what a week August 29, 2008
I am tired. Between travel, family stuff, political excitement (as a true political junkie, I get extremely riled up around convention time) and adjusting to the new job, I’m whipped - but in a good way.
My blogging time has been somewhat limited lately, and frankly, I’ve been feeling a bit vulnerable with the whole personal blogging thing recently, so I’ve been focusing most of my bloggerly efforts on my new blog for the Knoxville News Sentinel, which seems to be off to a pretty rousing start. It’s getting excellent (really excellent) traffic, and I am really enjoying getting to express my political and cultural opinions explicitly in the op-ed section of a newspaper, after having spent several years in an editorial role within a news organization where that would not have been appropriate. I mean, I did have a blog at my old job (which I am still missing, despite my enjoyment of my new one), but I saw my role there not as pundit but as salon hostess or blog DJ - sort of like a human aggregator who hand-picked the most interesting blogging that other Tennesseans were doing. I rarely came right out and said what I myself thought about anything.
As far as the personal blogging goes - meaning, the stuff I write about on this blog - it is truly getting trickier as my three older children grow, and as I have to work harder and harder to protect their privacy. As time goes on, I feel less comfortable revealing anything of substance - or any real details at all beyond the broadest outlines of what’s going on within our family life. Thus, I’ve found that over the past 36 months, more and more of my “mommy blogging” has become “what we ate for dinner” type of material.
The kids read my blog (which is as it sould be if I am going to keep one and write about them at all - it’s only fair ), so they have veto power over anything I might post here. And over time, pretty much everyone else in my family, and many of my friends have told me they read it as well. And unlike when I first started blogging here six years ago, when H, J and E were little, and hardly anyone I knew had ever HEARD of a blog, I now always have this on my mind as I write.
So while folks who read this blog may think they are seeing a really intimate and detailed look at my family life, they really aren’t. As I said, you are getting broad outlines only. And even that is feeling a little uncomfortable to me right now.
Yeah, I guess as one of your regular readers, I have noticed that you don’t really blog about much anymore. Not criticizing but just noticing. I have noticed that you don’t really write about things that are personal, like you used to. Its like an end of an era I suppose. Now that your kids, family, etc read your blog, are you less revealing? Does that mean you are less revealing in person now? Did your blog serve as an outlet before that now you no longer need? Just wondering….
Do what makes you comfortable and don’t worry about the Internets! Trust me, readers will survive. And I like your “this is what we ate for dinner” posts! Get some rest soon.
I am glad to hear that. I only mention my kids in the vaguest of ways in my blog. I don’t even post pictures that have us in them. The pictures I post are all scenery or things I saw that I found interesting and/or amusing. Save for a picture of me picking a zit in a mirror on my myspace, but my profile is not public there either.
I am glad to hear that. I only mention my kids in the vaguest of ways in my blog. I don’t even post pictures that have us in them. The pictures I post are all scenery or things I saw that I found interesting and/or amusing. Save for a picture of me picking a zit in a mirror on my myspace, but my profile is not public there either.
Dear Katie,
You’re a first waver, an initiator of the trend of mommy bloggers, you and the kids out grew it.
It was bound to happen.
It’s been a fun habit to read your blog everyday.
Happy Trails!
Dewi
You claim to be interested in your children and their privacy, yet your blog at the Knoxville News Sentinel promotes a scurrilous, unsubstantiated rumor about another mother and her children.
Nice double standard. You are a beautiful example of an American Leftist.
oh my. Given that Sarah Palin graduated from our own University of Idaho and North Idaho college, I have a bit of local pride going on here. I think people should be transparent, but mistakes happen. Do you honestly think that if she had been upfront about her teenage daughter being pregnant (assuming its even true of course) and her raising the baby for her that she would be ripped any the less? Of course not. That would be fodder too. If it were true, does it not prove that at least she puts the money where her mouth is. Would not a teenager with a downs baby be a really ripe candidate for an abortion for most of you pro “choice” types. Conservatives and liberals both go on witch hunts for any good bits they can find. But the viciousness, the lowness to which the average liberal stoops makes what the right engages in look like child’s play. I would further add the fact that liberals make such a big stink about “tolerance” and “niceness” etc etc etc makes it all the more repulsive when they engage in the same behavior (only on steroids) that they accuse the right of.
Just Wait!
The only people who would have cared her teen daughter had a kid was other intolerant Republicans like her. Shit happens 16 yrs old have sex .
Sarah Palin is not a just a mother she is fair game, she could be one breath away from being our President if that geezer is elected and dies in office.
Who would have ever thought John Edwards was screwing around and it was buzzing on the web of months when he had such a sick wife at home? Don’t you think it was such a Republic thing for him to do.
whatever Dewi. I am not even going to dignify it with a response. Besides, you are pretty intolerant yourself. I have noticed a lot of things you are intolerant of in your posts. Thats the typical liberal hypocrisy. There is nothing more intolerant than a liberal.
Liz and Bill, What’s up with the negativity? With a negative tone, you don’t really cast your ideas or position in a positive or credible light. There is nothing more intolerant than people who stereotype and cast judgment upon others…right? The liberal statement was a cheap shot, and you should be ashamed at your own level of intolerance and inability to have discourse without resorting to name-calling and stereotyping.
Amanda
Katie, given that I share the same number of children as you, and many of the similar struggles (what a tome we could write on the troubles of our oldest sons!), I would hope you would reconsider your decision to scale back even more. Your writing, with its wit and wisdom, teaches many of us. I respect your children’s desire for privacy….but is there a way around this? Could we continue to hear more about the wonderful evolution of your parenting, family and work lives?
I think because leftys/liberals harp on tolerance so much it becomes particularly interesting when they display it themselves and don’t see it as such. It is also rather interesting that they describe the dirt digging that conservatives do as so horrible and then go and do the same things themselves; only worse. I mean, we are talking a teenager here!!! The worst I have ever heard said about a liberals kids is that they are ugly.
Hey Dewi,that “geezer” spent 5 years of his life imprisoned and tortured mercilessly to protect the likes of nonjudgemental,tolerant people like you. How dare you.
thanks cnmom!!! You are so right. This is what fries me: is people like Dewi enjoy their protected free speech to piss and moan about everything thanks to the actions of the people they deplore.
thanks cnmom!!! You are so right. This is what fries me: is people like Dewi enjoy their protected free speech to piss and moan about everything thanks to the actions of the people they deplore.
My pleasure,Liz. Please excuse the rant but,I’m very tired of feeling like the host for a parasitic group of people that are least likely to put their own lives on the line yet,the first to complain because the “goverment” doesn’t indulge their every whim. People,wake up! The goverment isn’t your mama-time to grow up into the reality of our imperfect world. So yeah,I guess I’m feeling a little intolerant right about now. Sorry it doesn’t fit the PC shoe but,oh well. OT rant over!