Mission Statment

So apparently, this blogging fad is going to stick around for longer than I expected. My silent rebellion to keep my face-to-face friendships offline has been squashed by the technological tsunami that is social networking. And if you can't beat 'em, you gotta at least keep up with them. But if this is what it takes, I'm going to do it my way.

Reasons I Have Avoided Blogging:

1) Fragmentation of Friendships: Many will argue that blogging lets you develop stronger friendships with people you don't see often. I disagree. I feel that blogging all of my feelings into cyberspace creates an easy out for people to NOT develop stronger friendships with me. If all I have to do to catch up with someone is read their daily blog, what motivates me to talk to them in person? And what's worse, when I do talk to them in person, what will we have to talk about? I get what I need out of a friendship online and I don't have to give anything back. That's not a friendship.

2) Illusion of Importance: I am not the center of the universe. You are not the center of the universe. No matter how many followers a blog obtains, the writer is just a person spilling their thoughts onto a keyboard. More than once, I've had conversations with friends that were offended that I had not read their blog. Nevermind that I was one of three out of their five hundred Facebook friends that attended their baby shower.

3) Failure to Dig Further: This goes hand in hand with the assumption that 'everyone has read my blog, so there's no need to elaborate in person.' More than likely, I haven't read your blog. I require the details.

4) Intonation is Lost: For me, the Facebook friends I stalk are not real people. There's a disconnect when I learn about a life from a computer rather than a face. I love reading a person's face. Even talking on the phone offers a certain sense of detachment. I often forget the words that people say because what strike chords with me are the tones they use while speaking. Facial expressions, body language, vulnerability, distractions, listening skills, all of these things tell me more about a person than the words they choose to use ever will.

In an attempt to avoid becoming what I dislike, I have established a mission statement for myself. (I like structure, challenges, rules, regulations; I feel they inspire rather than inhibit creativity.)

MISSION STATMENT

This blog is intended to provide an overflow station for the many ramblings and thoughts that run laps around my brain. My thoughts are not meant to offend. My opinions will rarely be solidified. I may say 'soda speak' and mean 'so to speak' or vice versa.


-I pledge to never base my self worth on the number of followers accumulated on this blog.

-I pledge to use punctuation, proper grammar, and correct spelling so far as my knowledge of the English language permits me.

-I pledge to make up words to fit my thoughts, not the other way around.

-I pledge to use metaphors and analogies that will provide line drawings of my thoughts, not complete pictures. Those who wish to color inside the lines are welcome to it. Those who wish to color outside the lines are invaluably appreciated.

-I pledge to express opinions because they are mine, not because they are popular.

-I pledge to change my opinions when sufficient logic is presented against them.

-I pledge to quote and reference 'Arrested Development', 'Serenity/Firefly', 'Oscar', and 'Back to the Beach' on a regular basis. I can't promise that 'Pushing Daisies', 'Mystery Men', 'Zorro the Gay Blade' won't sneak in as well.

On this, the 19th day of May, 2010, I hereby declare this blog PUBLISHED. Let the great experiment begin!

-Me