Why Blog?

Sometimes I wonder why I even bother writing in a blog.  It's something I've enjoyed doing for many years, but is there a point?  I mean, I love writing, have loved writing since I was little, but doing it in a blog on the internet?  It's not like I have a lot of readers and certainly don't have anyone leaving comments ever.  When I was blogging on Xanga there was a huge community of people who read my posts and replied and I would do the same for them.  I got a chance to meet people from all over the country and even other countries like England.  It was pretty cool.  I would write about my day and people would leave comments.  I started on Xanga in 2002 shortly after I was married and continued until they shut down in about 2012, or somewhere around then.  I loved having a place where I could share my experiences during pregnancy and raising a child.  Then Xanga announced they were going to charge it's users and everyone split, but eventually I guess the site completely shut down.  Luckily I saved all of my writings in a zip file.  Then I tried Wordpress and then Blogger.  Wordpress and Blogger certainly don't have the same community as Xanga and even those other users who I managed to stay in touch with via Facebook complain that they miss it.

So, why do I keep going?

Well, honestly, writing has always been an escape for me.  It's an enjoyment.  As a child I filled notebooks with stories until my dad bought me a typewriter.  Oh, I loved that thing!  Then in high school came my very first Packard Bell computer.  I typed on that thing like crazy.  Then we got hooked into the world wide web and then all I did was email and instant messaged people.  After I got married, during a time when my husband was working night shift on the weekends, I discovered Xanga and the blogging world.  I started writing something, I can't even remember what, and next thing you knew people were leaving comments.  I got sucked into it, but not as an addiction or anything.  Just something for fun to kill time.  We lived in a tiny apartment, which didn't take a lot of time to clean.  I probably could have found something more productive to do, but writing had always been something I clung to.  I used to keep a journal but I have a hard time actually writing.  My hand hurts after awhile.  That's why I don't keep my own personal journal anymore, although that would be cool.  So, I blogged and said things for all to read and I got a chance to jump into the minds of other writers. 

Even though a lot of those writers have stopped I have managed to keep on going.  I like it.  It's fun.  Also, since my mother has Alzheimer's I realize how precious the memory is.  I even forget things.  Sometimes I go back on my writings and remember moments I forgot.

But it seems silly, doesn't it?  I'm sure my husband thinks so.  But it's good for me.  So, I continue.

I've always wanted to be a published author and even though that dream has taken a seat on the back burner the desire to write a book hasn't faded.  A few months ago I started asking myself if it was time.  I'm forty years old and even if that still seems young I want to be able to have something published while my parents are still alive.  I prayed about it.  I asked God for wisdom in what I could write about.  Then an idea popped in my head.  I sat on my bed and contemplated how the story would go and I was able to come up with something from start to finish.  I grabbed my laptop and quickly typed up a few paragraphs and when I read through it I was like wow that's pretty good.    Yesterday my husband took the kids to church and I stayed home, since I'm still not feeling up to being in the public eye since surgery.  As I was trying to find something to do an idea popped into my head that I could include in the book.  Then I started typing away.  I love how it's going so far.  I also have another idea that I have yet to jot down and I'll get to it soon.  I'm so excited about this.  I'm not sure if the book will be complete by the end of the year but that's my goal.  Being a busy mom doesn't allow me a lot of down time but luckily my kids are becoming pretty independent and like to do their own things.  Like right now, for instance, I'm on the couch typing this up while they are downstairs in the playroom having fun with each other and their toys.  Also, this is a summer of surgeries and recovery so I will be experiencing a lot of down time.  I'm excited about this!  Will it be good enough to actually catch the eyes of a publisher?  I'm not sure but I'm not that far ahead in the planning. 

So, maybe my blogging has lost that community of followers but I'm still writing for me.