Blogging

My first post on my brand-new blog! I thought it appropriate to blog about, well, blogging.

Seems like everyone has a blog these days; some of us -- like me, now! -- have more than one. So, first a question: why do we blog? What is it that appeals to us about keeping a journal online?
For me, blogging has always been about having a place to express myself, explore my thoughts, and communicate about what's going on in my life. I've never been one to keep a diary or a private journal. I've started dozens of them, but somehow it never seemed like there was a point to writing if I was the only one who would ever read it.

When I was in elementary school, in the dark ages before the internet, my friends and I wrote letters to one another. We used pretty stationary or notecards with pictures of kittens or rainbows, and we poured our hearts out to one another in pink and purple ink. In high school, my close friends and I shared a notebook which we would pass back and forth to one another between classes. In addition to writing notes to one another, we also kept lists of favorite things and pasted clippings from magazines.

I've always felt more at ease expressing myself through writing than through talking. Perhaps it's the ability to correct my mistakes as I go along, or the desire to review what I've written before I finalize it. I think it's also the chance to make sure that I can say what I need to say without worrying being interrupted. In conversation, I have a tendency to let others dominate, but in writing, I get to "let it all out" on my own terms. I think this is one of the main reasons why I've always been one to write notes/emails/text messages when I have something to say rather than call someone on the phone or show up at their door.

With this new blog, my desire is to create a place to share my thoughts, and also to get into the habit of writing as often as I should. I'm hoping to gain enough regular readers that I can attract some advertisers. The more personal stuff will remain at the MySpace blog I've kept for almost 4 years now, accessible to friends and family.

So, welcome to the new blog! Take a look around, make yourself comfy, and tell me what you think.