Why I’ve stopped blogging

Dee, thanks for posting this. I’m happy to have the students read your views because it really helps to provide balance in viewing social media, and blogging in particular.

I’m often caught in the situation where our focus on blogging in classes, I fear, causes students to see it as something I wholeheartedly embrace for every situation. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of something new. Blogging is almost always *very* new for the students.

Your experiences will help them achieve that balance. All things in perspective and all things in their place, as the saying goes. Sometimes it can work and other times it can be a detriment.

Thanks. And, I’m glad you’ll still be sharing and contributing here at Marcomblog.

Well, I disagree with your belief that blogging is foolish for most companies. But, that said, I’ve never been a True Believer in blogging. I believe in it with my critical faculties fully engaged, just like I do everything (I hope). But it’s good in an environment of sometimes completely uncritical cheerleading, to read something that is very critical, though well thought out.

D: You’re a contrarian. But, what’s worked for WB?

Ah. I see. I remember in the 90s all the starry-eyed infants I worked with (and some people who should have known better), proclaimed that ecommerce would change the world. Everyone would always make no end of money with no cessation and no repercussions. That didn’t sound right then and of course it wasn’t. By the same token, blogging (in a corporate context specifically) is no way going to completely remake people’s relationships with their clients. But I think it would be equally suspect to say it will make no change.

I think it’s great to get excited about things, but I am constantly astounded by people’s ability to unlearn lessons. In my opinion, blogging has not changed anything. Rather, it has “bodied forth” what lay latently in people’s minds. For instance, I don’t want to be tricked or lied to by a company.

I don’t want unidirectional assaults on my phone, mailbox or in box. Blogging merely provides a way to make those preferences actual. Will that mean I will never get another email impugning the size of my unit? Or no more calls presuming my urgent need to refinance? Hardly. But as I say here if you find the right vehicle for your type of communication and employ very real _follow through_, you’re going to improve things for your company and your customers. Where I think you and I differ is that I definitely see blogging as a top-grade tool for many companies.

Note: Edited by Robert to make the hyperlink out of the raw URL that was pasted into the comment. Comments in this blog, if you don’t use the hyperlink and just paste in a URL, will likely cause your future comments to be automatically labeled as spam. So, I encourage comments using links to write in the HTML. I guess I should install quicktags for adding those and I will in the next upgrade. Akismet and Spam Karma seem to label such comments (with URLs absent the code) as spam. Go figure. I’ve seen it happen before (your most recent comment was labeled spam, for instance) and just wanted to add this to explain my edit.

To my mind, that’s a lot like asking, “Why cars and not helicopters?” (Because cars are a lot easier to drive than helicopters. And people do easier things better and more often than they do difficult things.)

Since this is my first semester in class with Robert, I’m obviously very new to the blogosphere. I’ve been mentioning for a few weeks about how nervous I am and overwhelmed about the whole concept of blogging. I even blogged about Andrew Jenkins code of ethics for blogging in my own personal blog this week. I mentioned that for now, I might use his as a guide until I get used to blogging and come up with my own rules because I know I need them.

I’ve been hearing all the benefits of blogging for a while now, but this is the first real negative I have heard about blogging. It’s interesting for me as I’m trying to enter the world of blogging to see someone who has been doing it for a while to speak so adamantly about how bad they feel it is.

I said this on another blog comment. I think I’m going to take everything with a grain of salt. You guys are the experts and I feel lucky to even be able to read what you have to write and get your real world experience. I’m going to blog this semester, and I know at the end of the semester, I will be ahead of other people trying to enter my field. However, I want to thank you for continuing to contribute to MarcomBlog despite your obvious dislike for blogging. As a student about to enter the profession with almost no experience, I hope you know that we (well at least I) do read and appreciate the advice in your posts!

Now that I have Robert as a professor, I have recently been introduced to the world of blogging. I am very new to this concept and very nervous to blog not only on mine but on other’s as well. I do feel that this is a very important skill for me to take into the professional world, especially since many of my future competitors are not blogging. However, I do agree that this idea works for some companies and doesn’t for others. As Evyan said, this is the first time that I have heard about a negative side of blogging. We keep hearing how this is so beneficial for companies to do, but I knew there had to be a downside to it somewhere. I do believe that blogging is very important to many companies out there, but I also feel it can harm others when words are not chosen carefully. News can spread so fast that if someone wrote something they shouldn’t have, millions could have seen it by the time the problem could be fixed.

