Why blog?

After reading a blog post about why homeschoolers should blog I've been thinking about why I blog.
Initially it was a simple way to keep the grandparents (hi, guys!) updated on what schooly stuff and our plans. I didn't really think that it would be of any interest to anyone else, or that I would have that much to say. After all- how much is there to write about on a homeschool blog?
Apparently a lot. And apparently quite varied material ends up mixed in.
I do tend to mostly post daily report or weekly report type posts. I like to talk about what we do in our days for school- the meat and potatoes of homeschooling, as it were. How interesting is that? I guess that depends. I love looking at blogs like that- where people talk about what they do and what works, and what flops. I really love seeing how much people manage to squeeze into a day and compare. I'm big on measuring myself against others, even though I know that's a poor measuring stick and likely a sign of some deficit on my part. I digress.

Most of my record keeping is on paper still. I have a binder that I mark in daily. I track attendance and what we actually do daily, as well as all of my planning worksheets. I also have schedules. The records that I have on my blog are much more cursory and incomplete.

I like to talk about the various types of curricula that I'm using. When I'm deciding on a new program or thinking about switching it's far more useful to read other people's reviews then look at the publisher's little blurb. Especially helpful is pictures of kids' work in the books and programs, and if it needs supplementing. I've talked a lot about our phonics meandering through this year- and a huge percent of people who arrive here via google are coming looking for phonics advice! I'm not the only one. And I hope that my musing and trial and errors have helped someone as much as other people's reviews have helped me.

Something that I can do on a blog that I can't do in my color coded binder is link list. I also have a blogroll that I only somewhat understand how to use, but I do know that it shows me when someone updates a blog so I don't have to obsessively check.

Is blogging a social exercize? I don't know. I don't think that I have a lot of dialogue going on here with my readers. I'd love to start more, but first I need to post things that are more discussion points, less hasty lists of things done. Mea culpa.

Musing/ranting is something that I do have a tab for, but I tend not to do. I try to focus on the good, not the hairy bad days. It's unrealistic. It's not helpful. A prospective homeschooler needs to be aware that it's not all rainbows and good days with compliant children and lessons that come together perfectly. I tend to save that fun for my husband, though.

So why do I blog? There's the part of me that is looking for (and loves to get) validation. I blog for that. I blog to keep connected with family that spans the country. I blog to put my experience out there in case it helps someone else (isn't that vain?). Why do you blog?