Monday, August 27, 2007

Fun Monday: Why Do I Blog??

Hey everyone,

I decided to join in with another group of bloggers who post on specific topics. First there was Mama Says Om, which gives a topic each week and then asks folks to submit some writing, a photograph, or some kind of work of art on said topic. I do that occasionally when the topic hits home, but being a photo-junkie, I tend to just submit photos instead of written articles.

Then, of course, there is Wordless Wednesday which I love because it specifically implies that you don’t HAVE to write anything, just tell a story with a photo. That I LOVE to do.

But I ran across this one that is new to me, and decided that between MamaSaysOm and this one, Called FUN MONDAY, that I would occasionally be inspired to write. So, on Fun Monday, each week, there is a new host. That person comes up with a topic to post on your blog about, and if you want to participate, you write a post, and put your link on the host’s page. In the past, topics have included “White Lies You Have Told”, “A Look Inside Your Fridge”, “Your Favorite Treat”, “Favorite Place to Relax”, etc. It seems like a good way to let my readers know more about me, so I decided to jump on in.

This week’s topic is a good starter. It is hosted by Lisa’s Chaos and the topic is:




WHY DO YOU BLOG?
I’d like to know more about you, what makes you tick. I’d
like to know how you started blogging. Did you keep a diary under lock and key
safely hidden as a child? Do you still? Do you share the same things on your
blog that you would have, or do, in your diary? Why did you start blogging and
why do you continue? May as well throw in any roadblocks you have run into while
blogging. If you still have your old diaries we’d love to see them.



So here goes:


I had seen some blogs around and had read only a few when I met a woman in a Mom’s Group called Move It Mamas. She said she had a blog called Wannabe Hippie, so I went and checked it out. I had been feeling guilty about the fact that I had again recently moved myself and my family far away from my parents and my brother’s family, and I was so so bad at keeping in touch with phone calls and emails. Reading Wannabe Hippie was a revelation! I had never even HEARD of Mommy-blogs! On one of her pages she has this great HUGE list of links to other Mommy Blogs and I started reading through them.

Being alone in a new city, without a job to go to each morning, I was beginning to feel a bit isolated. But in these mommy-blogs I found a community of women with the same kind of life that I have, going through the same challenges, joys, and frustrations that I was having! And it was a supportive community, with lots of posts where people were venting and then getting comments from strangers about how to get through, how they were not alone, and encouragement.

And I also realized that this is an amazingly easy way to share with everyone who is interested in my little (did I say LITTLE?) family the mundane day-to-day activities of our brood. And an awesome way to share photos with friends and family that are across the country and around the world!

Why do I keep blogging? Because I now feel a part of that virtual community of isolated women who are reaching out with ideas, encouragement, laughter, support. It’s also shown me that the problems that I deal with are really not so bad compared to the day to day life of some people. People who deal with children with disability, husband’s with cancer, infertility, loss. It keeps things in perspective.

And! And I realized that it also makes up for something I was feeling bad about. With my first son, I diligently kept a baby-book recording every new word, every tooth, first steps, etc. With my twins, I just didn’t find the time. I bought adorable little matching books, glued their name tags into the front, filled out about two pages and then got very busy raising three boys. But I realize that this blog, in a way, is a better gift to give them in their future than any baby book. How many men cherish a baby-book anyway. Maybe their future wives would, wondering about the comparison of daddy to his baby. But a day to day story, written by Mom, of their childhood? That is an awesome hand-me-down.

So, I plan to occasionally back up my blog writings and save them to disk so that if one day Blogger crashes, I will not lose all these posts. And in the modern world of memorabilia, I can pass down a box with their little first outfits, their baby hat, a print of their feet taken at the hospital, and a disk with all their childhood photos, right alongside one of their Mama’s Blog, documenting their childhood. Day after day.

14 comments:

Snowbird said...

I love the idea of making a backup of your blogs for the kids. What a great idea. I always wondered what happened to those two baby books we searched high and low for :-)

Unknown said...

It is great that you have found other people with the same interests and moral support. I wish blogs had been around when I was a harried mom of 4 toddlers. :)

Beccy said...

It's a great idea to back up your blog, I've read a few other posts where people do that. I would be very disappointed if my blog disapperared into the blogisphere.

katy said...

it is amazing how and why people blog, and it is great to hear that most of us now have a wide circle of blogging buddies. and yes it sure is a great idea to make a backup of your blogs

Beckie said...

Back-up my blog...another thing I can worry about! It is a good idea.

Anonymous said...

I keep thinking of backing up my blog...so far it hasn't happened yet. I guess I better get on that!

Welcome to Fun Monday

Anonymous said...

AMEN, Sistah!

It IS easier to blog than to keep a baby book.

But still not easy to rid yourself of the mommy guilt. *SIGH*

Anonymous said...

I think it is a great idea to back up your blog too! Have you heard of blog books?? I saw somewhere awhile back you can have all of your posts downloaded and printed into a book. Pictures and all. I was thinking of doing that. Plus I have the guilt of not having baby books. My six year does not have one picture in an album.

Anonymous said...

Welcome to Fun Monday - here is how it started:

Vicki was being nosy one day and asked if everyone would post a picture of a view from their front door...she wanted to see where people lived and what they saw. So - we all agreed, she chose a Monday...and all her readers did this. Well, we had so much fun that Fun Monday was born and off it has taken.

Mommyca said...

Wow, I never thought about making a back up of my blog for my kids! What a great idea!!

ChrisB said...

My eldest daughter told me I should back up my blogs- I must remember to do this!! Finding like minded people and making blogging friends through themed post is really great.

Molly said...

Hello, I am glad that you joined us for this Fun Monday. You are right blogging can be an avenue for support and advice on a variety of topics.

Tiggerlane said...

Blog backing up and printing posts - two great ideas I have acquired from this Fun Monday.

EVERY Fun Monday seems to educate me in one way or another!

Pamela said...

those kids are the best reasons to blog...


this is one of the few Fun Monday's that I have not participated in.... look forward to seeing and hearing more from you