Mao Tse Tung said ‘change must come’.
Oct 2nd, 2007 by B.
Statistically speaking yesterday’s ‘Just Say No’ post is the most popular thing EuroTrippen’s had going since I can’t remember when. Meaning each and every reader must be forwarding the link to their family, friends, enemies, AA sponsors and/or priests citing a perfect “what not to do” example. Shit. Either that or more people read this damn thing than I’ve been thinking. Double shit.
The cautiously optimistic side of me wants to believe it’s just a case of it (the entry) being a combination of funny and real… making it interesting for people to read. On the other hand, the generally pessimistic and oh-so predominant side of me says: hey, everybody loves a good train wreck. After all, what’s better for the ego than passing a little judgment on others?
At times I think my willingness to talk openly not just about the good stuff, but the bad too, is one of the very few things I do well. Other times I think it’s just me fulfilling my own prophecy that… given enough time… people will always find something wrong with me.
In the end- the thing that’s struck me the most as I’ve watched the post clicks continue to soar is that… it’s not just me I’m putting out there.
I’ve always wondered if your girls read your blog. I mean, they must know about it right? Or what if some kid at school stumbles on it and tells everybody in school there’s pictures of your daughter’s dirty room and stuff.
I guess in the end if they read it, even the parts about the daughter, they’d probably come away thinking, “whoa, her mom’s pretty cool.”
Yes, they both know about my blog. Robbie doesn’t read it because she doesn’t believe anyone over the age of 25 has anything interesting to say. In fact, when I mentioned the blogger meet-up that was happening in Dresden next month I think her exact words were: “LAME! Why would you want to hang out with a bunch of old people with nothing better to do than sit around writing about their boring lives… all the pretty people are on myspace and dampfer.”
When I told her she was cooling her heels here at home for a few weeks so I could make sure she’d really thought things through, one of her first snarky remarks was ‘be sure and tell everybody you’ve got me under house arrest’… So yes, she knows. I’m also equally sure that if any of her pals read my blog it would get back to her and if/when that happened she would be the first to tell me if she thought I stepped out of line.
Iddy (Sydney) on the other hand loves my blog and actually knows quite a lot about most of you (she rates you by the ‘coolness’ factor of the pictures you post on your blogs).
I do take some steps to protect their privacy. Our last name isn’t posted anywhere, hell… even my first name is barely ever mentioned, and Robyn (while it’s the name on her birth certificate) isn’t the name she goes by here… we’re the only ones who call her that. I know lots of bloggers refer to their children as ‘boy 1′ or ‘girl 2′ for the sake of privacy, but they still post about the town they live in, or throw out pictures of their child (you almost can’t help doing those things), so it really doesn’t do a lot of good.
That said, I’m learning more & more each day that the expat community is a small one and word gets around. And even if Robbie’s a lot like me in that she’s headstrong, openly defiant and doesn’t seem to comprehend the meaning of the term “think first, act later”, I probably owe it to her (even if she doesn’t care) to censor what I say.
I never used to feel that way when I knew it was all of 5 people reading my blog and none of them meant me any ill will. Now it’s a crazy number, with 7/8 of them sitting out there silently and me left to wonder what’s going through their heads (or worse… if I pass them daily on the street or in the school or at the market… and never even know it)
It’s probably time for a change in the way I blog, I’m just still working on how the hell I’m supposed to do it and still feel like it’s an honest look at my life.
I imagine your post is so popular because many, many people are going through the same thing but hardly anyone is brave enough to write about it. Most people forward posts not to say “Look at this idiot who did everything wrong,” but to say, “Look at this person who is having the same problem we are - what a relief that someone else feels like this too.”
The issue of Robyn’s privacy is something else, and you will figure out the best thing for your family. (I really hope Sydney thinks I’m cool; I’ll have to put more thought into those Flickr pics. All my wardrobe pics probably didn’t excite her much.)
If you’re wondering about lurkers, check out Schmutzie’s Great Mofo Delurk 2007, happening tomorrow:
http://www.schmutzie.com/2007/09/814-great-mofo-delurk-2007.html
Oh she loves all the ‘baby Theo’ photos. Ditto with anyone posting animal pictures, and she especially loves all of Jeanni’s action figures (thinks it’s cool for a grownup to still play with dolls). But her favorite is Jdub’s video of getting stranded at the train station in Berlin… heh.
ok, you know i am now obsessed with making sure iddy thinks i’m the coolest…
ok, i’ll be spending my day now looking for some cool pictures to post in an attempt to win favor…
I’m sure it’s just such an open honest post that everyone can see some of their selves or their family situations in it. Besides, one day it will be funny for her to look back at the situation when she’s older and remember how she was as a teenager
okay-so I had written this “perfect tome” this morning in part to let you know that some random expat-hang in there was out in Germany backing you up, until my computer decided to freeze! Yes, the wide open web-ness is scary yikes, and I’m too aftraid to deal with a click counter so I pretend that only people who “know me” check out my blog…blissful ignorance! My older kids think I’m a cyber spazz, and so I make sure to keep them in line by posting early morning photos, which they hate and beg me to take down. Ha! The wee one-he thinks it rocks, so that makes me cool, double ha!
As far as the previous post: keep your friends close and your enemies-closer! You have a good head-thoughtful, cautious, wild, outgoing, challenging, spirited, thoughtful…(I think these things of you because you are a generous writer. You “speak” when you type.) Robbie will get it-she will-but make sure you’ve got good wellies (no pun there!) this is deep dark water you’re all treading through. Keep talking to her, particularly about the cultural differences, and let her know she could really be hating house arrest over here in Heidelberg-we have MP’s!!
Iddy likes animal pictures eh? Hmmm, must think to post a few faves of mine then
B, I’ve said it before, & I’ll just say it again for posterity, you’re a good read….Whether you think so or not, you’re really good at what you do, I really enjoy reading your blogs, & it’s apparent that a lot of other people do too….So just keep up the good work!
For now I am safe on my blog. I can not disclose personal stuff as I openly discuss leaving Florida and my husband’s partners don’t need to know that little detail yet. I have wondered once I am no longer constrained by this whether I’ll go public. I admire your honesty and I relate to your blog on a personal level because with friends, I am that honest. That said, the world is a much smaller place and can I be honest knowing friends, neighbors, employers, and co-workers may stumble upon my site if I used real names? Also, as my kids get older I’m not sure they’d appreciate my revealing all the dumb crap they will do - sure, we all do these things but generally, the details are not published. When you figure out the answer let me know, I hope to be asking myself this question soon