Why do we blog?

Here is an excellent set of comments on why people blog. Up to this moment, I have blogged for much the same reasons that I keep a journal. I do it to keep some notes on my own thoughts, and because sometimes I simply can't help but say *something*. For the future, I hope to communicate to my friends, family, and whoever else cares what is going on in my mind and in my life.
Today, a co-worker of mine told me that he's thinking of running for a political office. It came as a shock to hear it from him, but then upon reflection I think it makes perfect sense. Thinking of him as a politician re-frames my image of him as something entirely new. I'm often amazed at the drastic changes a simple label can make.
This morning, I played the first level of the latest Ratchet and Clank: "Up Your Arsenal." The guys developing at Insomniac have really got a gem in this series. It's got a good story, great gameplay, and is funny as hell. Also, this new one can be played multi-player at home or on the 'net, so if anyone wants to come and check it out just let me know.
Tomorrow, I'll be heading to Votes, Bits & Bytes at Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society. This conference is pretty much guaranteed to be bursting with insight, and I'm really looking forward to connecting with some of the bloggers I read. I'll be attending "Updating the Rules for Radicals," the "CAIRNS Project" (which sounds like some kind of collaboration software that could be worth getting into), "Building An Online Campaign: A Case Study on After-School Education," "Now What?," and "Manifesto for a Better Global Conversation" with a blogger that I read daily, Joi Ito. Hope to see you there!