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Do you think blogging is worth it?


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i used to blog ~ gave it up because i got tired of not being able to just be myself... there were expectations... mehhhh. closed it down. might pick it up again some day ~ on my own terms.

 

i do enjoy reading the blogs of others... especially homeschoolers - and particularly homeschoolers with teenagers. (the age group of our dc)

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My blog isn't valuable to anyone but me.

I keep quotes and links from the books I read, as well as links and occasionally thoughts about articles I think I might like to find again in the future.

I have been asked here about some of the books I read, so I leave a link to my blog in my signature, but I don't think anyone reads it.

And that's okay with me. I do this only for myself.

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1. What do you blog about?

homeschooling mostly

 

2. Who reads it?

I do.:D My mom does.:D:D Some of the lovely ladies from this board stop by especially during Wordless Wednesday or Friday Week-in-Review.:D:D:D

 

3. Is it worth your time?

Yes. Sometimes, I wish my blog was more interesting visually and that I wrote more interesting blogs, but I haven't yet figured that one out.

 

4. Why do you blog?

It is mostly an accountability journal for me. hmm- maybe if I blogged about weight loss I'd actually lose some.:tongue_smilie:

 

HTH-

Mandy

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Do you think blogging is worth it?

Yes.

 

1. What do you blog about?

Life, mostly about what is going on with the kids, but sometimes what is going on with me.

 

2. Who reads it?

My husband, my parents, and me. I think my Brother in Law reads it, but as far as I know, no one else does.

 

3. Is it worth your time?

Yes.

 

4. Why do you blog?

Because it is a way for me to decompress my day. It isn't always fun and I often get frustrated. The blog is a way to vent that frustration without hurting anyone. My husband knows that the blog is the extreme version of life. My parents are just happy to know anything that is going on. MY BIL has never commented or spoken to me about the blog, the only reason I know he reads it is because something I wrote there got back to my parents and there was no other way for him to have the information.

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I am blogging our totschool journey. Dh and my mother read it frequently, my brother jumps on every now and then but reads everything since he last looks. A friend or two look occasionally. I do it to keep the select few I invite to read it up to date with the kids. My mother lives across the country, for example. Since I've started doing this, she's stopped trying to persuade me to hang them in front of a webcam so it is most definitely worth it. Maybe the kids will like to read over it when they are older, I don't know.

 

Rosie

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1. What do you blog about?

Mostly just about what the kids are doing/learning.

 

2. Who reads it?

Not many people! A few from here, some FB friends, my mother, etc.

 

3. Is it worth your time?

Yes, because I'd have to do something else instead if I didn't blog.

 

 

4. Why do you blog?

First, because it's a fun way to do the recording we need to do for our state home ed authorities.

Second, because it's good to look at when I'm feeling useless and ready to give up, to see that we do learn stuff.

Third, because the kids like to see their photos on the blog, and I have a secret plot to turn the blogging over to them when they are old enough.

Finally, because I get a lot out of perusing other people's blogs, so I think it's only fair to put ours out there as well.

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I started blogging last week. I wanted to keep a record of our homeschooling journey.

 

No one besides some people from here (through Worldless Wednesday and the weekly wrap-up, so far) read my blog. I haven't yet given the link to family/friends. If my mom were still alive, she would have been the first.

 

I'd like to eventually blog about each day. We're still finding a rhythm here :) I am going to put up a separate page with my schedule for K12 History Odyssey, Oxford Press World in Ancient Times series, and other book/dvd/online/magazine resources. I had started to post the schedule here but wasn't able to add to the original post after a period of time. I want everything in one place------right now I have a binder full of looseleaf scribbles :lol:

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If you blog do you have to leave it open for everyone or can you set it up so only your family can see it? Like a family updater?

 

From what I know most blogs allow you to change the privacy settings to limit readership. You can keep it completely private, have passwords for family/friends, or leave it open.

