I'm still getting used to this whole 'Blog' thing. One problem I'm having is I am a traditionally trained journalist and this is a new genre of writing. Different rules apply, and the perfectionist in me does not like not knowing what they all are so I can adhere to them or break them accordingly. The more blogs I read, the more unclear I become. I don't want to model my column, er blog, like someone else's, even though I admire many. I am me and how do I show that in such a public arena without the defined lines and confinements of the rules of the published world, like writing for a newspaper, newsletter or magazine (all of which I am familiar and comfortable with.)



This leads me to my second issue with blogging. The nature of the blog feels an awful lot like an edited, public version of my journal entries. I have been blabbing to myself in notebooks, journals,and diaries since the 5th grade. I could go back and tell you what I was doing at any given point in my life over the past 17 years. Scary, but true. But who really wants to know or hear any or all of that crap? Are my innermost thoughts, observations, and daily experiences and musing really that interesting to anyone else other than me?



Also I worry about exposing too much of myself. In such a public medium like the Internet where pictures and words live on for eternity, how much do I censor myself? I find I often want to say things or talk about certain situations, but what if the annoying friend I am referring to reads my blog and my true feelings are exposed? Don't I know I am taking that risk when I hit 'Post' so if I do it anyways, do I secretly want to get caught like a cheating spouse or serial murderer who leaves behind evidence and the experts say they obviously want to get caught? Man, I am over analyzing this! My ego is winning the battle if I actually believe people will take the time to even read my rantings, let alone give a crap! lol



LOL. Leads me to another pet peeve. Its hard to ditch the grammar editor in my head. For too many years I have been practicing classic journalism and referring too many times to APA style books to ever really feel comfortable in the lax world of Internet vernacular. Then I just decide to go with it. OMG. Get over it.