People blog for three different reasons:

a. They want attention and they have interesting lives and thoughts they want others to know about

b. They want to make money from their blogs at some point, so they start blogging about one particular topic

c. They like to influence others through their opinions and insights, typically through political and opinion pieces

Don’t take me wrong, all the above reasons are very much valid and genuine; I have only the utmost respect for bloggers who take the time to codify their thoughts and feelings for the direct or indirect benefit of others. I have myself found countless answers, both for technology and personal questions and problems that I have encountered.

Well, here’s a fourth reason – to get over something , learn something new and start a new life. I realized today that I did not make a single entry in almost six months; its not that I didn’t have time or topics to dig into, its just that I was pretending to be preoccupied with something I wasn’t really preoccupied with. 80% of bloggers blog their heart out for 1 week and then disappear into oblivion because at some point it becomes a more of a chore than an enjoyable activity. In the first few days, we think we want to blog every thought, everything we do, every emotion we feel, but as the days become weeks, and with the knowledge that nobody is really reading their blogs, they simply give up and give into the more mundane things in life i.e. television and facebook.

So why will I blog every day or at least every other day (discounting weekends when I am probably on junkets) ? For two reasons:

a. I hope this will be an excuse to read/learn about something new every single day; in the last few months, I have been single-mindedly obsessed with my work and life’s trivialities, and lived pretty much inside a self-created cocoon. Though I used to be a news junkie, I am both bored and tired with the talking heads, and need something new everyday to reboot. I figure that the only way I can get out of the rut is to look at something fresh every single day and write a honest opinion about the subject in question. Do I really care if somebody reads this blog – honestly, I am indifferent. This goes back to my original assertion about most bloggers – they give up when they realize nobody cares about their thoughts. However, in my case, it is different in the sense that this blog is more of an excuse to get myself together than to present opinions to the world.

b. To develop new interests, hobbies, passions to fill my time. That is an easy one, like most people, I suddenly realize I have a lot more personal time than before. In fact, I have such a big void that sometimes I feel my head is bigger than Keith Olbermann’s. The void if left unattended, will weed itself dry until I collapse under the excessive pressure exerted by own head. My interests cover the entire gamut – art, music, technology, history, food and wine, humanities, sports and politics (in no particular order). Although I want to be a jack of all trades, I know very well that I could simply end up as the average joe joe-sixpack of every trade. Alas, there lies the irony, whats the point in trying when you are not trying to succeed in something. But, the irony in the question answers itself in a way – truth behold, the point of trying is not to succeed in it, but to enjoy  the experience of your valiant attempt. So we have to ask ourselves what is the worst case scenario – at least the feeble attempt is fodder for jokes at some future party.

To conclude this fairly wordy entry (I guess I could have just said “I will blog more often” and be done with it), I look forward to the possibilities and the opportunities that might present themselves in this endeavor. And to answer the question I posed earlier – the point of a blog is not necessarily to be heard and appreciated by the masses or make an impression on the unconvinced mind, but to have an outlet for personal thought and introspection regardless of the audience.