My Unhealthy Relationship
I think I’m in an unhealthy relationship. No, not with PG . . . that relationship is absolutely wonderful. The relationship I am concerned about is the one I am having . . . with my blog. The other day, while taking a short break in my local Starbucks, I observed someone who LOOKED like they should have a blog. You know the type, right? (Don’t you think bloggers have the same sort of “blogger” look?) Anyway, this person was on their laptop and focused very intently on what they were doing, which, I was certain, was blogging. I received my coffee from the Barista and made my way to a table next to this “I Look like a Blogger” person. She glanced up at me and smiled politely, and I did the same.
A few seconds went by, and I was dying to know what she was doing, so I tried to, ever so nonchalantly, look at what was on her monitor (by “nonchalant”, I guess I mean that I practically fell off of my chair trying to see what she was typing.) After a few minutes, she glanced up and saw me looking at her monitor. Busted.
“Sorry,” I said, “I wondered if you were blogging.”
“No,” she answered.
“Do you blog?” I asked.
"No,” she answered.
"Do you read blogs?” I asked.
“No,” she answered.
“OH . . .” I said,“. . . . I have a blog.”
“Oh . . . . . . ” she replied, “. . . . that’s . . . nice.”
My mind flash backed to the very first musical I participated, my freshman year in high school. The choreographer for the show told a group of us that the very worst compliment a person can give you is to say something was “nice”, and that word has been a thorn in my side ever since, for over 20 years now.
Nice.
I felt like this rather pleasant person just couldn’t appreciate the fine art of blogging. It really is an art, don’t you think? So, I stopped trying to share my nice blog with her, and finished my drink in quiet. I was surprised how taken back I was with this brief conversation. Then I realized it . . . I think I’m in an unhealthy relationship with my blog. Is it wrong? I think it might be. . . especially when . . .
And I’m totally ok with that.
How about you?
A few seconds went by, and I was dying to know what she was doing, so I tried to, ever so nonchalantly, look at what was on her monitor (by “nonchalant”, I guess I mean that I practically fell off of my chair trying to see what she was typing.) After a few minutes, she glanced up and saw me looking at her monitor. Busted.
“Sorry,” I said, “I wondered if you were blogging.”
“No,” she answered.
“Do you blog?” I asked.
"No,” she answered.
"Do you read blogs?” I asked.
“No,” she answered.
“OH . . .” I said,“. . . . I have a blog.”
“Oh . . . . . . ” she replied, “. . . . that’s . . . nice.”
My mind flash backed to the very first musical I participated, my freshman year in high school. The choreographer for the show told a group of us that the very worst compliment a person can give you is to say something was “nice”, and that word has been a thorn in my side ever since, for over 20 years now.
Nice.
I felt like this rather pleasant person just couldn’t appreciate the fine art of blogging. It really is an art, don’t you think? So, I stopped trying to share my nice blog with her, and finished my drink in quiet. I was surprised how taken back I was with this brief conversation. Then I realized it . . . I think I’m in an unhealthy relationship with my blog. Is it wrong? I think it might be. . . especially when . . .
- The moment you open your blog, you have that butterfly feeling in your stomach when you see you have a new comment
- You have started carrying your camera with you EVERYWHERE (and I mean, EVERYWHERE … bathrooms and all) just in case you feel the need to capture a photo of something and blog about it later
- You meet a stranger in the grocery store and want to tell them about something you wrote
- You hug your computer monitor when you sit down at your desk
- You pass a stranger at target and think they look like a blog friend (a blog friend who you have never even met before, mind you)
- You have purchased a new agronomic mouse pad to alleviate any ‘bloggers elbow’ or computer ailment you have recently discovered
- You talk back to your computer as you’re reading someone’s blog, as if you are having a conversation with the blog writer at that very moment
- You talk about your blog to people as if it is a real person, like; “The funniest thing happened with my blog today . . ."
- You start looking at people who don’t understand blogs like they have two heads
- And they start looking at you the same exact way
And I’m totally ok with that.
How about you?
You're totally okay with that?? That's nice!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I'm gonna bet that almost everyone who visits you has had at least 7 out of the 10 things you list. Haven't hugged my monitor yet. I'm sure I'll get there eventually!
Oh my God! Leanne, I'm dying! I can't believe you did/said that to her! She probably went home thinking bloggers are kooks. :)
ReplyDeleteHa! First of all, I don't think it is unhealthy at all! You are an artist. You are a writer. Why would you not look for inspiration with a camera, and why would you not want to meet others just like you??
ReplyDeleteIt is a wonderful world we dwell in, it involves sentence structure, descriptive words, networking skills, and sometimes a little research and html. Wonderful skills to have!
