T & M

about being aware, even online.

(Disclaimer: these thoughts are simply mine, take 'em or leave 'em)

I'm all about keepin' the blog happy and positive (mixed with some sarcasm and chuckle worthy stories here and there). I do this because of a simple fact: even though it's my blog, that doesn't mean that only I  read it. I know that there are a lot of people who are nice enough to come read my posts and who care about what's going on in my life. This blog is an outlet for me, and I am so grateful for it -- But, keeping an un-private blog is like being in a big room, talking to all your friends. What you write can be seen and read by everyone as if you are speaking to them face to face. If you're not careful, feelings could get hurt or people could get the wrong idea. This might make bloggers feel 'restricted' in what they would like to write, but for me, I don't mind these 'restrictions' at all. It's just a sign of the times. I truly feel that online communication has just as many social rules that face to face communication has. We should be Christlike, kind, and loving with what we write just as we would be if we were talking to a girlfriend over some hot chocolate and donuts...(I'm kind of craving a donut right now). Does this mean that you can't express yourself on the blog? No, of course not (I mean, look at what I'm doing right now! ha). But I do believe that bloggers need to be aware of who might be reading their blog. I haven't been perfect at this by any means, but I want to become better.

I have been thinking about this a lot over the last six months (it started after I wrote a 14 pg. blogging research paper last April) and especially over the last month because I have been holding back from blog-venting. Venting is good, but sometimes it's not great. The past month has been the most physically difficult time of my life. I could write post, after post, after post, about how I can't sleep, can't walk, can't run, etc, etc, ... but I won't (well, I will in my personal journal, but not online). Why? The answer is easy..

 I have several sweet, beautiful, and wonderful friends who read this blog who cannot conceive at this time, even though they want to more than anything in the world. I don't even have the slightest clue of the pain and heartache that they are going through, but I want to be sensitive and aware of them by not writing post after post about how incredibly hard being pregnant can be, when those who are going through fertility issues would give their right leg to have a sleepless night because their baby keeps kicking them in the ribs.

 I am not ashamed of my excitement for the arrival of my sweet baby. It is a time of joy, love, excitement, and gratitude -- and those are the things I like to focus on, because hey, they are the most important things to think about anyways, right?

Well that's all for today from this lady. I'll do some sort of update after my homework gets done. Huzzah for school.

Jena out.