Why Ask Why

Hello. Well today marks the end of the February challenge by Nablopomo to blog every day. Except for the weekend we spent in Wisconsin Dells, I faithfully completed the task. I could have blogged on vacation. I had the lap top along. I was just having to much fun to stop though. No excuses. I made a conscious choice and I’ll live with it.

I’ve asked myself why do this. It’s a good question. There is no pay, so I don’t do it for money. I’ve got some folks who keep tabs on  the site and they follow from everywhere. Places like England, Ghana, Australia,  and quite a few of the fifty states have been represented, which is great. However, too few people take the time to comment on my writing or to share a story of their own, so at times this writing feels like it’s being done in almost total anonymity. It’s kind of unfortunate because one of my hopes in the beginning was to have some dialogue with anyone who took the time to read what I’ve written. To share ideas or opinions and possibly make some more online friends in this virtual neighborhood we live in. Ever the eternal optimist, I’ve not given up hope of this coming to pass, just yet.

My life isn’t really all that interesting. While my situation may be somewhat unique (50 something dad to two young daughters, extended family issues, etc.) most of my and my families days are quite ordinary. I try to take a humorous look at the incredibly average things that happen to us, assuming along the way that these things happen to others as well and that they may feel like sharing a story or two themselves.  Like I said earlier, hope springs eternal.

So, with all that said, why do I do this. Well, I’ve got to admit that it feels good to share a feeling sometimes, even if you don’t know if anyone else see’s it. I’ve found this entire exercise to be very cathartic. Sort of like standing alone in the middle of the woods and screaming at the top of your lungs. Not that I’ve ever done that, I’m just saying, you know?

I guess this has become my online journal. I’ve received some very nice comments about my writing and my writing style (I hadn’t been aware I had a style) and I’ve also received a few comments of the “left handed” variety, but it’s o.k. If you’re going to put you’re self out there like I’ve chosen to do, a thicker skin will be a requirement. While my skin has become tougher through the years, some shots still sting a little. Years ago, those kind of comments and attitudes would have been enough to make me stop, to make me quit. But these days, it just makes me all the more determined to continue.

I guess in the final analysis, I do this for me more than anything. It’s a chance to do something creative and to share my opinion or get something off of my chest. This site has allowed me to meet some new folks and to reconnect with some dear old friends and hopefully there will be much more of that. I’ve not yet tried to tackle anything to controversial but I must if this is to have any hope of growing. Maybe that’s what it takes to get comments. We’ll see.

So in closing, I’d like to thank anyone who’s bothered to take the time to read what I’ve written. They may be at time seemingly aimless ramblings but they are original thoughts, not taken out of a book and regurgitated just to say I’ve written something, and they are mine. And I’m o.k. with that.

I’ll talk to you again soon, when I’m out here playing in quicksand.