Blog Watching via Driftwood

It's great to hear that Heather has been informally elected as "Blog Watcher" for Network Norwich! She will no doubt give what we say a larger audience which I think is a good thing. This post is addressing "why" I blog as requested by Heather:

Anyway I'd like to do my first piece on why people use their precious time to blog - what got you started, how does it benefit you and what are your hopes and visions for your blog?

I have tried but failed writing a diary previously but blogging is different. I think if bloggers are honest there are altruistic reasons why we blog and there are selfish reasons. The selfish reasons first I believe stem from: blogging is a fantastic platform. Stand up and speak to a room of people and you could get heckled, but not via a blog. What you say, goes. You get to vent your spleen, opine or wax lyrical; from start to finish, your piece is said. However ill-formed, bigoted or hackneyed your ideas are, once the "publish" button is clicked, the whole world has access to them. I think the megalomanic in us all craves a blog to announce to the world "Here I am! Start recognising me!".

Having said that, in more humble mode, you can test out ideas via a blog. My head tends to be a jumble of different thoughts that benefit from unpicking and piecing back together. It can make your arguements more robust as you work out what you say and how to say it. I love the response aspect of blogs. You say your piece and then others come along and add their opinion: sometimes they agree and sometimes draw attention to additional information you hadn't considered. It has an organic feel in that respect. Not only can people comment on your blog but also your post could inspire someone else to write up their thoughts on their blog. This builds up quite a community.

Community life in blogs works as you link to others and others link to you. I hadn't ever realised that when I started blogging that I would develop an indepth relationship with other people; some of them previously known to me but others not.

I had originally hoped that this blog could lead to me doing some creative writing but that hasn't worked out. I'm not sure I would feel comfortable doing so and I'm not sure a blog is the best place to write in that way unless you adopt a fake persona. I have however used my blogging to help me in my studies as I use the process of developing thoughts and ideas on various topics around youth work. I printed some of these up to be used in my competence folders for my diploma.

I have also started a blog specifically on green issues, with an emphasis on my journey and The Church. This has worked well because I haven't set up the blog as an expert, just someone trying to find out more. I want to build it up as a resource to use with helpful links and snippets concerning lastest findings and reports.

Sometimes the two blogs overlap but only if I feel that more people need to be aware of a campaign. I will try and keep the two seperate. And although recently opinion has been sneaking into The Wastelands, it is more about telling things straight rather than moralising. I tend to do that in this blog!

Other positives about using the internet to write a diary? It's dead easy! You don't have to be a programmer to set up a blog. With ready made templates and step by step guidance, it's a doddle to do! I have good access to the computer and the internet- no tree is ever harmed in the production of my ramblings! For some who have relatives abroad or are at uni find that a blog is a good way to keep in touch: speedier than a postcard. I personally I didn't really ever need it for those reasons.

Down sides about blogging though include keeping it regularly updated- many days can go by without feeling inspired. Sometimes blogging can be inane- my inanity tends to involve "Interesting Facts"... in all truth, this tends to mean I have run out of ideas for a thread! Shhhh!


So in conclusion- everyone should give blogging a go. It's great!