Blogging

I am one of the many millions of people who have an everyday opinion. I never limit the scope of my judgment, because that would be unfair to those who crave the opportunity to oppose my views, thus lending a voice to the many other voices of displeasure.

I love the exchange of words, especially when cleverly written. I thrive on silly puns. I enjoy reading bawdy, satirical and sentimental writing. Who can’t appreciate the everyday ordinary vernacular with subtle pretense, with an occasional dash of harsh criticism and ridicule? I love it all! My particular writing style runs the gamut.

I can remember the days of reading articles in newspapers and magazines, and writing letters to the editor. That form of communication is ending. It’s fair to say, death is eminent for the newspaper because of the troubled economy and the new visionaries of communication (i.e., you, me, us… the everyday people). Yes, it’s unfortunate, but everything must change and nothing stays the same. I don’t see it so much as sad, as I do a new beginning for more focused communication.

There is no excuse for not being part of the dialogue. With faster computers, cell phones, Facebook, and blogs, we have this amazing opportunity before us to be heard in a much bigger, broader and better way than ever before. This communication superpower comes with a warning. We must be responsible with our thoughts, diligent about researching our sources and, ready and able to defend our actions. There is no room for plagiarism, and your schizophrenic moments must be reconciled before publishing (unless you truly have schizophrenia). Offensive meltdowns have their time and place. Incoherent alcoholic chattering is unnecessary and will only lead to further destruction of your life. Those who are into he said, she said moments of discontent might want to rethink their strategy. Those who are forward thinkers, who are appreciative of the underdog and who offer lessons to learn by, with positive messages between the lines and witty underlying subtext, will always win in the blogosphere because many people love a happy moment, a bittersweet ending and an opportunity to ponder endless possibilities.

Yes, you can write about anything because that is your First Amendment right, but always put your best foot forward by reading and rereading what you’ve written, especially if you want to be respected and taken seriously.

Always remember there can be a backlash to your communication endeavors, especially when applying for a job. Don’t be surprised if the person interviewing you brings up something you posted on a website, a response you made on a blog or an article you posted on Facebook. With that said, we must always try our best to formulate our thoughts with concise communication as to not look, sound or appear stupid, and especially not to appear like a foolish frivolous thinker.

No, it’s not my intention to take the fun out of writing, but to be aware of each step of the communication process, always using spell check and ensuring slang and Ebonics are limited to funny (but sensitive) examples and not as a means of making fun of a person or a group of people. All languages are beautiful and each dialect is interesting. We must always laugh with and not at people.

I now host six blogs. Yes, it does seem like a lot to some and especially those who don’t blog, but for me it really is a small venture. Once you lay the foundation for the theme, and manipulate the design or code, the rest falls into place, which is just writing entries or posting pictures or videos. They are easy to write, especially if you have desire, purpose, and passion, and I do.

There are many people who produce one blog and do it in a much bigger way, which makes my six blogs small by comparison. They also do some heavy-duty writing and incorporate guest writers. My blog is more personal, a private acquisition of the heart and mind, with a never-ending story about a life lived and still in progress.

I’m not about popularity. I’m more about quick easy dialogue. My entries are in different formats: diary, commentary, teachable moments, confrontational from a news worthy perspective, silly and whimsical from fun outings with friends and sensitive moments, too. I make no apologizes for what I write. There are times when my opinions change, which I think is great. I enjoy seeing the evolution of my thoughts within my writing. I am always willing to concede at any given moment.

For those who read my posts, view my photographs and watch my videos (boring as they may be to some), I thank you. Any response I get means I’ve done my job.

I wish more people would blog. I have many friends with interesting opinions and crazy stories, and I believe the world would enjoy reading their words. Too often people choose time as a reason not to write, but I think it relates more to confidence. I’ve achieved more self-confidence from blogging, and you can, too. Let’s hear your story. The best way to tell it is through blogging.  Cheers! – paerki