|          |                | Author |  |  | Kathryn Forum All-Star
 
  
 
 Joined: April 24 2009
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          So, I've never done this.  I'm very NOT techno savvy at all.  I'm very techno igno if you know what I mean.
           | Posted: Aug 13 2012 at 12:07pm | IP Logged |   |  
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 |   Anyway, I only thought about a blog in terms of all these ideas that rumble around in my head causing me to lose sleep.  I've tended toward slips of paper, attempts at notebooks, attempts at leaving things in an email format in the draft section but seems like I could make these more organized in a blog type format and much easier to access: 
 Book lists for each grade
 Curriculum/books we've tried and loved (or hated)
 Projects we want to do on our new house
 Keeping high school credits when we start that next year
 
 Is this a good idea?  Does this all become public?  Not that I would put anything on there that I wouldn't want anyone else to see but this is really for me.  I just like to put my rambling thoughts out and can't seem to find the time to put my pen to paper much anymore.  Again...
  I type so much faster. 
 Thoughts?
 
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 Kathryn in TX
 (dd 16, ds 15, dd 8, dd 5)
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        |  |  | SallyT Forum All-Star
 
  
  
 Joined: Aug 08 2007
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          Kathryn --
           | Posted: Aug 13 2012 at 12:34pm | IP Logged |   |  
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 Blogging is fun and very easy -- I'm not techno-savvy either, but have used a couple of platforms (Blogger and Wordpress) which both did a lot *for* me, so I didn't have to know too much, and taught me a lot. I personally find Blogger, especially with their many updates, much easier to use of the two, but I know many people prefer other platforms. Blogger is free and offers lots of options for the person who's not necessarily into web design and/or planning to blog on a more professional level. That would be me:  Low Expectations Girl.
 
 I can't speak so much to the other platforms -- the WP blog I used was for a paid project and wasn't mine to set and control -- but with Blogger you can configure your settings with regard to privacy, with options ranging from wide-open/anyone can access/shows-up-in-google-searches, to "members only," where you invite people via their email addresses to join and therefore access your blog. You can also "hide" a blog, so that it doesn't show up in your Blogger profile, so that nobody would even have to know that it existed. AND you can configure your comments feature as well -- anybody who stumbles across your blog can comment, nobody can comment, and pretty much anything in between. Again, Blogger is VERY user-friendly and walks you through all of these things, once you've clicked on "settings."
 
 I have a huge list of blogs I've started at one time or another, for many of the same purposes you've listed! Most of them are pretty inactive, though I did use a blog for lesson planning last year. This year I think I'll just post plans on my regular blog (Castle in the Sea), which is a mishmash of stuff anyway! For lovers of mishmash everywhere!
 
 I like the format -- it helps me to "think out loud" to have at least some audience out there, and some potential for conversation. And I really value my friendships with readers, most of whom I haven't met in real life. That's my argument for a public blog (to myself, not you!) -- the number of nasty comments I've ever received has been miniscule, and meanwhile, I have "met" some very wonderful people whom I consider to be part of my life now and for whom I pray regularly.
 
 So -- yes, if the idea appeals to you, you can certainly very safely try it out. And I know what you mean -- I type way faster than I write, so it is a great way to think!
 
 Sally
 
 __________________
 Castle in the Sea
 Abandon Hopefully
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        |  |  | DominaCaeli Forum All-Star
 
  
 
 Joined: April 24 2007
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          A good IRL friend of mine (who happens to be on the forums here too!) and I just started a blog--the link is in my signature.  We did it for the same reasons you did--we were having lots of conversations about CM topics, booklists, etc. via email and decided that we might as well post those things on a blog in case they might be helpful to others as well.  I have always found a lot of encouragement and resources from blogs of homeschool moms--particularly Catholic, CM homeschoolers--and I would love to see more of them!
           | Posted: Aug 13 2012 at 4:19pm | IP Logged |   |  
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 ETA: We are using Blogger and keep things very bare-bones at this point, and it hasn't been difficult to use at all.
   
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 Blessings,
 Celeste
 Joyous Lessons
 
 Mommy to six: three boys (8, 4, newborn) and four girls (7, 5, 2, and 1)
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        |  |  | Aingeal Forum Rookie
 
  
  
 Joined: April 17 2012
 Location: California
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          Well hello there Celeste
           | Posted: Aug 13 2012 at 5:01pm | IP Logged |   |  
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 I am very much enjoying blogging about homeschool and CM. I have a personal blog too, which DH and I have kept since I was expecting my daughter, and I love having that too. I've only used blogger, and I love it. I think it's very intuitive and straight-forward.
 
 HTH,
 Angela
 
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 In Christ,
 Angela
 Wife to DH of 9 years and Mama to DD (7) and DS (5)
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        |  |  | SallyT Forum All-Star
 
  
  
 Joined: Aug 08 2007
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          Very lovely, ladies! For bare bones, you've done a really nice job.
           | Posted: Aug 13 2012 at 6:03pm | IP Logged |   |  
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 Sally
 
 __________________
 Castle in the Sea
 Abandon Hopefully
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        |  |  | AmandaV Forum All-Star
 
  
 
 Joined: Aug 27 2009
 Location: Texas
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 Posts: 707
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          I agree, Sally! I am very impressed by you ladies. Especially with such little ones. I have so much to learn. I think about starting a blog sometimes, since I read and comment one them, and I do feel I have something to say, but there is so much around here I don't get done well enough here that I don't feel I have the time or the expertise to add anything to the blogosphere.
           | Posted: Aug 13 2012 at 7:14pm | IP Logged |   |  
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 Anyway, ladies, it looks like you are doing a great job. Just from skimming, I love your art wall, Celeste!
 
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 Amanda
 
 wife since 6/03, Mom to son 7/04, daughter  2/06, twin sons 6/08 and son 7/11, son 1/2014
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        |  |  | DominaCaeli Forum All-Star
 
  
 
 Joined: April 24 2007
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          Thanks, Sally and Amanda.
           | Posted: Aug 13 2012 at 9:26pm | IP Logged |   |  
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 __________________
 Blessings,
 Celeste
 Joyous Lessons
 
 Mommy to six: three boys (8, 4, newborn) and four girls (7, 5, 2, and 1)
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