PS - if that happened (down here) I assure you the person would chat your head off, wanting to know all about your blog, and your family - and you would have left the coffee shop with an email address, a hug, and an invitation to her grandmother's house for Sunday brunch. LOL
Yes, I'm there with you. I would like to know the ratio of bloggers vs. nonbloggers who actually read blogs. I have a feeling that it's pretty high on the side of bloggers, which is a problem (or let's say challenge) for me. I want all of those nonbloggers to start exploring and reading blogs! There's so much out there for them, and they don't even realize it. I love my blogger friends, it's just that I want my nonblogging friends to join the fun. Oh, sorry I went on a rant -- maybe that's a sign of a problem, too!
ReplyDeleteI think what makes it all strange is that you reach a point where you know your blogger friends better than you do your friends in real life. People share things in their blogs that they don't talk about in real life. It is somehow too personal to say out loud. So, you actually KNOW your blogger friends better, and they you, than people you may have "known" for years. It is a strange dichotomy going on. Plus, it is an excellent release. I found that when I started blogging, I felt better. I got to let so many things go. Commit it to "paper" and release it from my experience. It doesn't mean that it is forgotten; it just ceases to be a part of my working reality. It's been processed and discarded.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like this girl acted superior to you because she was not a blogger. That doesn't make her superior. It simply makes her ignorant. That is not stupid, btw. It means she hasn't tried it yet. Should she ever try it, she will remember that conversation and feel very differently about it:-)
Hee, Hee...I would so do something like that:) Ya' know lately I have had few people ask me why I don't sub anymore at the HS. I actually replied to them both...well, I, I.....BLOG. Yes, I blog.
ReplyDeleteThey always just look at me weird. Well, do you get paid they ask.
Uh, no. I don't.
But I DO get lots of comments {sometimes}
I think I am obsessed.
Most definitely.
And I love it;)
Um,I've only been at this blogging thing two months, and my post today actually mentions that I now take a camera EVERYWHERE!
ReplyDeleteIs this what I'm in for? If so, I'm OK with it too. Hee.
"My name is Coffee Junkie and I am a Blogger!" Do you think there will eventually be "BA" (bloggers anonymous? If so, I'm so there! I look forward to signing into Blogger and seeing what wonderful post my bloggy friends have posted for the day! I love it when I get that "you've got mail" message from my blog comments and my blog friends comments are the first emails I ever read! But like you, I would probably totally try to start up a conversation with someone about blogging...no wait a minute...I have actually done that! I had to laugh about the nearly falling out of the chair to glimpse at her screen...that was funny. In my case, chair would have likely hit the floor as I tried to balance myself on the table and not spill my coffee! Love it!
ReplyDeleteOk OMG I dieing here!!! Laughing so hard nodding my head so hard it hurts. AND I just emailed you about how its killing cause I havent blogged all week. I miss my blog friends and have been thinking about my empty blog way to much...I even am getting a litte freaked cause I lost a follower and cant stop wondering who stoped following me and why! I just want to track them down and ask them why they stopped following me. lol A girlfriend of mine told a room full of church gals today that "they have to read my blog cause its so good" I almost peed myself I was so excited, it was like I was hight for the rest of the day! I live for comments like that, dont you!! Love you and Love this post, wonderful wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThat is one hilarious post, Lee! I have yet to hug my computer or buy the special mouse, although I'm planning on buying a new keyboard next week, so maybe that's the same thing! The camera comment is too funny. My husband told me I should have asked one of the cops banging on my door to take a picture of me with the other cop. "Folks would have loved it!" he said. I was so annoyed with myself for not having thought of it in the moment. It's 8:30 on Friday night and I'm commenting - that surely is a sign I'm in an unhealthy relationship with blogging! Have a great weekend(:
ReplyDeleteI think all bloggers go through what you just listed. My husband would agree I have bloggers obsession. Look at me it's 12:57 am and I'm blogging. my internet has been ridiculously slow today so now I'm playing catch up.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with my husband assessment,
guilty as charged!
I do all those things and totally am ok with it !
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS TOO FUNNY AND SO TRUE!!! I love blogging....WAY TOO MUCH!!
ReplyDeleteI think you just like to talk to strangers! You have a lovely blog life going on...of COURSE, you want to talk about it!
ReplyDelete(Nice - that choreographer's comments on the word "nice" ruined me and my confidence - make me second guess what everyone told me about my performances. Now I only sing in the car.)
Well shoot.. you left off the one where you get annoyed, when at work, you have to actually work rather than write. I so hate it when the job gets in the way of my personal stuff LOL
ReplyDeleteI have "minimize" down to a science!
Love your blog..I'm your newest follower who popped over from The Nest. When you get a moment and are bored, please stop by and visit me. I'm a relative newbie so don't expect much :) I'm at http://cindyseesit.blogspot.com
Can anyone define the word Happiness? What is Happiness we do not know because every single person has its own meaning of happiness. Finding the ways to be happy in life is only a way that can make everyone happy in this world.
ReplyDelete