New Directions as the Blogathon enters Its Last Week

New directions for people in my life....and a new direction for this blog?

But before I begin.....I used to live in Northwest Arkansas, and my heart goes out to the victims of the Joplin, MO tornado.  I never visited but I went through Joplin several times during the early and mid 1980's.

And now, back to upstate New York.

1.  My cousin graduated yesterday from Binghamton University.  She loved her four years there, but is going to go to graduate school in another city.  She grew up in New York City, fell in love with Binghamton in her college years, but also likes Manhattan.  She's at the beginning of her adult life - so many directions she can go in.  I wish her the best.  I will do the world a favor and not give her any unsolicited advice.

2.  Another relative, earlier this week, bade farewell to his job - he had worked for this employer (through a number of buyouts and takeovers - so it wasn't the same ownership as he started out with but all his benefits carried forward from owner to owner) for over 30 years.  He was laid off.  He wasn't totally surprised, having survived several other layoffs. He follows his wife, who was laid off in March.  They both see this as the opening of new possibilities, but also face uncertainty.  Many of us have been there before-too many, in this new world of ours.

3.  And last, but not least - the Blogathon has made me think.  Made me think of what I want to do with this blog.  I've been posting a lot of flower pictures recently, because someone I know is going through a very hard time right now, and I want her to know she is in my thoughts.  I know she loves these types of photos.  But this kind of thing is not totally normal for this blog, which has no set topic.  So:
-should I devote it to one topic?  Or maybe several related topics?
-should I include more photos?  (I don't think I am a horrid photographer, but I could certainly use practice.)
-how should I further hone my writing skills?  should I try to take my amateur writing to the "next level", whatever the next level is?  If #2 above happens to me, then what?

For now, I will keep on ramblin...I even feel more Civil War haikus coming on! (run for the hills!) But for the future after the Blogathon - ??????  Is anyone else feeling a need to reassess due to the Blogathon?