Friday, July 11, 2008

Nothing personal...

When I started this blog, I was hoping that it would act like a journal. I'm sad to report it has become only a shadow of what my journal should contain. In my church there is a large emphasis place on journal writing, I'm not sure why, but I am sure that those we spawn will benefit or at least be mildly entertained by the menial happenings in our lives. I am discovering that this blog could never act as an actual journal and it is kind of bugging me. First of all, I don't see the point in keeping a blog if people don't want to read it. That puts an entertainment requirement on each blog post. The closest thing to actual journal keeping on this blog was my "Gas tank in the life..." series which I have heard almost nothing but complaints about. In fact last night over a month after posting them someone said, "I sure am glad that gas tank business is over." Anyway, it was proof to me that entertainment value is paramount in blogging. When I was married, I think I could get as personal as I wanted and still be funny. I used to send out my "on the john" letters which people always seemed to love.

Here's the problem, now that I am single again I am starting to have many single adventures with attractive members of the opposite sex which I guarantee you would be very entertaining material for blog posts...

I could tell you the story of HELGA who I met through a friend (who reads my blog) we went out a few times. I tried to kiss her on the third date and she shot me down, only to call me while I was driving home feeling rejected and tell me that I needed to come back to see her. She met me at the curb and kissed me the minute I got out of the car. Three weeks later after hanging a few times I lost interest in her because all she was into was the thrill of the chase. She continued to call me and I haven't answered the phone since...

Or I could write about BARBARELLA who I met through a a friend (who reads this blog) the friend warned me not to go out with her because "friend" thought "she was shallow" and because she wasn't a member of the church. I had a hard time seeing anything because I was blinded by her blazing hotness. I went out with her a few time. She was trying to get very physical very fast... which usually isn't a problem so long as the line isn't crossed. Once I started hanging out with her I discovered she was shallow - seriously I've stepped in deeper puddles. I didn't have anyone else to date at the time though, and kept her around because she was hot. I know, who's the shallow one here?

I was set up with SHRAWANDRIA she was smokin' but boring. Really really boring. I ran out of material to keep the conversation going on the first date... which never happens to me. She didn't ask me one question about myself. I tried going out with her again because she was good looking, but in effect I was just wasting my money.

I met BERTHA at the grocery store. She is awesome and beautiful. I had went out with her 5 times and I was continually amazed by her. I hadn't even tried to kiss her because I was afraid of messing things up. There were some extremely large obstacles to overcome between us, but I didn't care just because I liked spending time with her so much... I decided to fall back on the old stand by, and not hang out with her for 3 weeks. Thinking that if I couldn't live with out her that I would ignore the large obstacles and make a concerted effort. Over the three weeks I realized sge was awsome and I wanted to give it a shot, but by then she got a boyfriend... I'm still waiting for that to fizzle so I can make my move.

There are constantly situations where I over think and over analyse things done and said by the girls in my life. I could write novels about them. The vague tellings above are true, funny, tragic and exciting. The problem is they involve other people. Other people have feelings, (yeah I said it) if I write that "so and so" is shallow or is boring, or I don't think she's the cutest girl in the world but she's hella cool. What happens if SHE or her friend reads it. Gossip is already rampant without me writing it in a blog. Just the thought of giving more detail than I have above and having someone find out I wrote about it, and then them possibly confronting me with or about it makes my stomach turn.

Conclusion: I can't let you my friends and family in on some of the more personal things that go on in my life through this blog. How can I call this a journal if I don't write about the love or lack there of in my life, not to mention my job which is also very stressful and exciting and I can't write about it either. It's just not my place to write about everyone else around me. The whole public factor kind of destroys the ability of my blog to be truly personal.


John Maxim

22 comments:

Cameron's Corner said...

Dude, you seriously need to start dating people with hotter names.

Amber said...

So does this mean that you aren't going to blog anymore?

Rhett said...

I've had the same problem with my blog. Some of my best stories involve dating/women and what happens if that girl reads it? Does she get a chance at a rebuttal? Not to mention what happens one day when you are married and the wife reads your old blog posts about prior "adventures"? Some stuff should probably NEVER be written down...

Saule Cogneur said...

That's the nature of the beast I'm afraid. Anyone who says a public blog is constructed independently of the reader is on crack.

That said, lots of us would prefer you share inappropriate personal experiences. I told Kristi the same thing.

It might cost you your personal life, but hey, the rest of us will be entertained. And really, isn't that what blogs are all about?

Anonymous said...

In a certain "church document" that I have, it talks about the how I should learn something about "me" through a certain ancestor who had possibly dealt with a similar problem that I was having. A problem never to be written down in a public journal. I am still looking for this "answer" to see if there is something I could have done different to solve my dilemma, or even to just relate and know that I wasn't alone in my grief.

