about sometimes, hopefully in the end, it’s worth it.