Categories
Weblogging

Blogging Manifesto

I read Chris Prillo’s Blogging Manifesto as well as the reactions to it such as Mike Sander’s and Jonathon’s.

Mike based a new question on this discussion — Who is the real you. Damn, Mike! Please promise me you’ll personally send me an email when you ask a simple question such as What’s your favorite ice cream flavor, would you?

The real me. I probably share more of myself online than many, but you all don’t know the real me. This isn’t an insult; I’m not rejecting the honor that you bestow on me by spending time out of your busy day to read my words, but what I write here isn’t the sum and total of me.

In college, I studied a theory called The Looking Glass Self. Simply put, from my perspective, this theory states that people can become what other’s see them as — in effect become a product of other’s expectations. Even the most complex of personalities can be thought of as a faceted diamond, with each facet the cut of yet another person’s view of oneself.

This theory fascinated me and fascinates me to this day. In fact, I even have a weblog domain called Mirror Self (www.mirrorself.com), that I thought I would use for something some day. (Come to think of it, the domain screams weblog, doesn’t it?)

From a weblogging perspective, I am concerned that my weblog can become a looking glass reflection rather than a forum for me to share thoughts, jokes, pain, happiness, and even trivia that happens to interest me. I find myself editing my posts more and more, because they “expose” more of myself, and would, perhaps, make readers uncomfortable.

Even with this trip there were things I wanted to write, to discuss, to share yet stopped because the emotions behind the same are raw, even primal, and there is a line that one approaches but does not transcend — not without sending the reader away.

At times I almost want to quit this weblog because I want to write things badly and don’t because I’m not sure myself where to draw the line of share or not share — how much of me goes into these pages?

So I have a follow up question to Mike’s: how much is too much? How much can a person share in their weblog before some line is crossed between a healthy catharsis and sharing of emotions and experiences, and a complete and uncontrolled dump of self. What’s your opinion? I really want to know.

Categories
Just Shelley

In St. Louis

In St. Louis I’m visiting one of my best friends, who also happens to be my ex-husband. Divorce isn’t always a negative event, and sometimes both parties can grow from the experience, as Robert and I have done. Oddly enough, both families and associated friends have also come to see that our relationship has evolved into something as close but different and have adapted to the change well.

Rob and I share joint custody of an intelligent, loving, playful cat named Zoe. She lived with me last summer when Rob was in Alaska, and is now living with Rob in his very cat-friendly place in St. Louis. Today I spent the day playing with her, cuddling her…and of course I have a photo of her to share with you.

Categories
Just Shelley

Life Jan 15 2002

Beautiful sunrise, too little sleep, and only instant coffee to drink since I forgot to get beans yesterday. Incoming mail box with 83 emails. The sweet and the sour. Yin and Yang.

I’m still thinking of the SF Gate article. One thing I liked about it was the different look at Islam portrayed in the article. Since September 11th, we’ve all looked for common points of connection between the three major religions – Christian, Jewish, Muslim. We looked in churches, in shared services, in philisophical discussions, and in the books representing each faith; in other words, within the sublime elements of religion.

We should have been looking at the everyday practice of faith, at the fact that all people have one thing in common: sometimes we would rather take a nap than attend a meeting, religious or otherwise. We don’t tiptoe at the tops of temples; we walk at the base. If we want to connect, we have to join hands on the ground floor.

My, aren’t I deep early in the AM. Must be the instant coffee. I promise to buy beans today.

-earlier-

Nothing like having to go through your postings for the day, correcting all the misspellings, fractured grammar, dangling participles, and unwashed pronouns.

However, I have my fishies to keep me company.

Nice fishies. Tasty fishies. Gollum. Gollum.

Watched Shrek tonight; it suited my rather off the wall mood resulting from writing on books, articles, and this heah (that’s accent, not misspell) weblog for 18 remorseless, unforgiving, and unmerciful hours! Fingers are permanently hooked.

To bed!

Categories
Weblogging

Meryl Evans interview

One other quick note before I got back to the writing that pays me a living (sort of, if I don’t eat):

Meryl Evans from Meryl’s Notes – had an online interview with the famous Head Lemur, which also got mentioned at Zeldman’s. Congrats Meryl.

See — joining hands on the ground floor. Meryl is a strong adherant of the web standards movement. And we all know that not everyone in the web standards movement is overally fond of me (i.e. said Mr. Zeldman and said Head Lemur). But Meryl’s still my buddy. Aren’t you Meryl. Meryl? Meryl?

Categories
People

John Walker

Just in: John Walker will be charged with aiding and abetting terrorists (CNN)

Update: From press conference. Four charges which can result in life in prison. He will be charged in civilian court.

One of the basic components of the charges was Walker’s attendance of an Al-Queda training camp, and meeting with Osama Bin Laden. Another is that he admits that he heard about the September 11th terrorists acts, but still kept fighting with the Taliban. This is based on his own discussions with the Military. (BBIRD – However, how admissible this will be will be dependent on his access to legal representation at the time of the discussions.)

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We’ll return this weblog to it’s regularly scheduled programming…