On My Blog-Behavior

My BEST blog-behavior.

This is a blog - not real life.

In 2005, I wrote what is now a wildly outdated paper for my MA asserting that Bloggers constitute their own unique cultures, within the already distinct culture that is the Blogosphere. While researching their lingo, I learned a lot of acronyms and initialisms, time-savers, developed and employed by people whose writing lives online. Busy people, like me, who don't have time to type out "In my opinion" and so shorten it to "IMO." Well, who else's opinion could it be? Unless another source is cited, with very few exceptions, what you say/write IS your opinion. There's even "IMHO" which adds a "humble" and, IMHO, anyone who uses such shorthand has good reason to be humble as s/he gazes at the computer screen.

In real life, IRL, I don't carry a single picture around with me. IRL, I'm shy to say too much about my AWESOME GENIUS BEAUTIFUL boys, including my AWESOME GENIUS BEAUTIFUL husband, lest it come off braggy. I'm a little uncomfortable when people gush and compliment me on my kids. It's like before I had learned how to simply accept, rather than dismiss, personal compliments. With Ivo (who continues to excel in every way), I used to feel afflicted, tongue-tied, and I would stammer that, sure, he's coordinated, but he's slow at, umm... He doesn't like baths - as if this would even things out. I didn't want to say anything to make anyone feel less-than OR to jinx my unbelievably good luck.

And the funny thing is, I'm all about joke-y posturing, but now that it's not just about me, a subject so flawed I wouldn't need to couch my braggadocio, I feel at risk of being massively misunderstood and potentially offensive. It's my weakness, though, my idiot-need to be liked - or at least not hated.

SO, THAT'S MY APOLOGIA.

Cuz, not only did I get an A on that paper, look at my awesome Baby Burl! He does this on purpose, to make me laugh...

And also, I know the inquiries are well-intended, my kids will NEVER model. They will not be made unwitting shills. Not even - and especially - in Taiwan.