 

Lesley

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I've started a new blog recently which mostly features school, though knowing my brain the way I do, it's likely to scurry here and there on other topics too. I like to say that I write mostly to reassure my parents that their granddaughter isn't watching cartoons all day, but the rest of the truth is I love writing, and the only way to ever get any good at it is by doing it a lot, all the time, whether you feel like it or not, whether you're any good at it now or not, and whether you have anything to say or not. (Which, no doubt, is also why I talk a lot. :D)

 

It's improbable anybody reads my blog beyond family and friends, since most people have much better things to do and they don't know me personally which might spur them to follow my blog out of pity. But I blog anyway, for the same reasons I added blueberries to my pancake batter this morning--it's yummy and I can't help myself.

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1. What do you blog about? Anything and everything is fair game around here, though it typically revolves around me, the kids, and life in general.

 

2. Who reads it? Darned if I know! A lot of homeschoolers, I presume, several personal friends, and DH's dad. Beyond that, I haven't a clue.

 

3. Is it worth your time? I do it for me, not for anyone else, so as far as I'm concerned, yes!

 

4. Why do you blog? For the sheer fun of it. It's not like my life is interesting or anything; I just like to share my particular brand of humor with anyone who will listen. It's also a good outlet for me to share things I forget to tell my husband later :lol:

 

Mine is a public blog, meaning anyone can see it, so I do protect my privacy as far as that goes. I don't say when I'll be out of town, don't use full names for family members, etc. (though I'm sure if you were determined enough, you could work them all out). I find that blogging is very mentally rewarding, and I'd love a link if you start one! I always enjoy finding new blogs to read and share.

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1. What do you blog about?

Homeschool, gardening, knitting, books, life... everything

 

2. Who reads it?

No idea.

 

3. Is it worth your time?

Some days I wonder. LOL But when I look back over the postings/photos, I'm glad I'm doing it.

 

4. Why do you blog?

Two main reasons-- for family who might be interested in what we have going on, and to chronicle our homeschool journey.

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I blog because I love it. I have always loved writiing and this gives me a writing outlet. Plus, I'm a photographer and take lots of pics so this gives me a place to display them. I link my blog to my facebook account and it displays any new blog posts that I make. Plus, I have my blog linked in my signature here and I've sent out an email to friends and family. I'd love to have more followers.....I'm even going to have a contest soon. Blogging is just something fun that I enjoy doing. And my family have told me that they enjoy reading and keeping up with my kids.

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1. What do you blog about?

 

homeschooling, being a mom, life

 

2. Who reads it?

 

Family, a few friends and a few ladies from here

 

3. Is it worth your time?

 

I haven't decided on this. My blog is only about a month and a half old. But as an interesting side note, I did just recently discover that my blog changed a person's position on homeschooling. A friend of mine was a having a discussion with a co-worker about homeschooling because he knew a family whose child was failing high school and was on track not to graduate. The family pulled him out of school so they could graduate him on time via homeschooling. The co-worker felt they were taking the easy way out and that homeschooling was basically just a cop out. To give him a different perspective, my friend gave him the link to my blog. After reading through it, he went back to my friend and said, "Oh never mind, there is a lot more to home schooling. I had no idea!" :lol:

 

4. Why do you blog?

 

I blog mostly for me. It keeps me accountable to me. But it's also a good place to share things with other homeschoolers. I like that I can upload documents to Scribd and post them to my blog. That way if others want to benefit from it they can. It sure beats sending out a bunch of e-mails. :D

Edited by slr1765
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1. What do you blog about?

School on the school blog and life on the insomniac blog

 

2. Who reads it?

Mostly family and people here read the school blog. I've only had one day that a few people here read the insomniac blog.

 

3. Is it worth your time?

Yes. The school blog keeps family and friends informed of what goes on in our day. We are thousands of miles from grandparents. The insomniac blog helps me sleep on those nights I can't turn the mind off.

 

4. Why do you blog?

To inform on one and to get my thoughts out on the other.

 

I'm just curious. I think about Blogging, and then I think, "Why would anyone want to read about what we do?" And yet, I enjoy reading blogs for new ideas.

