Thursday, March 13, 2008

blogging about blogging


During high school, I was on the school newspaper. I wrote editorials my senior year and I loved it. I was called into the principal's office for some of the stories I wrote and even had the entire football team angry at me. I had a little taste of power and decided I wanted more. Eighteen years old and excited about leaving home for the first time, I had Big Plans. I was going to write, I had things to say. I entered college as a journalism major.

I never took a single journalism class, not one.

There are moments so powerful that they become a mark of delineation in the timeline of your life and once you survive them, you are a new person. In the aftermath, you look back at your "before" and will, for the rest of your life. Two weeks before I was due in the dorms, our family had one of those moments. My father was diagnosed with cancer and given a year to live. I talked myself out of my journalism major not too long after that because, well...writing requires thinking, something that I was actively trying to avoid. I'd say, "Journalism is like constantly writing term papers. Why would I want to write every day?"

And yet, here I am. Writing every day. Isn't life strange?

Stranger still to me is the fact that there are people who read what I write every day. In less than a year, this site has gotten more than 40,000 visits and I am honored by each one. You cannot imagine how surreal it is for me to be called a "celebrity" and to receive admiring emails when all I do is sit in my basement in my pajamas (with cats fighting over who gets to sit in my lap) tappity-tapping away at the keyboard, hoping that I don't sound stupid.

Most people who read my blog first visited because I write about guns and shooting. The fact that you keep returning to read about things like recipes, cats, my love affair with my husband and my work at the library is an unexpected delight.

We may never meet and you may never comment, but I want to thank you for helping me on my journey back to myself.

16 comments:

phlegmfatale said...

It's funny that a medium which didn't exist 10 years ago has sprung up and become such an enormous, unifying social construct. Now, more than ever, we have efficient means at our disposal of finding our true tribes. This is a wonderful thing, and I'm glad you're finding yourself and writing daily. Love yer blog, babe!

Anonymous said...

Of course I'll comment.

You tell interesting stories and occasionally something about a "new shooter."

Ever shoot a black powder revolver? I love to introduce people to that form of shooting. My wife loves the smell of real black powder. Not so, the first time she shot. She handed it back to me and angrily said "you didn't tell me it kicked."

She knows better now. :-)

Turk Turon said...

You're welcome!

Your blog is one of my half-a-dozen "must visit every day" blogs.

Anonymous said...

You're welcome. Thank you for placing a smile on my face each day.

Anonymous said...

Brenda,

I visit because you write about guns, are a lady, are a librarian (as am I), and enjoy life.

Dr. Joe

Unknown said...

Breda;

As a graduate of an accredited (and once really, really good) journalism program...

As a ten-year veteran of newsrooms and crime scenes and tragedies and sports...

As a master's researcher who is studying media accuracy and firearms...

Let me share a little known, but heartwarming fact with you.

You ARE a journalist. Congratulations.

The profession requires no certifications or even a degree. All it requires is the ability to write well, think well, and provide a fair analysis of a complex issue.

Heck, that makes you, humble librarian, more of a journalist that Lou Dobbs, Katie Couric, Bob Woodward.... Well, maybe it'd be easier to list the good ones.

So, whenever you are feeling regret about not entering the Fourth Estate, I want to you look in the mirror and repeat after me.

"I AM a journalist. I'm good enough. And doggone it, people like me."

Tango Juliet said...

Come for the guns. Stay for the food!

BobG said...

This is one of my everyday reads.

Mike W. said...

You can add another daily reader to the list.

Carteach said...

Daily reader, but you knew that already.

Breda, you words are worth reading. It't that simple.

Simple is not always easy, but you sure make it look that way.

LBJ said...

You deserve every visit.

There are times I miss having the public blog, I think when I hit 40,000 hits I was overwhelmed and saw myself linked on the top blogs in the country. me. . dork from high school.

Yet, there's times I relish the quiet peace of knowing only the people that read it are those I have or would have as close friends.

Glad you are one of them.

Best to you on your next 40,000 visits.

Christina RN LMT said...

I'm here, every day and sometimes several times per day! Your writing touches me, it's that simple.

Anonymous said...

Daily reader who's looking forward to meeting you at the Blog Bash :-)

Anonymous said...

I keep coming back because you are enjoyable to read, Breda!!

NotClauswitz said...

Hot literate chick with a gun, what could be better?

Anonymous said...

As a fairly new blogger, I came here by way of.. Xavier maybe? Anyway, I really enjoy your writing, and have been working my way forward from the start. As long as you enjoy doing this, I'll take the time to read. Cheers, Jim.