I still don't "get" blogging.
The first "blog" I ever knew about was June Melby's (see the link on this blog page to her web page). She's basically a performance artist. OK, so she's a poet. And a singer. But really, listen to her stuff and she's a performance artist.
So, before I ever heard the word "blog" I knew of a blog. And so, for me, blogging was about performance art.
Then I saw that my son was doing it. Apparently, he and his friends use these near-daily updates to amuse themselves and each other, but they also use them to get to know each other -- I suppose in the same way we used to do the same through late-night conversations in the park, or at Happy Joe's, or at Mike's house. So, blogging was expanded, in my mind, to include bonding between friends.
So, either of these definitions were easily grokked. I still didn't quite know if a blog made sense for me. I'm not a performance artist, and I think my friends and I interact through other media to share ourselves with each other. Still, the blog seemed a perfect way to be honest and express personal ideas.
But now there are blogs for CEOs and politicians. Do you think any of these folks actually write their own blog entries? And do you think they are "honest" and "personal" -- or just more advertisements and spin and propoganda?
A recent news report (in a computer-industry publication) made mention of blog entries by a particular CEO. Clearly, he's using his blog to influence the industry. To be fair, for a CEO, his company is is life, so he really is sharing his "personal" thoughts -- but it's not the same thing.
Which brings me back to blogging for ME. Does it make sense?
Today's blog entry is being written because I had a meeting scheduled, and the person who was supposed to show up is standing me up -- again. I had a feeling it would happen, so I started the blog entry knowing I might get interrupted. Why? Because it's hard to find time to write something cogent every day.
I used to think -- "I wish I had a column in a newspaper. There are so many things I'd like to say." But really, are there? And if there are, does anyone care? And if they do, will they find it if I put it here?
Besides, I'm not such an open person that I will share my unfiltered feelings about all aspects of my life. And if I filter, if I compose, if I self-censor -- am I any better than that CEO?
I will keep thinking about this. Navel-gazing, I think.