 

Blessings!

Dorinda

I like doing the school blog. The insomniac blog is a necessity. It keeps me from coming here and blabbering about nothing.

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1. What do you blog about?

I blog about homeschooling. What we do, what we plan to do, what I think about various topics.

 

2. Who reads it?

My family (the original intended audience!), friends, and online people who have been really great.

 

3. Is it worth your time?

Yes- and I wish I had more time to devote to it! It's been really fun to look back at previous entries and see what we were doing months or years ago.

 

4. Why do you blog?

To record what we are doing. To network. To share our adventures and progress with family across the country.

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My blog isn't valuable to anyone but me.

I keep quotes and links from the books I read, as well as links and occasionally thoughts about articles I think I might like to find again in the future.

I have been asked here about some of the books I read, so I leave a link to my blog in my signature, but I don't think anyone reads it.

And that's okay with me. I do this only for myself.

 

1. What do you blog about?

Mostly just about what the kids are doing/learning.

 

2. Who reads it?

Not many people! A few from here, some FB friends, my mother, etc.

 

3. Is it worth your time?

Yes, because I'd have to do something else instead if I didn't blog.

 

 

4. Why do you blog?

First, because it's a fun way to do the recording we need to do for our state home ed authorities.

Second, because it's good to look at when I'm feeling useless and ready to give up, to see that we do learn stuff.

Third, because the kids like to see their photos on the blog, and I have a secret plot to turn the blogging over to them when they are old enough.

Finally, because I get a lot out of perusing other people's blogs, so I think it's only fair to put ours out there as well.

 

I like this idea! I also like the idea of it puts it out there for family/friends to see so we don't seem so "odd" anymore. Or, maybe it would make them realize how odd we are and they'd stay away from us permanently!:lol:

 

1. What do you blog about? Anything and everything is fair game around here, though it typically revolves around me, the kids, and life in general.

 

2. Who reads it? Darned if I know! A lot of homeschoolers, I presume, several personal friends, and DH's dad. Beyond that, I haven't a clue.

 

3. Is it worth your time? I do it for me, not for anyone else, so as far as I'm concerned, yes!

 

4. Why do you blog? For the sheer fun of it. It's not like my life is interesting or anything; I just like to share my particular brand of humor with anyone who will listen. It's also a good outlet for me to share things I forget to tell my husband later :lol:

 

Mine is a public blog, meaning anyone can see it, so I do protect my privacy as far as that goes. I don't say when I'll be out of town, don't use full names for family members, etc. (though I'm sure if you were determined enough, you could work them all out). I find that blogging is very mentally rewarding, and I'd love a link if you start one! I always enjoy finding new blogs to read and share.

 

Absolutely! I love reading other people's blogs, and my dad has actually asked me to start a blog so my grandparents and everyone else can keep up with us. I like to write, but, like you said, I don't think my life is that big a deal or anything. However, I do find it exhausting to have to think back all the time on what we've done (when moms ask me), why it worked, why it didn't etc. I started thinking if we blogged and I started now, then I could play "catch up" posting what we've done for the last 6 years, and I wouldn't have to think about it so hard :lol:

 

I like doing the school blog. The insomniac blog is a necessity. It keeps me from coming here and blabbering about nothing.

 

Parrothead ~ I thought we were supposed to come here and blabber about nothing!:lol:

 

I also have other things I'd like to blog about, (besides homeschooling) but I'm not sure that I should KWIM? Or, if I do start blogging and decide to blog about something besides homeschooling, maybe I should separate the blogs so people don't have to sort through all the other topics to get to the homeschooling stuff.

 

Thanks for the thoughts! I'll let you know if I start one! I guess I should start school first and then start a blog:D.

 

Blessings!

Dorinda

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1. What do you blog about? Mostly our homeschooling journey. Sometimes about my own journey.

 

2. Who reads it? My mom, some friends, and some complete strangers.

 

3. Is it worth your time? Yes. I started the blog to keep my mom in the loop about what we are doing. Rather then have endless discussion on all I am doing wrong I simply direct her to the blog.

