Random thoughts on blogging
'The normal distribution of bloggers I assume tends to peak at about the ages 20 - 30. Tommy is an outlier on one side of that normal distribution but a few of us are outliers on the opposite end.
I started blogging last Christmas.
My first 'bloggy' outing was to the Irish Blog Awards. I really only went there to bring Tommy. As it happened by the time it came round, John had decided to go, so therefore I felt I didn't 'have to' go. I said same to the boys but they (including Alan Costello, who was overnighting in Limerick) protested that I 'had to' go. I actually really enjoyed it.
Up to now I have felt an intruder in 'bloggy land' so to speak. The real bloggers in the house are the boys. The bloggy fraternity are their friends. Slowly but surely I find myself being sucked into 'bloggy land'. I'm getting to know more of the 'bloggy friends'. Tommy has had two bloggers' meetups at home. I definitely regarded those who came to the first as 'his' friends. By the time the second came one came round, I felt less of an outsider and a tinchy bit more of a blogger. Lines are getting more blurred.
Any non-bloggy person of my own age group to whom I have spoken to about blogging/twittering generally reacts in the same way. They are generally very very skeptical about why someone would blog/tweet. The questions/points raised are always the same.
One question tends to be around privacy. 'You don't want all the world knowing about your life'. Blogging does involve information sharing. However 1) the blogger choses the subjects about which they blog and 2) the supposedly 'private' stuff one blogs about, isn't really all that private at all. It's general stuff really, one would discuss with friends, family. Ok putting it in blogosphere allows anyone to gain access. I don't however see a problem with that. By so called 'giving' information, one gets a lot in return. One gets feedback. One gets to meet new people. Through blogging I have come across some really nice people, I wouldn't have met otherwise.
A second point raised is about employers reading your blog. If a blog is true to the person, what's the problem? One is not snorting cocaine nor writing about snorting cocaine. I feel through reading a blog, one gets a great sense of that person. If that is a result of a person writing a blog, where's the problem with it? A further point on this is that people must live their lives as they see fit. Worrying about employers, potential employers seeing something on their blog is really a form of self-censorship.
At my age many of us have got used to doing things a certain way. Its easier to keep going on the tried and tested. Blogging is a new form of communication and challenges us. Challenge at any age is good, needed and keeps us growing
With my boys in their teens and one just out of them, I find blogging and twittering a great way of us keeping up with each others lives. It's great continual communication without either party having to call home every day. I'm also amazed at how many of the boys friends follow my blog and tweets.
The big problem with blogging is it takes time. As a working mother I find I have to make sure I get well organised for the week ahead in terms of lunches/dinners for the days I'm at work. I need to have the planning/shopping at least done for my working days. I'm beginning to think that I also need to plan/cook blog posts at weekends to keep savage blog fed? I need a blog freezer.
The recession is putting off retirement for so many of us into the 'never never'. Shucks just when I was looking forward to having more time to blog.
The above are just the random thoughts of an almost four month old baby blogger. I'll be onto solids soon!
