Scattergories

I called K1 last night to set up her time to come over tonight so I can fix her hair color... she let a colorist do something unfortunate at the salon and now requires corrective color to go back to her natural. Normally I don't like fixing color mistakes, but her hair doesn't look good, at all. [and corrective color is expensive in the salon]

During the conversation, she told me she was contemplating starting a blog... kind of like mine, a little bit of everything and she was looking for a name that wasn't too much of one thing or another.

Of course, that conversation got me thinking about my blog, and intent, and name and all sorts of stuff. I already had the name because I'd bought the domain months earlier with the intent of building a website for fun. Once I determined that I would build a blog until I decided what to do about a website, I just wasn't sure what I was going to do with the content. As editor-in-chief, I anticipated that there would be quite a bit about the lungs, especially during my lung season. But unlike my last blogging adventure, I didn't want it to be THE WHOLE THING. I wanted to leave myself open to explore other material. [Which is why I always put the dogs in the header. They're a huge part of my life. And I'm still digging the fish... I've messed with a new header, but haven't come up with an improvement on the current one yet.]

However, when I contemplated running Blogher ads, I had to pick a focus. I picked health because with a name like Asthmagirl, you really can't go in a different direction! But in truth, I really try to minimize the asthma thing because I think it's just not that interesting [unless you have it and are trying to live with it!] to the general public and my audience is pretty varied. Although, this summer might be interesting as the lungs provide a real contrast in their "good season" compared to their wimpy winter!

I really thought I'd do more with the cooking, but the more I post to my cooking blog, the more I realize that I'm still in a huge learning phase. Coming out of 25 years of production dinners has left me with some good skills and confidence but a lot of space to fill with new ideas and foods. The fact that I never know who will be here for dinner makes things even more challenging! That and I don't shoot food very well, I'm always in a hurry to eat it!

I'm not really a mommy blogger. Not that there's anything wrong with that! But my kids are much older, technically adults and my focus is really adult parenting and not child development.

I'm not really looking for a specific area to focus in, I don't really feel like I need to. And I see a lot of people that are just blogging "life" which is interesting, unless it's my life! And then nothing ever happens! Work... food.... the occasional hike!

For me, I think the hardest thing about blogging is time. Having the time to do it well... I wish I could take more time right now, but with two jobs, sometimes I feel lucky just to get a post up! The best thing about blogging, finding community. I don't think I realized how insulated I was with just family and work until I met so many other people that I wish I knew IRL. I've seen other bloggers say the best thing about blogging is having a place to emote, and while I agree, mostly I think it's the interaction. Because I do so much writing, I have a lot of opportunities to express ideas (although in a technical format). But that writing doesn't produce a lot of feedback and blogging provides that opportunity to comment, to interact. The second best thing is the challenges you find. Making something you'd never made before, trying new products you saw elsewhere... the bloggy world is full of ideas, recipes and recommendations. Who knew? 

So, for Thoughtful Thursday...Did you have a focus when you started your blog? If so, has it changed? For you, what do you enjoy most about blogging?

Asthmagirl out!

PS~ I know I'm all over the place today. The dogs had me up and down all night... another story for sure!

Comments

[Mental P Mama]

It's funny, because Tombstone Annie and I just had this conversation. I think I started my blog to chronicle my impending empty nest. And while I still touch on that, the minutia of my life has started coming out. But I totally agree on the interaction aspect...I love it so much and feel like I have all these new friends everywhere. How'd the hair turn out?

[evil chef mom]

AT least you 25 years experience of cooking! My blog was suppose to be more about cooking with my kids but I still haven't figured out a way to incorperate them more into my blog. I like the immediacy of writing a blog. I post the same day I write, so you can see the constant shifting of my moods, ideas, opinions, and what food is in season.

[noble pig]

I knew I wanted to talk about food (because cooking is my hobby), wine (becuase that is my career) and a whole lot of nothing (becuase that's my life).

I think your blog should be about everything you want it to be. I think that's more fun instead of limiting yourself.

Good post.

[Amy]

Well, you know my focus, of course. I actually prefer (writing, not necessarily reading) more targeted blogs. Makes it easier to direct them towards specific directories and social networks--but that's driven by freelancing, too. I get offered more projects than people with "this is my life" blogs. Makes me wonder what my site would be like if I didn't freelance, lol.

Anyway, about the dream ticket--that's exactly what I said last night after the press conference!

[dlyn]

I started my first blog in 2004 - some of it is still on my present blog, but most of it I deleted because it was really just an anonymous place to bitch about stuff. My present blog is semi-focused on writing, photography and humor with a bunch of family stuff thrown in. My daughter and I were just talking about this earlier - I think successful blogs are those that satisfy the author first and other people second. To me, those are the ones that are consistently interesting.

[Tracy]

My focus when I started blogging was as a journal and as a way to keep in contact with my mother and other relatives. And as an outlet for my feelings and to reawaken my creativity. That is all still a part of why I blog. BUT, the interaction and the community is a much bigger part of it now. I write specific things for specific people, I write with an eye as to who is reading. I write for other's enjoyment now as much as my own. I just wish i did a better job! LOL

I love your blog and how it is just like a thought stream and a window into who you are. I think it is great fun to read you every day and not really know what is going to show up!

