Blizzogging.

My good side. (No really; it's the one without zits.)

There has been some talk about this around the Blogosphere lately and I think I'm gonna chime in.

I love to write. I have always been a good writer and I take pride in that. Even back in elementary school, when asked to write a Christmas story about a present, I wrote a full-blown sonnet. When assigned to write a paragraph about a leprechaun, I wrote a short story complete with characters, development, climax and denouement. In college, that was my favorite part of my broadcasting major -- the stories. I love telling stories and I love making the written word come alive for others. (Video makes that pretty easy, too.)

When I first learned about blogging back in late 2007, I realized it was my "thing." I started a family blog right away and began chronicling our lives. Then, about a year later, I started this blog -- Mom, the Intern. It was originally meant only to update family and friends about my adventures as a news intern, but it quickly became more. And when I finally graduated from college and was an intern no longer, I couldn't let it go. I had a small readership and hey, I love to write, remember? So I kept it up.

And here we are, nearly 2 1/2 years later, still goin' and still growin'. I am flattered and honored that so many of you enjoy my words and look forward to reading them. I love that you all take the time to read and comment, give me advice and suggestions and compliment me in so many ways. I never expected any of this, so it has sure been a pleasant surprise!

Lately, though, I've been feeling so exhausted over my blog. You see, I love to write, but I am also very busy as a wife and a mother of two. As if that's not enough, I also teach music lessons and am a contracted freelance writer on the side. And on Sundays, I lead the music for our church's children's program. Between my first job as a wife and mother, my second job as a homemaker and my third, fourth and fifth jobs (previously mentioned), I am flat-out tired. Add all these responsibilities to replying to readers' comments, reading my followers' blogs (which I LOVE, don't get me wrong!) and maintaining my Twitter and Facebook pages, I'm practically a dead woman walking by the end of the day. Even a life full of good things can be too much sometimes.

(And now we know why I have acne.)

This blog started out as a simple journal, but I'd be lying if I didn't want it to be more than that. I would be OVERJOYED if I could help support my family financially by doing something fulfilling and fun: writing entries for this blog. I LOVE coming up with post ideas or answering your questions, building sentences and cranking out paragraphs, proofreading, adding photos and putting on little finishing touches to make each post extra special -- all for you! On the other hand, it kills me when I write a post that I feel is mediocre. Because if you, my wonderful readers, are going to take time out of your busy lives to read my blog, I want it to be spectacular. I want it to make you laugh, cry and think. I want it to enrich your life just a little bit, if not a lot. Otherwise, why should you even bother? If it's not "virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy," it ain't worth your time.

So, I put my all into this little blog. And I want you to know I love you. All 140 of you (and more I know are lurking in the shadows, which is totally OK by the way). I really do! (Especially you, Mom and Dill.) That might sound fake or contrived but it's the truth. Every comment I get makes me smile (except for the mean ones, but we haven't had any of those in a long time). I'm honored when you link to me on your own blogs or post about something I recently discussed. It makes me feel like a million bucks!

To reward you for your awesomeness, I want to continue telling stories that lift you up and help you fall in love with life and maybe make you smile. After all, you deserve it! There's a whole sea of blogs out there and you've chosen me; it's the least I can do.

Now it's your turn: Critique this blog. What do you like? What do you want more of? Is there a feature you'd like to see regularly? Is there anything you absolutely hate (be gentle)?

Also, please know that in the near future, I will probably cut my blogging down to three days a week so I don't wind up dying of a heart attack in five years. I hope that doesn't make anyone sad! But if I'm dead, I can't write! It's for the best.