Thursday, December 9, 2010

why the secrecy?

Last night, I got a facebook message from one of my oldest and dearest friends. It seems that she had stumbled upon this little blog of mine and wanted to let me know that she'd been reading for about a month now. She asked why I hadn't mentioned it, why it was a secret. I explained a bit, just saying how I like my little corner of the world where most of my "real life" friends don't know. It's not as though I write anything inappropriate in here- I think this blog is pretty G-rated, wouldn't you agree? :) Still though, she understood my reasonings, she said.


It's funny, because she also blogs, and I comment on hers, though when I comment, I comment anonymously and write "love, lexilooo" in the space, as her mother and sister read hers, and they are also close family friends. I think my mother reads hers sometimes too, though my mother isn't much of a blog person to begin with. She says that she "doesn't get blogs."


We were messaging back and forth for a bit, and I said that maybe one day I'd make it "public," and tell my family about it. Then she asked if my mother would be upset that I'd kept it from her for so long, which made me think a bit.

Is your blog public or private? Does your family and friends know about it? If so, what was their reaction? If it is private, what made you decide to blog that way, and do you plan to eventually tell people about it? What do you think they will think of it?

9 comments:

how i met your father blog said...

many of my real life girlfriends know about my blog. my brother and sister do, too. but i've kept it private from my coworkers and extended family. also, i work in a very conservative environment, and so wouldn't necessarily want them to be aware!

Amy, a redeemed sheep said...

Public, though I haven't gone out of my way to say...Come see!

Jille said...

Because we do not live near our families, I made my blog so that my family could keep up to date with our life. Some of the people at work have learned about it too! It is a rose tinted online view of our life that one day my children will appreciate. I enjoy reading yours too!
Jille x

Shannon said...

Some people know about my blog and others don't. Not for any specific reason I just don't really advertise it to those in my life. Sometimes I feel weird knowing that my "real life" friends are reading it and almost wish it was private from them.

Unknown said...

My first follower was my son and I don't think he has been back since... My blog is open to everyone who wants to visit but most of my 'real life friends' are not into the internet so don't bother.
Beverley
www.beverleylovestosew.blogspot.com

Mandy said...

I kept mine private for awhile and then went public with it after a few months. I decided that what i include there is okay for anyone to read and nothing I'm embarassed about. I do understand why others don't mention it though. Some of my inlaws don't know about mine and I just never bring it up.

Mandy
www.mandylifeafter30.com
www.learn-laugh-cook.blogspot.com

Kittie Howard said...

My blog is semi-private. The reason I tell my Louisiana stories is to leave my nieces a sense of family legacy. They're grown but so into lifestyles family stuff bores them. So they don't know; when they're ready I'll have this blog for them to read.

Otherwise, some friends know. Nothing is a secret, actually. I just don't want people saying, Hey, why don't you blog about this or that???

Shoshanah said...

My family knows about it and a few close friends. My mom actually found it and then e-mailed me asking if it was ok if she read it. In a way it's kind of nice because I can use it to let me parents know what I'm up to. But then there's times where I wish I could be honest about certain things, but aren't necessarily because I know my family (immediate and even extended) reads it.

Meg @ write meg! said...

My blog is very public... linked to my personal Facebook profile and read by my family, friends, boyfriend, coworkers... and probably tons of people I know personally but don't realize know about write meg!

In the beginning, it made me a bit uncomfortable -- I was thinking my blog would be more like a journal, a place for me to share my personal feelings. But it's evolved into something very different from that and, like you, I keep things pretty G- or PG-rated! Before writing/posting, I always think, "Okay, would I want my grandmother reading this?"

And if the answer is no, I don't post it. Because she really will read it, haha!