I Made It!! What I've Learned By Blogging Every Day

Way back at the beginning of this month, I decided to try something suggested by the Web consortium BlogHer. As part of National Blog Posting Month, I set a goal to write in the blog every day for the month of November. And I can proudly say that, minus a few hiccups (I started a day late, and posted one entry a day late due to Internet problems), I was able to blog every day this month! Hooray! It's so nice to actually accomplish a goal for once...

Here's what I've learned this month:

1. I probably can't blog on an everyday basis...I just don't have it in me! There were a few days when I felt I was "reaching" for things to say. I want the writing and the ideas on this blog to feel organic and natural. Plus, blogging can be somewhat time-consuming (especially when I'm uploading a bunch of photos and videos), and I'm just too busy to sit in front of the computer for hours each day. There's also the matter of having to share our (so far) one & only computer with the rest of the family.

However,

2. Blogging every day has reminded me how much I enjoy writing. I have really missed that! Back in my youth, I dreamed of being a famous writer when I grew up. I have always loved writing, and I like to think I'm pretty good at it (though certainly not the best around, of course). I even majored in English and Journalism in college to hone my skills...and since I graduated, all my paid jobs have been in accounting. Hah...the eternal dilemma of an English major! Then, life, marriage, and kids all happened, and as it has for so many, some of my dreams have been put on the back burner.

However, those dreams still exist--and I'm starting to realize that any writing is a good way to keep those dreams attainable. Writing frequently tends to keep my mind limber & flexible. Besides being a good way to record my family history and keep in touch with family & friends, blogging has proven itself useful in giving me new writing ideas of all kinds. Even if some of them aren't the most exciting subjects (I can't wait to share pictures of my Christmas cookies!! *yawn*), they are subjects that matter to me and my family right now--and as far as I'm concerned, that's the primary function of this blog. All the other opinion pieces (and movie/book/TV reviews, even though I love to write them) are just the gravy. Who knows? Maybe I'll feel confident enough in my writing that I can (finally) plunge into fiction writing again. That would be awesome (for me--don't know about for the rest of you :) )

So, my "early" New Year's resolution is to take this momentum into the next year, and blog more often and (hopefully) more meaningfully. Even if I won't write every day, I hope to post something at least once a week. I know life gets in the way sometimes, but if this month has taught me anything (besides my first two points), it's that

3. The sacrifices I make in blogging are worth the rewards I get from writing it!

So, stay tuned; I'll be back soon! I really mean it this time; we're about to celebrate our first Christmas in our new home and I don't want that to pass by undocumented. Plus, I have Celeste's fourth birthday and Nathan and my tenth anniversary coming up in December. Lots coming up!