The real you...or...why a blog?

No, I'm not talking some Dr. Phil mumbo jumbo about your genuine self. I'm talking about blogging. When I told my wife, Dawn, that I was starting a blog she rolled her eyes, said, "I hate blogs" and I immediately went on the defensive. She told me to go ahead and tell her what I wrote about and so I said, "No, first you tell me why you hate blogs. "Tell, me what you wrote?", she barked. "Why do you hate blogs??". This sophomoric exchange lasted a few minutes and finally she said it...it's about the privacy. Now, I know my wife better than I know anybody and I knew she was going to feel this way. She is a very private person. She has to know people very well before she discloses anything to anyone. If I were a better man I would have told her about this blog choice before I did it, but the truth is I created my first "blog" page 3 years ago! I just never took it any further and didn't write anything.

And furthermore, it's true, that I was more or less inspired to do this by observing an old friend (fine, an old girlfriend) truly shine as a great writer that I knew her to be (See 'Chrissy Otts blog' in my links) in addition to many other examples all over the web. (Marly, you too.) They're everywhere. I'm a news hound. I'm opinionated. This is a free avenue. A no-brainer, really.

Now, truth be told, there are a few solid reasons I started this "Box", as well. First and foremost is the fact that I love to write. I love to think and I love to confuse myself with my thoughts and then come back with a sound argument. Because more than anything I am a passionate man who tends to act and speak before he thinks. For me to actually develop a sound counterpoint to any debate is a major accomplishment for me. My wife on the other hand is a walking logical robot. She is so ruled by logic and I have lost more arguments because of it that than I care to admit to that I need something like this to prove to myself that I'm not crazy. It's an outlet. A soap box. Whatever you want to call it...It's a place that I can share my life which is something I've always been comfortable doing.

Ay...therein lies the rub.

I am nothing if not committed to my wife. We are a good team. She keeps us grounded and I keep us laughing. It's a good formula and although it's not perfect, well, it's not supposed to be. But she IS a private person. I have to respect that. And as I told her, I don't share everything. That would be irresponsible. I have a family, a marriage and I do have a sense of appropriateness. I have no problem voicing my opinion, even if it differs with those that I love, but I pledge to do so with integrity and respect.

So what does that have to do with the "real you"? What is the "real you"? Well...it has to do with many conversations I have had with other folks who live in the world of the internet. I'm not an on-line junkie ( I do, after all, have to hold down a job and I have an otherwise busy life) but as I've discussed with "internet" friends before... many people are not the same "on-line" as they are in person. It may not be a bad thing, necessarily, as some folks are pretty shy and that anonymity helps to boost the personality a bit. Others are flat out closet psychopaths who vent their deviousness and give good reason for internet regulation. But I really want to match my written personality with my actual personality. For those people that know me, I think you'll agree, that the two are uniform. So, in essence, that is what I want this blog to reflect. The real me. That's who my wife married. That's who I have to look at everyday in the mirror. Sometimes I like him and sometimes I don't.

As a man who moved very far away from family and friends, I ultimately thought it a great way to share my life with those that I love. I welcome comments to my posts, my pictures and my life. So my on-line personality is about as close to the real me as you're going to get. Hope you like it so far.