Reads your blog?
I mean, people you know.
People who know you.
Family.
Friends.
Ex-boyfriends.
Ex-friends.
Colleagues.
It’s funny because most people I know, know that I write a blog.
Though I’ve always said that I would treat this blog just like an open book. A slice of my life.
Good days. Not so good days.
Pregnant. Not pregnant.
Days where work is crazy. Days where it’s not.
But I often wonder… who is reading this among people I know?
My husband joked with me the other night that I should “test” the waters and write some “scandalous” things about us/people we know to see who I get a response from.
Like we’re expecting boy triplets (we’re not).
That we’re building a wing for my mother-in-law (we’re not).
That Alexander and Benjamin are both potty trained beautifully (they’re not).
That my mom has decided to move into our basement (she isn’t).
That “x” friend’s husband is sleeping with “x” friend’s wife (they are not).
Or that Matt is having a sex change (at least I don’t think he is).
Ahhh… the wonders of the blog world.
But it does make me wonder… who is reading? And should it hold me back from the need to “vent” on some days?
Maybe… but it won’t.
I don’t think anyone I really know reads my blog, except a good friend of mine. No matter how many times I’ve included links in emails or talked about my blog, they never check in. If they do, they never leave a comment. As far as I know, none of them have blogs, so they really don’t understand it all.
I found out the hard way that my mom is reading my blog all the time after I wrote that she drove me crazy during her recent visit. lol She called and apologized for it.
Oops
But I write carefully now, and actually, it irks me lol
I know of one good friend who reads mine, and my hubby reads it. I’m not sure about anyone else, but I do keep that in the back of my mind when I’m writing. I wrote about issues we were having with our daycare provider and then wondered if I’ve ever sent her the link to my blog (it’s in my e-mail signature). She’s never mentioned it so I don’t know if she read it or not…
I completely agree….I went to a family reunion (with not so close family if you know what I mean) and a few random long-lost cousins told me they read my blog! The same thing happened at my 10 year HS reunion!!! Uh, how? why? and that is kinda freeky! I guess if you put it out there, the people will find you!!!
I’ve invited very few people I know to read my blog. And since it’s not my actual name (though components are), I’d be hard put to imagine someone would stumble on it.
Still, my blog tracking shows someone in the region reads it – someone who is a total mystery to me. I don’t mind that, really. Like you, I view my life as an open book, so my blog isn’t much different. I just keep it quasi-anonymous to prevent those who might just want to have a laugh at my misfortune. Because I’m shy that way. ;-}
THat is the tricky businsess of blogging. From my first post, I wanted my blog to be an uncensored story of how my life really is. Like you said: the ups and the downs, and the “all arounds.” Now, that more people know I blog, I DO tend to self- censor a bit, and it takes away part of the therapy associated with blogging for me. Let me know if you find the cure (short of starting a top secret blog, that is.)
i don’t have a blog. i find it comforting at times to read other mom blogs. since i don’t have a lot of friends. it’s hard since we move around alot with the military.
Audrey… I DID think that Matt’s new hourglass figure with voluminous breasts and 28″ waist was a bit strange. Is the… well, you know… still in tact?
Mom – Pinks & Blues Girls
Everyone reads my blog that I know- even people at hubby’s work! But, I blog just like I am in real life- I am an open person and like being able to be myself even in the blog world! Of course there are certain things that just aren’t appropriate to be shared with too many people, so those things are kept quiet in person and not blogged!!
Steph
Ha! That’s funny, Audrey, you’re very clever indeed!
Actually gave out my blog URL to my pastor last night in a small study. Another member asked for it and I looked his way, looked at her, back at him, then (he had a Chesire cat grin…like well….???) gave it out! Pray for me now, I’ll probably need it! xo
My whole deal since day one, is that I started my blog for me. It is the one thing I do for only myself. I’m happy and somewhat amazed that people read it and find my ramblings interesting. But if theres something on there that they don’t like they can always leave my blog and visit one of the millions of other blogs out there.
I say write what you want with wreckless abandon!
I have been reading your blog for a short time and have decided to de-lurk myself. Even though I’m not married and don’t have kids, I really enjoy reading your blog.
There are a few people that I know who read my blog, but I know that I have a lot of lurkers that won’t admit to it. Some days I get up to 93 hits on my blog, yet on a post I usually only get 2 or 3 comments. My mom reads my blog so I can’t be as open as I would like to be but that’s ok.
Feel free to stop by my blog anytime!
One of my best friends reads my blog(s) and its funny to hear her reference it in our conversations. Some of my relatives know about it, but I don’t know if they actually read them.
I know, I often think about it too… Who really are all those mystery readers…?
Have a great day – from a non-mystery-reader 🙂
This is sooooo true! I often think about it too. Sometimes when I go to the farmers’ market or a tea& bazaar, old ladies come up to me and say “Oh! I love your blog!” or “My son in Toronto reads your blog all the time!”
I sometimes feel like I need to create a new “secret” blog where I can vent or say just how I’m feeling or what I’m going through…without having to worry about who is reading or if anything will get twisted around and come back to me.