[David]

I started blogging for a selfish reason. Me. I needed to keep my mind active and needed an activity to focus some thought and things I wanted to say on paper or screen. I write for me and me only really. I know we like and adore the comments and accolades and I do as well, but I needed to do something after a being in a life and death situation and spending 3 months in a hospital bed, then coming home and facing a new world deaf and in physical rehab mode. Writing was my answer. It still is. I am long way physically from where I want to be, and I am just getting comfortable with some of my writing. I always wanted to find my voice and my purpose, It may take years but I think writing is a way to find it.
This was one of your great thought provoking posts and it was great to read over and over . Some days I get angry when I read great stuff on the blogosphere and days latter I go back to that person and their writing is buried by revenue generating ads for mommy stuff. In my humble opinion there are far too many creative and talented writers that see how easy it is to "sell out" and do a Mommy blog. I have seen newspaper editors of small town papers who can write volumes of amazing stuff, then crawl into the mommy blog hole and write about spit up and breast milk leak ....You have a talent and asthma. You are doing amazing things on your blog. I read yours and admire it.

[David]

p.s.
Kings Ransom: $i dont want to spend more than $75 for a one night hat if I can

[Snooty Primadona]

I loved this post! I don't always stop to think about why I do something or which direction (or directions) I want to go.

When I first dicovered my childhood pals The Midlife Gals were blogging, it tweaked my interest and of course I was addicted from day one. Then, KK said I should give it a try since I liked to write so much (apparently, she gathered this from my lengthy emails, lol). I struggled briefly with the name, but wanted it to be about everything I want it to be about. And this is my favorite alter ego name.

I also knew that I wanted the blog to reveal some of the tougher issues I've survived in my life, just in case there is only one other person out there that I help by spilling my guts. But, not all the time.

I also wanted to tell funny and/or embarrassing experiences for entertainment factor. But again, not all of the time.

I also wanted to show the world (i.e. the few people who read my blog) that just because life kicks your ass sometimes, doesn't mean you can't kick it right back & thumb your nose at it. I seem to be making a whole new career of that, hehehe.

Most of all, I just wanted to pound out my feelings and experiences and whatever, because I've always considered reading a hobby, but writing is therapy.

What I've come to realize is that I've met some amazing people through this blogging thing. People I would never have had the opportunity to meet IRL. Not in a million years. Blogging has expanded my world far beyond any expectations I might have had when I first started way back a few months ago, lol. I view everything so differently than when I first started. Who knew that people around the world in different countries would be so similar to me, who lives out here in West Texas?

I'm sure that in time, I will find new realizations about the blogosphere, as it is ever changing. For now, I believe it's helping to sharpen my brain & my humor as I begin the downward slope to old age (Yup, I have my heels dug in... hard). I will not go quietly or without force. Besides, it almost feels as if I am finally leaving my mark in the world. I like that.

[Flea]

What interesting responses to your post! Totally fulfilling reason number 2?

I started blogging because I moved halfway across the country a year and a half ago. Rather than send multiple pictures and a letter out via email, cluttering all my friends' in-boxes, I started a blog. It was simply supposed to keep people in touch with my new location and life.

It's morphed quite a bit. I'm not sure how many people in my old life, or even current life, read it. But, like you, I LOVE the connection aspect. When people ask about my blog, almost always, as some part of my answer, is the term "networking". I've never been in business, or even interested, but blogging for me is a form of networking. Making the rounds, keeping in touch with the people I find interesting, gathering and disseminating resources. Keeping names and ideas on the back burner for later use. The intricate nature of it all fascinates me, as do the relationships. I love the diversity of bloggers.

Oh, what a fun question!

[Tracey]

Hi Asthmagirl! Haven't stopped in for a while with my crazy spring calendar, but today is a rainy day and I am home with a sick kid! So, good to catch up with you again. I am an ADD blogger...I get bored and change stuff around all the time. I now have 3 blogs, my regular ramblings, my photoblog, and a new blog focused on postcrossing. Stop in and check them out! It is tough to keep up on all of them, but when I find time I like to "prepost" and set the date for it to automatically go up. I may do that today if I can think of enough stuff to talk about :-0

[Pam]

I had no real purpose for my blog, no direction per say. I did have a few rules for myself of things I wasn't going to talk about. I have done fairly well with that.

[Stacie]

when I started This Is A Test, it was purely to keep my husband up to date with our family when he pulled into port overseas (hes a submariner) he was able to download my blog onto his palm and read it until the next portcall. I was so naive..I didn't really realize it was on the INTERNET and that EVERYONE could read it..most of my posts started out "Dear Hubby" Soon I realized and started reading everyone elses, adn then friends started to read and then it was not so much for hubby for for my sanity..and for him to see the kinds of stuff I deal with raising two preteen boys alone while he's gone while keeping up with a job and the house etc. Next thing you know, he's home from sea, rarely ever reads and I'm all over the place. One day I'm hiking and kayaking the next day I want to kill certain sports celebs who think it's ok to abuse animals and the next day I'm on photo safari or whathave you. As for the name, This Is A Test is something I say every single time I start soemthing new that could possibly wind up disasterous or hilarious depending..it's very fitting name, but I pretty much hate my blog layout right now. I really need to make a new header.

As for your daughter starting one, I would recommend googling any potential names she thinks of to make sure it's not already been done. My "address" has been used so many ways and so many variations it's hardly original and I really thought it was at the time..But my name...(Test) totally fits...

[Stacie]

Sorry if I'm writing a book here, but I should also say, yes, it is very fulfilling, and the friendships I've made in blogland are more than I would have ever though possible. I have met a few bloggers and would love to meet many more, but there are a few days when I wish some of my real life friends didn't have it, it kind of inhibits me from saying things I want to say at times....strange how that works out..
LOL

[K2]

Yep...that's me! Never coming home for dinner (when I have a test) and making you take on the restless dog when I don't come home (because I'm exhausted at a friend's house from studying for my test). Thanks for being a great mama and writing your lovely blog! Love you!