Blogging

I've found that blogs only work in one of two ways.

First, they can be a diary, a journal. A place for your private thoughts. But in this case you must firmly believe that no one reads it, and even so, there is a terrific risk if someone in your family stumbles across it.

Second, a blog can be a way of connecting to others. A social service.
In this case you must currently have, or attempt to create an online support system. People with whom you interact.

Personally I find that I'm too paranoid to keep a blog as an online diary. My stomach turns at the mere thought that certain people may find it. I keep second guessing if information I put onlint can be used to identify me in "real life".

As for the social aspect of blogging, I've never had any real online friends. I've had friends who I communicate with online, but never a real connection with a stranger. I'm not afraid of it, but I'm realistic enough to know that relationships take work, and it is hard to become that invested in a brand new relationship.

If you think about it, we form friendships with very few people. And those we do bond with are generally those we physically run into. Coworkers, fellow hobbyists, fellow volunteers. Gamers befriend gamers, geeks befriend geeks, scrapbookers befriend scrapbookers.

I have found the online equivalent of physical contact... forums.
People with similar interests congregate in forums. electronics forums, gaming forums, art, programming, or theater forums. It's like a local bard just next door to (the theater, the workshop, the gaming lounge). Not only do I share common interests with these fellow forum-mates, but I contact them regularly. I have qustions, so I log on. I may have answers, so I log on. And in this way I keep a finger on the pulse of the forum.

I think the forums work better as a social connection between stragers online than blogging ever could.

But by the same token, a blog is a great way to maintain a conversation with your real life friends.

Of course, we can't forget about facebook now can we. Facbook is the micro-blog that normal people actually use. littler blurbs about their mental state, news about realtime events, notifications about who they are with, etc.

I don't mind it at all. Although I do wish for a better privacy system.

I logged on tonight to rant about my father, but I've calmed down in the writing of this post. Since I can't call him out by name, and a won't get support from my readers, there is little point to getting into it.

I will say that I am keeping notes of things I will do differently as a parent. For example...buy a bigger house! oh, and COMMUNICATE!



Well, that's all for now.
I'd love a nice shower, but With only one bathroom in the house, the prospects look slim.


I'm soo tired, and I've slept soo poorly. I'm going to go take a nap.

May your life be good.