Why Do I Blog?

I made my first online blog post nearly 5 years ago (7/7/04). At the time, my posts were completely game related (not surprising as it was on boardgamegeek.com). About a year later (6/5/05) I started up this particular blog, mostly as a way to write out some thoughts. I kept it fairly private. It was my own personal sandbox. Two months later (8/12/05) I told my family about it and while topics have generally ranged all over the place, my blogging has morphed into more of a "family update" sort of thing (meaning: telling my extended family about me and my thoughts instead of about "The Family").

So here I am on my 210th entry and the question looms large (well, maybe not that large, to be honest): Why do I blog?

1. I enjoy writing on occasion.
2. It feels good to be able to put down in a semi-permanent form some of my beliefs.
3. It lets my wife know what's going on inside my head...sometimes.
4. "Keep a journal or portions, as you go along in life, a record that can be woven into a Book of Remembrance, telling of difficulties you have been able to overcome, challenges met. Express your inward feelings and thankfulness. These are part of your Book of Remembrance passed on to your children and decendants..." (although I'm not entirely sure I can "pass on" a blog to my decendants)
5. It helps in mitigating any "reconstructive memory" to which I might be susceptible.
6. There is always the possibility that something I write might affect (hopefully in a good way) some random person who came here by accident.
7. It humors me to think that I might actually be funny every once in awhile.
8. I've found I'm much more comfortable with writing that I am with speaking.
9. It's entirely possible that I might post goals and then feel somewhat compelled to stick to them and give an accounting of my progress...but don't hold your breath...
10. I can give myself a pep-talk in a way that doesn't make it feel like someone is talking down to me (prideful little bugger, ain't I?).
11. I can go off on a rant with the possibility of getting a modicum of sympathy.
12. It allows me to use words like "modicum" and other words I don't normally use in speaking.

I could probably come up with more. There are tons of topics I could write about that come along in life, but I can guarantee that very few people would be interested in reading about them (generally game related or about my passion of the moment which changes far too frequently - but I guess that hasn't really stopped me in the past. But believe me when I say it could me MUCH worse).