Twice in the past two days this question has been posed to me. The above question is typically paired with,
“When do you have time to blog?” or “How do you find the time to blog?”
For starters, you have to know that my part of my major in college was English/Literature. Quite simply, I love how words go together. I love to read. I love to learn. Words come naturally to me.
You also need to know that I am not a huge talker.
But I am a female.
Don’t women need to speak something like 7,000 words per day, or three times that of her male counterpart?
I don’t. I like silence. I don’t feel the need to talk.
Many of my words are written. That’s why I never call anyone. I write it out. Blogging is my adult social interaction with the world, as impersonal as it may be. I save what is left of my vocal chords (from reading children’s books all day) for when the Hottie comes home . . . or I am alone in the car and I call people from my red phone (had to get that in, Tina) when it isn’t convenient for them.
So . . . since I don’t talk as much as the average female, all of my ideas get bottled up inside my brain and have to escape somehow.
My blog.
Additionally, I have an overactive imagination. That really is an understatement. Just ask the Hottie. It doesn’t take much for an event, food, picture, word, smell or idea to take root and grow into a blog post at the dinner table.
In fact, it isn’t uncommon for the Hottie to say, “You’re thinking of a blog post right now aren’t you?” I must have a look that reveals the inner workings of my brain.
I write my blog posts using Windows Live Writer. It is free. But I also don’t have to be online to write. Even though our computer is almost always part of the Matrix, I don’t have to be.
I blog much the same way I read books. I will have about 6 blog posts being written at one time. If I have an idea, I’ll just type in the title or a couple of sentences, save it, and write the post when I feel like it. Or when God prompts me.
I blog for God. So He really gives me an endless supply of ideas, especially when I ask Him.
I blog about what I am concerned about, enjoy, and desire to share with others. For this reason, you will find yourself reading a lot about the Hottie, my kids, our homeschooling, books I am reading, food/recipes, and photography here at Granola Mom 4 God.
Blogging can be made simple by participating in memes. (Such an annoying word.) These are the easiest posts to write. For example, Wordless Wednesday, Tot School, Preschool Corner, If You Give A Mom a Book, etc. are all examples of memes that I have participated in.
And because I don’t have multiple blogs for the various aspects of our life . . . it appears that I do have a lot of ideas – I am putting so many topics into one blog instead of having just a homeschooling blog, or a review blog, or a family blog, or a food blog, or a Jesus-Freak blog. You get everything all on one blog. That could be a detriment to establishing a large readership.
Some of you may pick and choose what you read.
That’s OK.
And where do I find the time? The Hottie always tells me that you have time for the things that you want to do. Ouch.
But it is true.
I blog whenever the Hottie and the kids aren’t around. My priority always remains God, the Hottie, and the kids. I have to have my jobs taken care of or in progress before I can blog. Blogging can easily become an idol. After all, www.granolamom4god.com is MY PLACE. My corner in the world where I am me and I can go blah.
At one point, my blog was an idol. It was all I talked about. I spent evenings writing when I could be reading, snuggling with the Hottie, or fermenting. Instead, I would stare at the screen and irritate the Hottie with my sullenness. I would blog in front of the kids. They are too precious for me to devote a lot of time to a silver screen instead of their ever-changing faces.
But I have since changed my ways. Am I perfect? No. But because I try and show my family that they are the priority, when I make exceptions to my personal silent rule . . . they give me grace.
I know you still want me to answer the question. So when do I blog? (Usually around 6:30 AM or 2 PM.)
It also helps, that I have learned to say no to a few things in the blogging community.
That’s all I have to say about that.
