Thursday, July 8, 2010

Thoughts About a Blog

So, I've been thinking about this Blog, and I wanted to quickly share my thoughts:

It is not lost on me that having a family Blog screams me, me, me! Look at my weekend, look at my house, look how funny I am, look at our friends, look at our trips, and, in my case, a lot of look at my daughter. Look look look at ME ME ME.

It is very self-indulgent (which is un-English). Yet also so public & can come across as bragging about life. I hate that part. Jake & I fight like every couple, I have days I'd like to walk away from my job and never go back, nights where I'm counting the minutes till I can put Abby to bed & wondering why on earth I'm adding another child to the mix, and bills that never seem to be paid. Things I screw up as often as things I do well. But you don't post about all that on a Blog, do you?! So, it's been torturing me that my Blog is so, unintentionally ... boastful, if that's the right word for it.

Which is why it's been nice to have been reminded of the other side of the coin. I've had three relatives email me to say how much they enjoy my Blog. That I'm one of the few people they know that actually keeps it up after starting it, and it's become part of their reading - how cool! That they love feeling close to my family because they are not close in geographical real life. I love that! It serves as not only my record, for myself, of all these memories & pictures but my family & friends around the world getting to see it all too. So it's worth the hours I put into it, even if it's a struggle to find them sometimes.

I have been reminded that this is my modern version of a photo album for my kids to look through, or a journal for my feelings, and now I don't feel as tortured about it's loud scream of ME ME ME.

Goodnight All,
Kelly
x

2 comments:

Momma Madonna said...

I love your blog. I think you already know that, tho. xoxo

Anne said...

I like your blog, Kelly. It is really nice to see what you're up to since we're so far away! And as for the 'me-ness' of blogging, I think that, as you say, some self-awareness of the fact that it is a self-oriented genre and just being ok with it and using it however one likes, whether that be as a journal, to show your kids one day, to keep up with family, etc., is awesome. If I ever do a crazy traveling adventure or have a baby or have some other reason for wanting to start one, I will use yours as a model! It seems like the hard part would be putting it out into the public void--after all, they're not a private journal like the kind we used to keep as kids or whatever, right? But then again, I guess only probably family and close friends would read it really regularly anyway? Anyway, if I ever start one I will be asking your for advice. Miss you and Jake and hope Abby's having a great summer. Love, Anne