Almost a year ago, I wrote a post titled “Why Do We Blog?”and got some great responses. I wrote the post at a time when my life was much different than it is now. A year ago, though I was fast approaching unemployment, my optimism was high. Who would have thought that a college educated professional would have a hard time getting employed again. But, here I sit still waiting for something.
So why do we blog? Or better yet, in my case, why do I write? I think I continue to do it as I did when I first started a blog a couple of years ago. You write because you want to have a voice. Your own voice and not someone else’s. Not your wife, or husband, your boss or your kids voice, but your own.
I think WeaselMommasaid it best in the comments of that post; “I do it because as a full time Mom, I have nothing that is my own. My time, my things and even my clothing wind up being shared or borrowed without permission by my family. My blog gives me something that is mine alone. They can read it or be a part of it, but it is mine.”
I need writing, whether it is this blog (which I am woefully behind in updating) or those articles that I write for web content (thank you to those who click open them) to keep my sanity. Though I love the contact I have with other writers, its the pure joy of having my words, my thoughts, and my ideas written out.
So for those who are still out there ( I can hear you breathing), why do you continue to blog? What has changed for you since you started blogging? Have you looked at your writing differently or how you approach blogging in general?
6:30 - Awake to the sound of a shower going. Sounds like a little rainstorm, just inside the house. The wife is finishing up getting ready for work. I roll over and blissfully fall back asleep.
6:45 – The wife gently wakes me with a kiss goodbye and reminds me to have a great day. Got to love that woman who keeps me grounded. Got to remember her birthday this year…
7:30 – Begin to roll over in bed and contemplate the day. Not much excitment planned for the day. Stumble out of bed, head to the shower, inspect the soon to be 50 year old body for damage and aging. Soak my head for 10 minutes in the shower to shake the cobwebs.
8:00 – I get dressed in shorts and a t-shirt (this is Southern California) and head out the door with the dog to meet with my Coffee Consortiumat the patio of the local shopping center. We all b.s. about the economy, jobs, money, how it was in the day, kids, grand kids (them) and drink our coffee.
9:00 – Head home with the dog after way too many stops. This dog needs check out every damn bush! Head upstairs and turn the computer on.
9:10 – 10:30 – Answer email, check cigar websites, update a Facebook status. Basically goofing around for about an hour. Then off to serious work. The job hunt. I’ve got about a dozen sites I check on to look for the latest in employment. So far not much luck.
11:00 – 12:00 – Head to the gym and try to work out my frustration that finding a “friggin” job is so difficult. Probably good for an additional couple of miles on the treadmill.
1:00 – 4:00 – Spend this time writing articles. It is amazing what you can write about if you put the effort in. Who knew I could write about allergies and dust mites?
5:00 – 10:00 – Family time. Dinner, time to talk with the wife and girls about their days of work and school. Eventually one of the girls will ask:
As a man with too much time on his hands, I’ve had the opportunity to explore many things. My wife says that’s what makes me dangerous. She’s probably right.
Our home is subscription central. We have more magazines lying about that I’m sure a small forest could have been saved. My wife ends up with Redbook, Shape, Woman’s Health and numerous other ”girlie” magazines that tend to lower my testosterone. In my spare time, which we all can agree is way too much, my curiosity had me glancing through these magazines hoping to get a glimmer into the female psyche. Okay, stop laughing…
You know what I found out? According to these “highly informed” magazines, women are obsessed with losing weight and sex.
The losing weight I can’t help with. I’m struggling with that myself. Being unemployed allowed me to be a “bit lazy” when it came to exercise. Thank God my wife bought me that gym membership last week. Now, I just need to find the gym.
According to these well informed articles, sex will do the following for you:
Help you to lose weight, burns calories
Reduces wrinkling
Helps prevent heart disease
Helps to relieve stress
Can keep cancer away
Good for the brain
Good for the skin
Good for headaches
You would think with all of these health benefits, why would any couple ever think about getting out of bed. Hell, if we all stayed horizonal (or vertical, or upside down, or backwards) wouldn’t we all be much more healthier?
It seems that Carly Simon announced to the press the other day who she was writing about when she wrote the song “Your So Vain” back in 1972. It seems that her ire was not for a jilted boyfriend who may have treated her wrong. No, this was all saved up for a record producer whom she felt didn’t pay her or her new album enough attention.
I mean, David Geffen who was in charge of Electra Records, her label at the time was more involved with Joni Mitchell and getting her promoted than Carly. David Geffen, the ‘gay’ record producer.
Does this all seem a bit anti-climatic? For decades Carly Simon had kept this a secret. It became kind of an icon of secrets. Who was she talking about was always the conversation whenever the song played. Was it Warren Beatty or Mick Jagger she was complaining about?
I grew up with Carly and her music. We are not that far off in age, and she just had a great voice especially when paired with her former husband James Taylor.
I think she should have kept the secret. The mystery seemed to generate more fun with the song. Now, it’s just another song.
As I approach the young age of 50 in a few months, I have found I need my humor more than ever. This story makes me laugh. Enjoy the laugh…
An 85-year-old man was requested by his Doctor for a sperm count as part of his physical exam.
The doctor gave the man a jar and said, ‘Take this jar home and bring back a semen sample tomorrow.’
The next day the 85-year-old man reappeared at the doctor’s office and gave him the jar, which was as clean and empty as on the previous day.
The doctor asked what happened and the man explained, ‘Well, doc, it’s like this–first I tried with my right hand, but nothing. Then I tried with my left hand, but still nothing.
‘Then I asked my wife for help. She tried with her right hand, then with her left, still nothing. She tried with her mouth, first with the teeth in, then with her teeth out, still nothing.
‘We even called up Arleen, the lady next door and she tried too, first with both hands, then an armpit, and she even tried squeezin’ it between her knees, but still nothing.’
The doctor was shocked! ‘You asked your neighbor?’
The old man replied, ‘Yep, none of us could get the jar open.’
Almost a year ago, I wrote a post titled “Why Do We Blog?” and got some great responses. I wrote the post at a time when my life was much different than it is now. A year ago, though I was fast approaching unemployment, my optimism was high. Who would have thought that a college educated professional would have a hard time getting employed again. But, here I sit still waiting for something. 
6:30 - Awake to the sound of a shower going. Sounds like a little rainstorm, just inside the house. The wife is finishing up getting ready for work. I roll over and blissfully fall back asleep. 
As a man with too much time on his hands, I’ve had the opportunity to explore many things. My wife says that’s what makes me dangerous. She’s probably right.
It seems that Carly Simon announced to the press the other day who she was writing about when she wrote the song “Your So Vain” back in 1972. It seems that her ire was not for a jilted boyfriend who may have treated her wrong. No, this was all saved up for a record producer whom she felt didn’t pay her or her new album enough attention. 
As I approach the young age of 50 in a few months, I have found I need my humor more than ever. This story makes me laugh. Enjoy the laugh…
