Why Blog?

I've talked before about why I chose blogging as my outlet.  I started blogging right before I found out Dean was on his way and from there, it became a permanent fixture in my life.  I've transitioned over the years from a typical "mommy blogger" into something else.  As Tanis pointed out at Type-A last weekend, if you have a uterus and use it to reproduce, you are tagged a mommy blogger. End of story.   I pretty much agree with her. I'll always use this space to talk about Dean, but he's four now. He's not hitting milestone after milestone and some of the things he says and does just don't have a place on the internet.  He understands privacy now, and I have to respect that.  My husband is also a private person. While he provides me with at least 10 belly laughs a day, most of the things he says are better kept between us.

So why blog?

I do it as an outlet.  I do it as a release.  I do it for the relationships. 

I spent the weekend at Type-A surrounded by people who blog for a myriad of reasons.  We all took sessions and workshops to make us better.  I stretched my brain by attending sessions like "Breaking Into Podcasting," which did the important task of letting me know I do NOT want to break into podcasting. (It's important to know your limits, right?)  The sessions I liked most were "Pitch and Pitchback," which talked about working with brands, and "Blogging Ethics," which will help me in my real life job as much as my online doings. Kelby Carr, who literally wrote the book on Pinterest, and who founded Type-A Con, inspired me with her humor, ease and incredible knowledge.  I talked to a few brands, a couple that I'm excited by the possibility of working with, not necessarily to make bank, but to see how I can incorporate their products and services into my life. 

Blogging, for me, has always and will always be about the relationships.  I rode down from DC (we were visiting our family) to Charlotte with Alissa, one of my all-time favorite blogging friends.  The hours flew by as we talked excitedly about our plans for the conference, our boys, our husbands, our jobs.  We bonded over our mutual adoration of Diet Coke and giggled over stories from our youth.  The hotel was great, a very comfortable place to spend 4 days, save the talking toilet in our room (It made sounds. It was weird.) and the ice-cold shower our first day. (It eventually warmed up, thankfully.) 
There was a Panera right across the street where I could get my hazelnut coffee fix.  We met up with Kelli, who fit right into the dynamic. The three of us had a fantastic time together.  We laughed like 7th graders, talked about very deep life issues, ate fantastic food, danced, and just had some pretty awesome girl time.

Alissa made us "Bmore and Bama t-shirts.  They sparkle.  I love them muchly.

 

I saw people I had never met, some that I had seen at BlogHer, and some who before the weekend were just Twitter avatars.  I'll talk more about the people, the parties and the actual conference later. For now, though, I'm still riding the high of being with my tribe, the people who truly get why we do this.

FACT:  Bloggers LOVE cannoli.

I blog for community.  I blog for myself.  I blog for sanity and clarity and to have my voice heard by someone. 

Why do I blog?  How could I not?

Comments

[eva]

Awww, I love this post and how much you love blogging, Jen!