Thoughts on blogs
My mom doesn’t understand blogs. She said, of course, that she would read mine religiously, but she doesn’t know why anyone who’s not my mom would. She didn’t say it in so many words. But, she asked, why does anyone care what anyone else is blogging about?
I told her about helicopter parents and how they’ve raised us to think that we’re incredibly interesting and relevant. And I explained about using technology to keep in touch with people without ever having to talk with them or see them face-to-face.
For me, I read other people’s blogs to laugh, be inspired, keep connected with old friends or peek into someone’s mind whom I don’t know. I appreciate people who are vulnerable in their writing, who contribute something meaningful to them, at the risk of typos or poor grammar. A blog is best when there’s freedom of expression.
That being said, I hate two kinds of blog entries, and I’ll never do either one.
1. A detailed summary of what someone ate and how much they worked out for the day, every day. Please, keep it to a calendar on the refrigerator if that’s necessary, but no one else cares.
AND
2. Any blog containing the words, “I want you to …” I’m lucky if you’re reading my blog, I’m not going to expect you to agree with me, much less go do something because I tell you you should. That goes for well-meaning sentences like, “You should take time today to think about God’s blessings in your life.” No, I’m not gonna.
Phew. It feels good to get that out there. Now I’m going to eat a bowl of cereal, and in about an hour, I’m going to run 3 miles. You should probably do the same.
from → Blogging, Food, Millennial Generation, Social Media, Working out
HA!!!
Thanks for the laughs.
From the comments – it appears at least two people have an interest in your blogs – or they just happened across the mundane while preparing to write their own.
In any event – I think you should continue blogging. They’re a little breath of fresh air on the net!
Thanks, mom.
Entertaining post. Blogs are certainly an interesting phenomenon, partly because their purpose is so hard to pin down. Didn’t people used to ask why anyone would want to sit around watching pictures of people when TV first came out?
Not to sound too stupid, but, what are “helicopter parents”?
Helicopter parents, I think, are the hovering parents that are overly involved in the children’s lives. The term began being used more frequently when the millennial generation started entering college and their parents hovered overtly.
I love blogs that begin with the phrases, “R-code example for…”
As far as I know the “helicopter mom” term came from Jim Faye and Foster Cline of “Love and Logic” fame. As the story goes…
1) Little kid runs out the door toward the busy street!!!
2a) Helicopter mom – runs after child, grabs and sweeps child up in her arms.
2b) Drill Sargent mom – goes to the door and says “STOP NOW”. Kid stops.
2c) Consultant mom – Quietly says “You can be round, or you can be flat.
What are you going to do about that?”
Oh, thanks for the info! That is news to me.