Good evening, good people! I hope this finds you healthy in all ways.
Since last night, I’ve been thinking about this whole blogging deal. It seems very egocentric, and I’d like to think that’s not my style. I’m not the best conversationalist ever, but I do my best to listen to and engage others and not have everything always be about me. I got to wondering, then – what is my motivation to blog? I’ve always wanted to journal, but I’ve got probably a dozen lovely Moleskin notebooks with a few entries and then nothing. My writing style when I know I am my only audience leaves something to be desired – ‘I did this, I did that, and then this happened, blah blah…’. But here’s the funny thing – it’s not as if I actually believe I’ll have an online audience. So why the difference in perspective on the two? Not really sure – yet another interesting aspect of human psychology. (Yes, there are probably impersonal non-fiction articles on the topic, so it probably doesn’t need to be a complete mystery to me, but I miss the age of wonder (different topic for a different day) and don’t have much of an attention span for those types of publications.) Whatever the case, this blog seems to be a good creative outlet for my mental energy, and I’m enjoying it! What’s more, as of this post, I’ve already surpassed my previous average of 1 post every 9 years. Rock on!
Right, so…I got to thinking – in addition to enjoying the process (due to the delusion idea that someone might actually read this babble), I also love the anonymity of it. Seeing as how I invited a few people to check it out, and probably nobody else has randomly stumbled upon it, it’s really not at all anonymous! But…I chose my initial audience very carefully – only a few members of my crew who never judge (bless you, all!). Someday, when my audience is vast and varied, I’d like to retain that sense of freedom from judgment that comes with the idea that nobody knows these are my thoughts – they’re just the consciousness stream of some other crackpot on the web. Sadly, like so many of us, I worry too much about what other people think, and alter my behavior accordingly. I don’t want to do that here – it won’t fill the void! So there you have it – a full and complete disclosure that this is, first and foremost, about me! I really hope that it provides a small bit of entertainment for someone with whom it occasionally resonates, but ultimately, I’m doing this for my own selfish reasons. And on that note, I have a few requests!
- If you know who I am and you enjoy this nonsense, by all means, share it! But please please choose carefully to whom you divulge its source.
- If you find yourself judging, please just shut it down. There’s far too much negativity in the world (and invariably, in all of our lives). Don’t let me contribute to that – just move on. For those of you who know me, I don’t always have the thickest skin, but I would NEVER be offended if the amount of this crap you get in your ‘real’ relationship with me fills your quota and then some! In addition to FaceBook giving my data to the government and whoever else paid for it, I deactivated my account when I felt it was bringing out the hater in me. There were people I loved in the flesh whose online presence grated something chronic! And then there were those who were my ‘friends’ who I didn’t love too much even offline. In any event, if your immediate, unfiltered reaction is something along the lines of ‘Shut the F up!’, then use that X in the top right corner of the page. (More on exercising your personal freedom to not follow what you find offensive and why I am violently opposed to the idea of internet police in another blog soon…)
- About anonymity – it’s remarkable how many stories people have about others being TERRIBLE online / in texts or emails, or even old school letters (does anyone write those these days??). My personal rule is this – never put in writing (in any medium) something you wouldn’t have the balls to say to someone in person. Think about that…
- If you have something to share in relation to any of this, please weigh in with some comments (not negative ideally, re point #3) or links to something relevant. As much as I guard my ignorance so that I can aimlessly wonder and theorize about all sorts of things, I’d welcome the opportunity to grow through interactions with you all.
Ok…enough of the requests / guidelines! I’d like to close with a funny story about blogging, all names and some details changed so that I don’t have to worry about being sued!
Several years back, I was at a gathering with some friends. Cynthia and Emma were in the kitchen nattering on about anything and everything when Emma shares that she has been writing a blog. Cynthia gets on her phone and checks it out. She reads through it, and then proceeds to offer positive feedback to Emma, e.g. it’s so funny, how great, etc.! Enter David, Cynthia’s husband. She hands her phone to him, and says read this, isn’t is so funny (never even intimating that Emma was the author…)? David reads through it, and then says, ‘It’s alright’. Whoops! Emma and her partner left early that night. Her skin wasn’t so thick, and she wasn’t able to find the humor in that situation, not in that moment, probably not to this day. This memory makes me laugh every time! Hopefully, not in a mean-spirited way – it was just pure comedy.
Alrightey… I’m out. Please don’t take yourselves too seriously, people. Life is enough of a shit show (especially on lockdown!). If you can laugh at yourself and find comedy wherever it’s lurking, you’re better off than most.
Stay safe and sane, my friends!
Hokey Bollocks 