I agree that blogging is great for personal use. It is a way to get your opinion on issues out there and good practice for when you might have to blog for your company someday. I thank you for revealing this side of blogging to us and helping us to understand both the positives and negatives. This helps us to know that this is an essential skill to have for the future, but there are other ways to get your message across besides blogging.

This is also my first semester with Robert, and blogging is also very new to me. It was interesting to hear something negative about blogging since all we have really been doing is discussing the pros of blogging. I can definitely see how blogging can be fun and personal yet useless to the company. Maybe it depends on what company it is being used for.

At first, I was very nervous about the whole concept of blogging. I did not know exactly what it meant. The thought of posting my comments on a big website made me worry about making everything sound perfect. However, I have come to realize that it is a great way to be able to express myself and to read what other people are thinking as well. I have become so much more comfortable with blogging since I have been in this class, and people like you have helped me learn so much more about it.

Glad to know that blogs aren’t the end-all, be-all of PR. I don’t mind commenting and reading about how blogs have helped shaped the face of PR, but I don’t see myself going out into the world and using blogs for any company that I am working for/with. (I could be wrong here, but I just don’t see it.)
I have always felt though, that being aware of the technology that exists, and knowing how to work with it will give/has given me an advantage above my peers that will be job-searching right along with me.

Dee- I LOVE IT!
Everything you said hit home with me. Having a continuous scroll of news on CNN forces reporters to over-report and it distorts our perception on what is really news. This community that allows anyone to hit “publish” has completely dizzied me over what is really worth reading.

After the NASA love-triangle incident, I checked the NASA Web site to check and see if it had anything. Not a blog in site, which seemed right to me. If it is not important enough for a company to address collectively on a homepage- then no individual COO or director should comment.

We are in an age that presidential candidates are allocating their resources for blog detail teams. They do it because they are told it is what to do. It will make them seem “hip” to young voters and a step ahead the rest. Rather than using money for an extra statewide tour, they are putting more messages out in blogs that will 1) just be lost in the thousand other political blogs and 2) only reach the techno savvy (already) educated voters. The efforts will fall on deaf ears because people in the blogosphere have heard too much noise!

It seems blogs just talk about the art of blogging. Which I affectionately refer to as “blahhhging.” If you really have that much to say- get legit and become an editorial journalist or write a book. Good luck to you on your own, by the way.

Do you think that blogging, as it is becoming increasingly popular, will soon fade out? That everyone will grow tired of reading wild men’s rants? (I applaud the comment, “Blogging is largely an exercise of EGO.”) And if it does lose its steam, what could possibly be blogs’ replacement?

Dee,

Refreshing. Also new to this idea of blogging and this new world, I found your thoughts and comments refreshing. Blogging has been built up constantly and I agree that it is a good outlet and way of communication, but at the same time I take great concern for what I’m putting available for anyone to see. Should I be this scared of blogging?

Could I exceed in my career as a public relations practictioner if I do not blog?

I like how you just put all your thoughts out and made them public, even if it wasn’t promoting blogging in the best light. We should be careful. I am careful everytime I post something for the world to see. I appreciate your advice and will continue to be even more careful.

I do not see myself blogging for a living, but I am grateful for allowing this window of technology to be opened for me. I appreciate Mr. French and his hard work and I appreciate writers such as you to give us a balance. Thank you!

Dee,
This post is much appreciated. As a newbie it’s good to read alternate views about the merits of blogging. I’ve been wondering how effective blogging could possibly be in the corporate world, and if large companies will have trouble embracing this change. I agree that communications staff will be hard-pressed to let some executive blog knowing how risky the consequences could be.

Personally, when thinking about why I blog (other than passing Robert’s class), writing is the first thing that comes to mind. Writing cannot be understimated as a valuable tool for a public relations practitioner, and I am thankful to have this outlet to practice in. Beyond my college career, I am hoping to continue blogging, whether it be through my job or on my own. I believe it is important to write constantly, and get as much practice as possible. I’m not one for journals or diaries, but blogging seems to be holding out better for me.

While I’m not giving up on blogging any time soon, I will take all of your advice in stride. Looking forward to your thoughts in the future, thanks!

I was both surprised and appreciative upon reading your post. While I have spent the past weeks reading countless posts and articles about the advantages of blogging, your’s recognizes the downsides of it as well. Your post challenges us and is further informing us on this world of blogging from a different perspective than what we have been reading.

