if you blog, you probably know the feeling that comes from participating in an activity only to think, “this will make a great blog post!”
i was struck by this new york times article about people who photograph everything they eat. not all are bloggers, but the idea is the same. documenting life has become completely pervasive in our digital society. every moment is something to be captured and considered.
and then shared with thousands – or millions – of people.
sometimes i feel like i live for the sake of my blog instead of blogging for my own sake. when you’re constantly behind the camera so that you can document special events for your readers or considering how you might make a profound point out of a humorous situation, life is exhausting. of course, there are many many more ways that life could be exhausting and i’m glad i’ve chosen this one.
on the flip side of making life exhausting, blogging has also forced me to do things i would have never considered before. things like offering consulting & brainstorming, venturing to major craft shows and actually introducing myself, creating a personal brand, attending networking events, and building a successful business. in order to appear more authentic on my blog, i’ve actually had to broaden my horizons – what a great trade-off!
i’m also struck by how many people are interested in the daily routines of people like me – and not at all life me, of course. not only has documenting life become pervasive in the digital society, but the need to connect with people on the most fundamental levels – the things we eat, the things we buy, the way we raise our children, etc… – has become a visceral urge. my blogs have duel purposes, to document my life & thoughts and to share information of value, but other blogs that i read on a daily basis – mackin ink, a beautiful mess, and smile & wave – are almost purely personal. i love it too! i’m so inspired by their lives and their point of view!
so – when you blog, do you think back on the things you’ve done & the way you live?
or do you live to blog?
{image credit: look at my party dress by kilsook}
My mind seems to have been transformed into one that works in various modes… from long to short… blog, facebook, twitter. I don’t think I live to blog, I think I live and my brain has adapted to new ways of communicating
i am new to blogging, so i don’t think i am living to blog just yet. but i can totally see how quickly that can happen.
My blog is certainly a big part of my life. I love blogging, I love connecting with people, and I love finding awesome things to share!
It’s funny how it becomes a part of your life. Like you see something, or meet someone, or have a thought and your first reaction is “I should blog that!”
I am a person who likes to share. I used to write letters to people first on paper, then through e-mail. When blogging came to me I found a way to share the things about me to a broader audience. I do find myself saying that this or that would make a great post and find that it is an extension of my sharing ways.
Thank you for describing the feeling for us,
i loved this post!
i think i’m somewhere in the middle… sometimes i struggle with how personal to get (or not to get) on my blog, and also with how often to talk shop too. and sometimes i have so many ideas for blog posts i never know where to start first… then other times i don’t have much to say. i definitely LOVE blogging, and the community it provides, and sharing the things i’m interested in. i also have found that it almost gives me a new sense of appreciation for the little things in life… i often catch myself thinking: this would make a great blog post!
(oh, and i have been a food-picture-taker for as long as i can remember – my friends and family used to always makes fun of me but now they’re just used to it
I tend not to document my life as much as I could or maybe should, considering how into blogging I am. For some reason I’ve always reading about other people’s lives (via Livejournal since 2000 and now through other blogs), but I’m really bad about taking pictures or talking much about the cool things I do in real life, especially after the fact. I mean, I feel like I’ve had a lot of cool adventures, but maybe my blog doesn’t necessarily always reflect that? Part of it is just that I’d rather live in the moment and create my own personal memories than to spend the time snapping away with photos. I tend to let others do the photographing… with Facebook and Flickr it’s so easy to just wait for other, better photographers to post their pictures of events I’ve participated in.
Hi Tara! I am just starting my blogging since last year. I just want to jouranl my kiddo daily life and a little things around us. How could i get you?? just though the blogger “megan auman”. you see how big is the networking?? I like blogging to connect to different kind of bloggers, such as crafters, designers to get more how they could be a succesful bloggers.
Tara- thanks for a thought provoking blog post. At one time I blogged about our town politics…then I did live to blog!
Blogging is different when it comes to my pottery- I have struggled to “find” what might be interesting to readers. However, after listening to customers who come to my small shop, get excited about the property it occurs to me that the pottery I make is enhanced by the farm…it’s all part of my story and how I got to this point.
Little by little I seem to be finding my way with the pottery blog. I am learning to carry my camera almost everywhere…just in case and what a surprise that my husband is happy to be involved in the blog as well!
Thanks for triggering me to think about it~
Well, I think blogging is also a way of leaving a part of you behind. NO matter what happens to you, this blog will continue to exist and will live on. People will still be able to come back and read about you and reconnect with and remember you.
It gives the little things you do a broader scope and it can also be a point of hope for those who have lost hope or inspire others to try new things.
I know that since I have been sharing myself online, I have felt the small burdens in my life be a little less heavy. I am not alone and people DO care.
That’s a rather powerful feeling!