Have a great day, Audrey! 🙂
New to the blogging and amazed while simultaneously overwhelmed by its concept. I know, I know…where have I been?! Is the moral to not divuldge your deepest, darkest secrets? Or, is that the excitement. I’d love to figure it out.
Enjoy!
raelynn
No one in my real life knows I have a blog but my husband. And I want it that way. I wouldn’t feel like I could be honest if people I knew were reading it. I hope I’ve done a good enough job of hiding my identity that no one I know IRL would be able to find it.
I always wonder. I check my SiteMeter religiously, hoping to gain clues as to who’s reading.
I know my Hubby and his co-workers read, plus all our friends. So I’m somewhat censored–in that I’m aware of who’s probably reading.
It kinda sucks sometimes though. When I just need to VENT! And CAN’T!
UNFORTUNATELY…I DO “hold my toungue” when I really wanna complain about all the things my husband does or all the things HE doesn’t do. I wanna write about his lack of being around and his slightly bi-polar ways. BUt I can’t b/c everyone he knows he complains to about my blogging and then they “report” back to him. Thats why I “get it all out” on everyone else’s pages. I need to start an extra top secret blog! shhhh
Worse than my husband is my ex of 5 years who knows about my blog, and him and his wife sit around (b/c they are psycho) and read it!
Check your site meter, then you can find all the crazy ways random googlers find your blog!
It is kind of freaky though, so be prepared!
But no, I don’t believe you need to censor yourself, just be truthful and decide what you will and will not discuss here – like in real life, you have to adjust to your surroundings sometimes and only you know what you are comfortable sharing with others!
I’m always surprised when someone I know says they read something on my blog. Many people read but they don’t always comment. I’ve found there are many “lurkers” out there. My husband reads it all the time, but he doesn’t always leave a comment, he gives me feedback personally all the time. He’s a big fan.
This was quite amusing and I thank you for the laugh.
I had two glorious vents about my sister in law who was staying with us for a while, on my blog. They served the purpose of letting me blow off steam, without confronting her and causing a row which would run deeper with all the other inlaws. However, even though they don’t know about it now, I can’t run the risk of my inlaws finding my blog – so I took those venting posts down.
My family read my blog – I invited them to, so that does temper what I write. For example I’m not putting any intimate stuff up there because I know my parents read you know?
I wish that I had never told my family about my blog. I’m okay with my friends reading it, but I do censor as a result, and when I get too edgy or snarky, it freaks me out that relatives are reading. Oh well, love me as I am, I guess.
I know what you mean! Sometimes I do not share things I would like b/c I know some people read and would take offense.
I am genuine and myself but I do keep some things to myself to avoid hurting another. Although some days, I wish I could anonomously (I suddenly forgot how to spell this – sorry) shout my feelings out on certain issues. That way I would feel better and move on. hee hee
Maybe we could post our feelings, on potentially harmful issues, on other blogs as secret guests and get those stories out! haha
I love that you thought to share this!! 🙂 Very funny!
A lot of my family reads mine, and I do find myself doing a little self censoring. But, for the most part, the stuff I want to write about is okay for them to read. The down and dirty stuff is what I save for my old fashioned spiral notebook journals.
Great post!
I must censor because my mother-in-law reads my blog. Ohhhh how i wish i could let off steam by blogging about her sometimes! oh well….
Why did I make my blog public? It would be so much more fun if it wasn’t!
I often think about who’s reading, also. I haven’t reallly told most of my friends and family about it though, since it’s rather newish. I keep debating it though!
Hehehe! That could be fun though.
I wish more people I knew read my blog.
Then again, maybe not 😉
i don’t wonder who reads my blog, more i just wonder if anyone does and why. i love your blog and i enjoy reading it but i have been so busy at work i haven’t taken the time to comment as much, but i am still here…
I often think the SAME thing!!!
Audge,
Mom didn’t tell me that she was moving out and going to live in your basement. Can I come too?
(See, I read your blog, Sweetheart!)
Ok, you’re dad’s comment is so cute! Yeah, I always wonder who reads mine and who reads it regularly. I actually have a counter on my site that lets me know the location of people checking my blog and how long they stay on. It helps give me some idea, but I still don’t know exactly who checks it.
Oh two words: site meter. It is my sanity. I have an aunt who adores stalking my blog throughout the day. Every day. Even though I don’t blog every day. Then chooses to use it to judge me. Ugh! So because of her & some of Hubz HS buddies that occasionally drop in, I adore my meter. Adore!
I do wonder because only a few of my relatives know I have a blog. My friends don’t. And when I check my site meter, no one in the city where I live has ever checked on my blog. Good thing? Or bad thing? 😀
I don’t *think* too many people that I know read my blog – except for my new friends I’ve met through my blog. My sister will read it every month or two or six but that’s about it. I’ve often asked my DH if he wasn’t curious what I was writing on my blog – he has never read it – I told him I could very well be writing love letters to my secret boyfriend and he just laughed!
