Tagged in a Meme... my Top 5, and my bloglist

I am pretty far behind in updating my blog. I have pictures from Meet Me at the Pole, I need to chronicle Matt's "blurry" world, I have a St. Jude update, I have a new storybook authored by Todd, and a rather hysterical set of directions to share with you. But I don't have access to my pictures right now, so I am instead going to use this time to complete a Meme that Rachel tagged me with. The Meme is to list the top 5 reasons you blog.

I blog for me. It is really my fully digital scrapbook. There is no other way for me to collate the music, pictures, stories, anectdotes, videos and memories in one format that is easy to search and readily available nearly anywhere I go. I don't care about keeping track of every single detail, and I generally don't bother recording the things that hurt or worry me. I blog because it lets me keep track of all the wonderful and funny things I want to remember. I want to look back on it with my great-grandkids someday and hope to hear them laughing at the stories of their parents and grand-parents and aunts and uncles and cousins. You know that with as many kids as I do, there are going to be some rowdy family reunions in the future, and I want to make sure there is plenty of fodder for family joshing and general merriment.

I blog to keep in touch with family and friends. I have a list of friends on my right sidebar, and I have been friends with most of those ladies for over ten years now. I have several other friends who come here to read what we are doing, but don't really have an internet presence. This blog lets our families see what the kids are up to, and it lets us share our rural existence with everyone who wants to see what we are up to. My kids and I miss my mom and brother so much, and I like knowing they can jump on here and at least see pictures and stories of what they are up to. Blogging lets me keep a record of what is happening with Chet, and when I don't feel like making a bunch of phonecalls to update everyone, they know they can check that blog for updates.

I blog because I like to write. I always have. In fact, I love everything associated with writing; reading, wordgames, logic problems. Blogging gives me a place to write, sometimes properly and sometimes haphazardly, and it gives me a place to keep track of the arts and literature related items that grab my attention.

I blog because I am interested in people. I love blog-surfing and seeing what people are doing. I like to pop into my friends' blogs and catch up with their highlights. I like to read about strangers and get their perspective on the world. I like to read political commentary, I get a kick out of finding a new source of satire, and I even appreciate finding the blogs that make me cry. Blogging brings the world to me in a personal way, and I love it when I make new friends through blogs.

I blog to learn. I have my own interests that I tend to lean towards, such as photography, cooking, scrapbooking, but I also love to go blog-surfing to find new sources of information. This last year I found several gardening blogs that made clear where my own horticultural failings were stemming from. The news media is too slanted and biased to be reliable, so I like to read political blogs to get a variety of opinions and information. I find reading recommendations, recipes, parenting tips, shopping links, pictures of art I may never get to see in person, music I might never hear on the radio. I believe learning never stops, and we should always be seeking new things to read up on and get involved in. The internet is a large part of my cultural playground, and blog-surfing is my favorite toy in the sandbox.

And with all that being said, this is my blogroll and why I read them. I don't know any of these people in person, but I enjoy keeping up with their blogs. They are listed in no particular order, just how they appear right now based on who has posted most recently.

Sommer Designs... She makes some really fun aprons, purses, and other sewn items. I just like to see what she is creating.

Growing a Life... She is a mom and I found her blog while surfing BlogHer sites. She cracks me up, and I fell in love with her Magnetic Mondays and What I Would Wear Wednesday posts.

Catchin' Some Waves... This is a pastor of a big church in Nag's Head. I like to read his posts about sermons he gives, and I also like to read his posts about his perspective on different things in the world. I found his blog through his son Nathan's blog.

Cake Wrecks... I love absurdity, and this blog is full of professional cake absurdity. I like to revisit the sexual harrassment cake and the carrot jock cake posts when I really need a dose of laughter.

Ragamuffin Soul... a music pastor from a big church in the Atlanta area. I like him because he has tattoos, and he is great with technical stuff like computers and cameras, and he is on fire for his ministry. I am easy to impress... lol

People Reading.. this is one of my favorites.She finds people reading and does short interviews with them. I would love to do this in my area, but I have never seen anybody reading here. We don't have bus stops or sidewalk cafes or any of the other places she seems to find public readers. Even in our library I see more people on the computer than I do reading.

Matt, Liz, and Madeline... Matt blogs about his life as a widower. I read it to see what he and Madeline are up to, and because it warms my heart to see the outreach he has as he has struggled with his grief and loss.

Draft Sarah Palin for Vice President... I saw Adam on Colbert and had to go see his blog. I like that he has been rooting for Sarah since before she was tapped for VP. I enjoy surfing his links as well.

Confessions of a Pioneer Woman.... She has a goofy sense of humor, she is smart, she cooks, she loves photography and Photoshop, she has lots of kids, she lives in the country, and she has a killer blog platform that I will someday copy and use to give all my blogs one home to live in together.

The Brockovich Report... I am a big fan of what I know of Erin. I love a woman with grit and determination and brains and still isn't afraid to be sexy. Could be part of why I like Sarah Palin too!

Crummy Church Signs... more hilarity with honest to goodness signs found on churches. Please, Lord, if we ever put up a big sign at church don't let us be ridiculous with it!

The Prodigal Jon, Stuff Christians Like, 97 Seconds with God... all three are authored by Jon, and I love how he delivers his messages with wit and sarcasm.

Cheerful Scoop... highlights of postive news stories.

He's Gone Home... a blog of a widow who amazes me with her compassion for others going down the same road she has.

Confessions of a CF Husband... Nathan's blog about his wife Tricia who is living with CF, and their daughter who is overcoming birth complications beautifully.

The Well-Read Gardener... a local blog from one of our librarians. I like seeing what she is growing (no pumpkins overtaking her garden!) and I think she is just nice as a person.

Jim Long's Garden Talk... he actually has several gorgeous gardens, and he grows plants from all over the world. I found his link in our local paper, and his gardens aren't that far from our town.

I add to my blogroll all the time as things grab me and compel me to return.