What were you all doing August 31st? Were you out celebrating National Blog Day in the streets? No, you weren't were you? How could you, with the WiFi signal only stretching so far? Well clearly I missed the blogoboat and so I will celebrate belatedly and accordingly with Five Things I Have Learned as a Blogstress.

1.) Brevity is the soul of wit, the Bard had it right. If you want people to read your blog, you must keep things concise. Because the meticulous description of how exactly you scanned every last pluot through the U-Check at the Save-a-Bundle Mart and then floated them all into your eco-bag Forrest Gump feather-style? Is just not that interesting.

2.) Blogs exist on the internet. Which, with its own restrictions, is, actually a pretty public place, albeit virtual. I don't understand why people become so surprised and downright indignant when someone they do not favor reads their personal bidness which was posted on the WORLD WIDE INTERWEB. If you do not want others to read it, I recommend a journal with a lock and key.

3.) Most readers are window shoppers. I welcome the fact that this blog receives over 600 hits a week. And also the fact that I receive about as many comments. Minus 595. Eventually, I do hear from readers that a post touched them, or that they were helped to win an argument with their husbands because of something they read here :) But I do sometimes get frustrated by the lack of virtual gratification. Which leads me to my next point.

4.) Blogging is a hobby for some, a career for others, but most of all, it should be something you do because you enjoy it. And I do, very much, because I believe in transparency, keeping in touch, and celebrating all of our many blessings. And posting gratuitous pictures of the chubbacheeks that breaks me every day. Even if she's growing sick of that camera shoved in her face.

5.) The most annoying sentence I read in the blogosphere is "Then we went to [Insert Name of Chain Restaurant Here]." Ugh. I a such a snob.

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Eat, Drink, and Be Bloggy now...Here are 5 favorite blogs (in addition to all the obvious ones like Dooce and P-Dub):

1.) All Chiara - I love her thinking aloud writing style. 2.) The Mouro Family - I learn so much from this woman. I hope she writes a book some day. 3.) Storing Up Treasures in Heaven - I read her posts and am reminded never ever to complain how hard I may think I have it sometimes. 4.) Better Now - There is an ache in this woman's writing that I cannot even describe. 5.) Dorchester Think Tank - These kids inspire me.