Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Help

I have a problem.
I am not sure what to do with this blog.

When I started this blog it was to write about my life, catharsis or a cheap alternative to therapy. I wrote it for myself but also not to feel so alone, to remind myself daily that there are people who feel the same way I do about motherhood, life and or being a SAHM. I never told anyone in my real life about it besides my husband.
I didn't want to have to censor myself, I didn't want to have to omit things in my life because I didn't want my Mom, friends or sister to read it.

I have always kept this blog separate from my life and the people in it, you don't know my real name, you don't know my husband or my children's names, I don't share our pictures. I never wanted anyone in my life to find this, but it is getting harder and harder.

Now I wonder, so I shut down this blog and just continue with my parenting blog? Do I censor myself and remove a ton of old posts in case I am "outed"?
Do I just come out of the blogging closet with my name and face and everything else?

I want to know what you do.
Why do you remain anonymous? Do people in your life read your blog and are you censoring because of it?
I need you all to help me with this decision, come out like it is de-lurking week.
I need my peeps.

16 comments:

  1. One- Love the new look! Two- This blog is my saving grace sometimes. Your humor sometimes is just what I need in the middle of the day. You other blog focuses on issues- this one you get to be yourself. It is up to you, but I vote keep it. You may find it means a lot more to people than you think.

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  2. Anonymous7:43 AM

    As a fellow blogger and one whose entire world knows about my blog here is what I have found.... 1. Its my blog and I say what I want, how I am feeling at a given moment, and what's going on in my life. 2. No, I don't find myself censoring stuff...I remember one blog where I came down pretty hard on my mom about something she said about one of my kids...3. It shouldn't matter what you say, who reads it etc... I always know i've said something that must be true if those closest to me are finding fault... Then again my blog is not a place that I generally lambaste those I know and love... I share about my family, I say things at times that my be seen as controversal to my friends and family, but they know me and love me and respect me enough that i can't say I have ever hurt anyone...and if I have they have never had the guts to actually tell me....which is really their issue not mine. The bottom line is that is YOUR blog... you can "out" yourself if you want, you can shut down if you want, you can do whatever you want and what you feel you need to... The best blogs I have read (and a lot of yoru posts are up there) are so great b/c of their personal nature... I don't need to know your real name or your kids names to "Get you".... your a mom, like me, you a wife, your a friend, a daughter, a sibling??, a blogger... Just be YOU...and don't worry so much about what everyone else may or may not be thinking!!! xo lyns

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  3. Keep doing what you are doing. Yes, it sucks to be outed, but those moments of panic pass because what you want to say should over ride what anyone else thinks.

    My older posts have the names of my husband and son on them. If I ever link to them, I update the names to stay more anonymous.

    Basically, if your blog is not doing what you intended it to do, whether it was by being anonymous or not, then it might be time to re-evaluate its purpose.

    I personally like having you around.

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  4. I keep some anonymity so weirdos don't come searching for me. I don't conciously keep it a secret, but at the same time I don't include it on my business card or anything.

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  5. Pretty pretty new template. Love it. You always have the option of going private with your blog, and just including your current readers. It's something I just did, but that's solely because of cyber-stalking ex's. No one in my family knows of my blog, as far as I know. And even if they did, now that it's private, they wouldn't be able to read it anyway. No need to know real names, places, dates, etc. Your blog rocks because it's honest, and your take on being a SAHM with two kids makes me laugh and feel your pain all at the same time ;)

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  6. Love the new template!

    I say keep it just the way it is. Mine is not at all anonymous, and I don't censor what I say. Every once in awhile my mother-in-law will leave an anonymous (she thinks) snarky comment on it...hubby and I just laugh about it. I don't put anything on my blog (or anywhere) that I would say directly though...but I am very honest about my thoughts and feelings there.

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  7. qs
    If you close shop on this one, I'll be forced to read your parenting blog every. single. day. (Wait, is that such a bad thing???)
    You guys on my sidebar are now part of my everyday (well, M-F) life, and even though there are no names on most, it's still like having friends.
    Anonymous or not, I lurve ya.

    As for me: my hubby knows about the blog and I talk to him about you guys, too. but he doesn't read. No one else in my family knows, and I keep his name and my son's name pretty much out.

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  8. Anonymous9:44 AM

    Looks great in here!

    I am not really anonymous I guess. I write under a different name, but I reply to messages using my real one. I don't list my last name or the name of the town I live in. It's really a personal decision. I recently started uploading photos to my blog because I feel it helps personalize it. Gives people a better feel for who I am, what my life is like, etc.

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  9. It'd be a shame to shut down when you have the blog looking all pretty.

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  10. Anonymous12:00 PM

    I kind of put it all out there. Except my last name, address.. youk now, the SUPER personal stuff, but as far as pictures and names and stuff.. it's all real and it's all me. I think the pictures kind of help show who I am, but I also understand people who don't want their picture out there. My friends and family know. I censor it slightly and if anyone ever said they didn't want to be on it, they wouldn't be on it. I think it's only fair. Only people I really don't want knowing is work, and even that wouldn't be the end of the world. I never get specific, never name my employer and mostly I like my job anyways so I don't think they'd mind it. I don't really go out of my way to hide it from people, I just don't go out of my way to tell people about it either. Oh yeah, and my in-laws don't know about it and I plan on keeping it that way. My friends and family know I'm not normal, they still may be in the dark! :)

    PS - love the new colors!

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  11. Anonymous12:45 PM

    I'd keep as it is.

    NOONE knows about my blog except for a couple of friends. I find it a great place where I can write anything. My therapy.

    What is making your blog hard to keep to yourself?

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  12. I've been struggling with the same thing. In fact, my blog is about to be outed because I agreed to be featured in an article in the local newspaper. It is scary, but I'm tired of trying to hide it from everybody. It takes too much effort. I have unpublished a few entries that might offend or hurt some family members, but I am trying not to censor too much. I am however thinking a little harder about how I word things that might be taken the wrong way. Whatever you decide, good luck!

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  13. I have shown some people my blog in passing, but the majority of my family and friends do not know about it. I think that makes blogging truthfully easier. And it allows me to make all new blogging friends! :)

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  14. I censor myself because every friggin' member of my family reads my blog...

    However, that being said... I have thought about creating a secondary blog where I could be trampy or depressed or nuts.

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  15. Anonymous8:46 PM

    My blog isn't anonymous and I prefer it that way. My family and friends read and I'm cool with that. When I first started blogging and would write something I worried about the people in my life reading, I thought about why - why am I compelled to share stuff with the internet that I feel awkward sharing with the people I care about? I did a bit of soul-searching and just got over my fear of what people think. I posted what I wanted and I found it made me more open with the people in my life. Some of my friendships have been strengthened and my family now knows what's going on with me because I never call.

    But that's me. It's your blog, do what you wanna do!

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  16. My blog is my therapy. I would be sad if I were "outed" and my real life peeps started reading it. Why? Because I show my weakness, moodiness, and vulnerability in my blog. I also complain about my mother inlaw. I don't need her any more in my business than she already is! Think about what you want from your blog and go with it. If you want your people reading it then be out. If not, it is understandable. My hubby knows about my blog and could find it if he wants to... but I think he looks at it "cheaper than therapy" (to steal a great phrase from a great blog!).

    When you have to worry about what you are writing it can be difficult, then again -- support and sharing yourself is nice too. Wow, I guess I see both sides. Good luck with your choice!

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