Stepping Stone

I've been thinking about how I want to use this blog to achieve my goal of doing more writing.  I know that I don't want it to be a place to rant, assuming that everyone who reads it cares about my opinions regarding the world.  I do have opinions, and I will share them, but I don't want my blog to be a weekly personal online soapbox.  I would like for people to learn something from what I write.  The teacher in me can't be stifled.  :)  Based on this line of thinking, the plan is to write weekly posts based on my observations of the world but integrating books and research to go along with what I notice.  That way, if someone wants to read more (from authors other than myself), they have that option.  I think I'd like my blog to be a stepping stone for my readers -- a launching pad for independent learning.  There is so much to learn about our society, history, people, literature, art, politics...everything!