Why I Blog
Whenever I introduce people to The Red StringTM, the first question they ask is:
So what do you write about?
A question which for me is pretty hard to sum up in a sentence or two. But I always manage to say something passable (at least I think I do), and then I direct them to the concept and about pages on the blog for further information.
Now when they eventually read an edition, they find out that my description was at best mediocre, and that it actually makes for quite interesting reading! Pleasantly surprised, they then ask another difficult question:
Wow! Why do you write?
Thus I've decided to answer that rather difficult question here as the Ask Prof. question of the month.
There are many reasons why I write The Red StringTM. Some came before I started writing it, and others as a result of doing so. What started out as a monthly letter to my friends and family has grown into something much more: an outlet for my thoughts, a reason to code, a writing platform for my friends, and a place to hear their opinions.
But at the root of it all lies the same fundamental motivation: A commitment to keeping in touch with those I know, and with those who know me. The Red StringTM represents a concerted effort to keep my acquaintances close, and my friends closer. I write because I love them, I write to entertain them, and most of all I write to let them know how I'm doing.
In addition to this, there is one other major reason I write this blog, and it is from this reason that The Red StringTM draws its name. I write this blog to record my life. To remind myself of the life I've lived, and to remind others of the times we've had. I suffer from a disease called Sickle Cell Anaemia and it would be no surprise if I up and died tomorrow. Of course I have no plans of doing so, but whether I die in 5 years or in 65 is really not the point.
The point is that I want to leave something behind. Something precious for those who know me, and something that's at least entertaining for those who don't. The Red StringTM is a record of my life, of our happiness, and it is my precious gift to the world.
Perhaps I will use it as a basis for my biography one day. Perhaps it will be forgotten in the annals of time. But for as long as my red string is woven, I want to write. And while I'm at it, I encourage you to write too. 🙂