Why I Blog

By: Linda Gross

When I moved to Globe over 8 years ago and found myself in new territory and in need of re-inventing myself (no real need for an office furniture salesman here), I started “blogging” because I wanted to prove I was an old dog (approaching 50 at the time) who could learn new tricks. My first blog was going to be about “the view from my front porch” which was the bed and breakfast which my mother and I operated on Cedar Street.I talked about planting iris and visiting with guests, and my closest friends always read the blog. (All 6 of them!)

That all changed when tragedy struck close to home.

Six months after launching my blog, the Pioneer Fire took out the hotel and our beloved Globe Theater. And I had front and center seats since it was just across the street from me. I posted my eyewitness accounts and pics of the fire within 4 hours that morning and the post received almost 6000 hits. Today, if you google “Cedar Hill” or “Pioneer Fire,Globe Az”, you most likely will end up with the blog posting I did on the Pioneer Fire.That was my first inkling to the power of the BLOG!  Since then I, along with thousands of others – both small business, individuals and huge corporations- have added their voices through blogs. In fact, the blog-o-sphere has become as influential as titans like The New York Times and Washington Post.

Go Figure! A bunch of voices- trained and untrained- competing with the majors.

I was hooked.

Not only because it is exciting to find someone reading your “stuff”, but because it was accessible. I’ve never been a computer geek and even I could figure out how to post pictures and write posts.

Add to that, my 30 year old degree in journalism and a once dormant passion for the written word, the healthy debate on issues, and the belief that at least ONE of the things that makes it great to be an American is the ability to be heard. Blogging makes being “heard” very egaltarian.

So, although I was the creative force behind GMT News-n-Views, I launched the blog  because I believe in real-time comments, debate and expression. I’m sure there will be many who log on who won’t/don’t share my views. Cool. I think it is better to air views than to let them stew in anonimity. That is when they will bite you in the #*%.

So, welcome to GMT News-n-Views. It is for all of us. And I fully expect it to contribute to what makes us a community I’m so grateful to call HOME!

~Linda