Because I can’t fit everything I want to say into a Tweet or a Facebook status update.
Because I’ve had this blog since 2007 and I’m not a quitter. If I start something there has to be a really really good reason why I wouldn’t finish it. For reals. I had a thirty hour labor and gave birth at home, without meds. Once you do that, it’s kind of hard to come up with an excuse to quit something as benign as blogging.
Because how else do you remember stuff like the feeling of walking into Kids Korner at the gym and finding a two year old kneeling over Sweet Pea with his hands up near her throat, calmly telling the little shit to be gentle because she’s smaller than him, wondering where the hell the adults were when the violence erupted, gathering your baby’s soft little body in your arms to comfort her, as she grins, waves, and yells “Bye Bye!” repeatedly, as if nothing happened, and being grateful that she was not traumatized because a) that would obviously suck and b) you know you will probably continue to use the shitty Kids Korner childcare regularly anyway, just because it’s so cheap and convenient. (Note to self: Blog about that).
Because I’m already registered for the BlogHer 2013 conference and it would be pretty lame to show up if I don’t keep blogging.
Because I’m a blogger. I’m not sure when I made the mental switch from “having a blog” to “being a blogger” but I am pleased to say it was easier and more painless than going from “someone who runs” to “a runner.” The latter took me about a decade and at least two marathons, while the former only took a few years and a couple hundred blog posts.
Because I always feel better after I blog. Blogging is a lot like working out. You don’t always want to get started, but once you’re done, you never regret it. Maybe you regret your outfit choice and the ensuing frostbite that occurs, or the fact that your internal compass failed and you got horribly lost, but not the fact that you did it. When running that is, not blogging. I have yet to dress inappropriately or get lost while blogging.
Because when I’m blogging I’m not really thinking about anything else. It’s meditative. It’s how I get into flow. And if you aren’t familiar with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and flow, then you need to watch this. Flow is basically the secret to happiness. And it’s free!
Because I’m an attention whore. A half dozen likes on Facebook and two comments on a blog post are enough to keep the needy toddler in me nourished until I hit publish again. I don’t need much to survive. Which is good because if there was some caloric formula for blog love, my blog would basically be an anorexic. But the little crumbs I do get, they mean a lot.
Why do you blog?
Oh, I love every single word of this. And I too use “all the words” in real life- that made me smile! I can so relate to this, and yes, you should definitely blog about the little shit strangling your happy child. Great post, and I’m so glad to have your voice in the FTSF lineup today. And cheers to BlogHer!
Ok, I love how you related blogging to working out and how you never regret it afterwards. I have to say I feel so similar, but never quite thought to say it that way. So I really love that is how you described blogging. Thank you seriously for linking this up with us!! 🙂
34 hour labor at home without meds is a reason to blog in itself! And I love that you find the right word on your blog but not in real life, all the time. Me, too. I wish I could edit my in-real-life utterances as easily as I can those on my blog!And too right that it’s a bit like working out – I do feel better afterwards.
I love all of your analogies — comparing blogging to working out and calling your “blog love” anorexic. Love it. I love the creativity in your writing! And I think you’ve inspired me to finally buy my BlogHer ticket too so that I can call myself a blogger as well. 🙂
Oh my God! YES, YES, YES and YES to every single one of them. I loved the parallel you draw between blogging and working out! It’s kind of always been there in my mind but I’ve never defined it in words and now I have a definition, and I, too, love finding the right word. I loved the Kids Korner reference as an illustration of things we want to remember and would have otherwise forgotten, love the transition from “have a blog” to “am a blogger”. Love reading my thoughts expressed by someone else. Love.
I say all the words too. Love the points you made and I have a lot of respect for your honesty. And your marathon of a homebirth.
Attention whore – love it! I think all of us who blog are a little bit whoreish. Glad you embrace it!
LOL. Love the attention whore. Yes, me too!
I’m a quitter. Then I feel guilty and I come back. And it doesn’t help that I begged hubby to buy me a domain. So, if I quit now, he’d NEVER let me hear the end of it. 🙂 Keep up the great work!
I seem to be having a theme this evening of rocking up late and finding someone else has said it better…sooooooooo, what Dana and Julie said.
this blog thing has got to be the best combination of the: be invisible fantasy (early adolescence) and win the big (fill in high school sporting event) of middle teens and the ‘now they’ll understand me’ of coffee shops and smoky bars in late teens, early twenties.finally get to (as Kristi says) hang out with the cool kids…
You nailed it. For me, writing is cleansing. It clears my head. It frees my mind from the jumble allowing me to think more clearly. Love this post!