*Photo by Jim Kast-Keat*
This week marks the commemoration of many firsts: my first day at Columbia, my first month in a spectacular new apartment, my first year in New York, and my FIRST YEAR OF BLOGGING!
Over a year ago, I hopped on a one way plane to New York and couched surfed with complete strangers. During that adventure, I decided to put my spare time to use and began actively writing, debuting this blog with my first post: The Man on Bus 193.
Since that first post, I’ve been astonished and overwhelmed with the support I’ve received. In a year this blog has seen over 50,000 views from 97 countries, and I’ve made some exciting connections with its readers along the way. Yet in the midst of the rush of page views, insightful comments and conversations, there are moments in this past year I’ve found myself thinking, “What did I get myself into?”
Here are 5 things I was unprepared for my first year of blogging:
1. People actually read my blog.
I know that may sound silly, but I never expected people to actually READ my blog. I initially started in an effort to cultivate habitual writing, taking Stephen Prothero’s advice to write a little bit each day as a graduate student. Thus, many of my posts were written in a 30 min sitting, rarely proofread, and posted immediately because of my sheer inability to channel patience. Yet, I soon realized readers were finding my posts and taking my words seriously, teaching me that perhaps I should start proofreading more!
2. Every word I write can be scrutinized.
As more and more readers found my posts, I was surprised how seriously some took the nuance of the words I chose. Many of the blog’s critical comments came from the way I worded a sentence or the tone conveyed through a paragraph’s construction. I’ve learned (admittedly not very well) to think carefully about the wording and message of posts in hopes of being clear and effective, all the while knowing I’ll invariably offend someone from the different online communities anyway. Oy vey!
3. My family and friends will not like what I write.
This was the hardest lesson to learn. Blogging is a vulnerable form of exposure, revealing the thoughts and persuasions you normally keep quiet at family dinners or barbecues. The saying goes, “You don’t talk about Religion or Politics with family” and they weren’t joking. However, I felt passionately that to know me is to know that I’m almost always thinking about religion and society in some form or fashion. My career is consumed with the pursuit of religious study, and I wanted my blog to be an honest reflection of that pursuit. Sadly, not everyone wants to support my journey, and I’ve learned to deal with the pain caused by loved ones.
4. I’ve become a better graduate student.
Just like Prothero advised, writing on a regular basis actually does make you a better writer (go figure!). While my blog is the casual blend of my academic studies and spiritual journey, my graduate work has been strengthened by the dialogue and conversations cultivated on this blog’s pages. Most importantly, I’ve learned/am learning how to translate academic language and subjects to a more practical and tangible space in the blogosphere. So what if most of my readers have never seen a page of Talmud? I continually challenge myself, “How can I make these texts and ideas accessible?” Any graduate students reading this should consider starting a blog of your own for this very reason.
5. I have made incredible relationships with my blog readers.
Anyone who said you couldn’t make friends on the internet never started a blog. In tandem with my Twitter and public Facebook accounts, I’ve met thousands of people virtually. Daily I find myself in stimulating discussions with others about shared interests; just the other day I had an informative twitter exchange about gender and liturgy with some real and internet friends. That is an experience that could come through no other venue except social media. I’ve even had the opportunity to meet up with twitter friends and blog readers in real life, which forged long lasting friendships. The invitation always stands; when you visit New York City, let’s get drinks or a meal!
Going forward this baby blog is ready for year two; and starting next week, you can expect to see more animating guest posts and informative series engaging a variety of religious issues. As always, if you have an idea for a post or would like to guest post yourself, send me a comment on my contact page!
Thank you for your support!
Here’s look back at some of this year’s highlights:
Top 3 Posts:
I AM A SCHOLAR; IS THERE ROOM IN THE CHURCH FOR ME?
LESSONS FROM THE SEDER: THE BELIEF OF MEMORY IN THE COMMUNION STORY
IS HEBREW MAGICAL? EVANGELICALS AND THE FASCINATION WITH JUDAISM
My 3 Favorite Posts:
THE CHRISTIAN APPROPRIATION OF JUDAISM
WHY LGBT EQUALITY IS NOT A DOCTRINAL DISAGREEMENT
THE BIBLE NEEDS TO DIE, AND WE NEED TO LET IT