A Blogging Manifesto - a preface

I never thought I would start a blog. I find the whole idea very weird, and a lot scary. There are a few blogs I read regularly, some of which I personally know the authors and two written by women I've never met. I read my friend's blogs to keep up on their lives, and the other two I read mostly for entertainment - they're both really good writers, and I guess they write about things that I identify with. But i constantly ask myself, Why do people blog?

I guess there are a lot of reasons, but as we prepared to move across the country I began to wonder how I would keep in touch with all the people I love back home. And then I just threw it out there - I started telling people I was thinking of starting a blog...so then I had to start thinking about it. So now I'm asking myself Why would I start a blog?

You see, I have a lot of problems with the whole idea of blogging. First off, it's a little scary. I know a whole lot of personal stuff (though what is actually personal in this day? i believe blogging has significantly contributed to the further blurring of public vs. private) about these women who's blogs I read. And in my case, it doesn't really matter because I don't plan to do anything with that knowledge. But what if Joe Shmo crazy man who lives seven blocks from my house finds my blog and starts stalking me? That's creepy.

Blogs seem so intimate, and yet a blogger willingly posts knowing that anyone could access that post. What does that say about bloggers? Are we (with this preface-post i guess i'm now in the group) starved for attention?

So with that said, this is my aim in joining the blogging world: I plan to blog as an outlet, first and foremost. I have a lot of thoughts that jumble around in my head throughout the day (and night). I hope to use blogging as a way of letting some of those thoughts out to see what sticks. So, my number one goal in blogging is selfish, just so you know now. I also plan to blog as a way of journalling what we've been up to - which allows my friends and family to keep up on our lives, especially now that we're 2,367 miles away. But once blogging becomes a burden to me I know I'll quit. I have enough things that keep me up at night.

So there you have it, now you know what to expect. And knowing is half the battle.