Blogging and bloggers seem to have cycles where they post and read a lot, and then go away. With it being a purely extracurricular activity – although some live and breathe by it – it's no wonder you don't ever really get a full sense of a person through his or her blog. It is by nature just a two-dimensional portrayal of whatever the author wants to present. More genuine writers may let the mask slip a bit more than others, but as many disclaimers appearing on blogs attest, being a reader of a blog doesn't mean you know the person. (Can I get a resounding "duh" from the peanut gallery?)
Even meeting, working with or knowing someone in real life doesn't guarantee you've got a handle on who they really are. We've got masks, clothing, attitudes and personas that we wear to conceal what's underneath. Maybe we even hide it from ourselves.
Enough seriousness, though. Here are a few scenarios for which my personal cast of characters could be amended for an altered blog reality:
1. Texas T-bone: A blog about gangsta rap
T-bone is know played by Masta Bone; the Petite Filet is now L'il Boneless; and the Cutlet is now Dipa Filla. And we're chillin' in da hood wid our homeys.
2. Texas T-bone: A blog about Prohibition-era gangsters
T-bone in now Bones Capone; the Petite Filet is now Tipsy Flapper; and the Cutlet is now Spanky Underwood. And we're knocking back shots in a speak-easy, avoiding the coppers, making moonshine and singing show tunes.
3. Texas T-bone: A blog about a ragtag airline
T-bone is now Captain Tex; the Petite Filet is now Bonkers McGee, a bubbly flight attendant; and the Cutlet is now Mr. Giggles, an obnoxious passenger. We try hard to get lost in the Bermuda Triangle, but we end up being captured by a wild band of Austrailian Olympians who've taken over their own island in the Pacific.
4. Texas T-bone: A blog about politics
T-bone is now Righty Leftfoot, a political pundit who doesn't know which way is up; the Petite Filet is his favorite debating partner, Lefty Alrighty; the Cutlet is taking a nap because the whole thing is stupid and boring.
5. Texas T-bone: A blog about a hospital facing a budget crisis
T-bone is now Dr. Cutsalot, a scalpel-happy surgeon who uses his surgical implements to make sandwiches at inoppurtune times. The Petite Filet is now Nurse Knockers, because she bumps into things at inoppurtune times. The Cutlet is Al Sooya, a litigious patient who is tired of eating sandwiches at inopportune times.
Millions of people blog, yet I've only met a few bloggers in real life introduced specifically as "bloggers." Maybe it's the fear of being rejected in real life, when I can no longer hide behind the words, or maybe it's because many blogger meetups are at inopportune times (like when I'm making a sandwich) or inopportune places (Dallas). I can always use more friends, and at least for now, we can support each other, cheer each other up, etc., online. Maybe someday I'll make an appearance when there are no sandwiches or excuses to block me.
I'm not sure what "beef stew for the soul" means, but it's been my underlining theme almost since the beginning. Maybe it's an attempt to write something hearty that sticks with you (a blog you can eat with a fork!). But in the end it's probably just a silly notion.
Until then, as I've said a few times before: this blog is me, but it's not all me. I try to be genuine, but sometimes it's just that pesky "Texas T-bone" persona popping up. In person, I'm funnier, have a lovely singing voice and smell absolutely terrific. I'm also more humble.
What's your persona, online or otherwise?
for me, i would like to think - i'm pretty dead on with my personality online as i am in real life.
dry sense of humor, overstressed and sometime overly dramatic.
what's the point in presenting a "persona" when you can just present yourself - flaws and all?
I post on Xanga. The blog's illegitimate younger inbred cousin. I like it though. I don't have to know as much HTML and I can upload like a whiz. Yeah, yeah, you can do that with blogger and all that jazz. I like the format. In real life, I laugh way more. But i'm also "intimidating" apparently. ie: smart yet not "Cosmo" girl
I let my softer side show through my blog and not in real life as much. I hold back in my blog though, probably out of fear that i'll alienate people. I'm not easy-going in either forum.
