I didn’t drink beer until I was 21. Of legal age. But for many that’s late in the game. Despite it being illegal for teens to drink it’s common knowledge that drinking beer is one of the rites of passage which leads us into future social networks. Ever wonder why beer brands are such a great sponsor at events? I can’t answer that for you but if it’s available I don’t mind a cup. Thus, I know the beer industry makes a killing just because they’ve made themselves accessible.

Ever since I got my first buzz, my adult life continued to fill itself around the concoction. Until then I’ve been a social drinker who consumes it in moderation. I learned to know my limit. That’s important because without controlling your habits, you can steer yourself towards adopting an unhealthy lifestyle. So today, bloggers, marketers and socialites, what are the effects of beer? I’ll give you my reasons and to make it more fun let this be a brainstorming activity on blogging. Enlighten me with your comments on this one!

The First Taste

I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave in because it wasn’t worth it to stand aside and say no thanks anymore. That’s the reason why I started blogging as well. It was just time to try it. Take action and earn the experience rather than be opinionated and oblivious to why people are doing it. Note: I was already 21. The band-aid which protected me was no longer applicable. I was free to make my decision. I was responsible for my own actions and thus the freedom to drink beer was an advantage. Know yours!

While I thought the bitter liquid and weird smell wasn’t worth the taste, the nice warm feeling it gave me kept me smiling. From thereon the hops or the barley no matter the type of beer – lager, ale or hybrid, the outcome was all the same. Blogging creates this effect as well. All the bitter technicalities which comes with setting up your first blog and the fishy themes you can’t seem to be satisfied with wasn’t good enough to begin with. My timeline proves this theory. Then once I was satisfied with one physical aspect, the process continued to flow again. My face beamed and lit up the morning sun.

The Side Effects

As I continue to drink, I felt my face turn red and my breathing grew deep. My vision would then began to bounce off the walls. I would then feel this dizzy effect crippling my physical body. Walking a line would be a test of standing on a live wire in a circus. I would definitely fall. Worse I was slurring my words and the coherency of thoughts just made me look plain stupid.

This is common in blogging too. You don’t have a vision to start with. But you kind of have this purpose however it’s not clearly shaped. Your writing isn’t quite established. There’s passive voice in your speaking. So it does get me frustrated some days and I’m constantly bouncing off the wall churning up articles hoping someone will comment and notice me. As I get deeper into it, I can feel my sense of control spinning out of hand. My schedule for effective blogging piled on itself and I’m juggling 3-5 info-streams on blogging at the same time.

The Experience

My first hangover had me crawling to my room. I was pushing myself on the floor because I can’t feel my legs. I woke up the next morning, thirsty, light-headed and embarrassed. I don’t remember clearly what happened but I was in my bed, fully clothed. Whatever happened, at least I was at home when it occurred and not at a bar.

There’s a hangover in blogging as you continue the process long-term. From the moment you publish your first post to the latest tweak on your blog, the information slowly starts to build up. The momentum that continues will blind you from the hours and days you put into it. When you’ve had a bit too much you begin to lose a grip of the marketing side.

While it is nice to have great posts, who’s going to read them? Thus, having a balance between writing content and networking with other bloggers is key. Wherever there’s too much of anything, the experience becomes tumbling towards nothing. Know your limit!

Long-Term

It’s a known fact that drinking long-term is unhealthy for you. Being an addict going to rehab is not something you want to accomplish. It’s costing you a lot to build and once you let the world know you as a drunk, it just gets harder to stop. Even if it’s something you enjoy, doing it in large amounts can eventually kill you.

So here’s the difference when it comes to blogging long-term, you only get better. While you may become an addict posting content, as you build up your blog, it’s possible to sell it or monetize it depending on the numbers of readers you may have. It advantageous for you and not unhealthy. That’s the difference between beer and blogging. Overall, the possibility of drinking long-term can give you a belly. With blogging, you’re most likely going to have a fat paycheck. But that’s another story which I’m not qualified to talk about yet.

For now, I’m going to do both. Have a beer and blog at the same time. If I get drunk, I’ll just fill ‘er up with blogging. What about you, beer or blogging? Which one do you like more? What positive effects have you gotten?