For those who are curious – this post was generated for a commenter whose name is Heather Smith. I need to thank her, because she allowed me to put into words my purpose for this blog.
When I started this blog, frankly, I had put little thought into what would come from it. I didn’t start this to get rich quick, because god knows that I don’t have the answer to that age old question that we all chase. I know that it seems to be on everyone’s mind when I see some of the types of comments that I receive: spam that seeks to find the quick plug and back link. Some of it has been shamelessly repetitive, some helpful, and some of it humorous. I do have to thank some of you spammers for at least allowing me to have a momentary chuckle (rings for manly parts, really?). As I keep saying, I actually read the comments and moderate them. I’ve given some of you a few moments of fame in my words, so that’s enough in my book. End of discussion.
But I got the most stupendous comment to date and had to share it just because of the length and the words. You can go to my “Embrace A Little Chaos” posting to see the actual missive (you can’t miss it) because it is impressive! It made me happy because it actually tried to start a conversation with me and others. Now that is what I’m talking about!
Frankly, being a blogger can be confusing. Not the writing part because I’m all over it, but the comments portion. In a straightforward world, I would start a conversation and you would jump in. But with business throwing in their paint bombs into the mix, it’s hard to tell if some people comment because they want to put in their two cents, or because they want the plug, or if they’re even real?! And the scary part is that many assume that I’m also after commercial dominance. Well, I hate to disappoint, but I’m not in this for the business. Yes, I want to reach others, but for much more personal reasons. I simply write to connect with others who hear me, and no other motivation but that! I have other ways that I’m working on making money for the necessities in life. And a husband who is going through a lot so that I can do what I need to finally do for my own long-term sanity.
These are some of my main motivations:
- My love for writing, and the need to continue to strengthen it
- Artistic inspirations from others
- Musical inspirations from others
- Amazing projects that can change our world
- Amazing people that want to change our world
- People that I love and care for (which includes my readers)
Notice anything? Not a single mention of money, or glory, or rankings. I write because I can and have to. It’s who I am. While I also am a technically proficient artist, it’s not my chosen medium. That doesn’t mean that I don’t do other such creations (including technical communications), because there are times that I am motivated or required to do so. I usually am picky about those types of projects, because they have to move me in order for me to produce the results that I expect from me. And I’m not an easy person to impress, so you can imagine how I am during these types of projects.
This blog started because I wanted to make my writing stronger and freer. I chose WordPress because I had heard great things about it. Frankly, I don’t think I’d ever make a switch to another platform as it does everything that I need. The template of my choice is zBench by zwwooooo, because it is so beautifully simple and clean. On it, I can add my words and sometimes my own imagery. I can tell you that there was a lot of trial and errors with a few false starts, because there is so much to choose from. But I wasn’t going to publish something substandard. That’s not what I’m after, because I want to make some kind of difference somewhere, somehow. That’s probably my main motivation for this blog.
Most of the other images and videos are on this blog because they either moved me to write the accompanying piece, or they add another exclamation point to my words, or they just needed to be shared so that their creators could be honored for a brief moment. It takes time and patience to find what I’m looking for, because it has to feel perfect to me. I have no problem sharing a stage, because everything I write is meant to be shared with something or someone. Without them, my words are simply words.
So this piece is for the two of you, Heather Smith and associate. I can’t make any particular recommendations since I’m considered a newbie in the blog world. I’m new to social networking because I hadn’t been convinced until now that it would work for me. I’ve written my entire life, and will do so until I no longer can. Just keep looking and doing until you find what feels right for you and your purpose. That’s the key: have a purpose. Because it becomes your driving force to continue each and every day. I’m pleased that you find my blog sophisticated because it’s all coming together by feel. As long as I keep feeling, then I’ll keep writing. The day that I stop feeling is the day that I have to reevaluate myself. I hope that day never comes, because that’s a painful process to endure.
I hope that I’m bringing as much joy to my readers as they are to me. You’re all as much a part of this blog as I am, so take a bow!
