Why do we blog? I get that a lot. I'm always surprised at the sheer number of people I encounter who have no idea what this "blogging" thing is all about, despite the numerous dopey articles in the NYT and others. We had a dinner party (really! so grown up!) on Saturday night, and one of the husbands was at a loss.

He: "What is a blog?"
Me: "Literally, a 'web log.' It's like a journal."
He: "But why would you write one? What would you write about?"
Me: (Ignoring his tense since I've already established that I write one and read several.) "Because I'm a frustrated would-be writer. Because it's fun. Because some people are really good writers but don't have books. A blog can be about anything... a diary, political opinion, gossip... anything."
He: "But why would anyone read it?"

That's a fairly good, if slightly obtuse question. Why does one read anything? Because we're bored. Because we like to escape. Because we're nosy.

I think a lot of the web community is about reaching out. It's a safe way to test the water and make sure it's the right temperature. Maybe you think you're a freak because you like to suck on a pacifier at age 57? I bet you'd find others on the web who do, too... and that can make you feel normal. You have a community of middle-aged pacifier suckers, so you feel better. You can find e-mail lists of people who share their stories and inside jokes about pacifiers and getting caught in traffic sucking your silicone g low-in-the-dark dumm y -- by your boss. You can find stores where you can buy pacifiers that look like more socially appropriate items.

Wow, did I get off on a tangent. Sorry. [ahem.] Anyway, where was I going with this? Not sure. Wendy McClure recently had an entry pointing out that NYT writer William Grimes complained about books like hers and Paula Kamen's. "Is there not something to be said for the unexamined life?" he asks.

What an asshole (who, as outed by Mykull, wrote a personal account about a chicken found in his NYC backyard). In my comment to Wendy, I wrote:
"I find it odd that any person who writes ANYTHING more than a shopping list should scold authors for writing. Obviously, writers are writing because they have something to say; interestingly enough, there are millions upon millions of people like me who gobble every read greedily. So tell Mr. Grimes to bite us. Even the poor delusional knife-wielding goth teens on tBlog have something to say."

So I guess my answer to myself (and to the husband), is right ^ up there. Writers write because they have something to say. Hopefully, some people are interested in reading it. G-d love you.

["Pineapple Head," Crowded House]