Quarterly Review of Blogging

Surprised.

If I only get one word to describe the experience of my first three months blogging, surprised wins. Starting out, my intention was to share some of the items that trigger my quirky sense of humor such as odd signs and malaprops. I had just begun my triathlon training adventure and anticipated that some explorations around it might occur.

Those things happened. What I didn’t anticipate was the extent to which I would enjoy writing on a fairly regular basis. I half-expected that I’d do a few posts and then run out of something: Time, energy, enthusiasm, subject matter. I didn’t expect that three months in, I would have written more than 40 posts, this being number 45.

I certainly didn’t anticipate that wanting to illustrate my posts would lead to an interest in photography. I’ve been a desultory photographer at best in the past, much more interested in absorbing an experience than in having a photo of it at a later date. I’d also been quite disappointed with the results of my earlier efforts when I failed to capture the vision or feeling I had experienced in person. My skill remains limited, and I’ve taken photos with my phone that convey some of what I want to communicate. Photography isn’t about to become my next career, and my vision is changing; I perceive the world a bit differently.

For me, the biggest surprise of this blogging adventure is community. I hadn’t considered this in advance, as I started writing primarily for personal growth and exploration, and I had only limited exposure to other blogs. It didn’t occur to me that I would develop relationships with other bloggers, enjoying our conversations back and forth. Conversations started by a post, then sometimes heading off in a very different direction. I have really enjoyed getting to know people through their blogs and our subsequent communications. Other writers thoughtful posts have opened new areas of exploration for me and seeded future posts and questions.

I’ve also enjoyed the international aspect of blogging, as I interact with writers from around the world. I love the varied connections and that while we may have very different views and life experiences, there is a small point of intersection as well. It’s a lovely antidote to so much that feels divisive and polarizing in today’s world.

Surprise! I enjoy blogging, I’m doing it regularly and I’m learning a lot, about writing, photography, and even a bit about the technical aspects involved. There are a lot of growth opportunities that remain in all those areas, so I’m going to keep learning. My curious self is happiest when I am learning and exploring. Discovery of new stuff, that’s the trick that keeps this “old dog” happy! Thanks to all of you who are contributing to my adventure by sharing a bit of your own adventure. Each of our journeys matters and enriches us all.