I do wonder who may be reading me that I don’t know about. I swear that my mom secretly reads me because of things she sometimes says. I try to not think about that when I blog or else I’ll have to put on my “mom filter.” LOL
I would LOVE to come across an ex boyfriend’s blog some day and secretly stalk him to see what he’s up to! hehe
Oh, there are so many more things I could blog about if I knew for SURE that a certain someone didn’t read my blog. But I don’t know, and so I keep that one part of my life (and frustrations, and headaches) to myself.
i know that my mom and my MIL read my blog and that does, unfortunately, keep me from posting about some things that i would like to. and there are times i’d like to seriously vent about my husband, but then i don’t think that my blog is really the place to do that. so there are things that are off-limits for my blog.
i also have some ex-friends who stalk my blog. i’m not sure why they keep reading it, but they do.
anyway, it’s hard to find the right balance of what you will share and what you won’t.
Too funny that I just came across your post. My neighbor just e-mailed me to tell me that she reads my blog. I had no idea. Good thing I never vented about them (at least I don’t think I have….)
Anonymity does allow freer writing. Now a few people I know, know about my blog…and it’s tempered me quite a bit. I wish I could undo the leaks.
But part of me wants to open it up and tell everyone I know.
Tough call.
I blogged anonymously for a long time, before telling people about it (only hubby knew about it). It allowed me to complain more, but that’s it. I’ve even been able to keep the archives up, now that everyone knows (but I doubt they check in regularly). I still talk about everything I would even if no one was reading, but I must admit I’m a little nicer about it. 🙂
I don’t check my blog’s hits, so I never know whether someone read my blog. Of course I will know if she/he leaves comment. ;p
Good post, Audrey =)
The only people that I worry about finding me are my in-laws. Although, everything I say about them is true. hee hee
One of my high school friends (we had lost touch) was reading my blog and leaving comments – but we didn’t know it was each other, as we had only used our first names. After her second or third comment, I checked out her blog and figured out who she was… talk about random!
Wow…this brought the comments out, huh?! I’ve never announced to people at the church that I have a blog, but I did mention it at my small group…good friends there so no worries, but sometimes I do wonder about “other” church people…gulp.
Can’t you just hear it? “One of the pastor’s wives has a website called Girls Gone Wild!…pssst, pssst, psssst”
I have often wondered that same thing. You are right to not let it affect what you write. I find myself self-censoring at times and I don’t like that, however I have stuck my foot in my mouth with people I know before, so I feel like I need to be carerful. I mostly wonder about those people who don’t know me who might be lurking around.
I don’t think any real life acquaintances are reading my blog…or are they? 🙂
hey audrey—
my cousin joe told me that his brother sean has a friend and you know what, i heard that so and so told so and so that…….
haha….
i loved this post!
great job momma almost 50 comments and counting! 😉
I was just thinking how I want to blog about the ridiculousness of the number of people we “need” to invite to my kids’ b’day party, but now I’m rethinking it because I don’t want to offend. Not that they’re reading anyway. Hmmm…
Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
love it. so true. I am constantly finding out about some random person who reads my blog. Half the time I think, ACK! well now they know about the booger wall. The one good thing, I think, is it keeps me real. Keeps me honest. and keeps me kind. I really make an effort not to say anything mean about anyone I know, even if I don’t think they’d ever find my blog. The risk just isn’t worth it.
I think about this a lot. It’s all the lurkers that make me feel uneasy.
I am pretty sure my blog gets read by the same people over and over again. Then again, how can I really be sure. I don’t think we should have to stop venting though, this is a good way to let feelings out!
Oh, go ahead and vent!
Duh! Me!
to my knowledge nobody I know offline reads my blog…I sure hope not. I like having a seperate place to chat about life…free of my family reading it. lol
I’m pretty transparent in real life, so I anything I post on my blog I would eventually have shared with someone in real life, and what I love about blogging is that I get to share that with the thousands (!) of people who have actually decided my life is interesting enough (really?) to read about. So yes, while plenty of my family and friends read it and know about it, I love the new people I have met through my blog, total bonus.
I know that some people I know read this blog. I don’t let it keep me from saying what I want to say.
Every now and then, I’ll get a comment from someone unexpected—someone I didn’t know read my blog—and, yes, this has kept me from posting certain things that could possibly hurt family members or friends. It’s weirder, though, when someone I barely know approaches me and says they read it.
[…] one of my favorite bloggers, Audrey over at Pinks and Blues Girls wrote a post about wondering who really reads your blog. It’s a great article and if you haven’t read it you should (be sure to check out […]
I find that my internet friends are the ones who comment, and the people I know in real life mostly lurk and then all of a sudden somebody will come up to me at church and say they found my blog and stayed up late reading all the archives. Then I wonder what I’ve said lately… but oh well.
I have a lot of friends who have blogs of their kids. As far as I know most of my readers are my friends and family and random people who link off my comments on other blogs. It is weird though because my best friend di dnot read it until we went to Norway because she said she already knew what we were doing every day.