Similar to most of my fellow students I too am a new blogger and have been very uncertain about blogging in general. I did not like the idea that my writing was available for anyone to see nor did I feel confident that my writing would be error-free enough to be so public. As I have continued to blog, I wonder who determines what is the right or wrong way to blog. In other words, it seems like a very uncontrolled medium. As I have been blogging over the past few weeks, I have become more comfortable with writing for the entire world to see. Still I am very cautious about the content and the messages I am sending out.

I appreciate your reaffirming that blogging will be very significant for us in competing for jobs. I feel that a knowledge of this tool and how it is being used in the field will better equip us for our upcoming job searches. I have been practicing my writing much more consistently as I have been blogging. I feel improving my writing will also better equip me for my career. I admit that I am a little skeptical of this blogosphere. Because anyone can publish anything I feel it lacks a sense of credibility as well as accountability. When I post a comment, no one knows which “Allison” it is, which protects my identity but the whole world does not know what I wrote unless I give them that access. Also, we have learned that it is very important to know your audience when writing. In blogging, how do you know your audience?

With all this being said, thank you for your advice. I look forward to what the rest of this semester holds as I learn more from Robert and professionals who are so willing to teach us.

Dee,
I really enjoyed your post! It’s helpful to think about the full spectrum of blogging. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in this new technology that we “put all our eggs in one basket.” I think we start to focus too much on the excitement of blogging and forget to look at the down side. Just because it’s the newest form of public relations, doesn’t mean it’s the best form.

As you said, we have to wonder how much we are actually accomplishing by blogging. Of course we enjoy it because we all think what we have to say is important. We all love hearing ourselves talk! Like you said, it use to be next to impossible to broadcast our thoughts to a mass audience. Now with the click of a button, all of our thoughts are available for the world to read. But as you state, is anyone really reading our blogs when there are 50 million out there? Are we really making a difference? Do we even have anything important to say?

I can’t say that I’ve fully made up my mind about the importance of blogging, but I do know I will look at it more critically in the future. While I will continue to learn about blogging and social media, I will be more aware of its pitfalls. I guess all any of us can do is wait and see what the future holds for blogging. Maybe it’s here to stay or maybe it’s just another passing trend. Time will tell.

Dee,

I thought this post was interesting and honest. I think that it’s important for us as PR students to be hearing a different opinion about blogging. I particularly liked the part about starting a diary instead of writing a blog. I can imagine there are many bloggers out there that feel that people want to hear about their personal lives. Don’t get me wrong I think people should express themselves, but not everything in someone’s life needs to be public.

As a beginning blogger I don’t feel I know everything about blogging. Do you think that blogging will become more important once more PR professionals begin to do it? It seems it could be a useful communication tool if the organization/individual knows how to reach their target audience.

On the other hand, I can also see how it could have its disadvantages. If a PR professional is not experienced with this new tool, it could lead to misperceptions of his or her organization. Hopefully as more PR students begin to learn about blogging and other new communication tools before they enter the real world, we will know when it is necessary to incorporate them. Thanks again for your different perspective!

Dee,

It is really good to hear a different view of what blogging means to the profession. I definately think it is important for us to know about. I feel more qualified to enter into the PR world already. But it is nice to know that our blogging knowledge won’t be the main deciding factor of the future of our careers.

I personally love being able to voice my opinion about whatever my opinion is at the time, but it is a personal thing. And I completely agree with what you said about blogging with caution. You’re right, I could voice a premature opinion about something and after I gain more info, change that opinion. But then I would seem like a flip-flopper and we all know what damage that can do.

Have you ever seen a case where blogging actually hurt the career of a new PR professional? Once that happens, what can be done to regain credibility?

Thanks for your post.

As a critic of just about everything, I am generally not content with a concept until I hear some opposition toward it. So Dee, I really appreciate your comment. It is crucial for us baby-bloggers to gain real perspective about blogging. I was starting to believe that blogging would solve the world’s problems.

Dee, what sparked this “realization” about blogging? Have you always had this attitude or did it just hit you?

From a fellow contrarian, thanks for the honest perspective.

Dee-
I agree with you completely about blogging in the corporate sector. Although I’m sure it will work in favor of some smaller businesses, I think if a company has a good website that provides enough information, then that should be enough. Blogging can be dangerous. You cannot predict who will read your blog, make unfavorable comments or even start their own blog to negate everything you say.

