Maria, over at “just eat your cupcake” tagged me for a meme a while back.
meme (mēm)
n. A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another.
However, I had been in the throes of family and work obligations, so I put off responding to the challenge until this weekend. Besides, I had to ruminate on the question somewhat. (Hey, these ol’ brain cells need time to let the ideas bubble up to the surface.)
Five Reasons Why I Blog
First, what is the definition of “blog?” – This is from WordNet dictionary.com:
blog (blŏg) n. A weblog. noun1. a shared on-line journal where people can post diary entries about their personal experiences and hobbies; "postings on a blog are usually in chronological order" [syn: web log] verb1. read, write, or edit a shared on-line journal
The word “blog” has been around about 10 years now, but my Microsoft Word 2003 application doesn’t have that word in its lexicon. Hate that. Software should have updated usages installed, don’t you think?
But, I digress.
1) I have always, always, always been a writer, from at least Junior High on. (It wasn’t called “Middle School” w-a-a-a-y back in the Olden Days.) Back then, writing was an outlet for me, along with singing, writing music and poetry, playing guitar (Hey, it was the Sixties – I lugged a guitar around wherever I went). Writing, first and foremost, has always been my means of expression. However, I’ve come to realize that blogging is a different beast altogether. I write a Blog to fill a need to be creative, but that creativity is different than song-writing or letter-writing. In the beginning I wrote a Blog just for myself. But my needs have morphed, and now I blog for the fun of sharing with my friends and family.
2) Blogging actually enforces a bit of discipline on this writer. It’s not a diary; it’s not a letter to a special friend. It is more like writing a column in a newspaper, but without the stuffy editor hovering over your shoulder, merrily slashing whole paragraphs willy-nilly.
3) I discovered that when I shared about family life, friends and family could easily enjoy the repartee, if in vicarious fashion, and still feel as if they know what has been going on. I write few, if any, letters these days. Instead we exchange emails. It’s hard to say enough in emails, so the Blog helps convey what has been happening. I love sharing pictures, I love writing “articles” on topics that interest me, even if they have nothing to do with Life as a Parent.
4) Blogging is a funny beast, as I’ve said. In a Blog about parenting, I touch on a lot of subjects, some not having much, if anything to do with parenting. Discipline in blogging usually means not giving away too much personal information. We all know that the Internet has made our world much, much smaller, and by way of an inverse relationship, it increases the potential for danger as well. I try to balance that out by not being too specific, protecting my loved ones, while still showing the pride I feel with their accomplishments and our love of our hometown and friends. Sometimes I wonder if I have been protective enough. I hope so.
5) Lastly, it was a surprising revelation to me to gain Blog Friends. Blogging friends are somewhat like what pen-pals used to be. You’d write to your pen-pal in a far-away place about your life, your hopes, your fears and your aspirations. I see blogging as this and so much more. Not only can you share about your life, you can exchange political ideas, humor, recipes, photos, and yes, web links. Ha! Not only that, I have gained real, in the flesh friends from meeting other bloggers. I found out that one such blogger lives only a few miles from where I grew up, and where my Mom lives. We met, and laughed and exchanged stories one rainy winter day last year. It is comfort to know that the world holds a lot of friends, not just at home, but anywhere.
That is why I blog.
Why do you blog?
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