New! Now with an actual topic!

So, Mike had an interesting post at his site today. And I'd already noticed his fancy new button in the side-bar, proclaiming 'IndieBlogger' status, so his transition was no big shocker to me. But it got me to thinking.

Mike was observing about 'targeted posts'. Blogs that have SomethingToSay. And I have to admit, that other than my not-quite very first post, this is the first one that I've written that actually has a real, honest-to-goodness topic. Ahem. TOPIC.

I am not political. I have political views. I have very Strong Opinions about things. And I even have interests that don't involve Beer and Men. No, really, I do. But to frame my blog around those things? Just seems wrong for me.

I'm all about the life-blog. I have nothing of value to say otherwise. And really? Not like anybody would care, even if I DID have something to say. I enjoy READING targeted posts, but can't be bothered to invest the time and energy that I feel is necessary for me to go about WRITING one.

I feel sadly uninformed about things that are going on in the world. I am ill-equipped to comment on Darfur. I am uneducated as to the wide-reaching economic fall-out of our time in Afghanistan. I am naive with regards to the goings-on in Palestine and Lebanon these days. I read. I listen to the radio. I watch the news, such as it is. Heck, when I can stay up that late? I watch Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert! I try to stay informed. And yet? I feel that I have nothing of value to contribute to the ongoing discussions.

When opportunity presents itself, I do my best to share what information I have with those I encounter who are even more ill-informed than am I. And working where I do, with the vast age-span that I encounter? It happens more often than you'd think. But I am by no means an expert on ANY of what I consider to be the Important Issues, and I think it would be irresponsible of me to pretend otherwise.

So I don't comment. I am shocked when I hear of the death tolls overseas. I am horrified by home-invasions in relatively close-by neighbourhoods. I am appalled (I *may* actually write about this, it bugged me THAT much) by an armed robbery at a local retailer. But I don't comment in my blog about it. Why not? Because so many other people do it. And some of them do it better than could I. And some of them don't. But opinions are like arseholes. Everybody who's got one, is one...or something like that. ;)

Just because I've got a venue doesn't mean I have anything of value to say.

Speaking of venues...

My blog. It's mine. I made it. I made it so that I'd have a safe, private place to vent. Because I can't imagine that the people I actually know In Real Life would want to hear me prattle on incessantly about ThursdayBeer and my obsessions with boys, and the really nifty thing or turn of phrase that Variax said yesterday night. Nobody wants to hear about my MSN chats.

Well, not nobody, because somebody must, or you wouldn't be here.

But back to my blog. I started it because I needed anonymity. I needed what I perceived as a safe place to vent. I've always been of the opinion that if people knew what I REALLY think about things, they wouldn't want to speak to me anymore. I'm still of that opinion, quite frankly. I use my blog as a trash-depository for my thoughts. It allows me to empty my head of things that are taking up space. It allows me a place to babble about random shit, to swear, curse, ogle boys, talk about beer, lament my poor house-keeping skills, and fret about my finances.

Except that I don't anymore.

I know this is my blog and nobody gets an opinion but me.

But that being said? I have found myself self-censoring madly of late. And it's because I'm meeting more and more of my bloggy-acquaintances in RL (that most-dreaded of all places) and I find myself actually caring what they think. Which somewhat defeats the purpose of a 'safe' and 'anonymous' place to rant.

Well, it's not even that I know you all IRL--it's that I've come to know you all through your blogs, and your comments. Most of you? I know you wouldn't care. I know that you come here expecting to have to read my curse-words, and the random (relatively non-descriptive) commentary on my near-non-existent sex life. You know that you'll be reading nonsensical drivel, and occasionally it MAY be entertaining.* And I love that. I love that there seem to be more and more of you. I feel bad when I don't post as a result of that. But not bad enough to post, because it's my blog and I will not be pressured to conform, goddammit.

*NB: I never promised entertainment. Also, just FYI, I never promised you a rose garden.

Anyway...what's the point of all this?

I dunno. But I think I'm going to make an effort to stop self-censoring so much. Screw it. If I want to talk about how I stupidly acquired a $1200 traffic ticket? I'm going to. If I want to talk about how I'm starting to worry about not getting the opportunity to be a mom? I'm going to. If I want to rant about mommy-bloggers and their obsession with poop? I'm going to. I'm also going to make a conscious effort to blog more regularly. I enjoyed the NaBloPoMo experience, even if BetaBlogger thwarted my best intentions. I really DO feel better about myself and my life when I blog.

So consider yourselves warned. This is the beginning of my list of New Year's Revolutions. Have you started yours yet?

Viva La Resolution!

Peace out.

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I thought I'd lost this post!!! But by the magic of Christmas and the Power of Greyskull? Here it is! In all its postly glory! Aren't you lucky?