Starting 100DaysToOffload
I've always wanted to blog for a very long time but couldn't get myself to do it. Blogging is intimidating for me. Writing something out to be published for the entire world to see through markdown files deployed via npm run deploy has friction alongside being a bit scary. This website was made long ago and has been left to rot in my caddy webserver. Today marks a new era where I'm finally ready to tackle my long ambition, completing the 100DaysToOffload Challenge. This challenge has a simple goal: publish 100 posts on your personal blog in a year, no matter how short, how long, how deep, or how meaningful. 100DaysToOffload averages to around 2 posts per week, encouraging people to Just Write (TM).
Why blog at all?
Every blogger has their reasons of blogging. Mine is simply to connect with people. I'm a believer in writing as a deep form of communication. I found it easier to express myself deeply through writing than I can with forms like video. I can not imagine how this blog will be like If I decided to publish it as a YouTube video. Urgh. Writing is magical. As I'm typing this out all I'm hearing is my air conditioner and the rogue motorcycles outside. I have my text editor in full-screen mode with a physical clock to my left. I expect to spend at least an hour on each post. Very calming and relaxing experience.
Will I be using AI?
Nope, never will while I'm writing my blog. It destroys the whole purpose of it for me. I'm not against artificial intelligence doing stuff for people, especially for the boring things. I use it everyday to assist me in completing my assignments and writing my research document, so boring, sorry. Blogging is not supposed to be boring! (or if it is, in a good way). I'm not here to write perfect literature that abides by every grammar rule to satisfy the evaluators. I'm here to connect and share my experience with other human beings. That, in my opinion, is the thing that AI can never do and is the reason why people should still consider learning to write despite AI being able to produce text that will score a 100% on grammar almost every time.
Am I scared of the web?
Things that get published to the web stays there forever. Initially I was scared. The fact that this writing can be archived and shared around without my control? Scary. But to connect is to be vulnerable and I've had enough of keeping things to myself. It also encourages me to write things that I actually feel for and not simply rage-bait on social media. Don't worry, I have a threshold of what can comfortably be shared in this manner. I intend to keep all my personal relationships private and will never write nor make any media out of it for example. I also prefer not having any means for readers to comment nor show engagement directly on my blog. But please, write an email to me! Anything really. If you wanted to criticize my writing publicly, feel free to quote my entry on your own blog or social media. I'll definitely write about it later on why I prefer not having direct engagement on my blog.
Finishing off
It is 4AM right now. Been writing this for about an hour. Exciting for what's about to come. I wanted to thank Kev Quirk for braining the challenge and other bloggers who inspire me. It does not matter whether they completed the challenge or not honestly. Seeing they partake in this challenge is inspiring. Although I think that some blogging styles are not really fit for this challenge, mine certainly do! I hope to write here more often, fix my CSS, and incorporate new additions to this site. See you around.