Blogging The Blog

For the last five years I have been accumulating photos and movies. I keep a Journal as I travel around the World.

I tried writing a book but got stuck. I made great little film clips but I didn't have a full movie. Then a couple of years ago I reconnected with my sister in Ontario. Melbah Toasty has been writing Blogs since 1967. I didn't even know what a Blog was until she told me. (Just in case there's someone out there who is wondering, as they read this, the term 'blog' is a short form of the words: 'WEB LOG' or Internet Journal.)
Melbah is showing me how to run a successful Blog site. I love having a Mentor who can save me some of the learning curve. It gives me more time to write and take photos and Movies rather than trying to figure out the thousand and one details needed to create and maintain a blog.

I work as a carpenter in the REAL world, so blogging is a wonderful diversion from the construction business. Besides, in my new lifestyle I am always traveling, whether I'm in Canada building things or in Asia exploring ancient ruins, and I love to write about my adventures.

I phoned my girl friend; Aw, in Thailand to tell her the great news.
"Are you sitting down Aw? I AM BLOGGING."
"Stevie, you still Carpenter, mai kah?"
Hmm. I see I am alone as a visionary here. I try to show her the concept. "Aw, do you realize the people throughout the World I can reach with my stories once I create a solid audience?"

I have to admit I'm one of those glass-half-full kind of guys. It's like the story about the salesman who goes to a tropical Island to sell shoes. After a month he reports back to his company with the News: 'Sales potential here is useless. No one wears shoes on this Island.' But instead of giving up, the company sends it's top Salesperson, who reports back after only being on the Island for a day: "Incredible News. The sales potential on this Island is unlimited. Everyone needs shoes."

So that's me. I love writing these stories about my adventures. And I love showing you my movies and photos. I have a great Mentor (Melbah even made my Heading collage with all the photos and the title).

The biggest thing I had to get through my thick skull was: A blog is a work in progress. It really has no beginning or end. Your readers will come to it many ways and you can't control what they will be drawn to. I just write what I want to write and keep moving. When I first started writing my blogs in Thailand, I would write my sister and Mom and ask them if what I was writing was good. I had no way to gauge it, and I still don't. Fortunately they are my cheerleaders. I was very surprised when I would have people reply with encouragement. I have had a lot of people write to say they feel like they are on the Journey with me. That means a lot to me. I sometimes write the stories so fast that I don't even read them over before publishing. It's just the nature of the beast when I'm at a bus station in Bangkok with only a few minutes to put down my thoughts before heading off to the next location. So it's great to hear that people are enjoying the pictures and stories.

Here's what drives me to write:

• The deep desire to share my Journey with my friends and family.

• The satisfaction I get from recreating the experience in words and pictures. When I write this way and put my photos and movies together, it gives me a wider perspective of the events and enriches the original experience for me.

• Your comments. I love hearing your perspective on what I write. It's the icing on the cake for me. When I'm in a village in Northern Thailand, or in the chaotic cities of India, it's hard to remember that there is someone out there reading this blog. I want you to know, I really appreciate you being here to share my Journey with me.

So please send me your comments. And have a look in the 'labels' section. You may find I've written about you.

What Kind Of Blog Has It Been?

I knew I would enjoy having a Blog but I didn’t know It would be this much fun. From the start I have received encouragement and made some new friends, all from the serendipity of this Blog hurled into Cyberspace. There’s an old saying: “Strangers are just friends you haven’t met.” That sure seems to be the case here. 'Somsoc' started her Blog at the same time I did and we have drawn off each other’s ideas. I only know that she's a Gemini like me, she's a teacher, and she lives in Dayton, Ohio. We have both been doing movie reviews on a Movie neither of us has even seen yet; 'What The Bleep Do We Know'. (Which, I'm told, is a very interesting statement once you see the movie.) Then there’s 'B$', who is a 24 year old Lab Tech in Ottawa. She is a woman not afraid to talk about her heart felt sentiments on life. She has given me some very warm encouragement. My favorite comment from her, is one that I know she meant out of respect but I find humorous at the same time. She says in my Post: ‘Things I’m not writing about’: “You are a great writer. Even with nothing to write about it's still interesting.” My family have been saying that to me for years. Or as my Mom would say: “Steven, try to have an unexpressed thought.” Thank you B$, I appreciate your comments very much. Then there is 'Belle', a 22 year old student from the United States who described my first Post as "absolutely beautiful". All three just happened onto my Blog and I really have no idea who they are. They're just friends I haven't met. I have to thank my sister, the infamous Melbatoasty, my partner in crime, for all she does to help me in getting my Blog rolling. Melissa is an accomplished Blogographer herself. She has been an inspiration to many people who check in on her Blog: Pioneer Woman With A Cell Phone, on a regular basis. When she has her Blog in full swing she gets five hundred hits on her site every day. My Mom got so caught up in the action that she has even started a Blog now called 'Point Taken'. We call her 'Squiddy' and she calls us late to dinner. I'm proud of her. She has always been my dear friend and I love her very much. She has written two books which she is in the process of getting published right now.

Trumped With Joy
Of all the comments, the most thrilling came from none other than Donald Trump. Yes, you heard me, ‘The Donald, himself. Last Wednesday I received a letter in my mailbox, by special courier from Trump Towers from the man himself. It was a card wishing me well on my Trip to Thailand. At first I doubted the authenticity of the dispatch but after careful examination of the postmark by Postal Forensic Experts, I was able to determine that it was indeed from Mr ‘You’re Fired!’ himself. All I can say is thank you Mr Trump (may I call you Donny? No? Okay…)

Favorite Typo

When I was describing the second time Vivyan and Dorian met romantically, in the Post 'Courageous Optimism', I mistakenly wrote: “This time there were no holes barred in their activities”. Ouch. I think I meant to say: “...no holds barred…” Thanks for pointing out the error, Squiddy. By the way, when my Mom saw this, she almost wet herself laughing…