Being a blogger is a strange phenonmenon. There are days when I'm offended that I don't have more people who read and there are other days like today that I'm glad I'm not. Here is a blog from a women who has recieved death threats on her blog. I've also heard of women who post blogs and people deface picture of their children.
I really like to blog. Sometimes it seems like a lot of work, but most of the times I am glad to do it. I like that I have a permenant record of our life, and I hope one day I'll have caring grandchildren who will be interested in reading it. I also like to go back and read what I was doing last year. I also think it is good reflection on how much I've grown and changed. So mostly I write the blog for me, but there is a part of me that writes it for other people as well. If it was just for me I would write in a diary rather then online. It great to receive comments on your posts and hear what other people think. It's nice to reach out in cyberspace and have someone reach back. So to all of you who have never reached out I'd love to hear from you. Hi George and Mark and Christina!
But I go back to the first paragraph, is it really worth it? Am I putting myself or my family in danger? Does anyone else worry about this? Reading Kathy's post today made me question it. Not that I am anywhere near as popular (Hi to my regular 20ish daily readers) as her, but maybe that's a good thing. Maybe I don't want to be a popular blogger. Maybe there is no need to get more readers. Does less people equal less problems. Something to think about...
Till Tomorrow
Jenn
5 comments:
I love getting comments too
I have had this brought to my attention my relatives before on lots of occasions
I pray it never happens
I arent popular either and thats fine by me :)
If this happened to me Id be scared too but I have a bloggie friend who has a password (with bravenet) and i think Id look at something like that :)
as I said before Im blessed to have gotten to know u though blogging
I want to ask u to keep blogging but its your choice its up to the individual
till tomorrow I hope
blessings
I love the comments too! I've also had family express concern about the pictures but nothing negative has happened (fingers crossed)I do write the blog to express myself and things that make me go hmmm instead of going crazy. I get almost 100 hits/day and usually only 1 or 2 comments. Way to bring out your closet readers, lol!
Hi Jenn,
I think we all write partly for ourselves, but partly to share stories and ideas. I think we all sometimes wonder why on earth we are blogging and that we have mixed feelings about this medium.
I started my blog to be able to update my Canadian friends and host families more regularly without sending out those trimestrial/semestrial long listed group e-mails that quickly become a nasty chore with uninspired writing. A blog gives me the opportunity to write more frequently and more spontaneously on the moment itself. Once started it is fun and addicting to write down reflections and activities and it is fun having a track of it for myself as well.
In the mean time I do hope and I am flattered when some unknown people find my blog interesting enough to keep visiting it (and even more when I can get to know those people through their blogs and get to know a new caring person). And I am thrilled with every comment.
I always remain concious about the fact that this is cyberspace where anyone can come visit. I won't write truly personal things, comment (negatively) on identifiable people, I will remain vague about my job experiences, ... Sometimes I'd like to share things with the people that regularly read my blog but I don't dare to do so because I don't know who reads along.
Sometimes I am jealous for these popular blogs with lots of readers and comments, which I clearly have not. But then on those popular blogs you indeed start seeing anonymous commenters, critisizm, etc... I've never seen threats or heard about those scary things, but it doesn't need to go that far. I am not waiting to get critizism or hurtful remarks from people I don't know at all. It's a contradiction: you want to share with others but on the other hand, when being harshly criticised you tend to think "it's my life, what do they have to do with it". When I comment on someone's blog and I have a deviating opinion, I really try to phrase it respectfully and not hurtingly.
I guess I am very happy with my small circle of friends who read my blog and some new regulars who seem to be warm-hearted. No need to get the whole world visiting :)
I am feeling quite disturbed by the post you linked.
I blog anonymously. Originally because i didn't want to censor myself if i knew who was reading. But it no longer feels as safe as it did.
Hi Jenn, thanks for stopping by my blog!
I will often write about things that happen in my family. I talk about maybe the state I live in, but that's about it. I don't use my family's names. I don't post pictures of my children, ever. I have posted a few pictures of some of my sisters, and of my dad, but only after asking permission.
I haven't gotten anything weird and I hope it stays that way. I have people who come and read my blog, not a lot of comments but I enjoy all comments and am happy with how my blog is going.
I think if you're too popular you don't get the people who really enjoy reading your blog, you get people who just like to mess with other people. I'm happy small.
Have a great night and I will see you again!
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