Ruminations On Blogging

I haven’t been blogging that often in the past few months. If not for the typical monthly expenses and portfolio updates, the blog would have gone AWOL during this period.

Blogging is another typical activity that is simple, but not easy.

Seriously, all it takes is time. If you sit down in front of a laptop with a blank screen, it’s likely that you would have typed out some thoughts or reflections by the end of an hour or two.

The difficulty is doing it constantly, with many other things in life competing for the same use of that time.

But I reckon that at least for me, the key benefits seriously outweigh the cost and effort and I should really be writing more frequently.

1. Making Friends & Belonging To A Community

I am pleasantly surprised by how much time I actually spend with folks from the personal finance/investing blogging community.

And I am not just talking about online interactions. It extends to long chats over leisurely lunches and even dinner invites at each other’s places. One such dinner took place at the home of the good folks at Minimalist In The City.

Dave and Kate invited the Mrs and me over for dinner one Saturday evening and besides a hearty dinner and a conversation that exceeded expectations, it also culminated in this interview!

I am always proud to be tagged as a financial blogger. It definitely feels good to be associated with so many people I truly admire and respect.

2. A Well-Archived Diary

I will let you in on a little secret. Since my teenage years, I have always repeatedly tried keeping a diary to document some major milestones. Whether it’s the release of my O level results, my first break-up or the dread of enlistment, I always wanted to be able to revisit these moments in the future.

But sadly, the books either yellowed to a grotesque state, became damaged by water or were just misplaced after some time.

None of them are as well-archived as this blog. For example, whenever hedonic adaptation creeps in and I need a dose of gratitude about my current lifestyle, I just need to read this post again. A blast from the past in its full glory.

And it’s a joy to be able to compare my thoughts from this latest interview to one about 4 years ago. #Cringe#

3. It Forces Me To Create Instead Of Consume

As I mentioned earlier, there are so many things that compete for our time these days.

It’s so easy to give in to one more hour of social media, Youtube, Netflix, news consumption, window shopping on EzBuy or even a book, as compared to creating something.

A consumer is spoilt for choice these days. There’s enough games, movies and dramas to last you ten lifetimes. The harder and probably more meaningful thing is to create something instead of just endlessly consuming.

The Art Of The Good Life Mini-Project (Book Review)

Prodded by Chris’ reviews on Tree Of Prosperity, I have read and completed this book.

I am keen to do something similar to Chris and review each chapter and align it with my thoughts and experiences.

There are a few good reasons for this.

First, if I write on 2 chapters a week, it makes it easier to blog more often and make it more of a habit. It will also make me read each chapter again to retain the content better.

Moreover, I do have many thoughts on most of the book and I want to organise them and be able to revisit them 5 years later and hopefully, not cringe.

“News is to the mind what sugar is to the body” – Rolf Dobelli

Thanks for reading.