A word about blogs

So I am (obviously) new to the whole blog thing. It's whole different world I have discovered here in cyberspace, and I find it so strange how all the bloggers know each other, and visit each other's blogs and comment on them, then comment on their blogs about what they've commented on the other's blog, and so on. I guess not strange really, but surprising. I would never have guessed that blogging had a whole subculture of its own, complete with popularity contests and bitch fights, just like in high school, or the local Moms club. Human nature, I guess.

But that's not what I wanted to write about.

The thing that I like so much about my blog is the potential audience. I realize that no one has ever read my blog and it would take a lot of work for anyone to find me, but still, when I write here, I write as if I do have readers. And that makes me write better than I do in my journal, which I know no one will ever read or judge.

When I started this blog, I thought that maybe I would send my mom or other family members the link, so they could read about what was going on out here in California with the two little munchkins. All my family lives on the opposite coast, so we don't get to see each other often. And I'd read that blogs were one way to keep in touch with family and friends. But so far I haven't been brave enough to fess up. Although I do still consider it, and every now and then I even compose an email, with the link included. I guess one day I'll do it, but until then I just write knowing that someone I love might just be reading this.

The other thing is this: what if I want to bitch about one of my family members? If they know about this site then they will be reading, especially if we are fighting. So I am also keeping my privacy for that reason. I am sure there is a way to keep certain posts private, and maybe that's what the other bloggers do when they need to vent about something that could hurt a loved one's feelings. But, as you may have figured by now, I have no idea how to do that. I suppose it's possible that one day I will learn.

The other day I left a comment on another blog. When you leave a comment, there is a place for you to enter your blog web address, and so I did, albeit nervously. I suppose that is how you get people to read your blog, by leaving the address around. But I'm still not sure I want anyone to read this. God knows the last thing I need is perfect strangers criticizing me. Although lots of people make nice comments, too.

(In any event, if anyone ever did come to my blog, they wouldn't be able to see any text, since my blogroll has pushed all the text way out of sight. So one look and they would run away, probably thinking all kinds of snarky things about me and what an idiot I must be.

And to be honest, when it comes to code and blogging in general, I am an idiot. I don't know what the hell I'm doing here. )

So far no one has come to see my blog. But it is possible that I may start leaving comments in an effort to get some more traffic. But the thing is, once I start doing that, then I'm all caught up in it. Then I'll get competitive and want more hits than everybody else. Maybe I'll even take away my blogroll so nobody can get to someone else's blog from here. You see? Its a slippery slope.

Right now I am happy in blogging wasteland. But who knows how long this will last. . .