Putting the "Personal" in PLE

How many blogs are there in the world with posts that say "I haven't posted in a long time" or a list of reasons why it has been so long since the last post? Is this a waste of blogspace? I'm not sure there are limits with which to be concerned...but it's a thought.

Here is why I haven't written anything since I made this blog last week: I don't know what to write, or can't think of something to write, or can't decide whether something I am thinking about is worth writing about.

I have another blog which I started years ago, following the example of some people I admired. I found it a fun and helpful space for getting personal thoughts and opinions out there for the consideration of others. That blog has suffered some lapses but I always return to it with a surge of interest. The focus of that blog is more personal than professional, and it has sparked dialogue with others around issues of faith and life in general, which excites me.

This is the point of blogs, right? Get thoughts and opinions out there for the consideration of others. Spark dialogue with others who have a shared interest in the topic at hand. No matter the topic. The trouble for me, then, has been not knowing how or why to use a blog but rather how to facilitate the same kind of free flow of thought on a more professional level. How to translate professional passion and enthusiasm into blog style conversation and exchange? Clearly many are doing this, clearly it can be done.

I am wondering whether this is a stage in professional development more than an issue of blogger confidence? I wonder if the lines will or should continue blur between what excites me at work and what excites me at play....and if they do, will I no longer have the need for two or more blogs? Might my thought processes, things that are interesting to me and that I want to consider with others, be more consistent and less compartmentalized?

When personal development and skill development intersect, I believe you have yourself a rewarding career. The blog title still rings true: "Learn at Work"...and so I continue to, every single day.