At the beginning of this summer, I gave myself an assignment. I assigned myself to write a blog entry for as many days as I could this summer. I have completed that assignment and thus my blogging experiment as well.
My purpose was two-fold. I am incorporating blogging into my curriculum and I don't want to teach something I've never done. And, after almost three decades of teaching writing, I had ceased being a writer myself. The only things of length I've been writing are grants, analyses, and reports. Ugh. Yuck.
I'd lost that creative part of me and gave myself this summer to find it again.
It was difficult at first. I felt like I was running naked through Wal-Mart at times, baring my thoughts and feelings to folks I've never met. And here's a secret. No one I know IRL has the faintest idea I have a blog, so the only ones who read it are you kind people who don't even know me. But, I think I'm going to go ahead and tell the folks who know me about this blog so they can read it if they like.
My own writing skills are rusty. I look back at some of my first posts from last month and think I could have said that better. Why did I use those words? Wow, that kind of sounds boring. I'm slowly finding my voice again.
I discovered something else, too. I've pored through your blogs, studying past posts in depth, seeing what folks like to comment on and what they don't. I want to have the fullest information I can when I present this to my students.
And what I've discovered is there are some really great people out there. I wasn't expecting to find so many people I'd be pleased to know in real life and have as neighbors. Your comments on my posts have been unfailingly kind.
I am enriched by all the things I've learned from you and through you.
And, although my blogging experiment is over, I think I will continue adding to it.
I would also like to know a few things from you veteran bloggers, if you care to comment.
Why do you blog?
What are your favorite topics to blog about?
How do you decide what to include in your blog?
What topics do you like to read about in other's blogs?
Thank you, folks!
Well I do hope you continue with your blogging experiment, considering how I just started reading your blog recently! What a great experiment to have done to incorporate it with your students! It is fun to blog and it does help with writing skills, though I would never call myself a writer, LOL.
ReplyDeleteWhy do I blog? I work at home doing medical transcription (typing up what doctors dictate after they see a patient). Blogging is my contact with people, LOL, talking with them over the computer or through their blogs helps me to connect so to speak.
Favorite topics, Jesus, Koda (dog), stress in my life LOL, son when he was going through problems, right now getting used to the major change we made back in January when hubby quit his nice paying job so we could move closer to his parents and take over one of their homes since they are both in assisted living (its been a struggle for me in more ways than one), pictures of our town we live in, general stuff.
How do I decide what to put in my blog? Well I try only to blog once or twice a week. Sometimes I get a great topic in my mind but when I go to write it, nothing happens. Sometimes I play around with a post for a few days and then write it. I truly believe a lot of my posts are words God wants me to share about my experiences in trusting him, going through life etc. When I bare my soul so to speak, I do get comments with "I needed to hear this" etc.
I am very private though with what I blog. I usually don't post pictures of family members on my blog, except I did do hubby from the back on my last post when he was cooking. Koda is the main person's picture I post. I don't use family member names, just hubby, son, etc and I'm real general where we live.
Topics I like to read: Pretty much anything. Faith, children, traveling, etc.
hope this helps!
betty
I think it is wonderful to include blogging in your curriculum. I'm sure the kids will enjoy it. I'm glad you are going to keep on blogging. We would all miss you.
ReplyDeleteI started blogging because my sister had a blog and I had to join up to comment on hers. I started writing my own - Why? Well, I enjoyed reading other blogs and wanted to meet people.
I have social phobia and get sick in situations where I have to talk with people. I have other problems like major depression and post-traumatic stress. I find when I meet people online I am not afraid.
I like people. I like reading about their lives and hearing their opinions on subjects whether I agree with them or not. I am always learning from my fellow bloggers.
My favorite topic is anything with humor. If I find a story or situation funny, I blog about that. Sometimes I draw a blank up until the last moment and then something comes to me. I want to blog every day, but I doubt I can keep that up.
I love all kinds of blogs and in fact, I don't have time to read all the blogs I would like to read. I've pretty much stopped reading craft blogs because I just don't have the time.
I like to write about general topics that I find funny. I very seldom bring up anything serious, sad, too personal or controversial. I also don't reference my kids too often. So glad you stopped by my blog the other day because it linked me back here! I am following you now. :)
ReplyDeleteBetty: Thank you so much! Koda is ADORABLE. I love the pictures you post of him. I think it's admirable how you and your husband are helping his parents out. I enjoyed reading your great answers to my questions!
ReplyDeleteBelle: I'm with you. I've found some great blogs, but I just don't have the time to get to them all. I like getting to find out about people online, too. People who know probably wouldn't tag me as shy, but I am, and it is easier to find out about people online. I love to read the funny posts, too, and you've had some gems that have made me laugh! Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions!
Kelley: Thank you so much for stopping by my blog- yea! I've very much enjoyed reading yours and look forward to reading your posts. I've kind of been all over the place with my topics, but I do gravitate towards funny ones and I love to get a great laugh out of the ones I read. Thanks again!
Hmmm...my blog doesn't really have a set theme. Most of the time, as I'm going through my day, I just come up with ideas and think, "I should blog about that." If I'm fortunate, I remember them when I'm at a computer and type them up! Most of the time I forget, though.
ReplyDeleteHi Shelly,
ReplyDeleteI just want you to know that I have really enjoyed reading your blog and hope you will continue.
1. Why I blog. I use it as a way of expressing myself and a vehicle to help others with useful ideas.
2. My favorite topics are my family, food and travel.
3. What's in it is basically what I have available.
4. Topics I like to read: Day to day life stories. I have one friend, Jenna, a 28 year old computer worker who also happens to run a farm in upstate NY. She raises black faced sheep, chickens, rabbits and struggled through a horrible winter and is ready to do it again. She can paint a picture with words and I love her stories. Her farm is Cold Antler Farm & web site is http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com She is a real blessing in my life.
Stephanie: I know exactly what you mean- so often I have a good idea, but when I finally get the time to sit down and write about it...pffft...it's gone. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing!
ReplyDeleteOdie: Thank you, my friend! I really appreciate all you share and your info was very helpful to me. I am going to stop by your friend's blog and check it out. She sounds very interesting!
What?! Oh, no you don't. YOu get back here, little missy!
ReplyDelete:-)
OK. I'll answer some questions.
Why do I blog? Because my greatest fear is that no one hears me, that no one will miss me when I'm gone. True.
How do I decide what to include? I want people to enjoy comign to my blog, to know that I don't yell, rant, swear, or put people down. It's strictly light-hearted, sometimes poignant, sometimes thoughtful. I have what is called a "contract with teh audience", which means that you can trust me, that I will never spring something horrid or offensive at the people who read me.
I like to read, in other blogs, about what the writer sees/observes. I want to know about their lives, not necessarily on a day-to-day basis or about what they bought or had for dinner but how something affected them, what it made them think of.
Pearl: I think that is true of a lot of us. We just want our voice known, a record of it. And, I always love your posts. They are smile-generators, for sure!
ReplyDelete