My entry into the blogosphere

Okay . . . I admit it . . . I am addicted to reading other people's blogs!!

A few years ago, when I first heard the term "blogging", I remember thinking who would want to read the day to day ramblings of Mr and Mrs average??? Now I understand what many a novelist already knew all along, that sometimes the day to day stuff is the most interesting of all.

One of my favourite writers when I was a teenager was John Irving of "The World According to Garp" fame. While friends of mine had rockstars and actors plastered on their bedroom walls, I had a picture of John Irving. Pretentious, I know! Anyway, I think it was in his book "The Hotel New Hampshire" when one of his characters said "In a family, eccentricities are as normal as the smell of bread." How true that is! Sometimes we are oblivious to our own eccentricities because we are so used to them. So what I am trying to say I guess is that everyday people are interesting and I've been really enjoying getting to know some folk over the internet, although as I only just today figured out how to make a Google Account (it's sad, I know) I have been lurking rather than making my presence felt to others, which sounds a wee bit creepy.

Anyway, I have really enjoyed reading about "the lives of others'" and have been amazed at the millions of people who are out there blogging about the dinners they've cooked and the recipes they have created or sourced and I thought to myself "I like to cook" . . . maybe I should try that too!

Also, I have now lost nearly 27 kg since September. I have found that I am really motivated by the many generous bloggers who share their ups and downs of their weight loss journeys, and of course those all important "before and after" shots. Again, I feel a bit like a stalker as I frequent these blogs desperate to hear if people have lost or gained and to pick up any little tips here and there. Weightloss blogs have really helped me with my journey, so who knows, maybe I can help someone else. That is another reason for my decision to try blogging myself.

Finally, it is clear to me that a number of people get clarification and catharsis from self-reflecting in their blogs and I really enjoy writing--I am a terror with an email (I'm told by work colleagues that they save my emails to have with a cup of tea, or maybe that's a nice way of saying they don't read them!) and frequently have to edit my posts on the Weight Watcher boards because they are too long--so I'm thinking I would benefit from that self-reflection too. Which may be just as well, as I dont' know if I'll ever attract any readers!!

What kind of blog will this be, I wonder?? I need to do a whole lot of reflecting about my new career as a teacher as I'm finding that pretty challenging . . . also I do LOVE to eat and cook . . . and I am serious about my plight to get to a normal healthy weight . . . and then I need to vent about the demands of being a wife and mother of three . . . so we'll see what direction this blog will take in time I guess. Probably all of the above. I'm not real crash hot on organisation however, so I don't know how I'll go with folders and labels and everything like that. I have about 3000 unfiled documents on my hard drive so I'm thinking the end result will be a little chaotic, but I'm keen to get started and see what happens!!


A Word About the "Before Pictures"

I avoid the camera like most fatties, however, Easter 2008 while on holidays with family and friends I couldn't avoid it constantly that's why all my current "before" pics are taken in Bali! I don't know why all my photos are coming out so small . . . I still have a lot to learn about this blogging thing.