Thursday, March 27, 2008

Why We Blog

Since we started blogging last June, I've had many people ask me, "What is a blog?"

"Blog" is short for web log. If you separate those six letters (w-e-b-l-o-g) differently, you can spell we blog. That word separation is, according to Wikipedia, the origin of the term "blog."

The idea of a blog is that it is an online, reverse chronological log. It can be text, pictures, video, music, artwork, or a combination of these elements.

The topics and purposes of web logs, or blogs, vary. People use blogs as personal diaries, cultural commentary, business advertisement, chronicling of a trip, adventure, or process. Some do photo logs. Some people use a blog as a way to inform, much like a book, but in bite-size daily doses.

Why do we blog?

Mostly, it is an easy way to, with one typed note, keep in touch with many friends and family. We can give updates about our children, life, school, plans, thoughts, reading, to everyone we know with the click of a button.

Besides writing about our family life, our second biggest category is books. Ken and I love to read and we like to tell others about what we think are good books.

We enjoy writing about things we are learning in life, that perhaps it will encourage others. I know this is one reason I read several friends' blogs regularly: for encouragement.

I also enjoy blogging because there is something about writing that makes things click in my brain. It helps me to think more clearly and process what is happening in our lives. And, if I went to the trouble of writing it, why not share it with everyone I know (and don't know...this is, after all, the world-wide web!).

We know many of you reading this have blogs of your own. I'm curious, why do you blog?

Please comment to this post and share your answer!

5 comments:

Pat said...

Thanks for keeping up your blog we appreciate keeping up on your life.

Bren said...

I blog because I am keeping up with some high school friends without ever having to interrupt their lives and I like a place that I can see exactly how I am feeling in words. I journal all the personal stuff.

Thanks for letting us keep up with you all! I was invited to a Pampered Chef party and I thought of Kim, she was pregnant, hosting mine years ago. I do miss Ken in the office, too.

Brenda

Chris said...

I don't blog but I love to read yours. I think people blog to outline the journey they are on giving them memories for the future.
Chris

Amy said...

To keep up with friends, to sort out my thoughts, to encourage and be encouraged, and to give life through humor to the mundane parts of life. :)

I love your Calvin quotes! :)

Carey said...

I blog to keep all of our long distance family updated on the funny things the kids are saying and doing and how much the kids are growing. I was previously trying to do that through email but I kept forgetting who I would tell things to and would inevitably forget somebody! This way everybody gets to see and hear about everything and I only have to tell it and send it once!! Everybody wins!