Unexpected benefits of blogging

I know I've written lots about how I stumbled into blogging and didn't expect to find a group of wonderful friends, glimpses into other people's lives and a place to vent and share special things that happen. But one of the other amazing benefits of blogging is that this has become a great reference system for me.

For example, I was trying to remember the date when something happened and then I realised I'd blogged about it, so I just typed in a key word in my search bar and voila - I had the exact date I needed.

Also, as Phillygirl has pointed out before, blogging about your holidays or places you've been may not always be thrilling subject matter for readers, but it's a great way to capture the memories so that you can look back on them later. And I can't tell you how many times I search my blog for restaurants when I'm trying to remember my experience of a particular place or if someone asks me for a recommendation. It's the same with movies.

I also really enjoy occasionally going back a year in my blog and seeing what has changed since then. For example, last year on 30 September I had just managed to find a decent gardener and sort my internet out at home. The year before that, also on 30 September, TSC and I were still living in the old place and we'd rescued a little ginger kitten that we homed with our neighbours.

The only thing I worry about is that I ever do decide to have children, they'll one day come and read through all these scribblings. Eep! I think I'd have to delete my blog before then.

What are your unexpected blogging bonuses? And what were you up to this time last year?