With this said, I think that somewhere down the road, there may be a descendant of mine who recieves a certain "church document" that may say something similar about an ancestor who has faced this problem. That ancestor may be "me", and I think it is reasons like this that the church strongly suggests journaling.

I strongly suggest that you keep doing your blog, for entertainment value, but that you also find another private source (and there are such online) to write your "real" journal. You never know who may benefit from it, or even find it necessary to their own well-being. And you may benefit from the therapeutic results of "getting it all out".

Steph said...

Wow, that post was like a manifesto of sorts. I really enjoy your blog.

If you didn't have a blog where would you put all those awkward pictures of yourself?

Jaime said...

I say write what you want regardless if someone is gonna read it. The fact that your brutally honest is what makes you so endearing....wait I veto anything you have to ever say about me :)

Brittney said...

There is something to be said for putting your business out there for everyone. The best example is how I got Alan fired for making a what I thought was funny yet rude comment about his employer. I definitely screen myself a lot more now.

LT said...

You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time. I understand how uncomfortable it can make you to put a lot of personal info out there. Get back to your roots, man. Think about who you're really writing for. If you didn't get 10 comments a post would you keep writing? There are a million random thought blogs out there. Only one is about your life...

Maria said...

I think that people who are legit feel the same way you do. I struggle with the idea of blogging in general. Some people go through their day thinking how they can incorporate their experiences into a blog post- I think that is lame. I hate reading phony blogs like that- I don't think you or your blog are phony.

True, you may not be sharing everything, but I don't think anyone really does.

Unknown said...

I really wish you would write about your dating adventures... I dont think I'd mind if someone wrote about dating me. Maybe you should start a second blog under an alias. You could link to it and let your close friends only in on it?

Aubrey Hansen said...

I was going off the the most recent data which turned out to be 5 out of 10. I'm glad you enjoy my blog I try to make it entertaining for all since i'm not posting about kids, spouses, all that other stuff other blog about. The whole conversation between Amber and I came up because she called me and told me I was a link on your blog. Do I now move into the friend section because I am an author who now knows who you are?

mmilius said...

Johnny-
I feel the same way about my blog, and I'm married. I don't think my other half reads my blog, but if I wrote all the things I would in a 'journal', I would probably be part of the divorced crowd. I love the things you do write though! Keep writing! Oh, and yes, your addition to my "There's Nothing Better Than" list, I concur vehemently!

Hilda said...

I think you have one of the best blogs ever and I find them very entertaining. So please keep doing what you're doing.

KateMarie said...

Just trying to reach my minimum "quota" of comments.

Cheers.

SRA said...

I guess I am one of Maria's lame people who tries to find blogworthy daily experiences. Sorry, Maria.

If you worry about who's reading your blog, take it private and invite your selected friends to read and comment. That's what I've done, because I've been burned before talking about people/situations I never thought those same people would read about and get back to me on. I had to learn the hard way that there is something to be said about reading-by-invite-only blogs.

But anyway, thanks for the hug after sacrament today. Glad I totally derailed your Sunday School prep. HA!

joN. said...

i would tell you to keep it up, but i'm sure your blog is in absolutely no danger of going away.

i've had the exact same thoughts as you have. believe me, MY blog would be 20 times more entertaining than it is, but my mother reads my blog more than anyone else.

have you considered keeping an anonymous blog in addition to your usual blog? i totally have. then i can say whatever i want and my readers have no idea who i am and the people in my life have no idea i'm saying stuff about them.

maybe i've already started it. just kidding. but maybe.

Laura Lee said...

I should really write more personal stuff in my journal as well. My blog is much more exciting and fun than my journal these days. Which is maybe why I haven't been writing in my journal.

When I do write in it, it's usually deeply personal stuff. Trials that I don't want to publicize; experiences that are in no way light and witty. So maybe I'm afraid someday when I'm dead and gone people will pick up my journal and think, "What happened to this girl? She seems much more happy-go-lucky in her earlier journals. Now she's all intense."

Cook with Tom said...

I can appreciate the public nature concern John.

But if you stopped blogging, I'd have to find new ways to entertain myself during slow parts of the work day.

Anonymous said...

What if you just write the good things about the girls you date? A few pics would be great too but if you like the girl you should ask them about putting them up. I'm sure no girl would object to having nice things written about them, a date summery and pic to remember it all. You go through so many girls that other single guys will start reading your blog to grab your sloppy seconds.

I thought the gas blog was good, just a bit long. Fire your editor.

Janey said...

I'm in a close race with emily for # of comments so I better say something- um actually I have found it very therapeutic lately to write on a random piece of paper at the height of my emotions everything I'm feeling at the moment, and I mean everything- and then just putting it into a box. I think i will eventually burn the whole thing but It feels good- try it- and no I would never post them on a blog nor would I want to-and that is my story about jounaling

Aubrey Hansen said...

you've got that right, whatever are you going to do?