Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Another Blog About Blogging



When I started blogging a year ago, in January, 2009, I had no idea what I was doing.  I wrote the following in my first post:

At 61 years old I often think back and wish I could remember more about myself or my children or some event or activity....all those years and all those things that brought me to today. I like where I am today....I live with Doc, who I call Kenny, who thinks whatever I do is okay. I have 1 son and two daughters, 1 daughter-in-law, 2 sons-in-law, and six grandchildren, all of whom I think are the best ever, and who all bring joy beyond description to my life. I'm not sure that they think that whatever I do is okay, but they let me share in their lives and that makes everything okay for me. Blogging feels like a good way to reflect, remember and share the things that take us from day to day, and with time make up the life we look back on.

Why "Living Consciously"? I am, like everyone, getting older and I hope, like everyone, that continues for a long time, so I want to do it the best I can. I feel like one of the keys to that is to live consciously. It is something I have thought about and tried to do for a long time, but still can't totally define., and certainly am far from being really good at. Maybe blogging will help me along that path.

As I start my second year I'm still a neophyte. I think the blogging endeavor has helped me to do what my title suggests I am trying to do....live my life more consciously. Oh, and  it has also cured me of a computer Mah Jong addiction. The surprise serendipity  for me has been the wonderful people from the blogging community that have come into my life. All ages, from all walks of life, writing about births and deaths, loss and healing, marriage and divorce, tragedys and triumphs, the everyday and the mundane. Writing about life. I truly value everyone I have gotten to know and all that they have shared .

I have learned a lot about blogging from other bloggers. Joanna, at  The Fifty Factor has done a wonderful series of posts that answer a lot of questions about the "how tos" of blogging. Betty at
A Glimpse Into Midlife has very kindly and patiently answered many of my questions by e-mail about how to do something or why something doesn't work. Others have offered suggestions about my recent crazy HTML issues and Thais at thedesign-house fixed my HTML issues and re-designed my page. With all this help, I still have questions.
  • Do you feel as embarrassed as I do when you leave a comment and then see that there is a typo in it?
  • Do you know what the difference is between a member and a follower?
  • Do you think "lurking" is a very unflattering term for dropping by to visit a blog you don't follow?
  • Do you publish posts on a schedule or just when the muse moves you?
  • Have you ever left a comment and then worried that what you said came out wrong? Do you e-mail to clarify or just let it go?
  • When you go to a site and see that the person has more than one blog do you get a little flustered?
  • Do you really, really like being able to visit with your friends in your pajamas with no make-up and before you have washed your hair?
  • Do you like it when people put a question or questions at the end of their post?
  • Do you sometimes have trouble thinking of a way to end a post on just the right note?
I do, so I will just say thank you and all the best to everyone for a great new year.

11 comments:

  1. -Typos never worry me.
    -A member is someone who can write on that blog, a follower is someone who just reads it.
    -Lurkers... sounds not so nice I agree.
    -I publish every day.. unless I'm in hospital, then my husband or son does it for me!
    -I often worry about comments I leave being misunderstood... and yes I have sent an emal in explanation afterwards!
    -I never get flustered!
    -I don't visit freinds with no make up.. ever!
    -questions at ends of posts... depends what the question is!
    -I don't worry about how my posts end.. they ALWAYS end with NITE NITE!

    There ya go, I answered ALL your questions!

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  2. Thankfully, there is a little trash-can icon that I can hit if I absolutely hate a comment I made and want to start fresh!!!

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  3. Hey Jeanie, LOVE the new look! It's beautiful.

    Congratulations on your one year anniversary! That's big. And Thanks for the shout out.

    It's been a real pleasure getting to know you. It may not feel like it to you but you write like you're an old pro at blogging.

