Why blog? Why have a blog?

Why blog, people ask me? Why have a blog? What do you get out of it? You don't make money from it do you? Why do you do it, they ask with a perplexed, grimace on their face?


Well here goes:-


I didn't think blogging, as a social media, would ever appeal to me. I love people and I love fostering and affiliating relationships amongst real, live people during face to face contact. You can hug, smile, make eye contact with and pat the arm of these real humans, in an engaging and satisfying way.

However, I love writing and prior to beginning my blog, I would clarify my thoughts and channel my creative energy into my diary at the end of the day. Just short excerpts to process and put my thoughts to bed, each evening.


We don't have a TV, so we sit at night and read, write or watch Lily dance and sing or play. See photographs above. Correction - we do have a TV, although some people wouldn't call it that. It is so small and old fashioned that it causes people to laugh when they see it, in relation to the 6 foot plasma screens of today. It is not stationed in the living or lounge room. It is in the little, 'front', music room or study, on purpose, as the TV is not central to our lives.

Lily watches ABC kids and DVDs. There are no television restrictions in our house. Lily watches TV if and when she wishes. Paul and I watch the odd DVD here and there, the 3 of us often watch re-runs of the Good Life, as a family, but Paul and I never watch commercial TV as such.

The point is, I prefer writing and reading over TV. Books, magazines and my blog and yours, are my preferred mediums of communication, inspiration and knowledge.

When I have my 'one year' blogoversary, I intend to select the most memorable posts from my blog and get the material printed and bound to keep a time capsule of our family and daily life, complete with photographs of Lily as she has grown. [Fellow bloggers, see blurb.com for a cheap and cheerful result].

I enjoy savouring and recording the things that I love, or that are beautiful, that I come across in my daily life. I enjoy the mindfulness that accompanies this process. Being mindful of beauty, happiness and joyful and funny anecdotes, sustains me. This is an appreciative process. Recognising gratitude, kindness and goodness allows one to focus on the positive.

I love sharing and entering into the worlds of other like-minded, people's blogs. There is an element of voyeurism in us all. Humans are curious by nature. I am curious about the behaviours, homes, family habits and lifestyles of others.


Blogging allows me to connect with people when I have the time and your full attention, at the end of the day when every man and his dog has wanted a piece of me!! When I blog, I am me in my purist form. I am often sitting in my pyjamas at night, clean and showered, with my slippers on. No make-up, no work face or ironed and accessorized work clothes. Just me at my purist and usually most content. When I log onto my blog, a sense of calm comes over me.

When I blog, dear friends, I don't have to clean up the house for your visit or for our communication. If I do, or if there is something in my home that I want to share with you, I take a snap. I may not snap and send a shot of the basket of un-ironed clothes, no. I will pick something that I am proud of, or that I find pretty or interesting, that is part of my immediate surrounding.

Due to my career, I am careful. I can't be too personal or opinionated, which at times I find a great shame, as I get so much strength advice from fellow bloggers. I am exceedingly careful about what I reveal. I have to be. When my book is launched at the end of the year, I will have to write under a pseudonym. That is a shame.

I don't do twitter or face book. I blog, because I find it more personable than the aforementioned sites. I find blogging more controlled and more creative, akin to scrapbooking online.

Funnily enough, when I have a sabbatical (not out of choice) from my blog - it is you, my dear bloggers and followers and friends who I miss. I have got to know you through my blog. You are a constant source of companionship. I value you all.

Even those of you (my technologically inept friends) who haven't become followers or haven't worked out how to leave a message, or those of you who just prefer to pop in 'incognito' - I love you guys too, very much.