Recently, I heard about one of Sen. John Edwards’ employees getting fired for blogging and writing anti-Catholic remarks. A company who has someone blogging for them will have to take complete responsibility for the statements of one person.

I’ve never considered blogging to have an important role in the type of PR that I would like to pursue, but I can see how it might be important in other aspects of it. Thank you for your insight into the world of blogging as you see it. It’s refreshing to finally hear someone be honest about the pros and cons of it.

Dee,
Thanks for all you have contributed. As I comment on blogs every week for class, I see myself going to your site because I always enjoy what you are writing about and always feel like I have some input to add. I am glad you are taking time to do your own thing and I am sure you will enjoy it. I also want to say thank you for letting our little community know that you plan to take a hiatus. It is a big disappointment to go to one of the contributers site and see that it has not been updated in a very long time. “Enter with caution. Have fun. But don’t be fooled that it is necessary for your professional development.” — That is some of the best advice I have heard in a long time related to blogging. Thanks, Dee!

Dee,

When introduced to professional blogs in Robert’s class, I had many questions as to how personal or how important blogging is to my career. It seemed as though it would be a tool that could potentially put us ahead of peers across the country. But for me, I still had several questions. Can’t this tool also harm us?

And from logic and your post combined, it seems as though it does have potential danger for careers. I completely understand your point as to why don’t companies just manage their website better. It is frustrating to visit websites to research information about internships and their homepage hasn’t been updated since October. But somehow, they’ve managed to blog. It makes me wonder if that is a company I want to work for.

So as for blogging in class, it is something we must do. And I understand its reason. And I also thank Robert for reinforcing that we should be very careful with its content and grammar. It only drives home the point that blogging could help us, but it could hurt careers if people aren’t careful.

:: breath of relief ::

The first time I heard of blogging was on MySpace. It wasn’t in Robert’s class, or in any professional development training… it was on a website focused toward a young audience where we blabbed all about our personal lives. Which most of the information that goes on a blog doesn’t need to be posted in the first place. As much research as I have done in preparation for my professional life, I never once came across the slightest hint or notion of the importance of blogging.

Dee, thank you SO much for posting something like this. I totally agree with your views on blogging, and now I do NOT feel bad for having the same feelings. On my personal blog we are required to have for class, I have posted several times about my hesitance on blogging. I just don’t see the purpose of it all, and I have taken time to think about it very deeply. I have came to the conclusion that blogging is highly over-rated and after reading Dee’s post, I am comfortable with my feelings.

Blogging is a resource that is optional for each individual and all organizations. However, I do feel it is not a negative for businesses to participate in. Many organizations such as, Edelman, NASCAR, Red Cross, and West Paces corporation have all found large benefits that have improved their organization. I only named four organizations here, but I know there are several more organizations that have found overwhelming changes and benefits from blogging. Yes, blogging has hurt several organizations also; although how does it benefit an organization if they ignore resources such as blogging that are available for them to use? Does the organization not also harm itself by not experimenting with social media resources that so many other individuals and organizations are using?

Your knowledge and opinions on blogging and public relations are very valuable to me Dee. I understand why blogging would not benefit some organizations due to the monitoring, time, and skills it takes if you want the material to be reliable. Anyone and everyone is allowed to push out content through social media today; this is an amazing resource because it is available to all. However, this also makes the material less reliable and hard to monitor. Today it is hard to know what material/blogs to trust and actually even read. Opening this tool up to everyone in a way makes it a dangerous tool for the web. No matter what will come of all this, I definitely have grown to enjoy blogging and appreciate all the resources and benefits provided through it.

I really appreciate the bluntness. We do get lost in all of this blogging because of class. I think that sometimes students are confused about Robert’s intentions. We need the reminder that blogging isn’t everything. But I think that what Robert is trying to do is make sure that we are prepared, just in case we do happen to be one of those few students who end up working for a company that really needs blogging to keep up with its competitors. I think that the reason he has us “comment away” is to have us out there reading the information (like this) about social media so that we’re aware of what’s going on when we do get jobs. And the constant blogging is teaching us how to edit sound files, use html coding, feed video to a site and to start from point A with a company who is interested in starting a blog. I think you’re right about having WEB sites with blog attributes; I like the idea of just having a comments section available on the site, and for some companies it will come to that, I’m sure. You mentioned the fact that our writing is always out there, for anyone to read. I think this is also another reason Robert’s having us blog. He’s teaching us to censor ourselves. We need to make sure we’re writing truth, we need to spell check and need to be careful what we say. Knowing that this information is forever “out there” makes us become our own editors. This exercise that Robert’s having us do for class does seem to take over sometimes, and it’s good to be reminded that blogging isn’t everything and won’t be used by most of us in our professional lives.

