Blogging as a Life Choice

This afternoon, one of my daughters and I sneaked out to see "Julie and Julia," an homage to Julia Childs and Julie Powell. Nora Ephron did a fabulous job blending the parallel stories of two foodies who shared their passion with their audience. I spent many hours of my childhood glued to PBS, watching Julia chop, dice, and snort her way through French cuisine. Not to brag, but I even did a pretty wicked imitation of Ms. Childs chopping onions! I have prepared the bouef bourgignon, mousse au chocolat, and other favorites. I even had to chance to see Ms. Childs at a book signing years later. And I share her love for butter!

Aside from brilliant, witty performances by Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, and Amy Adams, what spoke most to me was the exhilaration Julie Powell felt when her blog was acknowledged and read by strangers. I imagine Ms. Childs felt the same when receiving compliments for Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Writing is a solitary art. We spend hours alone at the computer or earlier, the typewriter. It may be every writer's dream to end up on the New York Times bestseller list or, in L.A., sell our screenplay. But at the end of the day, writing is one of our life functions, like breathing and eating. We are constantly observing, listening, watching. We seek humor or depth all around us.

As a teenager, I wrote a series of articles about a six week tour of Israel for a New Jersey daily newspaper, my first paid writing experience. I remember relishing the idea of others reading my work even more than the checks. My gig led to a speaking engagement to a senior group, many of whom had followed my articles. Very exciting for a 16 year old!

Blogging is basically blends personal expression with the drive to acquire an audience, whether they be "followers" or those who identify you as "favorite." What a thrill when the first reader who is not genetically related to us comments on one of our posts! We are being heard!

In Julie and Julia, Amy Adams character references this thrill several times. As a blogger and writer, I can relate to this phenomenal experience. Julie Powell lived the dream. Editors, publishers, Food Network execs, lit agents noticed her and she got a book deal and a movie! But even listing as an Editor's Choice is a personal accomplishment!

In essence, writing is very much like cooking. When we prepare the perfect Hollandaise, reine de saba (chocolate almond cake) or boeuf bourgignon, we generally do not cook for one. When Stanley Tucci's Paul Childs closed his eyes in appreciation for one of his wife's incomparable meals, Julia was in heaven.

So, as I leave you to contemplate fileting a duck or preparing live lobster (OK, maybe seared scallops over a bed of arugula), I am inspired by these two women who turned their passion for words and food into a cottage industry. And in Julia Childs' case, left a profound butter coated handprint on the way we experience food.

Bon Appetit!