Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Blogging Rules



I've been thinking about how life gets more complicated as more technology develops. It should be the other way! All these neat gadgets are supposed to be time savers and make life easier aren't they? Right now I'm talking about the computer and blogging in general and I have a feeling I'm not the only one who gets pulled to the computer screen for longer blocks of time every day.

I first started blogging a little more than two years ago when surfing Internet and stumbling upon Bonnie's Quiltville Scrap User's System. I noticed a few comments and a couple of links and I followed those until I came upon the blogging world. I lurked around for a couple months but I was afraid of the big scary world out there and the imagined evil lurking behind the screen.

BUT... I ran across a marvelous quilt on Quilting Bebbs' blog and I posed a question and decided blogging manners and rules included revealing myself to Anne. She responded and I was hooked! Wow! I was communicating with someone in England!!! It reminded me of my days trying to stay in touch with a pen pal but SO MUCH FASTER. Computers, Internet and especially blogging are so great! Pretty soon I was commenting on other blogs and people were following links back to me until I belonged to my own little blogging community. And I've been happy ever since!

But notice that the minute I connected with another blogger, that I started following blogging rules (made up by myself) and I religiously answered e-mails that came in to me and visited the blogger. And once I hooked up to Bloglines then I could subscribe to every blog visitors' blog and comment there too! But I guess this is an old story. What I'm getting at is that the computer world has made communicating so fast and easy and such a time saver but I end up sitting here reading and writing and commenting and making new friends until I get swamped. And it's no fault but my own! And I love doing it! But sewing and housekeeping get ignored though thankfully I haven't been delinquent with my job yet. (That day could come!)

It's very interesting that some bloggers use their first name, some an alias, some a full name, some show pictures of themselves some don't and some even have their mailing address posted on their blog! I decided that I didn't mind posting my full name and my picture but I'll only post pictures of friends and family if I get permission (if I've gotten your permission once, my "rule" says I have it until you tell me to stop!) Some of my non-blogging friends think I could be tracked by the information I've posted on my blog, but really, who is going to hunt me down in the back woods of Japan? And why? I'm a housewife with no children at home who quilts. No great ransom material there.

An interesting situation came up a couple weeks ago when someone I didn't know contacted me asking if I had the mailing address of another blogger because they wanted to do something nice for the blogger. I had the address and was ready to e-mail it off when I said,

"Wait. What are the blogging rules about this?"

It makes me a little sad that I can't just assume that what is said is what really is. I wondered if I'd have the same qualms giving out an address of someone if I was stopped on the street by a stranger. You know,

"Where does so-and-so live?" "Oh, see the purple house second from the left? That's her house."

But the blogging world? I ended up going to the blogger and asking if I could reveal her mailing address (she said yes) and then passing the information along.

What about you? What are your "rules" for blogging?

Um...Here I am practically fresh out of bed, no make-up and making my morning blog hop before I start house cleaning chores etc. MY blogging rule says it's okay not to be spruced up to enter the blogging world. This is the real ME friends, and this is where I am at when I'm visiting with you!

23 comments:

jovaliquilts said...

My blogging rules are pretty much like yours, and I started out much the same way. But it took me forever to comment on someone's blog -- I figured they all knew each other and didn't know me, and I would just be butting in! Seems so silly in retrospect. I'm really glad I finally started to participate.

Katie said...

The computer really does suck us in!

I do most of my "blogging" while in my pajamas! So no photos of that. Sorry...it's a rule. *hee hee*

QuiltingFitzy said...

TAG!

Now I've REALLLY broken the rules!

I've tagged you for the Randomness meme...

Hugs!

tami said...

It is so sad that not everyone in blogland can be trusted. You just never know what people's motives are. I don't worry as much now that my children aren't home. I made them be very careful on their myspace pages.

tami said...

It is so sad that not everyone in blogland can be trusted. You just never know what people's motives are. I don't worry as much now that my children aren't home. I made them be very careful on their myspace pages.

Quilt Pixie said...

my blogging "rules" are very strict leaning towards privacy since I am very aware that anything on the web could be accessed by anyone at any future time... While blogging friends I email correspond with have my "real" name, I wouldn't dream of using it in something that will be on the web. I also do not use others name unless they use it on the web, I keep my blog very focused on my sewing and studio life -- saying little or nothing about many other events/pieces of my life... there are no pictures of me, or others on my blog, and no pics of other's work...

What it amounts to is the blog is public, and I don't know who might access it or when. I don't give details of my personal life to strangers on a bus, why would I on the web?

Guzzisue said...

Hi, I spend breakfast time reading blogs and answering e-mails, my rules pretty much like yours. The one thing I never mention is where I work just for my own safety ( peace of mind)

Amanda said...

I've been lurking on your blog for some time and decided it's time to reveal myself. I've been thinking about the quirks of blogging myself. I'm pretty new to it, and learning as I go. I keep wondering - should I have my name/picture on it (though the picture is almost indecipherable)? Should I have pictures of my family on it? They're happy enough, but still I wonder. I reckon the cat's fair game though! I love reading about life in Japan, so keep it up. I don't want to add to your burden and risk the housework feeling even further behind, so don't feel you need to respond.

Lazy Gal Tonya said...

You know, I gave out a blogger's address without hesitation, but that was to another blogger that I've corresponded with for a couple of years. D'oh, didn't even think about whether or not I should have done that until now. I admittedly don't respond to every comment and I've definitely whittled down the number of blogs I visit - the blogging world just keeps getting bigger and bigger, which I love.

Shelina said...

