The first and long-prompted post

A wise older friend told me a few years ago, thankfully not with regard to my blood alcohol level, “If 20 people tell you you’re drunk then sit down.”

Crookedly following his logic, since about 100 people have told me over the years that I should blog, I’ve finally started to sit down at my laptop. But it’s not been without deliberation. Besides figuring out blogging logistics, I’ve tried to understand my motives.

With zillions of blogosphere voices, what can mine contribute that’s different? Answer: I’m still not sure, and maybe nothing. But I do consider my boss’ words: “You have a gift for teaching and entertaining readers through everyday experiences.” (While I thank him for pointing out and appreciating this, he’s still my boss and not on the blog list. Heh heh.)

Since I’ve come home from Africa, I’ve missed noodling around on a keyboard in order to understand the world and share my "findings" with others. Maybe life in the States isn’t as dramatic or wild as life in Africa, Asia or even England was, but this country is still pretty fraught with things to explore. I’d love to continue to share my findings. Not to mention the questions.

Beyond this, I need writing discipline! Even though I write between 8 and 36 hours a day (so it feels at times), reentry to the United States upsets EVERYTHING. I’ve been spinning my wheels for the past six months trying to reestablish routines, personal schedules, and even eating habits among other things. A few blog entries per month could provide some creative writing structure. And hey, if I want to occasionally shoot my mouth off as I did several times in Ethiopia, well … here’s a way to go public. :)

I don’t take this lightly, though. As writer Bob Kauflin said in a Boundless webzine article on blogging, “The blogosphere is a mixed blessing. Used wisely we can benefit from the lives, insights, and creativity of others. Used without discernment, it can be a temptation and distraction for anyone who wants to please God.”

I don’t want to be distracted or cause a distraction, and I do want to please God as I hone my writing skills. I'd also like to share a good laugh now and then.

So in the next weeks and months, if you’d like to join this blogging adventure, come on down. Come along for the ride and share it with your friends if you like. Seriously, the more the merrier is usually my motto.

I might start out by posting my Ethiopia newsletters for those who’ve never read them. We’ll see, since they're not for the faint of heart. :) And I still have to write about South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique and London.

Till my next post, and with affection for longtime readers,

Meredith