My buddy Shannon (thewomanformerlyknownasbeautiful.com) and I met through blogging
When I first started this blog my intention was to keep our family informed during the adoption process. I had no idea blogging would connect me with so many like-minded people, as well as provide an outlet for my thoughts.
Here are the top reasons I love to blog:
There are no rules-
I can dedicate an entire ridiculous post to why I have a phobia of blood pressure cuffs, and no one can stop me.
Okay, there are rules- mine-
Truthfully, this blog has turned into a safe haven and I want it to remain a place of positivity. No name calling, picking fights, or linking to negative sites.
My Past English Professors Do Not Read My Blog-
Originally, I was turned off by blogging because I assumed I would have to write a college worthy essay every time I posted. I soon realized the grading system does not apply here. If I wanted to separate each thought with a … publish a rough draft before proofreading (only to correct any typo I happen to see after the post goes live)- I can! My creativity and ADD does not have to be repressed! I can have thought throw-up all over the screen… and it doesn’t matter!
It is the closest I will ever come to scrap-booking.
Friends-
I have met some of my closest friends through blogging.
I’ve been blogging for 10+ years and I think the most important thing it’s given me is an outlet for my feelings. I only recently began blogging publicly; before November of last year all of my blogs have been private. It’s a different experience, writing personal things that people you know can read. I filter myself more than I used to, but I’m trying my hardest to be honest and candid and I’ve been trying to push myself to not be afraid of what people might think of me.
In that sense, blogging has helped build my self confidence and has helped me find out who I really am. When I would write about my feelings without a filter, I was able to realize who I really was underneath the walls I put up in my every day life. I feel like I’ve lost some of that release and personal discovery now that I write publicly, but I hope to ease myself back there as I get more comfortable blogging publicly.
It’s also very important and special to me that I have the last 10+ years of my life documented somewhere. It’s really neat to be able to go back and read a blog post I wrote 5 years ago and to re-experience everything I was going through at that time. Blogging is definitely a part of who I am. I don’t know what I’d do without it!
Wow! Ten years of blogging? I’d love to pick your brain sometime about the subject. I agree about the documentation. This is also the closest I will ever come to journaling.
I started a blog when I was beginning the adoption process and it was also to keep family/friends informed. It evolved into a family blog and then when my marriage fell apart, so did my blog. Through that though I found what I refer to as “lifers…” No one believes how profound a friendship can be even though you “met online” though I cannot see what the shock is since you are initially drawn to that person’s writing, thoughts, feelings, opinions, humor, etc… it’s a great start-up to what can come next.
I have recently thought about blogging again. I have sort of been “blogging” my thoughts and humor and photos via Facebook but I miss the opportunity to reach out to a broader group of people and explore how I’ve changed in my thoughts from that girl who began the blog called No Small Feat back in 2005.
But I digress… I am thankful that I found you as a friend. I’m enjoying this time to get to know you better through this medium (and others) and am keeping my fingers crossed for a reunion in November #ipromisenottoheckle
<3 your face.
~ Spank
Come back to us Spank! The world needs your witty banter! The blogosphere needs your witty banter!
YES! I am so excited!! November. Be there or be square (what does that even mean?!)
99.9% sure I’m coming. Already put in for days off at work and cleared schedule with the ex. Should know for sure today. I may already be a square though. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=be%20there%20or%20be%20square
Oh and I’m also 99.9% sure I’m coming back to the blogosphere. I need a place to share the things I love, hate, need, want and enjoy (family, kids, friends, Batman, Dr. Cooper, Christian Grey (currently… NOM!), books, movies, music, laugher.. oh especially that.!
I’ll let you know what I come up with. I may ask G-force to help me create a page. She’s so darn good at that (among other things).
<3 <3
Nooo you are so not a square. And you will be there.
Spankyousilly!
“I can dedicate an entire ridiculous post to why I have a phobia of blood pressure cuffs, and no one can stop me.”
If I missed this, please tell me where to find this.
LOL I think one of my little group deleted it when the TIME cover came out. LOL I will post again about it. I think they were trying to protect me from exposing my hypochondriasis to all the haters coming on here….but I proudly proclaim my whitecoat syndrome!
Oh no! sorry you had to delete things. :/ I hope it wasn’t much, although now I feel like I’m late to the party and missed all the fun stuff! LOL
LOL no, you are coming at the best time! I’ll write about it again.
I am coming up on my one year blog-versary! I started it with intention of keeping a record of our life for our kids. And I’m like you, I LOVE that there are no rules. Sometimes I’m informaive and other times I’m just telling a funny story or rambling on. But over the last year, it’s connected me with other parents of kids with sensory proccessing disorder and speech and language disorders which has been so awesome. The support we received while going through all of the testing for Mr. Pants was abundant. All because people connected with his story. That’s such an awesome thing!
But the biggest reason that I blog is that I need an outlet. I need a place to put all of it. The love, the fear, the excitement, the frustration etc etc of parenting. My blog helps me stay sane
Ohhh happy anniversary! Yes, I think my sanity has improved since blogging. I’ll always be insane, though
When I met one of my blogging friends in person and we marveled and how well we got along, she said one of the things she loves about blogging is that you can create your own community of people. I have found that to be so true. I have met like-minded working moms through blogging, when I am missing that connection with my “real life” women friends, but it fills a small little void. And similarly, most of my real life friends are not knitters, so I turn to my blogging friends when I feel the need to swoon over a particularly squishy skein of yarn.
The friendships are my favorite unexpected side of blogging.
Same with me! I’ve met my closets “real life” friends through blogging!!
