wherefore blog?

Lately Eric and such have been ridiculing the idea of weblogging. Although I didn't say anything at the time (either time, actually), I don't think the idea is stupid and his reaction to it rather annoyed me.

Anyway, that doesn't matter. I thought I'd make this entry in order to clarify, for myself mostly, the reasons that I maintain and update a weblog, and why I write what I do in it.

There're the lesser reasons: entertainment, feedback, feeling of belonging in a kind of group, getting out my frustrations. But the biggest reason I record this stuff down is so I don't forget. I have a terrible memory. It's the same reason I'm so camera-happy; I have this need to capture everything so I won't forget. That goes for my friends especially. And that's why I'll sneak pictures of people who don't like having their picture taken. I really want to keep my memories. I'm most scared of forgetting.

If I write down all these insignificant thoughts, all these things I do, and how I feel about them, maybe I can remember. I put in things that only I or a few others will understand in most of my entries; I like it that way. I'm needlessly cryptic and vague because this weblog, these posts, are primarily for me. Not anyone else. But I like putting it online for all the fringe benefits. I get feedback from my friends, I feel like other people can get to know me better, I feel like people WANT to get to know me better. I'm encouraged to update regularly because I do have an audience. In the past, I've had journals but I've never stuck to them, kept them going. I'll look back on them and get all misty-eyed and nostalgic, but then I'll be disappointed to find I stopped writing. There are huge chunks of my life missing. I hate that.

So that, ladies and gentlemen, in case you were wondering (not that I really care if you weren't), is why I keep a weblog.