Benefits of blogging

Blogging, for me, has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I don't plan to stop. I hope to still be blogging at eighty, if I am still around.

I feel that blogging is a productive and enjoyable use of my spare time (unless I spend too long slaving over how to phrase something, which happens). But really, what does it do for me?

The blog is like a public bookmarking tool because it gives me a directory of the most interesting and important things I have come across.

It is a place to grow and develop thoughts, and receive feedback on them.

It allows me to be more sensitive with people's time because I can share things without sending an invasive "look at me" email.

It gives me an excuse to ask interesting people questions.

Writing comes much more easily to me now.

It serves as a conversation starter with family and friends. (Beats talking about the weather.)

It is a memory aid.

It is a way to introduce myself to people.

The emails I receive from readers really do brighten my day. So do the referrals from other bloggers.

The greatest benefit of blogging has been the conversations and friendships it has led to outside of the blog. If I had not started blogging, I would have missed the invaluable exchanges with my new friends from the opposite side of the country, Robert and Bob. Nor would I have known Harrison -- a guy who lives right down the road and who is similar to me in so many ways -- and his wife Traci. I never would have had a great lunch with Nathan; never would have been invited to the Governor's announcement; never would have had the valuable exchanges with Nick and Hugh; never would have had the outpouring of support about the religion thing; and never would have known about so many blogs that I now read and enjoy daily.

---

Earlier:
This blog is about Me, dammit