Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Lessons Learned from Blogging

I have been tagged for yet another meme. Some people might frown on being repeatedly tagged for memes. I, myself, am quite appreciative! It gives me something to blog about that requires very little thought or creativity on my part and that is exactly what I need at this stage in my life.

I was tagged by my bloggy friend, Aimee, from The Mother Load. And, people, she needs some love right now. So, before doing anything else, jump over to her blog and just tell her Jesus loves her or something because I know EXACTLY how she feels and I wish I could just hug her, hire a babysitter and get away with her and enjoy some peaceful away time. But I can't. So, this is the best I can do!

Okay, now down to business. The meme is simply to tell five things that I have learned from blogging.

1. I have learned that just because the whole free world likes to read Big Mama and Boo Mama and I like to read them, it does NOT mean they (the whole free world) want to read me. Now, I know that probably seems obvious to you, but in my early blogging career (hah!) I was quite saddened that I did not have a following, in fact, I still do not have much of a following. But now I am at peace with that.

2. While at one point, I was striving for a feeling of significance, I have learned that what I love about blogging is not being acknowledged by hundreds (okay, not even tens) or having a "super blogger" comment, it is the relationships that I have begun to build, the bloggers I truly think of as friends, even though I have never seen them or even heard most of their voices. It is reading a blog from another person in the same place as me and not feeling so alone or like such a failure, it is reading someone's blog who is past this stage and seeing that there really is light at the end of the tunnel and that maybe, just maybe, I will not completely screw up my children!

3. I have learned to post pictures!!!! I know, for many of you, that is not a big deal but for me, on Wordpress---ugh!

4. I have learned that no matter how tired you are, if you have a really good story or idea for a post, somehow you really can muster enough energy to stay up just a little longer and that, often that leads to checking other blogs, which can lead to finding a new blog and before you know it, you have found the energy to stay up MUCH longer and you now have to be up in 5 hours and yet, you don't regret it a bit.

5. Blogging is addictive!!! Why is it so interesting to read about other's lives? Why does what would be mundane if it happened to me seem so amusing when someone else talks about it? I now think of everything in terms of "Can I blog about this?" "I wonder if I should take a picture so I can post it?" "Should I ask this person if I can write about their embarrassing moment or just do it and hope they don't read it?" I have learned to prioritize but in my early blogging days, I spent far too much time reading, commenting, posting almost daily and searching for other blogs to read, etc.

6. Okay, I know the rule is five, but I just thought of one more I HAD to include. Everyone loves to get comments. Before I had a blog of my own, I lurked on many. I NEVER commented. When I began blogging, I longed for someone to say SOMETHING. Of course my daddy and sister commented me through the early days but I have now learned that it isn't just me. And while I can't always comment (usually because I am feeding the baby while I read the blogs) I do as often as I can even if it is just to say I am still there. I used to think what was the point of commenting if I didn't have anything "profound" to say, then I started commenting EVERYWHERE because I heard that is how to get readers. Now, I read a few blogs, comment as much as I can and do the "Happy Dance" anytime I get a comment on my own blog.

Now, I must proceed with tagging some others. You may notice a trend with me, how the same people are tagged every time. That would be because they are the only people I know who will read this blog and might actually do the meme. So, without further adieux, I will AWARD (that is for you, CJ) the following bloggers the tag:

Purple Diva
Happy Mommy
P.S. He Loves You
Four Little Penguins
Growing With It

5 comments:

Growin' With It said...

i'm happy you tagged me. after a video blog i'm stumped on what in the world to write about now that everyone has seen me! ;o)

i can very much agree with most all these reasons!! very, very true.

have a great day.
~linda

Aimee said...

Thank you for the uplifting comment over at my place today :) Things are not as dire as they seem, and I have so much to be grateful for - including nice blog buddies :)

And I agree 100% with #5: I am always thinking of things in terms of "blogability." :)

Happy Mommy said...

I will do this meme in a few days, because Daisy is having surgery and i can't today.
Thank you for tagging me, I love to be tagged!

CJ, The Purple Diva said...

OH I could just squeeze you right now! I just LOVE your answers and now I don't have anything to say! LOL JUST KIDDING! I will do my best!
I am not sure if I will get to it tonight, I will try...but I am leaving to go back home tomorrow so I need to get to be early tonight, well before 2AM like last night...cause like you I am addicted! LOL
You are just so AWESOME!Thanks for picking me and the shout out!

Dan said...

I am still your biggest fan and by the way I went to your friend "the mother load's" site and gave her a cyber hug aqnd so now she knows your family is weird also.

Pops