NaBloPoMo on Make - a Blog, a List

As the badge implies, the theme for NaBloPoMo for the month of February is make. Interesting prompt, interesting choice of word.

Let me start by defining the word "make": As a verb, according to Google, "make" means to "form (something) by putting parts together or combining substances: construct; create.: Synonyms include the following: construct, build, assemble, put together, manufacture, produce, fabricate, create, form, fashion, model." Now, that's quite a choice of words! ;) It also means (as a verb), "cause (something) to exist or come about; bring about."

Keeping that in mind, my word of choice today and most likely for this month is create," a synonym for make, as that is the word that came to me immediately upon reading the challenge word for this month. So let's see what creative endeavours, what creations my blog posts will take, hmmm.... ;)

**************************************************************************************
The following excerpt is inspired by two posts I read recently on the same day. The first one I read was by Laurel Regan, a daily blogger: How has blogging changed your Life?. The second from another blogging friend, Carol Graham, How Can Your Blog Make an Impact? Thus, my brief inspirational post was borne! Thanks ladies! ;)

Why would anyone wish to create (or make) a blog? There are so many reasons; however, I suppose the list below would be some of the most (or more) common ones. In no particular order, any of these items can be included:

* To market a product and/or a business
* To share a trip, recipes, books, information, wisdom ...
* To write because you love to and wish to hone your writing skills
* To express yourself and your imagination through writing
* To write for enjoyment in the hopes of spreading joy to others in doing so
* To meet others worldwide (For sure! That is one reason I absolutely cherish!)
* To receive support and friendship from others, and likewise to do the same
* To be inspired by others writings and/or stories, life stories that is! (I have!)
* To learn lessons from others, so you don’t have to repeat ‘mistakes’ they made
* To learn from others, especially blogging and/or writing tips/techniques/skills
* To keep (or “make”) yourself busy if bored (Ha! That’ll be the day!)

Are there any other reasons you can think of why someone would blog? Tell me, are there reasons other than the above why you blog? I would love to hear!

P.S. I accidentally deleted someone's link to their blog post...I am truly sorry! I had wanted to read your post!

Soulful Sunday: 4th NaBloPoMo Favourite Blog Posts: Mine and Yours

Photo by Roberto Kaplan

It seems that Forecasting my Foggy Bloggy Future was my favoured post this past week which surprised me, and yet I suppose it makes sense. Followers of my blog may especially be curious as to where I am going with my blog(ging) for various reasons.

I had hoped that my inspired poem and its reverse mirror image - A New Angle on 'You' or is that 'Me?' ;) - would achieve first position. However, that post http://www.xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2014/11/a-new-angle-on-you-or-is-that-me.html tied with NaBloPoMo Social Media Challenge at http://xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2014/11/nablopomo-social-media-challenge.html.

Now, onto a number of blog posts I enjoyed this past week, in no particular order (except possibly date wise going backwards) are as follows:

Laurel Reagan's very short post but with a long title, Today’s Gratitude List – Linkup No. 56 + 100 Happy Days – Day 72 at http://www.alphabetsalad.com/todays-gratitude-list-linkup-no-56-100-happy-days-day-72/ on enjoying life: forget everything else, just zentangle! At least for her! ;)

Shailaja Vishwanath's Pushed to the brink- #Five sentence #Fiction with a witty mother-in-law! http://www.shailajav.wordpress.com/2014/11/23/pushed-to-the-brink-five-sentence-fiction/

Shilpa Garg's post on Toilet for Babli, though a sad read, is important to help those in an important and basic need for sanitation, women and girls particularly: http://www.shilpaagarg.com/2014/11/toilet-babli.html

Carol Grahama's post, Were You Born With It? was an interesting take on selling: http://www.batteredhope.blogspot.ca/2014/11/were-you-born-with-it.html was a delightful read on how to sell and how not to, a post within that post! ;)

Pixie wrote Peter's Treasure, a short nonfiction story which was a suspenseful read, at least for me: http://www.mytakeoneverything9.wordpress.com/2014/11/23/peters-treasure/

Roshan Radhakrishnan's post, Year 10 - Happiness is the Path at http://www.godyears.net/2014/11/year-10-happiness-is-path.html was inspiring as a blogger. I was SO excited by his post and felt inspired by it; however, I hope I do not have to wait 10 years to be recognized for my writing aptitude! ;)

SanchLivingLife's post had a different viewpoint on this important topic: Eliminate Violence Against Women #WhiteRibbonDay at http://www.livingmyimperfectlife.com/eliminate-violence-against-women-white-ribbon-day/.

Rajlakshmi H Boruah's post Sunrise at Huskisson, featured a lovely sunrise that I would have loved to see perhaps as a video as well: http://www.shutterbug-rajlakshmi.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/sunrise-at-huskisson.html

Nisha Sanjeev's post on I am too precious! was a refreshing read; http://www.nishasanjeev.blogspot.ae/2014/11/i-am-too-precious.html. I absolutely loved what she had to say including her powerful statement at the end.

Inderpreet Kaur Uppal's post Nurturing My Child’s Explosive Potential For Change at http://www.womensweb.in/2014/11/happy-india-childrens-ideas/ I found an inspiring post for children and mothers alike.

Aditi Kaushiva's post, Each Morning Beckons, her gratitude poem at http://www.makeitbeayoutiful.blogspot.in/2014/11/each-morning-beckons.html

Tulika Singh's endearing post, Pigeon mums don't quite make the cut was an amusing post on motherhood: http://www.obsessivemom.blogspot.in/2014/11/pigeon-mums-dont-quite-make-cut.html

Shailaja Vishwanath's important post on Would you write about your pain? http://www.shailajav.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/would-you-write-about-your-pain/ rendered views between fiction and non-fiction writers: no surprise there at least for me! ;)

Rajlakshmi H Boruah's first attempt on a short piece of fiction, Drabble - Oh No !! at http://www.destinychildosheen.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/drabble-oh-no.html was a delight to read.

Nabanita Dhar's post on To Do or Not To Do... at http://www.nabanita-blacknwhite.blogspot.in/2014/11/to-do-or-not-to-do.html#.VHmNa2eVZac probably because I can SO relate! ;)

Carol Graham's post The Best Gift ..... Ever was a tender touching story about an unusual gift that made her day and her Christmas! ;) Read http://www.batteredhope.blogspot.ca/2014/11/the-best-gift-ever.html for details.

Nabanita Dhar's post on I've Spoken..It's Your Turn Now! on a clean India offered some practical ideas and solutions to an environmental issue: street litter! http://nabanita-blacknwhite.blogspot.in/2014/11/ive-spokenits-your-turn-now.html#.VHnXmTGUdtg. Something about the following lines that she wrote in particular that I bolded appealed to me: "...this campaign for a cleaner India. I quite like it you know and it's about time we do something about it. After all cleanliness is next to Godliness, isn't it?"

I sure do hope you get a moment to enjoy these posts! Or rather, did you get a chance to read any of these them? ;) And did you find them as enjoyable as I did?