Thursday, September 10, 2009

Why I blog

I woke up a little later than usual this morning. And as usual, I opened up my laptop to check my emails and this blog.

I have 11,949 visitors (since the day I installed this counter. Obviously, it was a date I had long since forgotten).

I blinked.

There has to be a mistake. I had 2700+ visitors yesterday.

So I closed my browser and reopened it again. It says 11,950 visitors.

Hm.. okay. Suddenly, I feel like I'm becoming a celebrity blogger. Haha.

Well, actually, not really. But I'm very surprised about the statistics.

Which brought me to thinking about a question I asked myself yesterday as I met up with a fellow blogger. She, of course has an enormously famous and delectable blog. We were just talking about blogging and suddenly I asked myself aloud. "Yeah, so why do I blog?"

I drove home thinking about that question. Indeed, why?

I know that people blog for different reasons.

Some blog as a form of release for their inner feelings. They write about philosophies of lives and their inner feelings.

Others, I feel, write as to showcase their talents. Talents in sewing, photography, cooking.

There are also academics whose blogs I have visited, who write about their topics of research, pyschoeconomics and so on.

There are also those who blog to bring home the bacon. I have friends and friends' friends who sell handmade jewellery and knick-knacks on their blogs.

Others blog about their lives, to share their experiences with others. I know of a few mothers who do that. And also a few gardeners as well.

A friend sent me a facebook message last night and said she gave up on blogging because her life is so boring, just work and then home.

But still, I have not answered my own question - So, why do I blog?

The thing is, I feel that I have a boring life too... I just blog about small little things I do and I feel. I don't "specialise" in a single topic such as gardening or cooking. Or even restaurant reviews. Oh no. I blog about all kinds of things that are simple things I do or come across.

After some thoughts, I think I blog for two reasons.

The first is to stay in touch with myself - somewhat like a log of what I do. This is sometimes the hardest question I have when I meet friends who ask, "Ok, so you've stopped working. What do you do nowadays?" Sometimes, to my own horror, I find I can't really remember! I meant, I am currently in the midst of starting something... but over the last 9 months since I came back.. what have I done...? Having a blog is kind of like a psuedo diary for myself. And also for friends who are far away, as a way to share what's going on in my life with them.

The other reason is a little more... well, let's just say it is just a more "lofty ambition", or some would call it wishful thinking. I mean, I've always assumed that people who follow my blog are my friends. But I hope that some how, in some way, some day, a stranger might chance upon this blog, and find something a little useful about it. Be it finding some resonance in my musings, or a useful recipe for dinner.. and in my own little way, I've made someone's life a little richer, a little more colourful and a tad bit better.

My blue pea plant.. flowering and flowering.
It really adds colour to my balcony

3 comments:

Rummi, the gardener. said...

'I've always assumed that people who follow my blog are my friends..'

Yes, me too:)

And I'm particularly inclined to wanna think so since I also have so much time on hand (when all my friends are working at thes hours), and my little balcony-garden is so little that it does't take up too much effort often.

Thus writing for my 'friends' feels good, much better than writing to 'the air'. LOL

Open Kitchen Concept said...

That's true.. is easier to "write to friends", isn't it? Rummi, will you be going for the Oct GCS gathering?

Rummi, the gardener. said...

I think so.