When I posted on my facebook status that I was having trouble coming up with an original thought for my blog, I got some really interesting responses. Most of them encouraged me to be self-reflexive… that is, to talk about blogging, originality, thought, or even…ferrets. (OK, so ferrets have nothing to do with blogging or self-reflexivity.)
However, I was taught in school that answering the question by simply restating the question is a cop-out, and that you can’t use a word in its own definition. So why, when I say “I can’t find an original thought for my blog”, would people respond to talk about “originality”, “thought” or “blogging”? Hmm..
But, as you are my readership, I will indulge you this once, and talk about this little blog addiction enterprise endeavor.
I started this blog over a year ago, imported a bunch of old stuff about American Idol I had written, and went off to the races. At first, I wasn’t interested in ‘blogging’ at all. I just wanted a place to post my American Idol reviews, and to share a few laughs.
Then I naturally stepped up onto my soapbox. (It’s a very natural progression for people of my surname) I realized I could use this thing as my own personal bully pulpit… and who is going to tell me no? Free speech, yo!
Then, as I began to read other people’s blogs, and got into this whole blogging world, I noticed a few things:
- Most bloggers are women
- Many blogs were about people’s life events… family, friends, trips, etc
- Some blogs contained personal details and information that people would RARELY ever confide in their friends, no less total strangers
I decided that those were the reasons most people wrote blogs, but were none of the reasons why I wanted to blog. I wanted my blog to be about things, not about me. I didn’t want to share the boring, personal, intimate details of my life, and I also didn’t want to just be a photo album or personal website to show the world how awesome (or pathetic in my case) my life is.
I wanted my blog to be about things; basic ideas, belief systems, and a different way to see the world. I wanted it to be substantive, original, and humorous, with real thought being given to the topics that are posted. I wanted people to come to the blog for a fresh perspective, a good laugh, or to learn something they might not have known before.
I started out not wanting to be personal at all, and now I realize that by blogging in this way, you might actually have come to know me quite personally indeed! By sharing with you some of the innermost things that make me tick, you, the reader, have come to know me in a very unconventional way. You know me not by what I do, but by what I believe (or don’t believe).
I am often surprised and delighted that there are many who have never even met me who frequent this blog. It makes me wonder what kind of image you might have of me. What your perception of me is…(yo peeps… make yourself known in the comments)
I will end this self-reflexive blog with this… I have WhiteEyebrows. And they are all-natural. Thank you.
There is nothing that you blog about that helps me know you better in any way than just knowing you in RL. What is lacking in both(RL and blog) is the personal details and gossipy explosion of feelings. DARN IT!! You are a sick man to keep the drama from enquiring minds.
In my love of reading, I choose literature or mysteries. Maybe this is why I blog in semi-fictional form and constantly share about my emotions and personal details in an overly dramatic way.
From your blog I would guess that you read political news articles, and do -it-yourself manuals, and watch TV, but do not read online about it.
1. Erica: “Here, here” *in pretentious British accent*
2. Just because other people post baby pictures (which I might add YOU did yourself, granted wasn’t your baby, but STILL!) and go on and on and on about how awesome their life is or how much it sucks *cough*Alison*cough*, doesn’t mean it doesn’t contribute in some way. Honestly, do I enjoy endless stories about my friends’ kids, how WONDERFUL their husband is, or the craft projects they got going on? No, not really. But I love them and want to keep up with how they’re doing and what’s important to them. (This is probably why they read all of my ridiculousness and stupid “woe is me” posts–cause for some reason they like me.) Besides, I’m an extremely blunt person (especially with friends), sooooo since pretty much the majority of the people who read my blog are my friends, what I say on my blog is what I’d probably say to them in person eventually anyway (but can’t cause they live 3 light years away). Face it man, a blog in essence is a journal you publicize to keep up with your peeps, a place to vent, and a forum in which to publish some type of writing (AI reviews, poetry, the final copy of the death threat on Michael Moore’s life, etc.). I’m thinking that you’re suuuuuper paranoid about people knowing too much about you (which I kinda get), but you know, (to me anyway) people are more interested in the things that they have in common with other people–it helps them connect with the author and enjoy their work a little bit more because they can relate to you. Maybe you should try loosening up on the posts. Who knows, you might actually like it a little. I’m just sayin’ . . . Of course, this is all coming from the woman with an incurable case of “verbal diarrhea” . . . soooooo . . . *nervous laugh*
You gals crack me up! Maybe I should loosen it up a bit… hmm…
Also… I hope no one takes it the wrong way… I also love seeing the pictures of your kids and the stories about your awesome life, and all the emotion gushing out on the page. That’s just not how this blog rolls…
I do feel like I know you better now, which is odd cause we went to school together and had plenty of opportunities to get to know each other…but you were probably a bit intimidated by my capability and efficiency with my shows, which I understand…anyway, I’m glad I started reading your blog. Now we’re friends.
I find this blog very entertaining and interesting, and definitely “a different way to see the world”. I think you’d make a great journalist because I believe much of what you write is column worthy material. Do I know you better because of this blog? Maybe slightly. I can understand being cautious and somewhat impersonal on such a global medium, but I guess if you don’t mind this comment getting personal- it’s just not enough. Talking about “things” is giving you this nice little dance around who W.E. really is, what your hopes and dreams really are. Leaves me wanting to get to know the real W.E.