Challenge #2--Why Blog

I like to write.  I always have.

When I was a teenager and in college, I did copious amounts of journalling, as well as writing letters which can only be described as "epistles".  I would reach into my imagination and the small details of my life for material with which to fill the pages, and in that process learned to discover content from apparently nothing.

My teachers always thought I would become a writer someday, so I figured one day I would write a book.  But as time has gone on, I have realized I don't really like to write novels or fiction much, in general.  I do, however, enjoy essays based upon personal experience.  (No surprise to anyone who has been reading my blog, I'm sure.)  And I find that writing is a great way for me to think things through or collect and organize my own thoughts.  It's cathartic, helping me work through emotions, as well, and helping me make sense and learn from my own experience.

When I started my WoW blog, almost three years ago, it was because I enjoyed writing and figured I would benefit by the exercise.  The subject matter was removed enough from my private life that I didn't worry about publishing it, because it was not overly personal, and it was one with which I could have a lot of fun.  (If my writing did become too personal, I usually didn't publish it.  Gotta love Draft folders!)  I made no claims to being a WoW expert, merely someone who commented on experiences and observations.  (There were already sufficient WoW expert blogs.)

When I quit playing WoW, I knew I would greatly miss blogging, so I searched and found another topic--bread--on which to blog.  And when I started playing SWTOR, it was almost a given that sooner or later, I would start a blog.  (It ended up being sooner, rather than later.)

While I never expect great things or large audiences, it is nice to know there are some who do enjoy reading what I write.  I keep a record of the countries from which people have discovered my blog.  (I'm up to 22 countries for this blog!)  When one lives in a rural area, it is nice to feel that there are other people out there with whom they can communicate, even a little bit.  It's like the movie "Contact", where the young Ellie scans the dial on her Ham radio, looking for anyone listening, then delightedly noting down when and from where she heard a reply.

So, in a nutshell, I blog because I like to write, I benefit by the experience, and I feel more connected by doing so.

That's about it!