"Today I scratched my ear"

The gauntlet in representation of the uselessness of blogging (an idea I would’ve once ascribed to and perhaps even engaged in “animated conversation” in favor of) has been thrown at my feet today. I’m not trying to change the mind of the thrower, or make Wendy, I mean that person, feel like they’re not entitled to their opinion…(we all know she has them, she’s not shy about sharing them, nor am I, and she knows this as well, so, this isn’t going to surprise her) …I’m just talking.

While I’ll not attempt to compose a likeness to Mups “gamers manifesto,” I would like to stand up and say:

“Umm…Hi, I’m Melissa, I’ve been blogging since January. I like it and I have no intentions of stopping.”

(this is the part where you all say in unison “hhhhhhhiiiiiiiiii, Meeeeliiiiiiiissaaaa”)

Ok, it’s not for everybody. I tend to use the blog as a community clothes line of sorts. Not everyone uses it as such, nor would everyone enjoy hanging their laundry out the way I do. Granted I don’t tell you everything, but I give you enough to know what’s going on, to give you a laugh (I hope), to let you know I want to be real and to shed some “light” on the reasons why.

It’s good for me to share enough of my “fallen *wo*man-edness,” to stay humble and teachable. If you know me much, you know I don’t mind telling you most anything, blogging just adds the utility of keeping a written record of my thoughts, successes, failures and significant happenings (along with keeping you all informed of the latest use of my favorite “gift” - the gift of finding myself in awkward, yet outwardly humorous situations).

I’ve never been a good journal-er or diary keeper. When I have kept it up for short periods here and there, I always liked the reflective nature of the process. Writing things down makes me really think/meditate on what I’m writing about. I’m an awful writer, and so, in order for me to write something that’s in any way comprehensible I have to ponder it A LOT. That ponder-ment has a tendency to make things clearer. Clearer helps me learn.

So, while I’ve typically given up at the traditional forms of journaling within a month or two, this interactive form of said activity, seems to be sticking with me. I appreciate the capacity that blogging provides for all you crazies that read this thing to lay down your thoughts on my thoughts. It works for me.

So, when you all get tired of reading about how “I scratched my ear, today.” I guess I’ll know, because you won’t be commenting on said ear scratching. And…well…I think at this point, I’d probably keep writing about the scratching even if you weren’t reading.