First Entry

I'm reading a book called The Little, Brown Handbook by Fowler & Aaron, a book about not only writing rules but the writing process. As my new job entails a fair amount of writing, and I'm one of the few native English speakers in my department, I feel the obligation to become not only the resident expert but also a teacher to my other colleagues (which I love doing anyway). I've just begun reading, and the first exercise in the book suggests keeping a journal about the writing experience. It made me realize that I don't actually practice writing enough outside of the stuff I do at work, which I inevitably have to produce under a tight deadline and never have the time to actually think about. Reading about the writing process made me realize that I needed some practice, and it occurred to me that a blog would be a good place to practice; to do different types of writing without being under the pressure of a deadline and other constraints on subject, tone, length, etc. So here I am writing my first post.

Another reason to be doing this is purely therapeutic. My life is complex, especially my relationships, and I think this would be a good way to blow of some steam now and again and help me sort out my thoughts. And if I can help/entertain someone else in the meantime, then even better.