TypePad, my blog host, is celebrating it's 5th birthday however this blog is a bit younger. When I wrote that first post back in March 2004 I didn't know where it would lead. I certainly didn't think I'd still be blogging four years later as wondered if I'd run out of material, would anyone read it?
It turns out that wasn't a problem and, in response to TypePad's 5th birthday question, this is how blogging has impacted my life;
- Connections: I'm connected to hundreds, thousands?, of people around the world despite living as far away from most as it's possible to get.
- Readers become friends: I've have met many readers, blog friends, on my travels to Seoul, Las Vegas, Orlando, San Francisco & New Orleans. It's been amazing to arrive on the other side of the planet only to have someone say "Hi, I read your blog!". That wouldn't of happened, indeed some of those trips wouldn't have happened, without blogging.
- Giving back: One of the initial motivations was repaying some of the knowledge I've picked up from other web-pages, discussion groups and blogs over the years. Occasionally I get an email, or comment, regarding a post which has helped someone and that's rewarding.
- Meeting the makers: Thanks to relationships built through blogging I've had the pleasure of meeting some of the people who create the software tools & services I use every day. Although they are the work of teams, those people (often via their own blogs) are the human face of companies large & small.
- A place to write: Before blogging I hadn't done much writing, for pleasure, but have discovered it is something I really enjoy. OK, I realise there is still huge room for improvement but maybe these blog things are a good way to learn. I have submitted a few (non-cad related) posts to "professional" publications, edited appropriately for their media, and was surprised when they were accepted without revision! Thanks to all that suffer the late night writing, suspect punctuation and proof reading lapses that appear on the blogs!
Perhaps best of all is, in a small way, the blog is helping people who'll probably never even see it.
