Ten Reasons to Begin Blogging….Again

1. Because I read a lot of other people's writing all week long. I'm a teacher with over 100 students. For a change I'd like to edit my own work.
2. Because this is my space. Not "MySpace" or Facebook or someone else's idea of how I should do social media. (Ok, I realize that Google is behind all this, but still.) I chose the layout and colors and I can determine the content and I like it here!
3. Because I write to know what I'm thinking about and doing and planning and experiencing. I'm a word processor. I process with words.
4. Because, in my own mind at least, I'm not half bad at this. I don't sew anymore; I've never scrapbooked (the 1 Disney album doesn't count); I don't craft anything. Turning a phrase on the other hand is something that makes me happy.
5. Because it's fun to write about what I want to write about. I'm not trying to sound selfish, but so much of Facebook (and I'm not trying to pick on FB, but it happens to be where I've been hanging out lately) is responsive. What is initiative is still filtered (by me). Is it helpful, true, uplifting, funny, encouraging, positive?  Heck, if I'm going to put that much thought into 3 lines of text, I'd just as soon do it here where I can enjoy reading it later.
6. Because I need a place to go that is not work-related. I have a classroom website but it seems kind of silly to post recipes there.
7. Because, speaking of work, I love my job. I'm passionate about helping anyone who will listen to me learn to read and write. There are times when I want to say that work is hard, that it's overwhelming, and that I wonder if I'm making a difference. This seems like a logical place to be real about that.
8. Because I love my family. They're growing! This year we are adding another Mathis to the group. Maybe in years to come, some of these little guys will wonder what Grandmommy was like and will wonder what we did back in the 2000's. Maybe these bits and bytes will be around to tell them.
9. Because I have so much to say! I want a place to keep track of recipes I've made, and things I've learned, and neat products I've found, and insights I want to share, and people I've met. My blog is not a place for me to cut and paste other's content. If I'm writing about something here, you will get my take on it.
10. Because I might meet new friends. (Then again I might have just 2 readers - Hi Mom! Hi Katie!) If you've made it this far, please know that you are welcome and treasured. I'm not trying to sell you anything, generate a zillion comments (I'm not giving away Kitchenaid Mixers. Sorry.) or become the next big thing. Let's see what 2014 brings, shall we?