Sunday, July 12, 2009

Blog Identity Crisis

Why do you blog?

I started this one as sort of an electronic scrapbook...a way to relieve the guilt that my girls' baby books are pretty much bare. And organized photo albums? Good luck. At least here I could throw down some info with a date and a few photos attached to it.

Then I started using it more as a journal of the funny things that parenting brings your way. The crazy things your children say and do that make you laugh. Because crying isn't as fun of an option.

Then FaceBook came along. Has FaceBook hurt anyone else's blogging identity? I feel like I can upload personal photos there and journal our outings, and just keep this more of a general mom blog...but then again not everyone has a FB account. Mainly my mom.

She is still waiting to see pictures from several little events and even a few big ones that just can't be put into a concise and hopefully funny post.

So, just consider this fair warning. The next few posts may look like photo dumps. My blog is in an identity crisis.

12 comments:

Hanley Family said...

My blog has occasional identity crises, too. I drift around and find my way back, eventually. That is the joy of a personal blog, I guess.

H-Mama said...

Dump away! That's why I started mine too... I haven't finished my girls' scrapbooks either and my youngest is 7! I hope to transfer most of my blog into books for them one day. Well, so they can at least have from 7 yrs and up. ;)

Lisa said...

I feel the same way at times. My blog started similar to yours, putting up pictures and writing about fun kid days, hard kid days and things in between. I love homekeeping, and decorating and just sharing life as a mom. But I feel like it's too much sometimes, like I need one central focus. And I like some annonymity! I like that my very closest friends and family don't read my blog. Because on those rough days...strangers reading my blog seems a lot easier! So sometimes I have dry spells and other times the keyboard is hot! It just comes and goes. I guess recording my kid's memories should be my main focus, I can't wait to share all the funny stories with them as they get older :)

Kristi said...

We all feel that way too about our own blogs. I can't wait to see more pictures.

Jennifer said...

I've given up on being funny or witty on my blog. Sometimes I just don't have the time or energy that is required to do more than post pics and document what's been going on! Besides, with my one faithful reader (you!) who am I out to impress! Ha! It is a great outlet for family to pop in and read about what is going on in our world. The fam is not on facebook so I think I do more on the blog because of that. And the boys love to look at the pics of themselves on the blog! :)

Marci @Finding Joy in the Journey said...

ahh ys, the evil Facebook! It' easier to write short quick thing, it's asier to post pictures and it sucks out your blogging mojo. I can relate!! I keep reminding myself that the blog stuff is going to be recorded long term, it's really worth my time, but facebook is more about connecting and nothing there is going to be handed down to my kids. So why is it that once you sign in it's so hard to sign out??

AmyB said...

I think it's sad that I check FB 100x a day to see what's going on with everybody else! My blog became a pregnancy book and will eventually become Noah's 1st year/baby book! Don't give up the blogger, even if it takes time!

Jeni said...

I decided that FB is too temporary to trust my memories to. Look at MySpace. When it came along, EVERYONE was doing it and nobody thought that it would ever go away. Now MySpace is a distant memory and FB is all the rage. I love FB for reconnecting and seeing what people are up to, but as far as recording history for my family, my blog is the only way. I choose when my blog goes away, not the popularity of the masses. And I feel that the blog is way more personal. When someone happens by my blog to read it, they are usually stopping by because they know me and wanted to take time out of their day to spend cyber-connecting with my family. That means a lot to me. So keep your blog posts coming! I, for one, am reading them! =)

Jane Anne said...

I periodically struggle with why I have my blog. I have 2 - one to document my family and one to write on. But, I tend to post pictures and write on the one to write on (Gravity of Motion). This is good- keep at it. Your blog is a catalog of your photos, sure, but it is also a record of your thoughts. That is a wonderful thing to have!

Liz said...

My blog has transformed much over the two or so years that I have had it. It started out as an exercise, an electronic journal of sorts that only my mom and a close friend or two read. Then, my kids started reading it, so I posted pictures of them and fun stories of what it is like being their mom. (my kids age range from 15 to 25). Then a "stranger" made a comment one day, and I thought, "what in the world would be interesting about MY blog to someone who doesn't even know me?" I still don't know the answer to that question, but I enjoy the blog friends that I have made along the way. I continue to blog, moreso to keep my family up to date and sometimes entertained. But it is also personal - for my own spiritual and mental health. Sometimes I can discover how I really am, by reading my own blog! :)
Dump away on the photos. They are fun for even those of us who don't have the same sentimental attachment that your mom does. Photos are encouragement, they lift our souls and help us remember that the world is so much bigger than our little space. Currently, I am doing a photo journal...a picture a day for a year. It is fun to look for something beautiful, interesting, or memorable each day!
Love your blog.

Liz said...

p.s. I agree about FB, by the way. It sucks the blogging life right out of me!

Alana said...

With you and pretty sure we are not alone! ;-)

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