What Blogging Means to Me

Ramblings of a moose has tagged me to complete a questionnaire entitled (what else?) What blogging means to me. So, without further ado, I shall begin. I don't know if I'm supposed to include a picture, but there's one on the side bar, and that will have to do. I am usually the picture taker, and not the subject.

Q1. Are you happy/ satisfied with your blog, with its content and look?

Yes, I am pretty well satisfied with the content and look of my blog. If I were not, you wouldn't see it. That's not to say that it couldn't be improved. I could probably take any post and rewrite it, and, say, there, that's better, but that smacks of nit-picking, a trait in myself I continually beat down with a bag of hammers.


Q2: Does your family know about your blog?

I have informed my family over and over and over about my blog. As of this date, those members who still speak to me have not read it to my knowledge. I made my son read a couple of posts, it took a lot of duck tape, but he read it. "That was all right mama."


Travis used to read it, and left me a comment that I treasure to this day. This was on a "journal" I had on aol. But, on to the next question.

Q3. Do you feel embarrassed to let your friends know about your blog or you just consider it as a private thing?

Embarrassed? Me? I try my best to work into every conversation. That can be difficult. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your great Aunt Mary's heart attack....perhaps I'll write about it in my blog..oh, yes, I have a blog, had one for some time now...would you like to read it sometime?...Here's the URL...no, not Earl, URL...oh, you don't have a computer...they have them at the library....wait, wait! I'll come with you! I can show you where the library is...!!"
Q4. Did blogs cause positive changes in your thoughts?

There are not enough words to describe the positive changes this blog has made for me. When I lost Travis, where there was three, there was now two. EJ was there for me, but some things I could not burden him with. Sometimes I had to listen, and be strong, while I watched my oldest son fall apart from guilt and remorse and if only's. I would talk to my oldest sister late at night, and then she was taken away. I found myself turning more and more to this blog. A place to write my thoughts, feelings, memories, a place to try to reconnect with something I used to call life. I am still reconnecting. But, for me, this blog has taken me out of my grief, and anger, and has been more therapeutic than any grief counselor in the world. The comments that have been left, all have touched me, some more than others. And for those who have journeyed with me, I treasure and so value your company.

Q5. Do you only open the blogs of those who comment on your blog or you love to go and discover more by yourself?

I have regular blogs that I read everyday, or as often as I can. And, I have discovered a few that I found amazingly clever, some just plain odd, and a few that you wonder if thy are actually being written by a serial killer. What I have ultimately learned from my blog browsing is that there are a lot of wonderful writers out there.



Q6. What does visitors counter mean to you? Do you care about putting it in your blog?

I got a little visitor hickey-doo thingy to put on my blog when I was thinking about trying to earn money with ads and such. I got it to see if I was getting enough traffic to even bother. And then I forgot it was there. It really doesn't mean too much, as I would write here probably if no one read it. I just feel the need to write. I like to write. Whether it makes sense or not, I need to put thoughts down where I can see them. Always have. I have two blogs that are private. They don't get any hits at all!


Q7. Did you try to imagine your fellow bloggers and give them real pictures?

Of course. Just as when you read a novel, you picture the characters in the novel. If there is no picture of blogger, I conjure one up in my mind. I can think of only one time where the blogger resembled the Frankenstein monster, in my mind that is, and it wasn't one of the regular


visitors here. It could have been his mother, or maybe he was in drag, I don't know. But I couldn't get that monsterous look out of my mind. Then there are those that just defy description.


Q8. Do you think there is a real benefit for blogging?

Of course there is a 'real benefit' for blogging. That is why so many people blog! Everyone has something to say. And this is a wonderful way for people to give voice to that which stirs their passion.

Q9. Do you think that bloggers’ society is isolated from the real world or interacts with events?


That would depend on the blogger and their passion. Some bloggers are almost one step ahead of world events. You glance through some blogs and see incredible research that has been done, and just using the war in Iraq as an example, so many bloggers interact with the events of this war on a daily basis, it should be required reading for the administration.

Q10. Does criticism annoy you or do you feel it’s a normal thing?


Criticism is how we learn. Unbiased, constructive criticism should be taken as what it is, someone's attempt to help you improve, or to see something in a different light. That is a plus. Hurtful, spiteful, mean, and ugly comments and attacks are a whole different ballgame. I leave them all in my comments. Even the one from the Unibomber.

Q11. Do you fear some political blogs and avoid them?

Do I fear some political blogs? No. Do I avoid them? Yes. Because of my son. Because of my faith. Because I feel the need to defend both, and the writers of some of these blogs and their readers do not want to hear another side to the story. Or so it has been my experience, thus far. Perhaps that is why I try to stay away from the political arena here as well. I guess it's out of respect for my son. Right now his image is being used in a way in which I do not approve. And I am defending him the best way I can. But, at least I don't have to do it here. Not yet, anyway.

Q12. Did you get shocked by the arrest of some bloggers?

Actually, no. If you're going to blog about your interest in young girls, well, someone you don't want to might be reading. If you don't live in the "free world" (where ever that is now), and you attack your government, they might take offense. Here's a link, though, that I found...
http://committeetoprotectbloggers.org/

Q13. Did you think about what will happen to your blog after you die?

I dare say there will be no more new posts. And if there are, hot damn, call the National Enquirer, cause there's money to be made!! It will bring a whole new meaning to the term Ghost Writer.

Q14. What do you like to hear? What’s the song you might like to put a link to, in your blog?

Title :Garth Brooks - The River

This is lyrics from www.lyrics007.com
You know a dream is like a river

Ever changin' as it flows

And a dreamer's just a vessel

That must follow where it goes

Trying to learn from what's behind you

And never knowing what's in store

Makes each day a constant battle

Just to stay between the shores

And I will sail my vessel

'Til the river runs dry

Like a bird upon the wind

These waters are my sky

I'll never reach my destination

If I never try

So I will sail my vessel

'Til the river runs dry

Too many times we stand aside

And let the waters slip away

'Til what we put off 'til tomorrow

It has now become today

So don't you sit upon the shoreline

And say you're satisfied

Choose to chance the rapids

And dare to dance that tide

And I will sail my vessel

'Til the river runs dry

Like a bird upon the wind

These waters are my sky

I'll never reach my destination

If I never try

So I will sail my vessel

'Til the river runs dry

There's bound to be rough waters

And I know I'll take some falls

With the good Lord as my captain

I can make it through them all

And I will sail my vessel

'Til the river runs dry

Like a bird upon the wind

These waters are my sky

I'll never reach my destination

If I never try

So I will sail my vessel

'Til the river runs dry

Lord, I will sail my vessel

'Til the river runs dry

Yea

Now, I must tag a few fellow bloggers. I hope they haven't been tagged already.

Queenies Random Ramblings

My Travels, Travails, and Thoughts

Anne of Queen Anne's Revenge

The rules:

1)Name the person, with link, who tagged you. See Above.

2)Complete the questionnaire without changing the questions. Now , whoever I tag has to copy them down as I did. Sorry about that----NOT.

3)Tag other people. That I can do and I hope they will follow through. this tag is a questionnaire to be answered on the topic " What does blogging mean to me?".