I originally wrote this piece in 2008 when I had only been blogging for a few months, at the time I was a self employed non-profit consultant and freelance writer. Fast forward several years and I run a small non-profit that is growing and finding myself wondering if I have made the best decision in blogging under my name. Yesterday, a local reporter contacted me using my blog email address and it dawned on me…holy shit. As regular readers know I recently made Babble’s list of top Mom bloggers debuting at #70 which depending on one’s career aspirations may have value or not. Right now it has no value since I don’t earn my daily keep as a blogger. That said, when so much of my work depends on making connections and a certain image, I do wonder is this going to blow up in my face at some point?
When I initially decided to blog the plan had been to remain anonymous since I basically wanted a space where I could let my hair down, not always needing to be mindful of exactly what I said but a place to just let it all out. However after sharing with a few folks IRl that I was blogging I made the decision to come out so to speak, being the connected person I am I put a link on my face-book page and in a few other places and well I just have to say that, that six degrees of separation shit is real.
Now unlike some folks out in the blogosphere, I don’t have an employer to be mindful of, I am self-employed and actually I do write in my real life for a local publication. (in my real life writing, I am also not nearly as casual as I am here either, so a lot of the essense of what I say gets diluted I think) This blog is the raw uncensored version of what I have written for the past 4 years, its me up close and personal.
I must admit today I found myself wondering if coming out though was a good thing when a local buddy hit me up that she had read one of my pieces and actually had some thoughts.. no, it was nothing bad but it did get me to thinking, um, is it a good idea to be out there especially when I live in a pretty white place and truthfully race factors in to a lot of my thoughts? On the other hand, I found myself thinking maybe being out is not a bad thing, yes there is a good chance I may piss someone off, on the other hand, anyone who knows me knows I rant a lot anyway and honestly I think some of what I post on provides a starting point to some good discussions.
This blog was born partially out of my frustration of needing to vent and shit, its cheaper than therapy. Anyway tonight’s post is a quickie since its time to get off the computer for the night and connect with the spousal unit.
I am curious though, for my fellow bloggers do you share your blogging with your real life folks or are you in the closet?
Have a good weekend!
My bad, I meant to comment on the post you had about class and eating habits. As far as this topic, I try to stay fairly anonymous because I don’t want folks at work bothering me. Things could get ugly.
I just realized you had a blog as well. I’m sorry for not adding you to my blog roll sooner. And interesting topic as well. Denmark Vessey, the blogger, had a series of pictures on his blog a while back that showed the difference between what different folks around the world eat in a given week. This black family in America had the worse eating habits. It was very troubling.
hmm
i used to have a livejournal that i kept hidden and
wrote down everything that was on my mind
but now i have my wordpress and i publicly
said the address and stuff until my ex found it and thought
that one of my entries was related to her [it wasn’t]
but now everytime i go to
write something, i think about who
would read it and what they mite think
but i’m thinking myself i should
probably snap out of that
it is MY blog after all
I started out in the closet with the d@mned lights off, door locked, and the alarm on. I have an employer that would fire me in a heartbeat (sensitive, PC fvckers).
Anywho, I eventually shared with my inner circle and now a lot of people at my work place know about my blog. However, I still hid behind Folk and Miles just in case.
I still cheat by having a private spot to spill my personal emotional beans from time to time that people I work with don’t need to know ish about.
I share my blogs with my real life folks. However, I don’t use my blogs to discuss other people in too much depth.
I do post publicly but then again, I save things that I would not be comfortable saying to people’s faces for my journal. That is where I vent. I generally believe wholeheartedly that “those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter”. But at the same time, those who do mind can make your life very miserable. So, I’m very mindful of what I say realizing that sometime this stuff can come back to bite you in the behind.
Yes when I first started this blog it was my anonymous place. Unlike my other blogs no pictures no link was sent to my friends etc. My decision for not displaying my picture was for several reasons. One anonymity the other was I usta get lots of creepy e-mails when I was on yahoo and msn’s blogs. I didn’t like the objectification and wanted to be read for my content no by some cyber stalker (I have those here and IRL). Then I decided to post a pic of my not just my eye or my 4 year old me. I felt I had enough people who were reading me.
When I moved here I gave my blog to a few people back homes and they read. Its funny one of my old friends from work sent me an e-mail about one of my blogs recently. I had forgotten how many people read me that I know. However its cool. I rarely talk about work. I never use my real name on my blog well in full I do very rarely use it, its my way to keep my blog separated from my real identity on Google when people are searching.
I try to keep my stories a level higher and only use them for concepts. I don’t mention TOM A’s name or any of the men I have been involved with, they all have colorful nicknames that they mostly already had mostly my friends know who I ‘m talking about because they were there.
Anyway, it is what it is and I believe what I believe and we shall see if coming out of the blog closet has affected my life negatively one day.
Have a good weekend.
-OG
Except for my two kids, I haven’t told a single person I know that I have a blog. I do this because I use real life examples but only change their names and occupations to protect their privacy and my own.
People can get very ugly when you complain about racism, and do crap like bad mouth and distort your views on other sites. This can affect your job. I know at least one blogger who rights a lot about racism. He has a Ph.D but has been unemployed for sometime and had to start his own small business doing stuff totally unrelated to his field. He’s pretty certain that he’s been secretly blacklisted and it wouldn’t surprise me at all.
Hello there!
I have my REAL name on my blog. I do not provide the name of my church, however! Dr. Jeremiah Wright received bomb threats at Trinity United after the white media started a slander campaign to misrepresent his sermons by showing only a tiny portion that did not reflect the ENTIRE discourse.
If you don’t want your white neighbors to know what you REALLY think then yes, stay anonymous.
if you don’t want people at your job to know what you REALLY feel then yes, stay anonymous.
If you don’t want family members to read your thoughts, then stay anonymous.
If you do not feel that anything you say will come BACK to haunt you, then put it out there and be you!
Keep in mind that your husband has professional colleagues who are online and if you are writing about “my husband hates his boss!” (SMILE) then that may not go over very well when he shows up at work.
Since my name is on my blog, you will notice at my blog that I do not write posts and use my siblings as examples. I do not discuss their lives or any situations that are personal to them. If I mention a friend, I don’t go into details that would reveal who it is to those who know me. Precautions need to be taken if you use your OWN name online but you can still share!! I share a lot of ME on my blog without violating the trust others have in me.
Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa
i just write and dont give a fk who read my thought