Blogging is Dead! The Benefits of Blogging

Many sources have been reporting the death of blogging, saying that no one reads blogs anymore, blogs aren’t relevant to readers today, and blogs are now only business tools.   

I’ve been keeping my blog going for a few years now and even though the blogosphere has changed in that time, I still feel that keeping a blog is valuable. Many people my age have stopped blogging due to increased obligations or changes in interests.  Some feel that their interests have changed so much that their current interests and writings no longer meet the goals of the original blog. Others mention that they have turned to “micro-blogging” or “photo-blogging.”

Even with this decrease, there are many benefits of blogging. Blogging helps keep up your writing skills, which may deteriorate as we get older and aren’t writing as much for school. It helps keep us in contact with what are friends are doing and creating. It also gives an extra push on those days when you just don’t feel like doing anything.  I blog for all of these reasons but most of all I blog because it gives me a very in depth look at where I was in my life at a given time.  I don’t feel that facebook, twitter or instagram really give much insight into what we are thinking and doing. When I read a blog post I have written in the past, I remember my thoughts, emotions and interests at that time. I am also impressed at how many projects I completed.  

I definitely like to see what my friends are up to and what they are thinking. I know there has been a decrease in the community aspect of blogging. Some of this is due to spam blockers making it harder for people to comment, but it also has to do with how people read blogs now. Many people read on their mobile devices which don’t allow for commenting or make it difficult to comment. Many bloggers hear over and over again “Oh, I read that post and wanted to comment!” or “I’m still reading even though  I don’t comment so much!” 

Also many people are busier than ever and there is more and more content vying to be read every day.  Even I find myself culling my reading list (which I recommend.) There’s only so much time in the day and you can’t keep up with everything. It only makes sense to cull and only read what is meaningful to you. 

Even with these changes, there’s still a lot of value in blogging. Blogs are inspirational and “aspirational.” (You know that made-up word that describes that feeling you get every time you open pinterest.) J  Many bloggers are good role models and looking at their lives, encourages me too start doing those things I really want to do.  Sometimes they show me some things I thought would be very hard really isn’t anywhere near as difficult as I thought.

So even though I don’t blog as much as I used to, I still plan on keeping it up and still love getting to look at the lives of other bloggers.

Take Nothing for Granted

        I was very disappointed that Andy and I did not get to go to Jim Thorpe, PA this year to admire the "visual cacophony" lingering above our heads. Today was a nice day and in addition to cleaning the yard, my mother and I went for a walk to look at the leaves in the area. The leaves are as beautiful as I have ever remembered them being.

        Sometimes life moves so fast that you notice that the leaves are falling from the trees and think it would be nice to spend some time looking at them, but you never do and soon winter comes, and you forget about it for another year. Sometimes the cycle continues for a few years.
        How could I deny the beauty that exists only a few steps from my back door? I am indeed very fortunate to live in such a beautiful world and have the ability to experience it. Last year Andy and I went with his mother and father to view the leaves, we had to describe the colors to his father, who lost his sight earlier last year after a stroke. What a terrible hardship to endure.

        On another topic, I have always wondered why the leaves change colors and if there was a method to the color choices and times when the leaves change. Turns out that leaves have Chlorophyll andCarotenoids in them all year round.These create the colors that we see. These pigments are normally concealed by the Chlorophyll which makes the leaves appear green. The Carotenoids give the leaves their red, orange, yellow and brown colors.  The Carotenoids are exposed when longer, colder nights halt the breaking down of the Chlorophyll. Fascinating.

Your assignment for today is to go admire the leaves and never take anything for granted.