Blogging and Me

I’ve gotten a few e-mails recently indicating that many of you have noticed the past couple weeks this blog has been a bit more active than usual.

Despite all appearances, I actually still do not have regular Internet access. I have however been lucky enough to receive a lap top computer from a co-worker who didn’t need it anymore. It’s a bit of an old clunker, something that his older brother used in university way back when. It’s not state of the art by any means, and there are a lot of things it can’t do, but for my purposes all I really need is a word processor.

I’m hoping to get internet hooked up to my apartment pretty soon, but in the mean time I’m using this computer to write up blog entries, copy them on to disc and transfer them to my blog when I’m in an internet cafe, and then time the blog to post one entry a day. (I guess I should admit that when I say “time the blog” I really mean, “sneak on to the internet at work, even though I’m really not supposed to, for just long enough to press the post button on the blog. I haven’t figured out how to time the blog yet.)

In the past I used to post only about once a week, and have a lot of diverse subjects all under one post. I’m trying to pace myself a little more now, and breaking up different subjects into different posts, and then just spread out my posting. Also I am writing more now that I have the computer. So if it has seemed like things have been a little post happy here at joelswagman.blogspot.com, that’s why.

Also until I get regular internet access sorted out, the e-mail correspondence is still going to be a little slow from my end. So if some of you have been wondering why I’ve been posting on this blog so much, but not returning your e-mails, that’s why. But keep sending the e-mails anyway and I’ll do my best to knock out replies.

For the moment I’m very glad to have this computer, and so have been doing a lot of writing. How long I’ll keep this up is hard to say. Obviously, like all bloggers, it depends on my schedule. When things get really busy and I actually have exciting things to write about, I probably won’t have time to update this blog. Alas, the ultimate irony of our blogging times.

But for the moment I have the time, and writing on this blog does a lot to keep up my sanity. I’m sure anyone who has spent time abroad can identify with this a little. A friend who had spent time in China once told me he understood perfectly well why I kept up this blog. When you are in a foreign country, and surrounded by people who don’t speak your language, you tend to develop a strong inner dialogue in your head just because your thoughts don’t usually have an outlet in normal conversation. So it really helps to write stuff down. If I had been in Japan ten years ago I probably would have kept a journal instead, but a blog is better because I can communicate with friends at the same time. Assuming they stop by to read it of course

So if you have the time, drop by this blog and see what I’m up to. I’ll keep writing either way.