Surprise feelings

Some cheerful spring blooms from our garden last year.  My internet connection is having a bad turn so I couldn't use the image I wanted 

I have to laugh at myself.  This morning I managed to sneak a bit of time online before heading out for a busy day.

I jumped on my blogger dashboard to check out the comings and goings of the blogoverse and noticed immediately that I have one less follower.  What a surprise I got from the instant emotion that I felt.  What?  Who doesn't like me?

I laughed because I have been quite happy having a low readership.  There is less pressure and I still feel like I blog for myself and my bloggy friends, not for comments.  And along the way, some of the most delightful sweet souls have encouraged me, instructed me and empathised with me.  There is something amazing in this virtual world.  I do love your comments but I don't worry if some of my posts don't attract even a page view.

But when I saw 35 instead of 36 I felt a pang of sadness.  Like I have let someone down by my erratic posting, or tardy replying or a simple lack of interesting content without any creative photos (I'm an impatient photo taker).  Or perhaps because I wasn't following back?

Do you follow everyone who follows you?

I would like to think of myself as an honest person with interests in many different things.  I follow a stack of beautiful blogs.  But I don't follow blogs that I can't relate to, aspire to or learn from.  For no other reason than I get overwhelmed by so much out there.

But then tonight, as I opened up my dashboard to tell you about Liam's trip to the audiologist, I saw that I had a new follower!  Welcome!  (I'll be over to your blog soon, The Pistachio Tree, once my mobile internet finds a better connection as it currently is crashing on your site**).  And the new total of 36 once again, did make me happy.  But it's not a number thing, it is that someone else finds a chord has been struck here.  That's nice, really nice.  Ta for that.


That's all I can muster tonight. 

Today ::
I laughed at: this post by Maxabella
I ate: extra virgin coconut oil and felt great
I listened to: my little boys sing when they thought I wasn't listening
I felt: the pressure points in my back get massaged by the chiro before she adjusted me and now I feel incredible!
I watched: Liam fail a hearing test.  I will tell you more later as I digest this and figure out what I am going to do next. Don't worry, it wasn't conclusive as he wasn't really co-operating (no surprise there!)

**Apologies to any regulars that I haven't reciprocated a visit, it would have been an oversight not a deliberate act xxx

Voyeurism

image

Hello blog friends and clickety-clickers!  Are you well today?  Me?  Well, I have been better and I have been worse.  The 'worse' has brought out a thought I can't let go of just yet. 

Is blogging voyeurism? 

Before I started this blog, I had read only one blog that I was introduced to through a magazine.  I didn't see anything wrong with reading this blog as long as what was written on the blog could also be written on a postcard or published in a paper or magazine.  And now, almost 5 months on, I still feel the same way about blogs.  But I have found that there are blogs I choose not to read because of the high personal content that I don't feel like I should be privvy to although the author has chosen to put it out there.  I exercise choice- the free will that God gave me.

Why is this still bugging me?  Well, remember the perished friendship I wrote about at Easter?  He told me that he thought I didn't like him and his wife because I hadn't made personal contact with them in a few weeks.  They never asked me what was wrong, and plainly assumed I had a problem with them which I didn't, hence my utter shock.  And besides I am a very open person, I would have told them everything that's going on if they had asked. 

He emailed me saying that he has looked at my blog and concluded that I was having a social life without them- sorry, didn't know that they were into crocheting granny squares, knitting and cooking for my family because that is what I blog about, no?  He then went to on to say that he was sorry he read my blog because that reduced him to voyeurism.  He told me when I started this blog that blogging is voyeurism and he and his wife do not subscribe to it.  Was I offended? No!  Everyone is welcome to their own opinion.  But I was offended that he chose to read my blog instead of talking to me as that is not a healthy way to conduct a friendship.  Perhaps that was voyeuristic?  What do you think?

This is the third post out of 70 odd that I have written something deeply personal.  I just want to know what your thoughts are on blogging- Why do you blog?  I see bloggers who aspire to be published authors, who promote their online business, who are staying in touch with family and friends from across the world and who simply like to connect with others who enjoy similar hobbies.  Many are a combination of the above.  I have come across bloggers who I feel share a lot of personal stuff, but I don't read them.  I don't read blogs that don't interest me or offend me or that make me feel uncomfortable.  Perhaps you have already stopped reading this post and have clicked on to something else.  No one makes us read blogs.

Along the way, I have learnt a bit about blogging etiquette, much was already common sense.  Should I be commenting on every blog I read?  I do when I have something to say, but sometimes I don't have something to say back to the author- is that bad?  Is commenting on a post like signing a visitor's book?  More people visit my blog than comment- I know because I look at my stats- it doesn't bother me . . . does it bother you?

Tell me what you think.  I want to be a considerate blogger and I think perhaps I need some scope from you! 

Thank you...

xxx

Eye's closed and not thinking too hard about it

From the outset, I must begin this blog with a pledge. I will:
1. not use this blog to whinge
2. not use this blog to bad mouth others (unless fake names are used and it is essential!)
3. try to be unboring

I am new to blogging - both ways - not just writing but following.  I am not what you call an 'early-adopter' of new things (usually the last one to try something!).  I'm X-gen but virtually sitting on the cusp of Y-gen, yet I had to get my stepdaughter to sign me up to facebook!  But this blog is named Brave New Me as I am going to do some new things myself!  And it seems, after a brief perusal of other blogs, that blogging is an excellent way of recording life, sharing thoughts, sewing patterns and recipes!  Toss in a little accountability (ie updating blog) and I have great mix for the 'new me' (apart from sewing patterns cuz I can't sew!).

Well, I actually started writing this blog on a piece of paper because I was turned off by actually going on line and figuring out how to start a blog - not a good start to the 'new me'.  In fact, pathetically, some of this blog is copied from my notes from a couple of days ago.  That is ok, I'm here now.

I may have already broken pledge point #3 . . . I'll work on it.