Deep Thoughts

Concerning Blogging

20 Comments

Edited to add:  Just found out my wedding was blogged about on another blog called "Time to Drink Champagne".

Blogging is a funny thing.  I started blogging many years ago, because I like to write, and I like to write about myself, and I don’t mind people reading it (to an extent).  I blogged on a variety of platforms, and finally have ended up here.  Who knows where this will take me, but the past couple years of blogging have been fun, and I’ve met some neat people through it.

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I read a lot of blogs as well, and my favorite bloggers are the ones who share quite a bit of their lives and seem to do it in an authentic and real manner.  But which blogs are my favorite changes over time.  Sometimes it’s because a blogger seems to have "sold out" and is only writing about stuff to increase page views. Other times it’s because a blogger is still writing about her life but I no longer have enough in common to care.  As a blogger myself, I struggle with what to write, how much to share (particularly about other people in my life), and how not to be that interested in how many people are reading my blog.

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That’s the thing, though.  I really do want people to read my blog.  I love writing it, I love my life, I love writing about my life, I love attention, ergo, of course I want people to read my blog.  That being said, I don’t really want them to talk to me about my blog…that makes me feel uncomfortable.  A simple acknowledgement is fine, or an email, tweet, something NOT in person, about myblog, but when a friend, or worse, acquaintance, says, oh I really enjoyed your blog post the other day and then wants to discuss it further…sometimes that makes me want to crawl under a rock.  I mean, after all, isn’t blogging about myself one of the most overindulgent, selfish activities possible?  Let’s just talk about ME.  I may love doing it, but it doesn’t mean I don’t still have a little shame.  Hence the rock crawling. 

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I do try to be fairly authentic in my writing.  I can assure you that the dry sense of humor (oh, yes, much of what I say is sarcastic) is truly ME and that I possess as much of that in real life as I do on the blog, if not more.  But there is definitely some hyperbole, exaggeration, understatement, overstatement, and naturally I do not tell you everything that I do in life.  That would be just crazy.  Chris gets annoyed enough at me for what I say about him, and I get enough phone calls from my mother concerned about this or that…of course I censor.  You have to. 

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Here’s a little confession, though, readers.  I do care who reads this.  I like to know who is reading it…to an extent.  And I secretly (no longer secret) want more people to comment on my blog!  So, if you are reading…take a minute…leave a comment HERE on the blog…and tell me what you think.  How ridiculous am I that I write about myself and my life and expect people to be entertained by me?  Or alternately, what do you think about blogging?  Or HI, INTRODUCE YOURSELF IF YOU HAVEN’T BEFORE.

(note:  I wanted to break up the writing so I inserted pictures of me drinking on our honeymoon in between the paragraphs.  Related?  Yes and no.)

20 thoughts on “Concerning Blogging”

  1. Oh Hannah…
    Have you been peeking inside my head?! I feel the exact same way!! I love love love writing my blog, sharing my life, talking about me… But when someone says something in person I get all flustered and embarrassed and nervous ramble until the subject is changed.

    Having said that – I love love love reading your blog because you are just as awesome on the blog as you are in real life! I may not comment all the time, but I am reading all the time. 🙂

    xoxo – Maria

    1. Awwww. You’re making me blush. Luckily I am tan enough that that doesn’t affect me much. We need to do another meet up when I’m not sick anymore…

  2. I really enjoy reading your blog! 🙂
    I think it’s super funny and I wish I had your writing skills to pull off a blog myself 🙂
    How meta is it to blog about a blog from another blog? or something like that…. pretty fun 🙂

  5. You’ll probably get some concerned calls from Mom about those pictures.

  6. I can’t remember when or how I started following your blog, but I have enjoyed reading it, hearing about your wedding and running. I blog mostly so that someday my daughters can look back at it and see what kind of person I was and maybe thing that I was really a cool person. We shall see how that goes. I would love comments on my blog too, I can barely get my family to read it though! Lol.

    1. Why does WordPress keep kicking your comments to my spam folder? GRRR. But good to know, “Nosy” Natalie! (p.s. I still have your gloves)

  8. I guess I blog to connect, so when people talk to me about my blog I’m actually really pleased–I feel like I share personal stuff, but it’s stuff I really want to talk about. Not that I don’t get a little flustered, but it feels more like a stage fright thing to me than a not-wanting-to-talk-about-it thing.

    1. You know, I’ll try to take that approach next time. I shouldn’t be embarrassed! I think it also depends on what I have blogged about, and why the person is bringing it up.

  9. Ahhh! I feel the EXACT same way! Which explains a little maybe why I won’t share my blog on Facebook, but am perfectly okay with strangers reading it? I do share w/ the fam, but they keep forgetting I have one, so I have to begrudgingly answer their phone calls. Just kidding!

  10. I think everyone has a blog in them, but it can be difficult to stop worrying about the old self-image. In many ways it’s a self- journey with windows. The best blogs are personal, self-conscious (in a good way), with a healthy dose of humor and self-deprecation thrown in. Why do we like reading a good blog? Because we relate and appreciate someone who has the guts, insight, and words to write it. Your blog is so much like you, and I enjoy it thoroughly, especially the unexpected randomness of it — where did that come from? So funny!

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