 

4. Why do you blog? I blog because it is an easy way to communicate with my mom about homeschooling. I also blog because it makes me accountable to me. Knowing that I need to update the blog every few days keeps me from too many days of just saying "To heck with it, lets watch movies today."

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Is blogging worth it?

 

Yes, I really enjoy getting my thoughts out.

 

What do you blog about?

 

Mainly homeschooling. I write about Waldorf/Montessori/Classical education. I have regular posts:

 

Monday--Monday morning or how we start the week, Library bag

Tuesday--Organization/time management tip, Nature Studies

Wednesday--reviews, work in progress (handcrafts)

Thursday--What's in the box?, weekly report

 

I also do posts on how we do things, my thoughts on homeschoolings, fun stuff, cute rabbit pictures, etc.

 

Who reads it?

 

A wide variety of people. Everyone from fundamentalists to aethiests and everyone inbetween. Mainly it is people who are homeschoolers from classical to Montessori to Waldorf to whatever.

 

Is it worth your time?

 

Yes, I feel like I am giving back to the homeschooling community through my blog. I have pages on various topics and a lot of links, pictures and ideas to make learning fun and appealing especially to hands-on and visual spatial learners.

 

Why do you blog?

 

Again, to help others out.

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1.My blog is called "Golden Grasses: Crafting the extraordinary from the ordinary." The point of my blog is to show how a committed Christian home schooling family can create a rich and vibrant and proactive life.

2. My family, friends from church, friends I've made on-line.

3. I think so. My in-laws have certainly become much more supportive of homeschooling and our life-styel since I started the blog. It's been a great outlet for me in a year that has presented never ending challenges.

4. To hone the craft of writing, accountabilty, social networking, friends, post pics.

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1. What do you blog about?

The blog in my sig is specifically about homeschooling.

 

2. Who reads it?

Originally written for my husband and my mom, now people read it from all over. Several people from here and people who stumble across it doing an Internet search.

 

3. Is it worth your time?

Definitely, I love to blog! I blog almost everyday.

 

4. Why do you blog?

There's so many reasons.... to help people, to show friends/family what we're up to, to practice photography, to organize my thoughts, to connect to others, to document our journey... Every year we'll make a blog book about it.

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1. What do you blog about?

 

Our life, our farm, our family.

 

2. Who reads it?

 

My family, my husband's family, and a few friends from far away.

 

3. Is it worth your time?

 

I feel it is, otherwise I wouldn't do it!

 

4. Why do you blog?

 

To journal our life so that I don't forget what we do, why we do what we do, and to see us grow as a family and accomplish our goals. It is also a testimony of our faith.

 

http://farmer-in-the-dell.blogspot.com

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1. What do you blog about?

Homeschooling, family, activities, food, books, whatever catches my attention

 

2. Who reads it?

Hardly anyone, lol. I do it more for myself. I really haven't made any attempts to publicize it. (but it is linked below)

 

3. Is it worth your time?

Yes, because to me it's like a journal. I love looking back and seeing what we did. My old brain forgets too easily.

 

4. Why do you blog?

See answer to #3. If my family chose to become regular readers, it would be even better. We're separated across states and don't get to see nearly enough of each other.

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1. What do you blog about?

 

Homeschool, sewing projects, knitting projects, crochet projects, Irish Dance (particularly reviews of competitions -- feiseanna -- we attend), books I've read, what we did over the weekend, Girl Scout meetings I've helped lead or how we earned badges at home, etc.

 

2. Who reads it?

 

I set it up for my parents, but they rarely read it. My sister does, some homeschool friends in various other states read it, some friends in our Irish Dance school, the kid who lives down the street.

 

Also, people looking for ideas for the Brownie Try-It for Senses, and people looking for the Junior Girl Scout Oil Up badge or Frosty Fun badge -- I get a lot of hits on those posts.

