1. seemed like a good way to extend the web presence of my teaching and research activities
2. the first blog i encountered was Rand Simberg's Transterrestrial Musings. it took me a while to figure out what was up, but eventually i found my way to Instapundit, Andrew Sullivan, LGF, and hence to the greater blogosphere
3. hard to say. addiction to the blogosphere has stolen time i could have been using to do something else, so probably i'd be better off if i'd never found the dang thing.
4. yes.
5. no.

1. I'd flirted off and on with the idea of being a writer, and wanted to force myself to write regularly (unfortunately, I've been more of a linker than a writer recently).
2. Not really, though my first permalink came from Prof. Chris Hall (see above comment), who introduced me to your site.
3. It has had little effect on my professional life. I did remodel my law department's website using the html and css skills I learned blogging, so maybe it helped more than hurt.
4. Many, but not all. Few read it.
5. No.

A lot like JohnL
1. I started by sending letters to editors for practice writing, got a few published, and decided blogging would get me more practice and more readers. Whether the second has panned out is open to question.
2. Never really thought in terms of blogparents, though I suppose I could call Kathy Kinsley Blogmom.
3. Yep. My employer gave me the webmaster hat to wear with all the others.
4. Some. My most devoted reader is family.
5. Nope.