I just got lost in the internet for an hour. First I was catching up on my friends' lives through their photos, blog posts and status updates. Then I started onto craft blogs and their giveaways. Then I read about the non-consumer lifestyle and family budgeting. Finally, my brain started to hurt trying to comprehend using coupons in coordination with Rite Aid's UP rewards. Too many codes. Too late at night.
My point being, there is a blog for everything. Everyone has a blog. Blogs are everywhere. I follow them. They are, in fact, following me!
I am constantly humbled by the number of "mommy blogs" out there and their writers' limitless creativity and humor. It makes me feel like an amateur... and I suppose there is nothing wrong with that, since I am. Two years of sporadic anecdotes and frustrations doesn't make me the top mommy blogger.
But I like blogging and for some reason, I find it somewhat "normal" to air my life on the internet. Perhaps it is because I receive a dose of understanding and validation in return for being open. Perhaps it is just our generation that has wiped away any boundaries of privacy. I write (and share it) for my own mental health. The summations of my daily experiences helps me put it in perspective and preserve the feelings that I know I would quickly forget otherwise.
So why not keep a diary, you say? I can't explain! I reserve my diary for all of the ugly, tormented things I want to say. There are so many things that remain private and solemn. I don't find everything that I write to be extremely interesting, either. I share in good faith: some stories deserve to be repeated. There is a degree of narcissism in any blog, for sure, but I constantly check my posts to make sure I don't go too crazy-in-love-with-myself.
There are three things I find very off-putting in a blog: know it alls, mushy gushy in loves and debbie downers.
Know it alls write about how smart, amazing, talented they (and their kids) are and their unbelievably great decisions. They know everything and never falter. It's not that I don't think people can't be this way, but this is borderline bragging and not especially good reading. Who has ever fallen in love with the heroine of a book because she was perfect? A great blog is about successes and struggles, not one that tries to prove they should be the valedictorian of internet writing.
Mushy gushy in loves just go overboard about their significant other. He or she is absolutely perfect and can do no wrong. In a grown up world, there are so many people that aren't interested in hearing about it! I am not condoning spouse-bashing or discussing marital spats. But it goes back to the entertainment value of a blog: is a seemingly perfect relationship good reading material? No. I want to read about someone's real experiences, not the plastic coating. Then again, I've never been a fan of anything super-duper romantic. Bah humbug, this makes me sound like the Scrooge of love and happiness. Let me put it this way: I love my husband. He is fantastic. We are happily married and I don't want to imagine my life without him. I just said enough. To me, that is the proper amount of gush.
Debbie Downers write about hateful ideas or being victims. They write to gain sympathy, pity and a following. Complaint after complaint after complaint. They create drama and revel in it. We all have a bit of trauma and unhappiness in our lives, but find some balance! It's bad press!
And now that I have complained about bloggers and their endless babble... I shall press "publish post".
Happy reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment