Social media can feed your interests and passions in many ways--social networking sites, micro-blogging, photo sharing, social bookmarking, livecasting--all of these and more provide a way to share information and invite one another to explore new opportunities. For this column's first post, I would like to focus on my own social media sustenance...blogs!

Friends and family often ask me what it is I do on a day-to-day basis at work. When I mention that a lot of Zócalo Group's programs involve working with bloggers, I get a lot of blank stares. While Twitter and the mom blog phenomenon have captured national attention, it's still hard for people to comprehend why people blog, why one would take the time to read blogs, or how vast the blogosphere truly is.

I admit that not long ago I was one of those people. Before coming to Zócalo Group, the only blog I ever read was Perez Hilton.

I didn't know the first thing about the blogosphere. Since that time, I have not only discovered that there are other blogs out there, but have racked up a lengthy list of 80 that I try to read daily. These fall into a variety of categories. They give me recipes to try, provide interior design inspiration, show me how to incorporate fashion trends into practical outfits and give me music recommendations. They also update me on current events and of course, celebrity gossip! It has taken me over a year to develop my blog list, and truthfully, the blogosphere can be daunting to navigate. But figuring it out is something I suggest doing. With the right resources, you can easily find blogs that will align with your interests, answer questions and give you inspiration.