Thursday, September 15, 2011

Internet Footprints...

As the world of blogging turns, many of my friends have opted to go private. They control who sees their blogs through an invite only option that most blogs allow. I have often weighed the option of going private, but have instead resorted to placing self-imposed limits on what I will and won't share via our blog. I'm not a huge photo blogging person but as my post about Orlando demonstrates, as difficult as it may seem, people are capable of change.

While most bloggers like to share stories complete with photo depictions and others just like the lure of having your blog made into a blog book (it's all the rage!) for keepsake and for your future posterity to have, I'm more of a therapeutic blogger. Yes, I do it for selfish reasons. I like to write, re-read my own writings, and laugh at myself in the future.

Ever since my mom gave me my very own "My Diary," around ten, I have been scribbling nothings of my life. I still have notebooks from grade, middle and high school of my day to day accounts, complete with drawn photos of where we all sat when we went to the mall food court. Most of the writings are rather mundane and here's a fun one from high school, "Dear God, Today I went to the mall with Grace, Jennifer, and Yolanda. We had a lot of fun. We saw some cute boys. We did not talk to them. Do you think I will ever get a boyfriend?" And in my own defense, there are some other entries about wanting straight A's and where I will go for college. Oh and yes, I wrote to God instead of a "diary." I felt like that was better than an inanimate object and despite not being religious, I was always spiritual, and I wanted Him (if He existed) to know what was going on in my life. Regardless of how pointless my diaries used to be, it is amusing to refresh myself on the hardships of life back then As I grew older, the diary turned into man hating journals where I would write about relationships and often look back and laugh at how hopelessly "in love" I thought I was with every guy who broke my heart. I joined xanga in 2002 and ever since, have been a part of the world wide web and that is where my first internet footprint started.

My old diaries and man hating journals are stashed away at my parents' house somewhere, my xanga no longer exists, my blog has now merged in with Andy's as our family blog and I still have my own public blog and I journal via a private blog (today I did this... and this... and then this... kind of blog, it's not interesting but it's for me). But today was the first time I stopped and thought about what all my blogging would do for my future posterity. How weird to be in a generation where one can google friends and find what is out there, be it blog entries about their birth, naked photos of them, or embarrassing stories? I kind of feel sorry for my kids. They will have no way to stop me until it's too late.. but should I be more careful about the internet footprints I'm leaving for my children? Or maybe I should go private? Thoughts?

7 comments:

Paige Taylor Evans said...

Nah, don't go private! I love reading your stories - you're such a great writer and you make me laugh :)

Babe said...

I actuaaly look for the email about your blog. Its like getting a gift everyday. You blogs make me smile, laugh and think. When you decided to limit your blogging because you had so little time for it, it was sad not to have notices in my email, but I understood. I'll understand if you decide to go private. I'll miss your whit and humor and honesty, but I'll understand. I read very few blogs, your blogs is one of my favorites!

bruinjack said...

You know, everyone who reads your blog can be invited to read it when it is private. I'm a total fan of private blogs when you have children.

Sarah said...

We use to be private, but I went public once I started having health problems. For one thing, it allowed other less blogger savvy friends/family to more easily view my updates. Second, I felt that I needed the support a public blogged offered. Many ppl who I don't know (like my parents friends and friends' friends) have been able to connect to me through my public blog and offer me encouragement.

I try really hard to keep our last name and town's name out of our posts...and I've hesitated to write a lot about some of Payt's struggles because I don't want ppl who hardly know him judging him...but besides that I love being "public" and most of my friends love us being public, too!

Also, my blog is mostly for therapeutic, selfish purposes too!

Sarah said...

ps-- if I wasn't "public" we wouldn't even really know each other, even though we are family :). Regardless, if you switch to private I'll still keep up to date on you all. I love your posts!

SupaFlowaPowa said...

No no - I don't want to limit it at all and the thought didn't even cross my mind, I must be a bad writer ahhaha - I just was saying it's going to be so weird when my son grows up cuz of all the dirt people will have on him.. but that is what he gets for being my son! I have a personal journal already - I love blogging publicly and I won't be stopping - was just musing on how intense our childrens' internet footprints will be! STEP AWAY... here I am creating more footprints for my son's big feet.

SupaFlowaPowa said...

is it just me or does publicly look funny?