Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Blogging is wierd, wonderful and wild

I got an anonymous comment on a post that was written a while back that said,
"Your blog keeps getting better and better! 
Your older articles are not as good as newer ones, you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!" 

Well... thank you, I think.

I mean, I totally agree with "anonymous", but hmmmm.... it's weird not knowing who this person is and really... blogging is weird.
So...
Why do I blog?

It all started as a way to keep in touch with family when I was living 3000 miles away from all of them. That switched to keeping in touch with old friends after I moved back to the east coast, closer to family, but far from my favorite friends.
 
That was good for a while, but I wasn't getting any comments from them and wondered if it was worth keeping the blog going. So I took a bit of a bloggy hiatus this past summer, blogging sporadically if at all. My sister, a very faithful reader and commenter, would e-mail me occasionally and ask if I planned on blogging. But I was in a funk... I didn't have anything to say or share and I started to wonder, "Why do I blog?"

That's when I noticed the kids checking out the blog, looking to see if I had added anything new.
For them it had become an online scrapbook of their lives in the same way my old photo albums and shoe boxes of pictures had been. I wanted them to have that, so I started blogging again...just pictures, no words.

Just pictures.... that was easy. I love to take pictures.
That's when I discovered various photo challenges like
You Capture, Macro Monday, and I heart Faces.
This I can do!
And I did.


Through these blog challenges, I've met a number of wonderful people.
People that stop by occasionally,
People who have become "followers"
and people who comment faithfully on my blog as I do on theirs.
These are people that I would love to meet in real life,
but, if that's not possible, I feel grateful to have met them virtually.


Blogger's create their own community,
they reach out to each other,
encourage those who are struggling,
 and celebrate with those who are celebrating.
That's the wonderful.


...and the wild part?
I'm beginning to find my words.
I'm not a novelist or a poet, but I am remembering my voice,
the way I used to write.
It's coming back to me and I'm enjoying that,
and I want to explore it more over the next few months or forever.


***edit***
Although I've had this post in the works for months,
it wasn't until I read this post at Second Time Mommy
that I decided to finally finish it up and publish it.
I thought I ought to credit her with the inspiration that I needed to get it done. 
Blogging is inspiring!

17 comments:

DoanLegacy said...

Yes, blogging has helped widen my horizon, and a continuing learning of new things for me!

Lindsey said...

Oh, Blogging is so much fun! It's intersting, scary, hard, uplifting, heart breaking... a little of everything.
I got a comment from my mom a while ago and she said "These are so funny, I had no idea you were so funny..." apparently, I write more freely than I speak:-)

terri browne said...

I agree that blogging is kind of weird, but it's so fun! I always gripe that I don't have time to do any housework, yet I do manage to find time to read my favorite blogs (yes, yours is one!), check email/facebook, and write blog posts of my own. I guess it is all about priorities! :)

Terri
www.adifferentshadeofbrowne.blogspot.com

Brooke said...

Ahhh, that was perfect. I love your WORDS and your PHOTOS. Glad you are finding your own way to share both. What a great post and thanks for the "credit" ;D - Bloggers do have their own little community and I am forever grateful for the "friends" i have made through it. HUGS!!!!

Alyssa S. said...

Blogging was my way to find my creative voice again, which got sidelined when I graduated from college and entered the working world. It's my outlet and I LOVE it.

Leslie said...

well this has turned into quite a phenomenon, your blog. you are popular, and your blog is fun and funny and they pictures are awesome. you found your bloggy niche...your blogging way!

bunnybeegirl said...

Even though I'm not a blogger. Mabey someday? I get to live through yours. The girls and I NEVER miss a day to look to see what's going on in the Sander world and wish we were there. We feel we have traveled right alongside you. Love you and miss you. Jody

Leslie said...

40 followers!! look at you go!!

Jess said...

Blogging is such a amazing creative outlet. When most days I feel like all I have done is change diapers, wash dishes and fold laundry, it is so freeing just to sit and write or edit photos for my blog.

And yes, virtual friends have been an awesome side-effect of blogging! I appreciate you, and your comments on my blog so much Colleen.

Bec said...

I'm glad you decided to stick with it!

Yellow House said...

What a wonderful post! I am often asking myself the same question...why blog? You summed it up well.. it's weird, wonderful, wild, and fun! I am glad to have found your blog. :)

Tia Colleen said...

I was asking myself the "why do I blog?" question this evening in the shower (its my only me-think time, haha).

You took the words right outta my mouth.

Julie said...

I feel the same way! Glad you blog! :)

Alita said...

I feel the same. Except I wrote all the time and I lost my passion for it... until now. My poetry, I thought was a cliche, but now I really feel like I have a voice again.

Great post!

Killara girl said...

i like to think of us as online pen pals...without the pen! I got that same anonymous message...makes me wonder why people even bother...or maybe it's an automated commenter.

Mary said...

Great post!! And you do have a great voice!

Unknown said...

Blogging is weird, lol. I would like to think I've grown and that my new stuff is better than my old stuff. I too started as a way to keep in touch with my family a few states away.