Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Why people blog

I'm curious.....why do people blog?  What is the motivation?  Do younger people blog for different reasons than us seniors?  I'd guess that more younger people blog for financial reasons.  Why do you blog?

I got started by accident.  I had a private journal on AOL and wrote it in solely for myself.  I have always written in diaries and journals but thought it would be easier on the computer.  I discovered the AOL blog site and selected the "Private" journal and started writing.  Once I started writing on the computer there was no turning back. 

But then all of a sudden AOL took down their blogging site and I started looking for another one.  That's when I found blogger.  It was fairly simple to create another blog but I never figured out how to make it private.  That didn't really concern me because I figured NO ONE would ever see it but me anyway.  Then one day I got a "comment" and realized there were other people reading my rambling thoughts.  I was surprised but tickled.  

Now, it is more about the people I've "virtually" met because of blogging.  So many interesting and inspiring people.  It is amazing how quickly you think of them as friends.  You care about what is happening to them and happening in their lives.  

Realizing that other people are reading your thoughts does change the way you write.  I still write down the mundane things that are happening from day to day in my life just like I would if I wrote in my diary but I do censor myself a bit because I know that others are reading my thoughts as well.  It's like when I was a teenager and realized my mother was reading my diary..........believe me I was careful about what I wrote down on paper.  Not that I was doing anything bad but I didn't really want her to know that when Mike Sherman kissed me it made my toes curl!   Or that Mike Sherman kissed me at all for that matter.

I know that some bloggers write to share information about aging and there are some great sites out there.  Ronni Bennett provides invaluable information to seniors and a place for seniors to share their stories on the Elderstorytellingplace.  I just love to read the stories published on this site.

There are great blogs written by young mothers sharing tips on child care and the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond went from blogger to tv host of her on show on the Food Network.

So, I know there are lots of reasons to blog.....what is your motivation?

3 comments:

Olga said...

I had also started writing my journal on the computer, but I had stumbled across some blogs and thought it was kind of interesting so I tried it. Yes, those first few comments were a kick. Now it is a part of my life.

Carol said...

I started blogging because I felt isolated, lonely, lost. Thankfully, I found some friends. You guys are important to me, even though if I passed you on the street I most likely would not recognize you. Oh dear, I think I will have to write a blog post on this. :) I am glad you blog... I enjoy reading your posts.

Anonymous said...

I like reading others blogs but have no desire to start my own. I do like to add my comments, however, and figure that is probably my part in the conversation.