“Concentrate on what you want to say to yourself and your friends. Follow your inner moonlight; don’t hide the madness. You say what you want to say when you don’t care who’s listening.”
Allen Ginsberg
My blog is one big selfie. It’s all about me even though I don’t post any photos and don’t share any details about my current private life. Still, it’s all about me, my thoughts, my feelings and ideas that attract or bother me. I’m in every word here.
Truly, I believe that’s how it has to be. This is my personal blog and this is why I have it: to think out loudly and, if I’m lucky, receive somebody’s response. I’m here to say what I want to say to myself and to those who care to listen.
The first thing I want to see whenever I go to someone else’s blog is the personality behind all the words. I don’t seek useful information or good advice on how to buy property in Miami even though there are many helpful web pages and I respect them. It’s just not the area of my interests.
I look for people. I know that some enthusiasts who get into blogging put aside reading books completely and only read blogs. I’m not one of them, but I get it. Books tell you stories that end sooner or later, and you have to move on to another book. Blogs allow you to meet real persons, listen to them and see how they cope with their life journey. If you like their voice and way of thinking you want to check on them every now and then as if they were your friends; and the great thing is none of them has the back cover saying ‘the end’.
As you can see, I’m a fan of selfies, but not all of them, of course. I like ones that are sincere, true and full of inner moonlight, and I don’t mind a bit of madness in their shine.
Joan Tatley 
Reblogged this on elidonkukaj.
Thank you. Glad you found it worth reblogging 🙂
Great attitude towards it. Also, a lot less drama on the blogosphere… so far, anyway!
Are you expecting more drama?
Not really. Just kind if comparing it to other forms of social media, like FB.
I think blogging involves more work than FB, that’s why there is less noise here.
Or smarter people…but don’t tell anyone I said that…
Ok, I won’t tell anyone a little secret of yours 😉
This is a lovely response to the prompt 🙂
Thank you. Glad you liked it. 🙂
What a great way to approach blogging and sharing yourself online. I was fortunate enough to meet a fellow blogger and we’re still friends who keep in touch offline as well as via our blogs. Part of the blessing of blogging is that we often meet lovely people – like you Joan. 🙂
Oh, you are so sweet, thank you. I think blogging is a great communication tool that allows us to hear each other no matter where anybody lives. Technology rules 😉
I had no idea the community I would find when I started blogging. But I do think it’s important to remember to read books as well as bloggers because it’s a different type of writing. We still need to read well written and well edited books. Climbing off the box now . . .
Luanne, I agree, absolutely, blogging is a different type of writing. And those who want to write well HAVE to read books, as many as possible.
That might be a pet peeve with me. Maybe not a peeve so much, as just feeling sad at what a writer is missing.
Blogging as one big selfie–that’s a good way to put it, Joan. I found it a little difficult during my first years of blogging, since I’m not one who has a whole lot of new things to say on a regular basis–at least not that I’d make public to all of cyberspace. 🙂 But since I decided to start sharing my reflections on the books I read on my blog (AND because I finally found out how to find other bloggers who read, thanks to the WP Reader), my blog has become my favorite web space. That is, my blog and Goodreads.
Thank you, Nadine, for your comment. I’m still in my first year of blogging, so I have many unanswered questions, but I enjoy it anyway. I’ve visited your blog and am impressed with the amount of books you’ve written. Plus you read and analyze many books, you are very prolific. That’s so cool, I’m not sure if I ever be able to be as productive.
Thank you, Nadine, for your comment. I’m still in the first year of blogging so I have many questions unanswered. I’ve visited your blog and got impressed with the amount of books you’ve written. Plus you read and analyze many books. This is so cool to be that prolific. I’m not sure if I ever will be as productive 🙂
Gee, thank you for visiting, Joan!
Just wanted to say that this is BRILLIANT. Never thought of it that way but YES. Our blogs really are our selfies–the most honest ones at that!
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.
YES!! Your take on blogging is so like mine.
Great to hear it 🙂
Blogging is the ultimate example of that old adage “Write what you know.”
Maybe you are right, but to me writing is the way to find out what is it I know. In many ways it’s a road to self-discovery.
I like that – blogging is the road to self discovery- very aptly put. Would you say blogging is like memoir writing ?
Could be, why not? A blog can be a tool for achieving many goals, it is up to you how to use it.
Just discovered your blog Joan. I also use my blog as a sort of “selfie” but never thought of it that way. Yes, it does become a memoir and in writing it I have discovered so much about myself. My blog, ioparlato.blogspot.com is also my best friend and I have zero use for FaceBook.
I’m glad you like this idea. I am reading Natalie Goldberg’s book now, Writing Down the Bones, and in her opinion writing is all about self-discovery. I love this approach very much, and I feel connected to it while thinking about myself and blogging.
Thank you for stopping by. 🙂
This is such a purely, genuine thoughts. I love it and I couldn’t agree more about discovering the journey into someone’s life (obviously not in a stalking kind of way).. It builds up your motivation and feeling as if we are in the same family. Thanks again 🙂
I think blogosphere truly is a kind of family, and quite interesting one. 🙂
Thanks for reading and liking a couple of my old posts today. I also enjoy following your blog.