Writing as a Habit

I never learned the discipline of keeping a daily log or diary, which I'm sure is a good thing to do when you're young. Well, I'm no longer young, and I find that in the midst of personal turmoil--I won't bore you with details--although I have a strong desire to write every day, I don't always have either the time or the necessary wherewithal.

I am also a little cautious regarding putting all my thoughts and feelings on the line or out in the public eye, as little as they might actually be read by anyone other than the lovely Beth.

However, I do wish to keep my hand in and although the nature of this blog is in many ways (all ways?) different from that of my usual occupation as a technical writer, I find it liberating by not having the constraints imposed upon me that my profession imposes upon me. When wearing my technical writer's hat, I must always keep in mind many different factors: the raft of corporate "standards" which I must adhere to, as far as formatting and phraseology; the opinions, edits and information which must be dealt with, and which I receive from my compeers, SMEs (subject matter experts), programmers, executives and others who form my "customers," as well as legal disclaimers and other information which must be included as a matter of course.

Blogging, of course, carries none of these requirements, and although it shares a common language with technical writing (English), the only thing I have to do with my blog is to please myself. I am not even at the mercy of you, dear readers, in trying to please my audience.

So, I have been writing to please myself, and hopefully, my lovely wife. My intention is to be neither boring nor pedantic (although I might sound highfalutin much of the time), and to write about things which not only interest me, but I which may prove interesting to others, as well.

I don't ever expect to become an Internet sensation who's blog is the source of manic re-postings and heated conversations around the water-cooler. I don't really expect to have much of a readership at all, but I don't think that's the point of this particular blog. It isn't, for me, at least. The point is, that I write, and I keep on writing, and perhaps, in time, I will inculcate in myself the habit of doing this sort of thing everyday, rain or shine, without having to drag myself to a computer to do so.

I wish myself success! Thanks for your attention.
Andy