Why I Blog

While Natalie was at her dance class last Thursday afternoon, Connor, Teyla and I crammed in a trip to the grocery store.

It was my first trip to a real grocery store in a long time, which is sad, really, because I love grocery shopping. No lie. Grocery stores make me happy. There's something about all those orderly aisles and the colorful produce and the smells of the bakery that releases a flood of endorphins in my brain. I smile, I relax. I might even get a little giddy.

Corey mocks me mercilessly, but I have a strong id. He can't touch quench this fire.

As I was shopping Thursday, several things struck me.

1. The music of my life is now grocery store muzak. As I buckled the kids in the shopping cart (the kind with the car on the front, which is so huge it practically requires its own ZIP code), I realized the song coming from the overhead speakers was "No One is to Blame" by Howard Jones. "Wow," I thought to myself. "I haven't heard that song in forever. Funny. It still bugs me."

I shopped for canned fruit while humming Kool and the Gang's "Cherish." I bought some chicken while a Madonna-wannabe exhorted me to take a "Holiday."

And a part of me died, just a little.

Those were the songs of roller skating rink angst, people. ANGST. And now they've been reduced to background music for middle-aged housewives who consider a trip to the grocery store the highlight of the day.

I am old.

2. Earlier this year, I was a regular buyer of organic milk. Now that the economic picture is growing darker by the nanosecond, I'm a regular buyer of the store brand. (Although it's still r-BST free. I can't compromise on that one.)

3. I bought the following vegetables: celery, onions, carrots and potatoes. Oh yes. Fall has arrived. Goodbye garden fresh tomatoes and piles of verdant green beans. I'll see you next year.

4. When you are in a hurry and are shopping with two young children and you have your cart piled high with food, it helps to have your wallet in your purse instead of in the car.

Thankfully, the checkout clerks at our neighborhood grocery store are long-suffering. As are you, for having read that list.

I call it Exhibit A in "Why I'm Glad To Have A Blog."

A few days weeks About a month ago, Lisa @ Take 90 West tagged me with a meme (which rhymes with theme; Lisa taught me that). The purpose of the meme is to share five ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.

Her answers were great, as were the Queen B's before her. So I felt like I needed to give this one a little time to ruminate before I did it. (Translate: I was really tired and couldn't hold a coherent thought in my head if my brain were made of Velcro.)

Here's what I've come up with. All are positive.

1. My blog motivates me to write. When I first started my blog, I was excited to have a deadline again, even if it was self-imposed. Over the years, I've learned I function best when I have a little outside motivation. There's nothing like the thought that my story is going to be on the air in 60 seconds to make me bang out that final sentence with a flourish.

2. My blog gives me a channel to share the randomness that otherwise clogs my mind. Theoretically, anyway.

Ahem.

3. I love that blogs are two-way conversations. It's not just me writing in a vacuum. It's a dialogue. (Hint: This is why comments are important.)

4. Virtual conversations have led to real friendships. I treasure so many of you that I have gotten to know online. Like Lisa and The Queen B said, I often talk about you to my real-life friends or family and then find myself in the awkward position of having to explain that "No, I don't really know these people, at least not in the sense that I've stood next to them. But I still KNOW them." Because I do. I feel like I know you. And I like you. I really, really like you.

Bonus: Meeting virtual friends in real life. This past Saturday, I had breakfast with a group of Twin Cities bloggers. There was much laughter and much coffee and much noshing (which made this breakfast lovin' girl quite happy) and I can't wait to do it again.

(Clockwise from bottom left: Rachel from Badgers on the Loose, Heather at Extraordinary Ordinary, me, Sara from Greetings from Butterville, Whitney from Baby Tunnel Exodus, Jenny from A Latte Talk and Heidi from Minnesota Mom.)

Also, please note that none of us are ax murderers posing as mommy bloggers. In case you were as concerned about that as our husbands were.

5. And that leads me to my final positive affect. These bloggy relationships have encouraged me as I seek to be a disciple of Jesus. I love to laugh. I love the companionship of other moms. I love learning and being intellectually challenged. But in the end, my favorite aspect of blogging is when a fellow blogger comes alongside and encourages me (literally: infuses me with courage) to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. Sisters in Christ; there is nothing like it.

I'm now supposed to tag some other bloggers to keep the fun going. Normally, I flake out at this point. But since I'm still on a sanguine high from my breakfast Saturday morning, I'm going to tag my fellow pancake-loving, coffee-drinking Twin Cities bloggers.

And next time, ladies, I'd be honored to serve you breakfast at my place. I'm always looking for an excuse to go to the grocery store.