I’m pissed off today… so please bare with me because I have got to get this off my chest.
I began blogging years ago when it first came out. I was over at Dairyland and then I moved on to many other services including Typepad and Blogger. In the beginning I would talk about all kinds of random things, maybe updating with something once a month. Nothing truly of significance.
About five years ago I began documenting my struggles with infertility. It was a very hard time for me, and no one in my immediate circle could relate to what I was going through. I quickly grew tired of the “it will happen soon”, “don’t stop believing” crap that was being tossed at me almost on a daily basis. My blog allowed me the opportunity to vent rather anonymously about everything I was dealing with. The drugs, the poking, the prodding, the broken friendships, the jealousy and rage I felt… everything I could not just say to those around me.
Eventually, I began developing relationships with people online. We grew close, exchanged emails and phone numbers. I began opening myself up more… telling more about who I was… and then the attacks came. I crossed the line and revealed I was adopted. Not just adopted, but happily adopted. I loved my parents and was ecstatic that they had chosen me, and raised me. On top of that, as an infertile woman, I too would eventually adopt.
The emails and letters of hatred I received became too much, and I finally had to let it go. I quit the site and stopped updating there, let friendships fall to the wayside and did my best to move on with life.
Since then I have had other blogs… I have one dealing with my fat ass and my desire to lose the “fat” part off of it, another is about my photography, and then there is this one… and a few that are somewhere about something I have forgotten about.
Now, with that said, I am sure you noticed that the common factor about all my blogs has been me. I talk about my issues, my work, my life, my feelings. I do not sit and write about Tom’s day or how Joanie is enjoying her pizza.
These blogs are about me. Me and only me.
This blog is not about:
- Ashley
- Brendan
- Tom
- Dick
- Harry
- Laura
- Meghan
- Chris
- Jane
- Kevin
- Paul
- Ange
- Tito
- Any brothers or sisters
- My cousins
- My relatives
- Mom or Dad
- My neighbors
- The cashier at the Wal-Mart
- Nosey people named Sharon
- The mailman
- RoRo and C.W.
- My BFF’s
- My girls
- You
Was that list clear enough? Of course, people do get mentioned. That’s only natural. But I have always respected my friends and family enough to not do personal shout outs. Just because I choose to blab all over the world that I am MONIQUE doesn’t mean they want me to say who they are. That’s common sense. And of course I know that if you know me you will know who my husband is… DUH.
So, if you are reading this, and are offended because I am not talking enough about your son, your kids, your brother, your uncle, your sisters cousins friend who she knew in high school then oh well. Stop friggin reading it. And stop creating drama where none is needed because you are an attention whore.
If I wanted to blog about family life my blog would called Blogging The Castro’s, not Blogging Monique Renae.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Preach on, preach on! I completely understand what you are talking about. I never use names in my blogs for the same reasons, whenever I do talk about people in my life. Most of them prefer it that way, if not all, so you’re not alone on that!
I’m standing up and I’m clapping…can you hear me now? I know how you feel, this is your platform…no one elses and please keep it that way…i don’t know tom, dick or harry.
[round of applause]
I absolutely get what you are saying. What’s sad is that even though you were very clear as to who it’s not about, those same people will still wonder why it’s not about them. If they so desperately want to be talked about, they should get their own space. I come here to read about YOU, not Tom, Dick or Harry.
FINE! Don’t blog about ME, then…. ;-p
Why don’t they get their own blogs and shut the eff up???
Never mix worlds. I don’t tell people I meet personally about my blog, nor do I show relatives. Their idea of help is clicking an ad 50 times, when all you asked is for some quiet so you can write.
What the heck?!? Why would anyone criticize you for (a) being adopted or (b) thinking about adopting?
People are crazy.
PS: I love the xoxoxo signature here on monigueranae.com. Good design element.
Amen!!
This is your blog, your release. You don’t have to include anybody in it unless you want to!
Agree with Turnip and Mike. I don’t really tell many people I know personally about my sites, and the ones I do tell I tell them exactly what I want (not clicking on my ads, only commenting appropriately, etc.).
And I never heard of people getting ridiculed for being adopted or wanting to adopt. Hmm.. that is rather weird.
As your blogging becomes more popular you learn to not listen to over-exaggerated criticism. It comes with the job. I get some pretty stupid complaints everyday.
Heeeeyyyyy Giiiiirrrl! I love your blog don’t do anything to change it! just do you! Muah!
I am still trying to figure out why you would ever get hate mail about being adopted or infertility.
Smart people blog…
jackasses write hate mail.
On the other issue, I am glad to know that I am not the only one with whiny family and friends that think I should write about them.
Thanks for the highly entertaining honesty!
Not often I find someone who has been blogging as long as I have. I moved around to a few services too. Never had a problem with family and friends reading my blog, few of them bother.
If you have people on your back about not mentioning them enough suggest they start a blog of their own.
That’s terrible that people send you hate mail, because you are adopted. I guess you have to remember that there are good and bad people on the internet. Ignore the people who hurt you and listen to the ones who help you like in real life.