There’s so much talk around the internets about Alpha-Bloggers, A-listers, blogging to be published, etc., etc..(and I’m not pointing out that there was something wrong said, just that there’s talk about it, M’kay?) So much so I’m starting to go cross-eyed and now questioning my own existence in the blog world. And why? Why the hell should I care? I began this blog for me because I wanted to write, to have somewhere to share my thoughts and feelings and memories. I wanted a place that I could enjoy being me since message boards were far to restricting, confining and well - required conformance to what the administrator deemed acceptable.
I am my own administrator here, and in my life.
I share what I want, how I want and when I want. Should one enjoy reading what I have to say, well then that’s a plus.
That’s how I started out anyway.
In real life I am very much a Type-B personality. I am laid back and go with the flow (for the most part). I take each day as I can and try not to sweat the small stuff (for the most part). In parenting I pick and choose my battles, I don’t hover over my children, I sit back and let them learn and play.
Okay so I get pissed off about messes in the house once and a while and I freak about shoes left in front of the door. But my kids have stains on their clothes, I leave the house without showering some days and I’ve even been known to shop in my pajamas before.
My blogging personality is so Type-A it sickens me. I concern myself with statistics, comments, designs and rankings. I obsess about the number of comments, why they may be lacking and how come I can’t have 600+ readers too!? What can I do to improve?
I’m always looking to improve.
Improvement is a good thing. Learning and developing skills to make ones self better can’t be bad, but in some ways it very much is - for me.
I fret over the fact that I feel I’m not funny enough, I’m boring, this blog sucks and I should just pack it up.
It seems to be changing me into a self obsessed crazy that determines her self worth by the number of hits, comments and feed readers I have in a given day.
Posts about what you should do to increase readership, successful blog designs, busy sidebars, social networking, blah, blah, and blah are prevalent in the past few months - or I’ve noticed them more then normal - and with that, I’ve noticed considerable changes in the community (as well as myself). While we’re becoming more and more obsessed with the challenges of being successful we’re forgetting about the writing. We’re forgetting about WHY we began blogging. I sure as hell didn’t start this blog thinking that I was going to be the next Dooce - actually, I had no idea who the hell she was, and I think I liked it that way because, for many, how many hits, readers and comments we have has taken away the quality and passion in our written word.
The petty fights over content, brands and other people’s perceptions of us seem to be consuming our abilities to celebrate each other and our own uniqueness that we bring to this community. Really? Who gives flying fuck if two people have the same font in their titles or their names are similar? Does that really change who you are and what you bring to the world? People state their opinion - which they are entitled to do - and it’s perceived as a personal attack and the world comes to an end - for the second time that month.
I say: Fuck That.
I’m not talking about rallying together for a bra burning (or jock burning, if you’re so inclined) or being everyone’s best friend and celebrating womanhood (or manhood) and all that lovey dovey shit. I’m talking about just being ourselves. Be your own person and forget about what others think about you (me), your (my) blog and your (my) traffic.
Just write for YOU (me)!
Now don’t forget to leave a comment so I know how many people actually stopped by and read what I wrote. I’m so (not) kidding.
