Friday, November 16, 2007
Question
Do people in your real life know you blog? If not, do you ever talk about blog content? I talk about the blogs I read but in a vague way. I'll say things like, "I read somewhere..." or "I heard someone say..." It's funny because I would rather have Bloggers know my real identity than have Real Life People know my blog identity. Except for my boyfriend. He knows both.
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A handful of my friends and my mom know about my blog. But yeah. I never admit that I read something on a blog because something about it sounds kind of cliche... but oh well. I'm glad there are so many friendly folks in the blogosphere to be my virtual friends too!
Dr R knows about the blog and sometimes reads. I don't tell friends, because I don't think they'd 'get the concept'. My friends are welcome to read my other blog which is photos and stories from life in Canada - it saves me writing emails!
Maybe I just like segregating my life, I'm not sure. Letting people in on it is something you can't undo - once 'you're out' you are out, unless you change sites which is a pain.
I like the fact that there are many friendly folks in blogland too!
I don't tell people I know in real life about my blog. The only one who knows is my Husband who probably also read occasionally, but even we don't talk much about it. I once sent a link to a former blog to my sister, but judging from the IP-adresses of visitors I think she just checked it out a couple of times. I think my friends would think blogging is odd (and especially blogging in a foreign language as I do), but for all I know all my friends could have blogs of their own.
I don't often talk about blogs I read either. It's like a taboo media, but recently I've been involved in some discussions at work about professional blogging and I've had to admit that I knew a thing or two about blogs.
I think this is all changing for me. I'm being more open about what I do and where I am on my blog, and it might just be a matter of time before someone figures out who I am. If anyone in my field and region reads academic blogs and come across mine I think it will be easy to recognize me.
I totally mention to *certain* people that I read things on blog. I don't tell about my blog, but it's pretty new.
I love to say "I read this blog about being a scientist and a mother"
And I recently send a struggling friend some links to blogs I read. We talked about how strange it was that reading these blogs makes one feel like they are not alone (in the way they feel, the things that happen to them), yet you are alone reading this stuff on a computer feeling connected to other people. Strange, huh.
It is strange to feel connected with people via a shared experience when all you have really done is look at your computer screen. The human brain sure is complex.
I don't really talk about blog content with others. I never really thought about why, but I think sciencemama sums it up pretty well. Only one person at LargeU knows my blog, but I do have a handful of non-LargeU friends and family that know about it.
I've definitely become more open about it during my mighty 6 month blogging career! I was very careful about who I told in my old job because there had been some issues with another employee who had been incredibly stupid and irresponsible with his blog. That's why I never wrote about work much or gave my company's name, although it wouldn't be too difficult to figure out!
Of course I then had the genius idea of including my blog in my CV when I applied for my current job. (The job involves a lot of writing about science so I wanted to show that this was something I was very proactively interested in, and it seemed to work!) I know that a couple of people I interviewed with had a quick look at the time, but now that I have the same IP address as them it's harder to tell! It hasn't changed my approach, tone or content much, but I guess it might if it becomes clear that anyone senior is reading it on a regular basis. I've consciously never written anything that I wouldn't want my superiors to read, but it would be better for them to think of it as a science blog rather than a generic blog about monkeys and David Beckham! (Current front page is, erm, not very intellectual).
My hubby and non-work friends know about my blog, but they're not scientists so generally only read it if I tell them about something specific. My sister drops in from time to time too. Some of my geekier friends even suggest ideas for posts sometimes!
I tend to talk about other blog posts with an "I read somewhere today..." although with some people I will admit that "somewhere" is a blog.
Sorry for the rambling comment, but my recent change in employment has had me thinking about this a lot! I really like your blog by the way, just found it via A Mad Teaparty. Keep up the good work!
vwxynot, it's interesting that you were able to capitalize on your blog to get a job. Also, thanks for the compliment. I've been enjoying your blog as well.
vwxynot I'm always impressed and fascinated when I hear stories like yours where someone have actively promoted their job to their workplace.
I think it also depends a lot on the focus of the blog. I tend to write about the more personal side of being a scientist, how I deal (or don't deal) with projects, students, papers, colleagues...you name it. Although I'm sure my colleagues also go through bouts of unproductivity, confusion, burn-out or juggling work and life, it's not a side of me that I'm comfortable with showing off as part of my professional image (and maybe that is really a bigger problem). I also use to blog to go write my way through some thoughts about career choice, job search etc and although my experiences are probably generic and recognizable for many, I'm not comfortable with my colleagues getting such a direct insight into the formation of my ideas and wishes.
I don't feel I could write freely about those things if my colleagues were reading and knew I was the writer.
thanks for commenting on my blog - now I can come visit you! I definately am trying to figure this out too. At the moment only a handful of people who know me in real life now my blog identity although someone could easily put a whole bunch of clues together and figure out who I am in real life. However, the people who know about my blog tend to live very far away and be people who don't see me that much and aren't in the same profession. I find it odd that I'm reluctant to share this address with people because at the same time I am reluctant to say too much about things going on at my workplace. But I sure am grateful for the supportive and wonderful people in the blogging world!
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