I had so many self imposed rules when I started out. Things about posting frequently, and commenting on every blog I visited, and visiting regularly, etc. Now I have to many people to be following all those rules. Now I visit and don't introduce myself as new to their blog - because I might have visited them previously and just didn't recognize their remodeled blog, etc. I try not to talk about other people, and protect their privacy as much as I can by giving them nicknames, etc.

I try not to leave identifying information about me either - because people will then know when you aren't home, and if someone wants a particular quilt, they will know when a good time is to come get it, etc. Although if you are astute enough, I think there are enough pieces of information to add together to know, but I figure if someone takes that kind of time, they would have found a way any other way anyway.

The Calico Cat said...

My rules live on a slide rule...

I go by "The Calico Cat" But I don't hide my "real" name...

I call my husband Mr. Calico Cat, but I have also mentioned his real name.

I try to call my "in real life" friends "my friend."

When I post quilts from national shows, I include the makers name. But when I post from local shows I don't. (convoluted rationale)

My goal is to add commentors to my bloglines, so that I can see what they do & I try to comment on their blog at that time as well. If their e-mail address is available, I try to reply. (I used to be very tit-for-tat there, but now that I use bloglines, I mosly just read...)

dee said...

I had that same feeling when I got a response from you...WOW I'm talking to someone in Japan! Yippeee!
Blogging is a time-sucker but I so enjoy the friends I've made that I try to keep up. Sometimes i think about all the time I have spent and the things I could have done so I try to cut down...a little

Ima Baglady said...

I read your blog pretty regularly and even though I LOVE your journal and photos, I've never commented because I didn't have my own blog. I'm just getting started on mine. I love the concept of "blogging rules." I guess I had my own since I didn't comment until I had a blog too! :)

Sew Create It - Jane said...

What a great post...I have my own personal rules too. Like it's ok for my name and face to be on the blog, but I don't show my children's faces or call them by name...not sure why, just one of those things I've done from the start. As for personal details..well I'm with you on that one..I think I'd want to check it was ok too. As a rule (see I do have them) once I've used someone's address to say send them a giveaway I delete the email. I just don't save addresses...part of that is because knowing me I'd get them all mixed up!

Marilyn R said...

Interesting post and comments today. I don't mention my last name in my blog or others for that matter. Nor do I mention my hubby's name or the State or town I live in. I guess by reading some of my posts you can get a close idea of where I live but that is close enough for me. I have had so much fun meeting others from around the world and some close by.

Christine Thresh said...

I have rules similar to yours. I do present my real name and that of my husband. I refer to my children by their first names (but anyone can figure out what their last names are because they are boys). I am vague about where they live. I've never been asked to give out an address. I think you did the right thing.
I have shown pictures of my house and street.
I do not think my life would inspire a crook looking for big ticket items.
Nowadays it is so easy to find just about anybody in the world so I think blogging is almost like being in the telephone book.
Tanya, you have been so gracious replying to my comments, but you don't have to every time.
I love reading your blog.

Susan Ramey Cleveland said...

We live in such a paranoid world, don't we? When I first started my blog, my husband was very nervous about anything I would post. He didn't want anything on there that would let someone track us. But since I've met so many nice people, my husband has lightened up considerably. I still don't give my home address or telephone number. If someone I've gotten to "know" through the blogging asks me for it, I'll e-mail it to them. But I'm sort of like you. Who's going to want to track me down and do something bad to me? Maybe I'm too trusting, I don't know.
I don't guess I have many other blogging rules. I try to not use crude language or talk about politics or relgion. But that's about it.

Susan Ramey Cleveland said...

Oh and P.S. I have a niece who got fired from a good job because of her blog. She complained about a coworker on it. She didn't even know that people whe worked with knew she had a blog. THey didn't give her a second chance or anything. So if you have a job, don't blog about it.

artfilstitch said...

Tanya,
I allow myself a certain amount of time for the blog world or computer for that matter. I think that quilters, for the most part, are some of the best people. It is wonderful to share ideas, thoughts and customs with others. Unfortunately, some are lurking for the wrong purposes. My husband has a way of looking at the human (humorous) side..."We're all made from the same mold, some are just a little moldier." :>)
Thanks for visiting with me again today! I enjoy your blog.
Liz

Catherine said...

I'm pretty cautious about what I would divulge on a blog. The whole thing with identity theft is just too scary. If someone asked me for someone else's address, I would have to ask the person if it was okay to forward their address to the other party but I think that's just good manners. After all, we may think we know someone but ...

andsewitis Holly said...

I guess I'm fearless. I have nothing anyone would want to steal, my kids are no longer home, if they want to take my life then I'll be some place better than here so what's there to lose really? I've never been asked for anyone's address so don't know how I would have handled that but I like how you handled it so I'll do the same if ever put in that position. There are just too many wonderful blogs out there and I don't have enough time so I have whittled my list down to about 25 quilters. I try to comment on those blogs a few times a month. I don't know that I have any rules really.

Mary said...

Great post Tanya, I also use my name and location and share details of my life but I do have rules too - mine mainly revolve around not sharing negative or really personal details. It's funny at times because people think they know everything about me because they read what's on my blog.

I always keep in mind it's a public forum and never share information that I wouldn't want strangers to read. When writing a private email to a blogger friend, I have shared more personal details and things that I wouldn't post on the blog.

Kathy Wagner said...

I know exactly what you mean about the amount of time that can pass enjoying this wonderful world of blogging until you get swamped!
That is why I haven't been by to visit for a while, but enjoyed reading your posts and seeing what you are up to.
I must get to finishing my 365 and am happy to be caught up with the Orange Crush mystery.
Nice to read your news and see your beautiful photos!
Happy QUilting!