Blogging friend, Iman, last week launched Freedom Friday writing, “It’s Freedom Friday, so I reserve the sole right to say what I have to say … .”
I decided to participate. After all, I needed a day to freely express, WHATEVER!!, and why not on Freedom Fridays.
So here goes….
Oops I Missed the Sign-up for Blogging 201
It’s Freedom Friday and, according to one definition, freedom means:
“I have the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.”
Though Blogging 201 was closed when I attempted to sign up, I choose to exercise my right on Freedom Friday to complete the first assignment, which was to:
“Consider what you want to accomplish with your blog. Write down three concrete goals you want to achieve.”
This assignment, hopefully, will lead to an improved blog before I begin my third year of blogging in January 2015.
Why I Blog
Almost two years ago, I initially decided to create this blog for:
- Self-Education to access information shared by other bloggers who were living with either breast cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, or fibromyalgia.
- Self-Management to distract and re-direct my attention from negative thoughts, emotional stress, and physical pain.
Blogging also helped, as a fill-in, for the lost of family and friends when we retired and relocated to Orlando in 2010.
Though, I have friends now and enjoy spending time with them, I still blog to:
- Interact with diverse people;
- Tour different places around the world; and,
- Learn new things above and beyond my wildest expectations.
Because either my IPad, MacBook or Blog are always within reach; I have the ability, when I want, to:
- Express Thoughts
- Rant Opinions
- Expand Awareness
- View Events
- Explore New Cultures
- Visit Different Places
- Meet New People
- Network with Bloggers
- Share Memories
All of the above satisfies my needs as a blogger. And, I have no interest in gaining notoriety, becoming a leader in the field, or self-publishing a book.
My Ultimate Blog
I decided to take a critical look at my blog layout in preparation for completing this assignment. I concluded that my blog needs a makeover to improve both the look and flow. I hope to acquire new ideas and techniques, when I participate, in the Blogging 101 Class beginning November 3.
In addition to revamping this blog, I want to add photos to my posts. So, I registered for the Photography 101 Class which, also, starts on November 3.
I am not concerned about the number of followers, but would like to keep the current ones. I now see them as my blogosphere friends.
I plan to continue publishing three times per week.
Four Specific Goals
- Publish three times each week during November, December, and January.
- Spend 2-3 hours each week visiting my followers’ blogs, reading their posts, and commenting on their work, from now until April 1st.
- Establish a new weekly feature on my blog by December 31st and publish each week through June 30th.
- Create an editorial calendar for the next three months by November 1st.
Finally, I am grateful to:
- Iman for inviting me to take part in Freedom Friday.
- Blogging 201 for this assignment, even though, I crashed the course.