Why I Blog/Chicken Scratch

I resisted to blog for a long time.  I am probably the last person to blog among my peers.  Farmer Boy and I were also the last people to get a DVD player, about 3 years ago.  I spent about the same amount of time weighing all pluses and minuses. 

-

·      It is labor-intensive and time-consuming for me.  I am constantly fighting my tendency for perfectionism.  I would write a post, check and recheck it, try to pick a great picture, etc., etc., etc.  After several days I still don’t have a post on the blog. 

·      My topic is silly.  There are so many life-changing blogs!  I don’t think blogging about chickens is life changing, well, except in my case.  Our family members are blogging about their mother’s cancer journey.  I check and read their blog every day.  It is much more important. 

·      Loss of privacy – this is the topic Farmer Boy and I discussed for a long time.  It is easy to find who people really are, where they are, etc. 

+

·      Chickens have taught me a lot about life and cycles of life.  It is surprising how many misconceptions people have about nature, farming, and chickens.  It doesn’t take a rooster to produce eggs.  Only if you want to have baby chicks.  Fortunately, there are more and more urbanites, who raise chickens in their backyards, so we don’t have to turn every social event into a fun presentation about chickens.   

·      Chickens make me and, especially, Farmer Boy happy.  If anyone out there needs Chicken Therapy, let me know.  This is how it works – you come dressed for farm work, feed the chickens, and spend an hour in the chicken yard watching them.  We will even feed you and supply you with tea or coffee.  It is much cheaper than regular therapy, and you don’t have to disclose any of your childhood traumas to us, only to chickens, if you want.

·      Blogging is essential for a good career.  I am a fan of Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk.  She wrote a lot about it and has a good/short guide to blogging.  I am still not sure how I can apply myself in the chicken world – Chicken Management???

·      Blogging is a good way of record-keeping - Farmer Boy knows and remembers everything, he doesn’t write it down though.  However, not many people know about Asil breeding.  Sometimes Farmer Boy forgets, and I need to check and double-check. 

·      Blogging enriches you beyond anything you can imagine.  I remember having anxiety attacks over privacy issues.  I didn’t really know whom to ask, so I asked someone very authentic and approachable – David Seah.  I am a HUGE fan of his blog.  He is not afraid to be vulnerable.  That’s why his blog is so amazing to me.  He emailed me back.  The header of his blog is "David Seah - Design, Productivity, Inspiration, and Empowerment".  And that's exactly how he is!  His responses were detailed, honest, inspiring, and simple.  I didn’t expect him, a very busy blogger, to respond at all.  His emails convinced me that only good comes from opening up and allowing new connections in your life.  Thank you, David!

I still don’t have a clear and direct answer why I started to blog about the chickens.  I know it will help me somehow some day in the future.  We constantly talk chicken stories, why not blog them.