(You can blame early French socialism for this post.)
Sometimes, does blogging just blow your mind? I was thinking about how I really don't mention my blogging to folks at school (except for a casual reference in a conversation with one of the other PhD candidates, but that was really in passing). Most people back home know about this, because this whole enterprise partially started out in dialogue with other friends' blogs, and as a means to reassure everyone that I'm not dead, just procrastinating. But, at the same time, I find it difficult to explain to people who are just getting to know me, "I publish my thoughts on the internet, and people I don't personally know read those thoughts and comment about them."
About seventy people a day. It isn't a huge audience, compared to some of you folks that I read daily, but still. It's strange, when I step back and think about it. Today, I looked up my blog on Bloglines, and I have seven subscribers, several of whom I probably don't know "in real life." Today I also discovered that I'm on the BlogHer Academia & Research blogroll (probably as a result of Trillwing), and so I'm getting hits from over there (not to mention Cliopatra's blogroll). And not only do I have readers, and do I read other people's blogs, but I've made friends here in this virtual space. Like kristiface and Pink Cupcake. I know them by pseudonyms, and yet I've discussed the former's upcoming wedding at length, and really do worry about PC's health.
When I was in grade 12, everyone was amazed because some classmates and I did the majority of the planning for a class project via e-mail and a website. I remember my Mom marvelling about how apparently we kids didn't need to work in the same room anymore. Now I'm part of several conversations that encompass the entire globe, including those I know "IRL" and those I just know electronically.
Sometimes, when you step back and really look at it all, the blogosphere is both very strange and very cool.
12 comments:
Thanks for the nice comment on my blog. I'm equally impressed by your awesomeness!
Personal blogging has really changed how I socialize.
School blogging has made it eaasier for me to extend class outside of the classroom, and that's just plain cool.
Thank you Limon!
I'm really curious about how you use blogging in the classroom, because it sounds really cool.
As one who has often analyzed blogging himself, I too find it an interesting phenomenon that I am now known as a blogger. I realize in conversation with people who don't read my blog just how instrumental a tool in evaluating and expressing myself it has truly become (since I will often say things like "did you read my blog? No? Well, here's what I said.") The blogosphere is an interesting place, and bloggers are a sort to themselves. Now the question I have is whether there is a difference between "a blogger" and "someone who blogs"? See if you can guess what I think.
Derek out.
I'm guessing that your difference between "a blogger" and "someone who blogs" would be best exemplified by the difference between myself and Chris: I process my thoughts through blogging, and actively take part in the blogosphere. Chris sometimes posts stuff on a blog, and occasionally reads stuff on his friends' blogs.
Is it something like that? I wouldn't necessarily put the requirement at the frequency of posting: I'd call Meg a blogger, because not only does she post on her blog, but she's all over the place on other people's blogs, too.
Although I may have to stop posting now that my Vanilla Ice secret is out. I don't know if I can live with the embarassment.
Oh c'mon Meg, people here know way more embarassing things about me than knowing all the words to "Ice, Ice Baby."
It's not like you know all the words to Spice Girls...
Jen, are you making fun of Lyn and Amanda?
The Spice Girls are an inspiration.
I challenge you to make music magic using less than 5 singers. Just try. No?
I didn't think so.
You are completely right that blogging is pretty mind blowing at times. I began by simply reading a few blogs, then really liked the community that I saw and wanted to comment and post myself. But even then, I had absolutely no idea how much support I would get from fellow bloggers, and how I would find some real friends (like you!) who I think about as I would do a friend IRL. Of course, it does sound silly when I say to my husband 'I wonder how Queen of West Procrastination is getting on in her new workspace' or 'I wonder how Kristface's wedding plans are going'! But I really have benefitted so much from having my bloggy pals around, especially as I've been ill these past few months and haven't been able to catch up with friends much. I'm more than a little in awe of how helpful this corner of the blogosphere has been to me...Thank you for the large part you've played in that. I really appreciate it. :)
Well, and right back at you, Pink Cupcake! It's been really good being able to talk out all the changes of the last year, and get feedback and all that.
Yeah, it does sound odd to say "I wonder how Pink Cupcake's doing."
That's pretty much the way I would delineate, but it gets fuzzy sometimes. I think your ideas of friendship through blogs are interesting, but I still have yet to make a solid friend through the blogosphere. Most of my interaction online is still based on people with whom I interact in real life, and blogging just adds another level to that interaction. But who knows what the future will hold?
Derek out.
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