Let's Blog ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome once again friends to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 (hosted by Annie at Cottage by the Sea) and how about talking about blogging this week since it's something we all do anyway. 

Get yourself a cuppa, come sit down at your computer and let's think about blogging for a bit. Blog is short for Weblog, a log or diary on the World Wide Web or internet.   Your journal or diary can hold personal stories, ideas, opinions of all kinds and can be private or public as you wish.  It is an excellant way to document your life or interests.

1. Why did you begin blogging?  

I started blogging many years ago when I was on an extended leave from work due to illness. The blog post archive says 2009 was the first year I blogged but I thought it was a year or so earlier. Anyway, I was looking for a way to do something creative and productive and I believe it was my youngest brother who told me about blogging.  Since I was sick I wanted to find a way to focus on the positive and uplifting things in life like nature's beauty and so on.  The blog seemed a good vehicle for expressing positivity.

2. What benefits does blogging offer you?

As mentioned, I started blogging as a way of focussing on positive things to encourage myself while I dealt with my own health issues and also the health challenges of a dear family member. Along the way, I expanded the blog topics to share about the missions in Kenya and document my creative and other daily activities so the blog became more or a journal of sorts.

3. Have you made friends from blogging?

Yes, I've made a few friends through blogging.  I've been fortunate to meet a few bloggers in person.  One in Canada who has since passed on and one in Kenya who now lives in South Africa.  There were plans to meet two other bloggers, one in Vancouver Island and one from Hong Kong but those plans didn't come to fruition.  I expect I'll get a chance to meet one or two other bloggers in due time.

4. Where do you get ideas for things you blog about? Do other bloggers influence you?

The last few years there have been a number of quirks and issues I've faced with the blogging platform, Blogger.  These problems resulted in fewer readers, followers and commenters.  Since I don't want to be talking to myself or blogging about things that are only of interest to me,  I've thought about giving up blogging altogether because it's discouraging when no one leaves comments or only one or two people seem to be reading.  However, I persevered and along the way, I've been encouraged by a few other bloggers.  Since I've been blogging, I noticed that so many others have started a blog and dropped by the way side.  Blogging no longer is the main social media tool for keeping in touch with others. Everyone seems to want instantaneous and new and have migrated to platforms like Instagram, Tik Tok and others.   

Sometimes I have many ideas for blogging and at other times I have no ideas. Blogging ideas can come in different ways: every day life, what I see on television, what I read and what I see around me.  Other bloggers influence me too especially when I read their uplifting posts, beautiful photos or heartfelt personal news.  I've also been inspired to try new recipes or crafts when I see what other bloggers are up to.

For some time now, I've been preoccupied with decluttering, household renos, condo business and old personal business so the blog has been in caretaking mode rather than robust activity and original content.  It's helped enormously to have a few memes to participate in to support my blogging efforts.  Once I've completed all old business, I'll be able to decide what direction to go with the blog.