I was really excited when I read Dee’s input on why she has chosen to stop blogging. I, too think that blogging is largely an exercise of ego and have wondered why people don’t just keep a personal journal of these unprofessional feelings. An official website is the most effectively accredited source for any company, so that is where the issues, mission, the COMPANY’S opinions and communications need to be stated openly, in a professional manner, with the company’s approval. I think blogging takes away a lot of that credit and turns issues into just personal opinions. I agree with Dee, blogging should just be used for fun and personal reasons, leaving your company’s jeopardy out of your hands.

I am motivated by the idea of a forward-thinking agency and I hope to work for one in the future. I think that is why a lot of us chose to major in public relations, because it is continuously changing and always moving forward. If I do get hired by such a company, I know it won’t be because of my knowledge, or lack thereof, in blogging. Blogging is also forward moving and may deteriorate one day, just as Dee’s experience has caused her to stop.

I agree to an extent. There are over 50 million blogs out there, so one blog post ends up being a needle in a haystack. Professional blogging should not be the only communication between the organization and its publics. But during crisis situations, a blog could serve as a valuable channel.

Monitoring poisonous blogs can be beneficial too. Not responding to viscious blog posts can hurt the company’s reputation. Consumers are quick to accept what their peers have to say about corporations; without responding to certain negative posts, organizations could lose credibility and trustworthiness.

Blogging does seem very peripheral to the success of any organization. But it can serve as a necessary communication tool. Responding to negative comments and accusations that could harm the company’s image continues to be essential to retain credibility.

Oh, puh-lease! Gag me with a spoon. If I hear one more person challenge the power and effect of blogging with this kind of drivel…I think I’ll scream. Wait - let me scream now.

Blogging, like other digital content, is what you make of it. A blog can be a powerful connector - introducing you to hundreds, nay, thousands, of people you would NEVER meet via your website. It can be a method of writing the book so many of you here advise people to do. It can be a tool that helps your audience understand your work and have a glimpse into how you (or your company) do the things you do.

Or, it can be mindless ranting with no purpose at all.

Should corporate CEOs blog? Yes. Should they be disciplined and not write about things they aren’t supposed to write about…the very same way they don’t TALK about things they aren’t supposed to talk about? Yes. Should they be authentic and open and honest and - heaven forbid! - friendly? You bet.

As for the comment saying, “Determining whether the content you see is good or crap is up to you now. ” Now? Now? It’s ALWAYS been up to us. Every book ever written, every magazine article, every news program… requires the viewer or reader to decide if it’s credible, useful, or worthwhile. The content in blogs should make readers go, “Hmmm…” And, for every person who likes to say, “Well, business publications and newspapers have editors…” I say, “Yeah? So?” Editors don’t make mistakes? Hire bad writers? Print incorrect information? You be they do.

And, the worst thing about editors is - they’re the ones who decide what gets into the publication so…what you’re reading is at their mercy. In the blogosphere, what you read is a choice you make, on your own. Bloggers don’t hide behind false brand images… if they do, they get found out fast, and chastized.

So, is blogging for everybody? No. Is blogging the be-all and end-all of communication? No. Is blogging worthwhile? Yes.

Because connecting - to your colleagues, vendors, customers, and other experts is always good. That’s what a blog should do for the writer and the reader. Connect them through the power of conversation. There is no better way to break down barriers and learn to share and share alike, than that.

IMHO

p.s. I get more business as a direct result of my blog than my website. No, I’m not taking the website down…but, you can bet I’m going to keep blogging. And, I am teaching others how to get the same results, with a blog.

Yvonne, I may agree with some of your ideas, but feel compelled to offer a few clarifications for the students.

You ask, “Should corporate CEOs blog?” and say, “Yes.” I would have to say some, but not all, might consider blogging. I think most of us have met a CEO that, although great at running a business or organization, they would be a disaster in their true voice in a blog. Regardless of all the discipline and guidance we may wish to instill and provide, their true voice might cause a true disaster.