I had a food blog dedicated to working out and food allergies for a few years. i definitely struggled with keeping up with it, because i couldnt figure out how to balance life and writing and eventually stopped. part of the thing that stopped me was finances. i was finding that since i was not a part of the “demographic” for food blogging- it kind of held me back. i couldnt afford fancy ingredients and my photography wasn’t up to par either because i used a point and shoot- not an expensive camera. i was a single mom, not a college student or a newlywed- so it was almost hard to “fit in”. i thought about just taking a break or changing the focus, but then i just stopped all together. i would love to go back and do it again- just this time a different feel for it.
i did make some good friends on the blog, which is nice!
Oh, I hope you go back and try again! You will have a reader in me! It really is a great outlet.
I realize this is long but I’m also posting it here as I’m curious whether anyone else feels the same way.
I began blogging three years ago, as a way of dealing with a form of PTSD that I experienced after a car accident. It was a way of reaching out to other people who were also hurting in some way. In the beginning I posted only quotes and remained faceless, it wasn’t about me at all. As I recovered emotionally and mentally, close on-line relationships formed and some of us began confiding heavily in each other. It became obvious that in helping other people, I was helping myself as well. I began to realize how important those connections are, that everyone is going through something they feel most people wouldn’t understand. That we all need someone we can talk to who won’t judge us. That, I’ve found, is incredibly rare.
I love blogging because it has allowed me to meet many amazing people around the world (I’m in Canada) whom I otherwise wouldn’t ever know. Everyone has a story; I’m incredibly curious by nature so I enjoy learning about life through other people’s experiences. Over the years blogging has lead me to many dozens of intense conversations off-line, with people sharing their struggles with eating disorders, abuse, self-image issues, sexuality and relationships (usually romantic). I love blogging because it’s a forum where close friendships can form; many times my on-line friends have told me they’re more comfortable sharing personal things with someone who has no history of them. Therefore no pre-conceived notion of how they “should” act or think, and no shock when it turns out they don’t fit that mould.
Blogging helped me turn a traumatic, near-fatal experience into something that changed the way I approach life. I became more empathetic and people-oriented, less focused on myself but more self-aware (if that doesn’t sound contradictory). I’m more open-minded and accepting than I ever was before the accident; the more I learned about people the more I wanted to know. This spurred an interest in Psychology, and I’ve been considering pursuing a role as a counsellor or support worker. My blog also sparked a return to writing, and in the summer of last year I wrote my first book, The Glass Wall, a collection of my lyrics and poetry inspired by the relationships I’ve made. It’s been an amazing adventure!
There you go inspiring me once again! I’ve really wanted to get back into blogging, but I find it to be so hard! I started one shortly after Emily was born, but it went south. My greatest obstacle has always been my obsessive need to do things “right”. My parents used to get phone calls from my teachers saying, “she does so well when she does SOMETHING!” I was the kind of kid who started her homework, would write something that appeared sloppy to me, or was incorrect, but I couldn’t cross it out and keep going; I had to scrap it and start completely from scratch. After a few times rewriting the same thing I’d give up completely and not do the work. Slightly OCD
I had the same issue with blogging. I have Masters Degrees in English Literature and Secondary Education so I feel I have some sort of self imposed persona to maintain. It’s exhausting. However, with young kids at home, family and friends everywhere but here (the Army life!), and a husband who’s never around as much as I’d like, getting out there “virtually” may be my lifeline! Here’s to nothing! Thanks, Jamie 
I really like this: “Okay, there are rules- mine” You’d be amazed (or maybe not) of how people will come to your blog and tell you what you should or should not be writing about. Ummm who is paying this hosting fee?
Anyway, I may be off but did you change your blog header? I love it!
Hey Michelle! Yes, I did change my blog (the entire design, but the header is the most obvious!) Thank you so much for the compliment. Another AP mommy Shay Bocks designed it for me. I am so impressed by her work! On top of that she is such a kind person.
LOL you get the strange comments demanding things from your blog, too? So glad I’m not alone! If someone wants to spread hate they can go get their own blog. It’s not hard to avoid reading my blog (or anyone else’s for that matter) – people need to get a life!
I’ve been blogging for nearly 12 years, and some of the friendships I’ve made because of it have been amazing. Being able to travel and meet people all over the country? Yes please!
I still blog to make friends, primarily. And also as an outlet. And to share my life with those who are interested.
Ronni I had no idea you were such an OG in the blogging world! You are a power blogger! I am so happy we became friends from blogging!
Hi honey — we’re so cute! Even if I could fit you in my tummy (I still love you). I agree that one of the best things I’ve found through blogging is new like-minded friends. And young spitfires who make me get up off my butt and try new things — like speakeasies and African Safaris. You are a gift to me. xo
I love you! And I most certainly could not fit in your tummy! You are crazy….but all the other lovely sentiments you shared- I feel the same way about you!
I am happy to have stumbled across your blog this morning! I started mine just because so many funny things happen in our house. We had 3 kids and 2 years ago we took in 4 more. They are my sister’s children. They are biracial. Their first stay with us was temporary so that my sister could go through parenting classes, counseling, etc. But her bi-polar disorder made her reconciliation too much for her to handle. She continued to choose relationships that brought abuse to her and her children. The second time they were placed in our home we were put on an adoption track with CPS. We are nearing the finish line, and it’s been one roller coaster ride of a journey! And we too have been mistaken for babysitters!
Hey Tiffany! Checked out your blog on my iphone and loved it! Wow, people can be so stupid. I am going to comment when I am at a computer. For some reason it won’t let me when I’m on my phone
Long time follower, first time comment-or. The community behind blogging is completely amazing, I totally agree. I also LOVE your new design- very chic!
I love everything that your blog stands for, so keep it up! Many blessings to you, and your precious family.
In Him,
Megan @thememoirsofmegan.com
Hey Megan! Thank you! heading over to check out your blog now.
I also have a phobia of blood pressure cuffs!!