The Blogging World

Sometimes when I'm bored (or procrastinating), I click the "next blog" button at the top of the page.  The blogging world is certainly an interesting one.  I've seen blogs from all countries in all sorts of languages.  

I've noticed that lots of new young families blog, probably to update families and friends across the miles.  They document pregnancies from week to week, share baby pictures, tell funny kid stories, etc.  Many of those new young families post links to other new young families, and I've peeped in on adorable babies, kids on the first day of school, birthday parties, wedding receptions, and family reunions.  Sometimes they get to me a little because I wish I had my own new family to blog about.  When I'm in a pity party mood, I try to steer clear of the "next blog" button unless I'm feeling like a total glutton for punishment.  

I've noticed that many LDS families blog.  I find that interesting.  I've also noticed that many private photography studios have a blog.  I love those... looking in on senior pictures, engagement pictures, baby pictures.  I've come across blogs that I like to check in on from time to time... like this blog by a United Methodist pastor.  I've also come across blogs that are a little scary and that I hope to never find again.  Some blogs totally tick me off... tons of right-wing Conservative Christians have blogs.  I don't know why some suck me in, but they do, and they raise my blood pressure every time.  

Some blogs are forgettable, but some blogs have really affected me.  I'm thinking of one in particular that moved me so much.  Maybe I'll write about it on here someday, but the experience that lead up to me finding that blog was incredibly emotional and fairly upsetting, so it's still too fresh at this point.  But, anyway, I have been surprised to realize that blogging could connect me on such an emotional level to complete strangers.

I've linked my friends' blogs to mine, and people have reconnected with them through me.  I've also connected with blogs through theirs.  I find more friends all the time who blog.  It's kind of amazing.

There are all different styles of blogging.  Mine is honest but not too honest.  In other words, I blog about the day-to-day stuff in my life.  I share joys and concerns... a lot of stuff that I used to journal about.  However, I don't blog about the dark places.  Nobody needs to be reading about that.  ;)  I share personal experiences and things that I find entertaining.  

Blogging is a weird world.  I mean that in a good way, for the most part.  I wonder how many people actually blog.  And I wonder if anyone else peeks in on my blog the way I peek in on others.  There is probably some social experiment there.  I wonder what anthropologists of the future will think of blogging.  Hm.  I think I better go to bed.