why blog

Interesting interview this morning on NPR with a 22 year old my space blogger. You can listen to the story if you follow the link, but there's not a transcript so the following thoughts quote from my groggy 6 am memory. NPR asked the blooger, Jonthon Coulson, why he blogs if he already knows most of the people who read his blog. He said something to the effect that by sharing his ideas and opinions, he can grow and learn from those who comment. Or something like that. He also talked of it as "time shifting," meaning he can write when he has time and friends can read when they have time. That's the reason I communicate with most of my friends and family via email.

Unlike the young profiled blogger, I do not know the vast majority of you silly folks who make time to read my ramblings. Some I do (my Dad & brother now read, some groovy sister friends). And I've met a few of you in real life because of the blog. But there are others of you (who shall remain nameless) who I've never met in real life but who I've come to know through this blog and your blog and I know if I needed you, you'd be there in a virtual sense. Which is what friendship is, even if its basis is virtual. That perphaps is a generational difference between me and this 22 year old blogger.

But aside from meeting my virtual support network of cool discerning people and their blog pals, my main reason for blogging is to share my ideas and opinions with you and thereby learn and grow and change. Blogs are interactive. Both in comments to my blog, and in related posts on other blogs. Yesterday's Blog Day Against Sexism is a perfect example. As is the newly formed Amateur Catholic B Team. And the Sister Bloggers Ring. And the revgalblogpals. We are forming community of a new and different type. And it's cool.

The NPR story is titled, "Student Gladly Shares Life Details on Web." They're framing it in the context of privacy. But there's a way I think to share your life details on the web privately. You can know the core of a person without knowing the name of all their friends and exactly what their boss said that pissed them off and what brand of cereal they eat. It's a balance and a writing challenge. One that I actually enjoy.

Ok blogging about blogging over ... for now!

Have a blessed day everyone!