On Rebranding My Blog

Something funny happened last week. I moved to WordPress.com and tried to be a serious blogger again. But I didn't enjoy it because I never got the freedom to fully customize the whole thing the way I want to and I thought I was ready for how much it's going to cost but as it turned out, I'm not. I regret the decision immediately, packed my stuff, and left.

Now I'm back here on Blogger with a new blog title, new tagline, new About Me page, new design, and just basically a whole new direction. 

Unfortunately, www.niknokniknok.blogspot.com is no longer available so I'll have to get my own domain name soon. Right now, the whole blog is still going through a lot of changes. I'm even working on an editorial calendar! LOL who am I kidding.

So while I'm still working on this whole blog rebranding thing, I thought I'd share first what made me want to do a major overhaul of my blog and I think it's best we start from day one.

How did I get started?

I started blogging back in 2005 when I was in college, had a lot of feelings, and not a lot of friends (it’s the trust issues) so I went online and wrote about everything I felt instead. That’s when I realized my love for writing can actually save me from going insane.

Then shits happened...

My passion for writing my heart out fizzled at some point. Social media has made me too lazy to sit in front of a computer and write all my thoughts away because one tweet or a status would do. 

Then I saw how it [social media] has turned people into lurking monsters in the bushes, waiting for me to say something stupid they can judge me for, I stopped talking about my feelings. 

So I wrote about superficial things instead like clothes, celebrities, and clothes, and celebrities. It was fun but I got bored because I missed the way I used to write.

But I'm back now!

Now, WTH is "a blah blah blog"?

From being a “fashion” blog that I started back in 2009 and called The Niknok Style, this is blog now going to be more than just about fashion, personal style, and other girly shit.

It may not be obvious but I did put a lot of thought into the blog's new name. I wish you knew how long it took me to come up with a new blog title and tagline. But after so many sleepless nights (really), all I ended up with was:

NIKNOKNIKNOK: A blah blah blog. 

Seriously, what kind of a blog name is that?

WTF, right? It sounds gibberish when you read it fast, like a baby trying to speak its first words. But I like it because it's not trying to be anything at all other than ME. 

Sure, I could Google a cool word that means something deep or intellectual but that's just not me. I don't care if people think I'm shallower than a kiddie pool. After all, this blog is mine so I will write about whatever the hell I want! 

But what is it? 

The better question is: What is it NOT?

• Not a lifestyle blog. I'm a 28-year-old cat lady who works from home and spends more time with cats than humans. What is lifestyle?

• Not a travel blog. I’m a hermit who hates leaving home for a long period of time. I do enjoy out of town trips with friends but I just don't feel the need to be away all the time. People my age are obsessed with their "wanderlust" and their itch to travel and see the world and that's fine. It's just not my thing and I don't need it to be. 

• Not a food blog. Because 1). I can’t cook 2). I have body issues that make me don’t want to eat so much. Besides, I can only describe food in two ways: OMG this is so good omnomnom and ugghh yuck no ew.

• Not a fashion blog. I’m basically locked up at home 24/7, the heck do I need to dress up for? But I do have TONS of outfit photos meant for my style blog [RIP] that I might still post from time to time. The only chance I get to dress up now is when I go on dates with boyfriend, so do expect a few #OOTD posts every now and then.

• Not a beauty blog. I have bad skin, my arms and legs are scratching posts to my cats, I rarely wash my hair, I bite my nails, and I can't even draw a decent eyebrow. It would be ridiculous for me to be giving beauty advice. Just the thought of it already makes me LOL.

Those are the things I had to consider when I was deciding what niche this blog really belongs to. And I'm completely fine if it doesn't belong anywhere. I'm comfortable not having a box to fit myself and my blog into. It's the best set-up, actually. Me and my blog are fine right here. No boxes. No labels. 

So that's why I think “blah blah” sounds perfect because it doesn’t promise anyone anything. I’m the only one who knows what “blah blah” really stands for. It could be personal - or not. It can be whatever I want it to be. I can write about my cats, my house, my lola hobbies, the ever-changing color of my hair or whatever and you'll just have to keep coming back to find out what it is I'm gonna blah blah about next!