For instance, if a CEO (the type that shuns “guidance” from anyone) should chose to opine on a popular news topic, totally unrelated to their business, and it winds up being un-PC or downright foolish - we might have an ugly backlash. Now, if the business in question is publicly traded and the resulting firestorm of bad publicity ignites a backlash that has a negative effect upon the stock price, well - have we done anyone a disservice by encouraging blogging? What if someone that disagrees with said CEO’s opinion begins a campaign of spurious claims against the company? That is a very real possiblity, you know. Is blogging still a wise idea?

It comes down to a realization of “all things in their place” and using a strategy only when it fits the environment. That means the people involved - messenger, audience - and also the subject matter being discussed.

Universal claims of strategies as a proper path for all to follow are never wise advice to employers and clients.

Finally … not trying to be snarky, but - can we all agree that a blog, or weblog, is a Web site, or website?

Comments and conversations were actually possible on Web sites before they were ever called blogs or weblogs.

Semantic, I know, but still important.

With deep apologies to you all… in response to this post I’ve written a whole book, which includes a consideration of whether you here at Auburn are being fed koolaid.

Dee’s posts (the one here and the one on his own site) have prompted a good deal of discussion on blogs and also on For Immediate Release. I’ve read and listened, and my mental wheels are spinning unstoppably. I started to blog about this on my own blog, but the post got out of hand. When it went beyond 7K words, I decided to turn it into an e-book.

A sketch of my thoughts:

I find considerable evidence to suggest that, as Dee says, the noise level is going up, and as he strongly implies, the blogosphere becomes increasingly time-wasteful the older it gets.

Ultimately, the question of whether time spent blogging is well spent is an economic one. In that spirit, I introduce a unit of measure which I think is essential for economic analysis of blogging. It’s a unit describing the value of a link. Called the scoble, it’s the average value of a link to one’s blog from Scobleizer. With that unit defined, we can start to think about the cost, in time, to earn a scoble, which leads to one’s being read by others.

Economics is the dismal science, and the picture that comes into focus as I ponder all of this is a bit dark. Such sad figures as zombies and Monty Python’s dead parrot make doleful appearances.

BUT… I find that Marcom Blog is part of the solution. What you have here is a small, sanitary subset of today’s messy blogosphere. It reminds me somewhat of the sphere of 2002, when I first blogged.

I have some concrete suggestions as to how to bring back some of the beauties of the blogosphere of 5 hears ago. Some of my ideas are inspired by what I see here. (And some, admittedly, by flights of fancy which may be downright silly.)

For those willing to undertake a read somewhat longer than the average blog post, my thoughts are packaged into a little PDF e-book titled Unfashionably Late. It’s easily visible on the sidebar of my Alpha Mind blog. I hope you’ll check it out.

The post that introduces Unfashionably Late is here, but as I say, you can just as easily grab the book from the sidebar.

If blogging is indeed just an indulgence of ego, then I’d be curious to know how you view other forms of personal expression.

Does that mean that ALL forms of art or literature or music that have any personal or reflective tone belong on your “done” list? That you’d like to put a cap on all of those forms of media? That there are too many voices there, too?

Since when is another voice a bad thing? Since when is mass expression anything but a virtue?

As with most of our conversations and exchanges in general, 90% (or more) of what gets said is not going to be useful to every single person who could come across it on the Web. Just like the conversation the people on the bus are having next to me doesn’t necessarily engage me.

But that doesn’t make it unworthy. Or done. Or useless. Or that someone else sitting nearby isn’t dying to take part.

That same notion goes for businesses who use blogging. Just because their dialogs don’t engage you doesn’t mean that they aren’t significant for the members of that company and their market.

An effective business blog doesn’t necessarily need to haul in 50,000 visitors a month to be useful to that business… it need only serve and inform their customer base effectively.

And what “effective” means is a highly individual notion.

There’s a huge difference between being a provacateur and a snob.

I’m glad you’re working on a book, though, because land knows, we’ve got a shortage of those out there.

I feel like blogging can be a form of therapy sometimes. My blogs sometimes start to rant and rave which then makes me wonder…who really cares about what I think?

But maybe, just maybe, somebody does. Or at the very least they get entertainment from my opinions and worldly knowledge.

It has always scared me that anyone and everyone can read what I have to say. That is why I feel that one should not blog in haste. If you’re really upset about something you may say things, or write things, that could hurt feelings or offend people. Blogging while upset could ruffle some feathers. You have to wait for a little while until you can express your opinions after you’ve settled down a bit.

I think blogging can be fun at times, but you definitely need to be careful.