Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Confessions of A Reluctant Blogger


It's been a year since I've been blogging and I've made a few discoveries.
1. I love reading other blogs and sometimes making a comment or two rather than posting to my own blog. This also reflects my conversation style. I am more comfortable listening rather than sharing my experience depending on the person or the group.
2. I sometimes feel a discomfort with posting comments on other blogs because I wonder if the intent will somehow be misinterpreted.
3. The blogs that are engaging belong to authors who take risks with communicating their perceptions. Those who toss about notions that challenge social conventions normally not challenged in public discourse are intriguing not so much for what they present but the reactions that they invite.
4. Blogging appears to be an effective reflective tool but this arena is too public for me.
5.The relationships developed online don't seem comfortable to me. I think this because without the visual verification I really don't know who I'm interacting with. It feels more like a role play. But then isn't every interaction a type of role play?

So what advice do you have for this reluctant blogger who has more insecurities than she cares to admit about this process and this venue?




5 comments:

V Yonkers said...

I love your blog. Whenever the RSS feed comes up, I can't wait to see what new image you have posted. I've noticed over the last few months that you are giving some additional text which places your photos into context.

I feel this gives the cues that you might feel are lacking on other blogs. I've tried incorporating some additional visual images, but I can't always find the image that I think will support what I write, so I feel maybe my blog is a bit boring.

I would miss your blog if you stopped.

ms toast burner said...

Interesting post...

Are those insecurities something you want to explore?

I do that on my blog, a bit.

I've use my blog to practice being more open about aspect of myself.... and really opened up! ;-)

I feel that it's been a good thing that some anonymity offered (though a few people who read my blog also know me in real life).

In terms of relationships, I feel perfectly comfy interacting online. I've moved around so much in the last ten years (lived in Britain for five years and then to Calgary and Ottawa) that I'm 'forced' to keep on with distant friends in this medium. Plus, I met some of my bestest friends first online and then in real life. It's very normal to me.

Finally... Happy Bloggaversity! :-)

ms toast burner said...

Did I leave a whole stream of consciousness block of text at the bottom of my comment? haha

I remember just typing away as your post was very thought provoking and then tried to edited it. Not sure if I deleted the bottom bit! ... well if it's there, it's there! :-)

Mike Slater said...

I can understand your feelings. All I can say that I stumbled across your blog a few months ago and enjoy looking at the photos you post with your brief comments about them.

I don't think there's any need to write a book everytime you post something. The pictures speak for you, but including a few words works O.K.

As fo posting comments on blogs, I'm sure most people feel the same (I do!) so don't worry about it.

Kathreen said...

Thanks for the encouragement V and Mike. No, ms toastburner I don't think I wish to articulate my insecurities online:)- although I suspect they come through anyways. I don't see a whole stream of consciousness left behind in your last post. Thank you again for your sharing your ideas.