Do your friends and family know?
Recently, and incident came up that the link to my blog was accessible (would have taken some clicking around to find it - long story) to friends and family. Delete, delete, delete! I panicked. Not panic in the literal sense, but quickly worked to get the link removed (another long story). I even made my blog private for a few days, preventing any savvy friends or family from being able to read my blog. What's the big deal, right? Well, I haven't shared my blog with any 'real life' family or friends, except for my husband and KatieJ (and Stephanie, but we met via blogging).
I like the idea of having the ability to vent or share, without having to censor what I vent or share about. My blog is a place where I am able to write openly and send it out into the big world and see what happens. There's something that I find therapeutic about putting my feelings out there - like purging/cleansing/releasing or whatever you want to call it - sort of like therapy, without the copay or making an appointment. Does that make sense?
So here's my question: Do you share your blog with 'real life' family and friends? If not, why? If so, do you regret it?
posted by Tammy @ 12:55 AM
9 Comments
9 Comments:
My blog was originally supposed to be just as a journal for our adoption process, so I shared the link with everybody. Since then I have also found it a great forum to vent, but am unable to do so sometimes in fear of hurting someones feelings.
But maybe that is a good thing. The other day I read about another adoption blogger who had someone call their agency regarding what they thought was questionable subject matter on her blog. This is the third time that I have heard of this happening. Maybe it is a good thing that I have had to censor myself for that reason alone.
Stephanie
www.forksandchopsticks.wordpress.com
I can see Stephanie's point if you're waiting for referral, for fear of some nut sticking their nose where it doesn't belong. It stinks for someone to interfere (unless there was something really pervy, of course).
I am the same as Stephanie. I originally just planned for the blog to be about the adoption. Who knew the wait would grow so long.
My mother reads the blog, her friends, my aunts, my mother-in-law. Therefore I can't rant about certain things. Which after seeing how quickly this spreads around the world, I think that is ok. I don't want the world to know everything.
We've recently discussed this, you and I, and for now, I keep it all secret. Even from my hubby.
Maybe that isn't cool. I shouldn't have ANY secrets from him. I just find it nice to have a place to go where I can speak my mind, regardless of topic, so I don't have to censor myself. Where I can just BE.
Maybe that'll change, in time. For now, it works fine for me. And no, I don't really bitch about my hubby in my blog anyway!
When I started my blog I was excited about it and I shared the link with my family and friends. Now, at times, I wish hadn't done that. Like Stephanie, I'd like to vent or share deeper feelings, but I don't want to hurt others' feelings, so I keep it pretty light.
Tammy...no apology necessary for that post...it was great, and I'm grateful for it...it's that type of encouragement that makes the blog so helpful.
Thanks, very much. I appreciate it very much.
wow - yeah, I hugely regret sharing it with anyone I know in the real world.
My story is the same as everyone's; initially started for the adoption and then grew into something else. Now I can't vent about anything that isn't adoption related because my family or coworkers will see it. I've even gotten into an argument with my mother because of something she read, so now mums the word.
Just the other day I uploaded an image to use for my instant messenger at work (we use it in-house constantly). One of my coworkers said "oh - I love your IM icon - it's the same one in the sidebar of your blog!" I nearly choked because I had no idea that this person read my blog.
So yeah, that's a big "if I had to do over again" moment.... NO ONE would know about it!
Yeah, my family knows and reads. I wish I knew exactly who and how much. I wish they'd comment so it would be more interactive, but they don't (at least not often). Like others here, I started this to update family on our adoption process, not realizing what it would become for me. I do sometimes wish it was more private.
I set up a family blog and then a blog for me. But after I linked them, I quickly decided against it. I know my family has checked out the family blog (and never leave comments which REALLY makes me angry) but I don't think they have any idea that I am still doing my own blog. I show my blog to my hubby from time to time so he knows that it is real (and not just some lame excuse that I give for being on the computer) (:
I'm glad that I have made my own blog unknown for the same reason you had stated. It gives you a chance to vent/rant and see what comes back at ya. I don't feel that I can do that with my colleagues without there being some sort of judgment. Plus, my colleagues don't get me any way. I figure this way I have better chances of someone getting what the heck I am talking about or at least understand where I am coming from.
The best part of my blog is that I can be as silly, crazy, philosophical, corny or groovy as much as I want to be and if someone out there doesn't like it...OH WELL!
BTW...love the Drink Coffee profile pic. :)
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