    Here are my answers to the questions I might be able to help with-

    --I'm a terrible typer so I've long since stopped worrying about typos.
    --I have no idea what a "member" is. As far as I know, a follower is some one who either clicks on your follow button or manually adds your blog to their blogroll.
    --I think lurking is when you read a blog but don't comment.
    --I don't publish on a schedule but I'd like to-- but it would only be 2-3 times a week max.
    --Comments i leave can be deleted (by me) via the little trash can at the end of my comment on someone else's blog. And yeas, i've used it before.
    --Multiple blogs confuse me. I'd like the "main" blog to be at the top. But I usually click through them and respond on the blog with the most recent post.
    --Blogging in my PJs is nice :-)
    --I usually end my posts with a question to help start a conversation.
    --I have trouble ending some of my posts so I just keep working on them which can take days or weeks.

    Hope this helps!
    xo

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  4. I'm a compulsive perfectionist so everything bothers me.

    Typos make my heart skip a beat and I usually go back to correct.

    What the heck is a "member???"

    Lurking sounds creepy to me.

    Schedule...I live on the Ozarks Ponderosa...cattle get out, strongbacks need fed( farmhands) and Hubby always has other projects. My schedule usually gets blow out of the water.

    I have gone back and apologized for something I commented thinking is was funny at the time. I certainly would never hurt someone.

    Bloggin' in yoga pants is great!

    Most my post are song titles and I try to wrap the post up with that.

    I do write the post then edit the thing to death before I throw it out there. Did I mention I was Type-A????

    I really enjoyed this and here's wishin' ya'll on terrifically blessed day!!!

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  5. I think of leaving a comment like email and spelling and typos are of no consequence in them.
    I write a post when I feel like it, no schedule. I can't have fun with my blog if I have pressure regarding schedules and rules.
    When I see a blogger with multiple blogs, I check them all out and pick the one I like best.
    I like it when people put questions and I like when they don't. Equally.
    I don't worry about how my post sounds to people reading it; not that I don't care about the people who do take the time to read it, I just don't put pressure on myself to meet their standards that I may conjure up in my head.
    This is a nice post, and you are a great blogger for only doing this one year. Really like your header graphics and the colors and the clean look of your blog, not all crowded like some.

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  6. LOVE love the new look! Congratulations on your one year anniversary!!
    And thanks for mentioning and linking my in your post. I feel humbly unworthy of it. It was just help offered to my friend. I feel blessed getting to know you and am so happy you decided to make your own blog. I learn from you too. I admire your maturity and love how positive you are about your age and aging. It´s something I strive to be like too.
    As I said before, hopefully we will continue this friendship for a long time!
    Hugs, from BEtty

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  7. I love your new look blog!

    Yes, typos bother me when they are my typos.

    Love dropping in on people dressed in pajamas.

    Yes - I like questions at the end of a post ...

    Most of all, I think the main thing is to do what feels right for you - and don't worry about the rest! :-)

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  8. I always comment on other bloggers' post and get out of there really quickly. Otherwise, I would never comment on anyone's page because I would over think what I had just written and delete the whole thing. On that note...before I run out of here...I want to say I enjoyed visiting your site and I want to thank you for visiting mine.

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  9. Ha! Blogging cured your mah-jong addiction! I've been seeing my situation as replacing one addiction with another. Of course, blogging has considerably more value. Re: your questions:
    * A typo here and there doesn't totally throw me.
    * Didn't know about "member" until I read Chris H's answer above.
    * "Lurking" has been used for a long time on list-servs, too, so I'm used to it. I can see your point, though.
    * I post when I have a topic and the time.
    * Just yesterday I worried about how I'd phrased something, so I went back and looked. It was okay, but if it hadn't been, I would have left another comment so readers could see my clarification, too.
    * I check out the sites to see which I like best.
    * I wish I could work from home, too; it's so comfortable.
    * It doesn't matter... if I have something to say I'll comment and if not, I won't.
    * Yes, and I think that's part of the thought process... how do I feel about what I've just said? What do I want readers to take away?

    All the best!

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