 

3. Is it worth your time?

 

I don't spend that much time on it, as evidenced by my obvious lack of editing my writing. It's very stream-of-conciousness. Also, I have a total lack of cool pictures, not to mention a lack of deep insights about much of anything. I find mediocrity a real timesaver.

 

4. Why do you blog?

 

 

 

It started out as a way to keep in touch with my folks. However, I'm amazed at how often I look up stuff on my own blog -- weird stuff like "what pattern did I use to make that one pair of pants?" and "what was that book I read a few months ago?"

Edited by GailV
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Can you blog privately?

IOW, if I just want a really good online diary, can I set it up so that no one can see it but me and specifically authorized people?

What is the best place to set up a blog, and is it expensive?

 

I have a 'journey' blog that I would like to start, and have been hesitant to do so.

 

 

You can blog privately at Blogspot (Blogger). It's free.

 

I am subscribed to several of the blogs mentioned in this thread :tongue_smilie:. I guess I'm going to have to find an alternative to bloglines soon...

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I blog for the fun of it. Hardly anyone reads it (compared to some of the blogs I see out there with hundreds of readers and what look like corporate sponsors!!! ;)) I think I get 20 readers a day (according to Google Analytics). Half of those are family members. My parents and inlaws are my "biggest fans" and they scold me if I don't write daily. So, for me, it's like keeping a journal/ scrapbook that the grandparents can enjoy, too. Even if no one could see it, I'd probably still do it just for me. :D

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Can you blog privately?

IOW, if I just want a really good online diary, can I set it up so that no one can see it but me and specifically authorized people?

What is the best place to set up a blog, and is it expensive?

 

I have a 'journey' blog that I would like to start, and have been hesitant to do so.

 

 

Blogger is good for this. You have to invite people for them to be able to access it, and it doesn't cost.

 

:)

Rosie

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Homeschool, sewing projects, knitting projects, crochet projects, Irish Dance (particularly reviews of competitions -- feiseanna -- we attend), books I've read, what we did over the weekend, Girl Scout meetings I've helped lead or how we earned badges at home, etc.

 

 

 

I set it up for my parents, but they rarely read it. My sister does, some homeschool friends in various other states read it, some friends in our Irish Dance school, the kid who lives down the street.

 

Also, people looking for ideas for the Brownie Try-It for Senses, and people looking for the Junior Girl Scout Oil Up badge or Frosty Fun badge -- I get a lot of hits on those posts.

 

 

 

I don't spend that much time on it, as evidenced by my obvious lack of editing my writing. It's very stream-of-conciousness. Also, I have a total lack of cool pictures, not to mention a lack of deep insights about much of anything. I find mediocrity a real timesaver.

 

 

 

It started out as a way to keep in touch with my folks. However, I'm amazed at how often I look up stuff on my own blog -- weird stuff like "what pattern did I use to make that one pair of pants?" and "what was that book I read a few months ago?"

 

 

Gail, I just have to say that I've been reading your blog since the spring. I found it when we first came up with the crazy idea that we should homeschool our youngest. Both of our girls have friends who are serious Irish dancers so I've been familiar with that world for years, both girls are Girl Scouts---- :) Your blog felt like it was written by a friend---thank you!

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1. What do you blog about?

 

Homeschooling and life in general.

 

2. Who reads it?

 

I have a fairly large number of regular readers, most of whom I've never met before. Many are homeschoolers, but some are not.

 

3. Is it worth your time?

 

Absolutely.

 

4. Why do you blog?

 

Many reasons: record-keeping, keeping my brain active, creativity, sense of community, to keep myself honest, etc.

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  • 2 weeks later...

[W]e write to find out what we know and what we want to say. I thought of how often as a writer I had made clear to myself some subject I had previously known nothing about by just putting one sentence after another -- by reasoning my way in sequential steps to its meaning. [...] Writing and thinking and learning [a]re the same process.

We write to find out what we know and what we want to say.

