Why keep a blog?

Yes, that is a question that could be answered by saying "Well why do anything?!". If you comment please don't just say that. If you do have a blog and want to contribute please do, I'd really like to hear what you have to say.

I seem to be having a questioning time at the moment. I'm not certain why, perhaps it's the melancholy that's got me at the minute, I dunno. I've just run a search to try and get an insight and see if anyone else has raised this question with themselves. I would, however, appear that most bloggers care not to phrase their question so obviously as I so the best I could get was this survey as conducted by AOL.

An overview of top survey findings:

Blogs As Therapy

-- Nearly 50% of respondents say they write a blog because it serves as a form of self-therapy.

-- One-third of bloggers write about self-help and self-esteem topics.

-- Fifty-four percent like to share their thoughts and feelings with others, and 43% like to chronicle their life and interests.

-- In times of need or high anxiety, one-out-of-three people (31%) say they turn to either writing in their blog or reading the blogs of other people who are experiencing similar issues; that's six times as many people who prefer to seek help and counseling from a professional (5%). The No. 1 answer was seeking advice from family and friends: 32% vs. 31% who turn to blogs.

-- Only 16% of bloggers write a blog because they're interested in journalism, 12% to break news or stay ahead of the news and gossip curve, and only 8% write a blog to expose political information.

Bloggers Write For Themselves

-- Consumer bloggers feel no pressure to write a blog: only 16% write one because it is the latest Internet trend, and 21% because their families or friends do.

-- Most bloggers (66%) feel free to write on "anything and everything."

-- Sixty-six percent of respondents say they do not feel any pressure to have to frequently update their blogs, although they do care about how often the blogs they read are updated. Sixty-five percent say they at least sometimes pay attention to how often other bloggers update their blogs.

-- Sixty-percent consider themselves to have a "laid back" blogging personality. A small number (3.8%) describe themselves as blogging perfectionists, obsessive and compulsive.

-- Only 12% worry that their blogs are funny and witty.

-- A significant percentage (47%) say they feel no pressure at all when they know they have an audience reading their blog. Although, 54% admit it may take them a little longer to write an entry when others may read it.

-- Only 13% of people feel disappointed if other people's blogs attract more readers or responses.

Blogging Etiquette

-- Forty-percent of bloggers say it is important to address messages people have posted in their blog in a timely manner.

-- Sixty-one percent of bloggers feel that posting a comment on another person's blog is the "right thing to do."

-- One-in-five bloggers (23%) worry about offending people in their blogs.

-- More than three-out-of-five (65%) of bloggers admit to feeling disappointed when people post negative or abusive comments to their blogs.

More on Blogging:

-- Twenty-nine percent of people write blogs to improve their writing skills and 41% to stay in touch with family and friends.

-- Survey respondents write and maintain an average of two blogs.

-- Consumer bloggers spend an average of four hours per week writing their blogs.

-- When asked why they read other blogs, most (53%) say for entertainment, 44% say to get a new or fresh perspective on the news, and 36% say to interact with other participants through posting.

Methodology

The survey was conducted from July 17-22, 2005 through Opinion Place, an online research site operated by DMS. Opinion Place utilizes real-time, randomized assignment of respondents to surveys based on a scientifically process. A total of 600 Web users completed the survey. The screen qualifications for this study were males and females aged 18 and above who write one or more blogs on the Web.

About America Online, Inc.

So what does this tell me? That I'm pretty much runing on the same tracks as every one else who has a blog!
What the hell, I have to say that for some strange reason I'm really rubbish at keeping a private diary but I can keep up a semi-regular blog page that the majority of the world can read! I wonder what a shrink would make of that?!

...And now for something completely different!
a mall selection of pointless comments for your (and my own) amusement!

Blow your mind -- smoke gunpowder.

Keep Sweden tidy, shoot a tourist.

Reality is an illusion caused by lack of alcohol.

Monday is a hard way to spend one-seventh of your life.

Never hit a man with glasses. Hit him with a baseball bat.

Eagles may soar, free and proud, but weasels never get sucked into jet engines.