Good post, T-daddy.
I think I am right on with my blog, and looking back on it I see all different aspects of my multi-dimensional personality (ies) and I have to say - yeah, this blog is all me.
Now in real life, I dont show that extent of myself to everyone, only chosen bits and pieces... so my blog readers are 'lucky' or maybe not so lucky really!
I've been told I'm just the same in person as I am in real life ~ outspoken, joking and what you see is what you get ~ but the truth is known one really gets a true insight on me as I'm use to hiding behind jokes, fun and being outgoing ~ although sometimes I let the real me peek through the lines on my blog once in awhile *smile* ~ spekaing of meetings and sandwiches ~ we are long overdue to have lunch and this time you actually make it to the resturant to eat LOL
Most of what you see on my blog is mindless dribble. So, yes, I am fairly represented on my blog. Of course, there is no way that I can put every wonderful thing about myself on there. My wife just wouldn't allow that.
I think you get to see about 75% of my personality through my blog. It's really hard to show all the witty comebacks I have for just about everything (unless I start conversing with myself in my blog). As far as the feelings/frustrations/opinions, they are right on. I have a tendency to ramble on about stuff. You wouldn't really know it by reading my blog, but you can quite often tell by my comments on other's blogs (case in point?).
i am who i am, and i am not quite sure who i am yet. that is why my online persona has been re-created so many times. but i am going to be in san antonio or austin this winter. not for an official blogger thing or anything- just to see another part of the world. :)
Interesting question.
Allowing myself to think that I have covered enough bases to be anonymous allows me to be, in some ways, more real on my blog than I am with many people in my outside life. There are few people that know me who also know that I write, much less write mediocre poetry. So I guess I would have to say that people that read my blog know me better than people that don't.
Except for the whole "name and face" thing.
i was thinking about posting about this last night.
i think that on my blog, you get that part of me which is what i'm thinking but may not always be able to say.
i'm pretty honest and forthright, but it irks me to think that people think that the real me is just like SJ.
In real life, I'm a lot nicer, quieter, more sensitive and emotional. SJ is the part of me who says what she must at all times.
My blog is often the part of me that I find hard to show the real world. It is also a place where people who are interested can find out what I've been up to lately, how my family is doing, what projects I am working on or have finished. Sometimes I discuss my feelings, sometimes it's just a list of things I or my family did recently. So I would have to say it is all at once more of me than real life people see, and less of me.
My blog originally started so my friends and family abroad could keep up on every day happenings in my family. Although I've now gathered a wide range of readers, I try to keep that aspect up, despite the odd wandering off into raging about politics or human rights (or, as of late, fashion).
I met a fellow blogger and blogaholic, whose blog I religiously read, this last weekend. He was more humble and far less misogynist than he presents himself on his blog. I cannot judge how much my blog mirrors my personality.
I haven't figured out yet how my real and blog personalities intersect. But now my head hurts...
I keep most of my personal life to myself, so my blog reflects very little of what goes on in my daily life. When I do share - even just a little - it's usually vague.
I'm not sure if I have a blog persona. I'm not even sure why I'm keeping a blog at the moment.
Hi! My first time stopping by your site, so I wanted to say "Hello"....
Funny post. Even funnier, I wrote something along the same lines the other day myself...(although I must admit, I didn't do nearly as good of a job as you did! )
Anyway, for what it's worth...I've enjoyed my visit!
I started my blog up again about a month ago. It kind of acts as my alter ego. It's a good safe place to go to have a hissy fit, or freak out about something, or record a memory. I get to vent and nobody gets hurt. And maybe I can entertain some poor bored sod chained to their PC at work. I had a blog going before, but then my boyfriend of the time found it and was *shocked, shocked* and made me deconstruct it down to its component pixels. He was surprised I had such a vocal inner-bitch.
I don't know why I need to make such personal stuff public, maybe because it forces me to keep the production values a bit higher than some tatty diary?