A few weeks ago, the Stitch n’ Bitch girls got to talking about privacy on the internet. With my dear Crazy Aunt Purl being stalked (not in a bad way, but geez…), I thought I would cover this topic.
The internet is a crazy thing. It is all out there for anyone to see and read. I am shocked at the locations of some of my readers (Shout out to Taipei, New Zealand, Estonia and Saudi Arabia!!). How do you people find me? I give out my blog address to friends here and there but I’m pretty sure I don’t know people in Estonia (not that I’m complaining!).
Anyway, back to topic – I share a lot of stuff on this blog. I talk about my lack of religious beliefs, apparently up for debate, my eating disorder, and rape – all very personal topics but I choose to put them out there.
First question I think has to be "Why?"
The answers include:
1) I’m an attention whore. Aren’t all bloggers? We write because we want to be read. Otherwise, we'd just keep it to our diaries.
2) In my most humble dreams, I wish that something I say will help someone else. I hope that someone will read what I have to say and think, "I’m not out here all alone" or even, "She put into words how I feel."
3) I have been keeping a lot of this stuff to myself for 20+ years and the easiest way for me to share is by writing. I have always felt that my feelings are much better conveyed by writing. As many of you know (Michael, Sara, Justin, etc.) I can sometimes have a very hard time finishing a sentence when I’m speaking. Also, I get distracted. Bright shiny things, other people’s conversations, I’m kicking back in short attention span theater over here. With writing, I can get distracted and come back to it, finish a thought and feel like I’m saying, pretty much, exactly what I mean.
4) I feel like if I’m telling one person, I am burdening that person with my "issues". If I tell a room full of people, I am asking everyone to focus on me. (yeah, I know, that’s all in my head, etc.) In this format, I can tell a story. You can choose to read it or not, comment or not. I don’t take it personally and I don’t need follow up. It’s out there.
More tomorrow on my new blogging mantra!
The internet is a crazy thing. It is all out there for anyone to see and read. I am shocked at the locations of some of my readers (Shout out to Taipei, New Zealand, Estonia and Saudi Arabia!!). How do you people find me? I give out my blog address to friends here and there but I’m pretty sure I don’t know people in Estonia (not that I’m complaining!).
Anyway, back to topic – I share a lot of stuff on this blog. I talk about my lack of religious beliefs, apparently up for debate, my eating disorder, and rape – all very personal topics but I choose to put them out there.
First question I think has to be "Why?"
The answers include:
1) I’m an attention whore. Aren’t all bloggers? We write because we want to be read. Otherwise, we'd just keep it to our diaries.
2) In my most humble dreams, I wish that something I say will help someone else. I hope that someone will read what I have to say and think, "I’m not out here all alone" or even, "She put into words how I feel."
3) I have been keeping a lot of this stuff to myself for 20+ years and the easiest way for me to share is by writing. I have always felt that my feelings are much better conveyed by writing. As many of you know (Michael, Sara, Justin, etc.) I can sometimes have a very hard time finishing a sentence when I’m speaking. Also, I get distracted. Bright shiny things, other people’s conversations, I’m kicking back in short attention span theater over here. With writing, I can get distracted and come back to it, finish a thought and feel like I’m saying, pretty much, exactly what I mean.
4) I feel like if I’m telling one person, I am burdening that person with my "issues". If I tell a room full of people, I am asking everyone to focus on me. (yeah, I know, that’s all in my head, etc.) In this format, I can tell a story. You can choose to read it or not, comment or not. I don’t take it personally and I don’t need follow up. It’s out there.
More tomorrow on my new blogging mantra!
Stumble It!
The story of Michael and me.
4 Comments:
Privacy is a strange and nebulous thing. I'm pretty careful about what I put on my blog, but I wish I didn't have to be.
I think its safe to be careful what you blog and what you say. You never know who's listening or reading.
That having been said, no wonder you shine at the SnB. You can just bounce all over the various conversations taking place.
I didn't realize til I got there how much I missed you guys!
I'm with the girls...I prefer to be less revealing on my blog. But that's just me and I'm totally supportive of everyone's different take on the issue.
I tend to agree that discretion on the internet is never a bad thing, but that's largely because my businesses are tied closely to my name and I like to keep things professional and doors open. I know many companies that search on myspace and blogs before bringing in someone to interview or hire them for freelance.
There's just something about blogs being in black and white, static and permanent that makes me think twice before I hit "post." Not only that, but search engines love blogs, so it's not like they're secret.
No judgements, JMHO.
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