Why Am I Still Blogging?

Five years ago today I set up a Blogger account, created a blog I cleverly titled "Just Jennifer" and wrote my very first post.

I had no idea what I was doing. I had no clue about blogging, the "blogoshere", the hops, link-ups, memes, community or Twitter. I remained clueless for the entire first year. I didn't even think anyone besides my mom and my bestie would ever read it. I thought blogging was merely an online form of journaling.

(Why I thought that I don't know. Why write online if you don't want people to read it?)

Over the course of the next four years, however, my little bloggy mind expanded and things evolved into what you see now.

It's been very organic and Zen, for the most part. I mean, I'm not dumb, I have learned a little about SEO and social media engagement, thinking up clever post titles and how to create pinnable images in order to maybe have my writing read by a few other people than my mom and bestie.

There's the rub. I realized I wanted to be read by others. Potentially by lots of others. In getting to know other bloggers, their niches and whathaveyous, I discovered that I have a unique, and maybe even interesting, perspective on life.

Life Will Go On Without Derek Shepherd

I rarely do this.

You know, when you see a really big event happen on one of your favorite shows and immediately need to sound off about it?

In fact, I don't think I've ever done that. Not here on my blog, anyway. And actually, considering I didn't even watch the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy until two days after it aired, and I'm not writing this until two more days have passed, I don't think it qualifies as a knee-jerk reaction.

Imma Throw Around Some Thankfuls

When your week goes screaming by so fast -- and a bit dramatically -- and you never get a calm moment to write anything else, you sit down on Friday and decide the very least you can do is come up with things to be grateful for.

41 Things I've Learned in 41 Years

Today is my 41st birthday.

I didn't !! that sentence because, meh. Forty-one just isn't sexy.

Although, I have a friend who thinks it's the bee's knees. She's not here yet and is hoping to have life a lot more figured out by 41.

I told her I think maybe I have it at least half figured out. Also, that some of us are late bloomers. I say that because I think I should have learned more by now. Slowly but surely...

You wanna know what I've learned in my 41 years? Here ya go!

How Others See Me

Looking for reasons to blog and topics for blogging, as I am wont to do these days because I have been having a hard time with that, I noticed a prompt to simply list 10 random facts/things about myself.

Well, I have done this several times before, so I was like,sigh...I'd probably just repeat myself.

Also, one of the reasons I'm having such a hard time with blogging is my brain doesn't seem to be able to form its own thoughts.

I have started and stopped a few blog posts lately because I simply lost what I thought I wanted to say.

Poof! Gone.

I'm Still Lucky

I read some awful news on Facebook yesterday.

A blogger friend's wife passed away. I knew she had been diagnosed with breast cancer some time back, but I had apparently not kept up with how she was doing...

But that's not my point. It floored me, of course because of the loss, but also because fuck yeah, that does happen. People do lose their best friend and significant other. All the time, in fact.

And there is a very real possibility that it will happen to me.