Thanks for not caring...Red's blogging irony

I was recently asked by a co-worker if I had a 'My Space' page. I informed her that no I did not... to which she replied, 'You should get a My Space Page.'

Is this true?

I'm kind of lost on the whole concept, but I think maybe it's my age/generation. I dunno. Also, it seems kind of impersonal to hand out a website address to a new acquaintance. I've always figured that a new friend would come around often enough to see your photo albums under the coffee table. Or join you at family get togethers where they hear all the really great stories. Or stay up late on many occasion and listen to you talk about yourself. Passing out a website address is kind of like skipping all that important bonding.

The only other purpose it would seem to serve is to help people judge you. Not that my new work acquaintance had that intention in mind... She is one of the few who are genuinely interested in the 'person' behind the uniform... but putting it all out there for the sole purpose of people to know about you, is really setting yourself up for critique and criticism by those who would in fact stoop to such behaviors as looking up someone's My Space page for the sole purpose of a snicker fest.

Here in lies the great irony of this very blog that I am typing on right now. I have a friend whose opinions and perceptions mean the world to me, whom I respect highly. This person does not understand my need to write about my miserable childhood and what ever else I chose to share about randomly. The idea of total strangers knowing such intimate details of my life, is not one they fully understand. If at all.

On the surface, the concept of not letting strangers know about your life makes complete sense... but dig a little deeper and do a bit of comparing. If my new friend at work came to read this before REALLY getting to know me- what might she think of the baggage I carry? Can I speak freely about what I think were my Parents' ill conceived ways, if they knew this blog existed? Will I ever be able to rant of my frustrations in regards to my little sister and her six kids from three 'baby-daddy's'? Will my very Christian big sis approve of my music choices? Will my best friend THINK someone ELSE i'm ranting about- is actually them?  How can any thing be accomplished in the no holds barred way that I hope this to be, if I have to watch my P's & Q's and consider other's feelings... the way one does when they are in a personal conversation... the way any decent person would treat another. But- I'm not here to build relationships. I'm here to express myself. How do those two scenarios meet with out getting someone's feathers ruffled at some point down the road? I have no intention of being mean. Sometimes there are a myraid of feelings and thoughts bouncing around inside and it really helps to sort them to an 'audience' so to speak. In a way that is coherent enough for a perfect stranger to understand... and that in turn can make things crystal clear to ME! I'm an emotional person I guess... a passionate and sometimes conflicted, confounded, convicted person...I need to express myself. Call it ranting, pissing and moaning... whatever you like. We should all do it sometimes! You don't know me and I don't know you... so I don't care. And you don't care if I don't care.

See how lovely that works?

So the fact that I speak from this soap box, to you... perfect strangers- what harm could you do with any of the info shared? Who are you going to tell? (Who are you going to tell that matters in MY LIFE?) If you don't like what I have to say or how I say it... you'll just not come back. And we'll be obliviously happy in our OWN little worlds. No harm. No foul. No repercussions. Why would anyone care what a stranger thinks over what close friends and not-so-close-but-that-you-have-to-work-with-everyday-associates think? THAT, I do not see the logic in.

Perhaps that's just me. And I've been known to have strange ideas. It won't be the first you hear of on this blog...

And that's a promise I make to you... because you are so very not invested enough to really give a flying hoot about how strange my ideas can get!

'Sall good.