A Blogging Secret

I have a little secret about blogging. Sometimes I don’t feel like blogging. Sometimes I want to avoid the little post box. Sometimes, like right now, I’m so far behind on my email that I wonder if I will be eaten alive when I do open my inbox.  But I blog anyway.

I’ve realized I have this crazy mission in life to document my story and encourage others to do the same, all so we can connect and understand and make the world a better place. The thing is lots of times I don’t want to go through the opening of the computer and the waiting for the start up and the thinking of the words and the clacking of the keys. It would just be so much easier to curl up on the couch and play video games or read a book. But I blog anyway.

This week, during the tech workshop, several teachers started new blogs. Today during a meeting, two more people told me they started a blog. I’m hoping many of you who don’t have a blog will consider starting one (even if it is only to join us for the Slice of Life Challenge) and those of you who do have blogs will go off and make another post. Still I feel like I need to warn you (and those new bloggers) that sometimes you won’t feel like blogging. But it’s important to do it anyway.

Here’s a little list…

REASONS I BLOG EVEN WHEN I DON’T FEEL LIKE IT

1. You are reading. Seriously. Because you comment and I know there’s people who care and want to read, I blog.
2. Andy brings me my computer. Pathetic, I know. But the underlying reason to the pathetic one is there is someone who is committed to kicking me in the pants when I don’t think I can do it anymore. There’s someone who is willing to hold me accountable.
3. I want to be dependable.
4. I’m a little scared of Stacey. 🙂 This is very good for my writing life. In fact, I think every writer should have someone they are afraid of disappointing. It is a very good way to build a writing habit.
5. I ask students to write even when they don’t feel like it. I would feel a little bit like a hypocrite if I don’t write just because I don’t want to. How can I nudge students to write when they don’t want to if I don’t do it myself?
6. I know it is easier to maintain the habit than to rebuild it.
7. I get to practice the craft of brevity.
8. I always, no matter what, always am glad to have blogged. I like being able to go back and say — Woah! Look at all I’ve written. This could be the only item on the list and it would be enough.

In the end, it’s worth it. It’s worth postponing the other things I might be doing so I can squeeze in a blog post. It’s worth writing even when I don’t want to, even when I think it’s stupid, even when I’m tired to my bones. It’s worth it. So I blog anyway.