the blogosphere

Wow. It's been a long time since i last wrote a blog. To tell the truth, I haven't even looked at my blog in months. I think it's time to get back in the game here!

For my first blog back, I wanted to talk a little bit about the act of 'blogging'.

What are your general thoughts about "blogs"?

Do you like 'em? Hate 'em? Only read them b/c someone you know is writing one? Do you have blogs you follow regularly? Political blogs? Personal blogs? Celebrity blogs? Sports commentary blogs?

In this age of electronica, I think there is growing concern about what we put out there for others to read. On Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc. I think the concern is appropriate, as there are a growing number of legal issues popping up related to Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and blogging, not to mention security concerns. I think internet activity in general comes with a great deal of responsibility on the user's behalf. It's an issue of integrity...if the light was shone on what you did in the dark, would you be embarrassed for others to see? If you put it out there, its next to impossible to take it back. This is something I consider every time I blog, or update my Facebook status. It requires a self-edit personality trait. This can be hard, b/c sometimes I wonder, am I being authentic? Or am I editing too much? I tend to save the authenticity for my real-life interactions, b/c too much can be misinterpreted in print. I tend err on the side of caution.

For me, blogging is a way to get my thoughts out there. It's a way to stay connected to others, b/c even if they're not writing me, they are reading, and therefore they get a sense of my life. It's a way to get feedback on my thoughts, a way to solicit advice from many people at one time. A way to comment on issues I find important. A way to try and incite change in other's lives. Its a way to express myself in a way that's creative.

My whole life I've been a journaler. I have about 4 or 5 journals from high school, college, post-college. I have always been consumed with thoughts I just had to get down somewhere, or my mind would race over them. And I've always loved to write. I considered a degree in journalism...and I don't rule out submitting some writing to a magazine or newspaper one day to write a column. People have always complimented my writing, I always did well on creative writing papers. My poor friends in high school didn't get 'notes', they got 'novels'. It's just a part of my DNA.

So when blogging came about, it just seemed like a good fit. I'm a social person. I tend to be shy at first when meeting new people...but for the most part, I've always been an open person, sometimes maybe sharing too much. I don't think anyone who's ever known me has considered me a private person.

At the end of the day, the act of blogging is for me. If I had zero readers, I'd still do it, b/c it's something I enjoy and get a lot out of, even if its just a quiet mind when I go to bed.