 

Yes! again. Splendidly put, and, for me, anyway, spot on. Clear writing is clear thinking. If one can communicate in clear prose what he has read or seen, for example, it will read like clearly articulated thought. Better still, if one can synthesize what he has read, seen, and experienced and still manage clarity -- well, good work.

 

No. That's Good. Work.

 

Heh, heh, heh.

 

Anyway, that's why I decided to begin Mental multivitamin -- to write across this autodidact's, this unabashed generalist's curriculum; to synthesize what I was learning about astronomy and history and physics and current events and literature and technology and art and, yes, myself, my family, and the world. I write to learn, to know.

 

 

:iagree:That's it!

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I love my blog because it's sometimes a journal for me on our day..and can record stuff I can't get down on my scrapbook pages ...or I want to get it down before I can do a page, and don't want to forget. It allows our friends/family to peek in on what's going on with us if we haven't talked in awhile, and I just love the bit of creativeness it gives me.

 

I blog about everything, my faith, our homeschool, my hobbies, cooking, my business, whatever strikes my fancy that day.

 

If anyone reads it, great, I hope they gain some inspiration from me or get an inside to my life and walk away glad that they spent that 3 minutes there. If not, I'm happy that I left it to posterity. I enjoy going back and looking at what I did.

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1. What do you blog about?

Life

 

2. Who reads it?

My parents and some close friends. There are a few people subscribed that I don't know but I think they're friends of friends.

 

3. Is it worth your time?

Yep

 

4. Why do you blog?

I was asked too. My children have been through (and still go through) some really difficult physical illnesses and those around me IRL have asked that I blog to give them hope. When you're going through trials with your children, it's nice to read "btdt" stories from people who survived. :D My parents of course want me to blog b/c they're my biggest fans but don't live close so this makes them feel like they're "here".

 

I'm just curious. I think about Blogging, and then I think, "Why would anyone want to read about what we do?" And yet, I enjoy reading blogs for new ideas.

 

I think if you're interested, just start it up. I have almost no followers but knowing the few who encouraged me to start it up are reading is enough. It's nice to have my stuff out there where I can look it up quickly. My list of curriculum for this year wouldn't fit on my siggy here so I put it there. I like having the accountability there too. I know there are at least three people in cyberspace who hold me accountable to be my best in school and I need that.

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1. What do you blog about?

 

2. Who reads it?

 

3. Is it worth your time?

 

4. Why do you blog?

 

I love to blog. I didn't do it much at first because I just didn't know how and was intimidated by technology, but I've made myself learn something new...

 

I blog about life. My children. Great days. Thoughts that just wont leave my head. My goal is for my blog to reflect that life is about finding beauty around you... making the most of each day... making the memory, not buying the memory... reflecting God's glory.

 

Readers of my blog include my parents, siblings, older grown children, aunts, friends in many places and recently people that I have never met, but who click and read.

 

Blogging is VERY worth my time. It is a creative outlet. There are countless nights that I lay, falling asleep, writing in my mind. I wish I had a written copy of the masterpieces I have written as I drift off to sleep! If what I blog enriches someone's life, my time was worth it.

 

The only challenge that I have with blogging is that I get busy and cannot take the time to do it as often as I'd like... but, I am getting better at that...

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1. What do you blog about? Anything really. Homeschool, interesting links, nature study, funny things the kids have done, book reviews, etc. I avoid politics like the plague.

 

2. Who reads it? Friends and long-distance family, but really I don't care. It is my home. Whoever wants to stop by is welcome but I'm not writing to an audience.

 

3. Is it worth your time? Yes. I don't find that it takes up that much time. I don't agonize over what I write and I don't try to edit to perfection. I'm a bit like a volcano. Every now and then the pressure builds and words spew like magma.

 

4. Why do you blog? I started out blogging as a means of sharing our days with grandparents (both sets live 1,000+ miles away), but it soon became an outlet for me. My husband now teases that if I didn't have the blog, I'd explode from all the words stuck in my head. It also has turned into a wonderful journal of our homeschool, and it keeps me accountable.

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