A Blogging Bonus!

I started blogging a couple of years ago after I realized I was spending so much time reading other people's blogs I might as well try it myself!

Writing has always been a way for me to express myself.  As a dramatic preteen/young teenager, I would write angst filled letters when I was upset about life.  I imagined my parents finding these letters after I ran away to become a famous actress (or married Donny Osmond!) and being sorry they mistreated me so by making me be home by 10 or not letting me go to the movies- all those terrible injustices we parents inflict upon our children! (I still write letters or compose emails-rarely sent- to those who have upset me.) I loved writing reports for school projects and terrible poetry and even enjoyed the dreaded essay test.  In college I discovered that I studied better if I took written notes as I read.  I seemed to be able to process information more completely if I outlined and summarized key points from lectures and text.

Blogging has given me an outlet to express my thoughts about teaching and share what is happening in my classroom.  Through blog activities such as book studies I've been able to strengthen my understanding of educational practices and theories. Hopefully I'm occasionally able to share something of value with my readers.  And, since blogging is also a social platform, I've also been able to reach out and connect with other teachers.

But this weekend I discovered an unexpected bonus to blogging.  I received an email this morning from a good friend from high school.  We attended different colleges and both moved out of state to pursue our teaching careers, so I lost contact with her over 30 years ago.  Her email said that she had read my blog and while reading, discovered some pictures and decided that I must be the same Carol she knew from high school!  I am so excited about reconnecting via email, and even better, we will both be visiting our hometown in the next few weeks and will be able to get together.
So in addition to all the other benefits of blogging, it's brought me back to an old friend. What a bonus!

After our graduation ceremony 1977