Monday Meme: Why do I blog?

Welcome to the first of my Monday Memes! As stated yesterday, I came by this via Multifarious Librarian.

How long have you been blogging? I wasn’t sure so I looked it up (like a good little librarian). Apparently, I’ve been blogging since September 2005!

Why did you start blogging? How many times a week do you post an entry? Tracking back to my first few posts, I think I began because I just wanted to try out blogging for myself (having heard others talk about it). Also, at that time I was on the Organising Committee of the 3rd International Evidence Based Librarianship Conference and we were going to have a blog and I wanted to get a feel for what it was.

Back then, I posted a lot more regularly. Nowadays, I tend to post mostly when challenges are on (i.e. everyday) but otherwise I might go months between posts. It’s pretty sporadic.

How many different blogs do you read on a regular basis? I’ve been cleaning up my feeds recently and I was subscribed to 130 blogs across areas such as librarianship, typography, design, photography, music and medicine as well as personal blogs from friends and family members. I’ve cleaned that up a bit and “rationalised”. It’s going to be an ongoing process.

I should say that subscribing to them doesn’t necessarily mean that I read them on a regular basis. Having them posted to Twitter with interesting titles would be a stronger imperative for me to read them.

Do you comment on other people’s blogs? Occasionally. I’m more of a lurker…which is kinda hypocritical because I really like it when people comment on my blog.

Do you keep track of how many visitors you have?
Yes. I’m always interested to see what brings in the punters. 😉 I also like to see where the traffic comes from. I can see if they’re following links from the blog itself or Twitter or Facebook. I also find it quite interesting that I have more hits from readers in Ireland than I do from New Zealand.

Did you ever regret a post that you wrote? I don’t think so. If I’m concerned, I’ll sit on a post for a while and might get a trusted friend to read it first. I’ve posted a few pretty self-exposing posts but have only ever been met with love and support.

Do you think your readers have a true sense of who you are based on your blog? Quite possibly. I’m a heart-on-the-sleeve kinda gal. I don’t keep much back. There are some aspects of my life that I do keep to myself but I think my readers would have a pretty good picture of me in spite of that.

Do you blog under your real name? Strange as it may seem, “Bun-Toting Librarian” isn’t on my birth certificate but I’ve never hidden that my name is Fiona. Actually, I’ve even blogged about my name! (In meme form…and by way of serious question…and answer.)

Are there topics that you would never blog about? Well, I blog about religion quite happily. I sometimes stop short of politics – mostly for fear of repercussion as I work in the public service. There are some topical issues that I tend to steer clear of and to name them in this context would almost reveal my position. So, to answer the question in the safest way possible: “Yes”.

What is the theme/topic of your blog? Me. Basically. All aspects of my life. Possibly with more of a bent towards my work life than I’ve had in blogs previously…not to say there’s much of that in any given post.

Do you have more than one blog? If so, why? Oh yes! I’m a fractured little person and my blogging life has gone through numerous iterations (much in the same way I have). I don’t update them all. Actually, most of them are quite dead.

The choir one hasn’t been updated since 2007.

One was set up as being a “Tips and Tricks” for novice Microsoft Office users. Very little happened with it and it’s woefully out of date!

Then, there’s my recipe collection…which is tiny and rarely updated.

My first blog is a little uncomfortable to read now but it’s a part of my journey so there’s no point denying my history. I haven’t updated that since I jumped over to this blog for the very first #blogjune back in 2010.

My maiden post here was a bit angsty and I’ve been known to have the odd rant but it’s all me. Raw, real and occasionally a bit ugly but always me.

What have you found to be the benefits of blogging? Catharsis and Connection.

So, why do you continue to blog? Sometimes it’s nice to just unload and find that someone else feels the same way or just that there’s a soul out there that listens reads and cares.

Meme done. Now for Musical Challenge!!!!!

John quickly snapped up the answers to Songs 3 and 4 and Sean nailed the first theme which was “Cats”.

This has a new theme and I’ll call for you to reveal that at some point soon…possibly Sunday, possibly before…so stay tuned!

Song 5:

‘Cause I love, love you so
Promise I’ll never let you go

Song 6:

They just use your mind
And they never give you credit
Its enough to drive you
Crazy if you let it