the privacy line
So I found this old draft in my files on my computer: a post that I had written when I first started this blog. It's nothing special; it's short and sweet and doesn't really do much other than explain a little bit why I choose to write the things I do.
Here it is:
When I first started this blog, I sat at my desk staring at my laptop for a good hour or so just watching the cursor blink on the screen as I tried to decide what to write about. I kept thinking of topics and then I'd immediately be like "LOL nevermind that's too personal" or "this is way too specific it's like the equivalent of a subtweet" or "that's just straight up stupid I wouldn't even want to read this and I'm the one writing it" and after awhile, I started to wonder where exactly the privacy line is between me and you, and what I wanted people to get out of this blog.
Then I realized what I wanted more than anything else was for people to get something real.
At what point is something too personal or embarrassing to write about for someone else to read? Truth is, even the most taboo and humiliating things we have stored in the basement of our shame are somehow still experiences someone can cringe and go, “oof, yeah” to. The way I have always seen it in the past is that if I can't keep it open enough for other people to find it relatable then I should just save it for my personal journal, but then again doesn't the entire entertainment sector of our lives revolve around things that have absolutely nothing to do with us?
TV shows, movies, books, etc. all have one thing in common; it's not about us. And boy, do we eat it up. We'll tear through the entire Star Wars series and not think once, "Wow, Darth Vader really reminds me of myself during that one scene where he's all angsty and just trying to conquer the galaxy." Or, some people do and if you are one of those people I recommend you seek counseling (I am one of those people).
There is entertainment value in reading experiences that aren't yours. A blog is like a distorted version of you and your pals sitting around the campfire exchanging stories about mishaps and fortune. Except here it's just me typing up things I want to say and you sitting on your computer somewhere in the world picking out what you want to hear, and maybe there's a fire but it's not between us and hopefully it's not either one of our houses that's ablaze.
I think it's really important for a writer to share their personal experiences in their writing. That's why I started this blog in the first place (that and I needed a way to justify the unhealthy amount of hours I spend alone, wrapped up in blankets and no doubt looking crusty, writing the majority of these posts). It keeps things interesting, but it also keeps things relatable and relevant. It serves a small yet entertaining way of reminding people that they aren't alone. I'm looking to find that happy medium between not giving too much information and not enough. A place where my talking in my sleep during class meets your unfortunate locker room experience; a place where I can link my reality with yours.
So cheers to keeping it real.
