It took me a while to decide on a name for this weblog, not because I had so many fantastic names to choose from, but because I'm the least creative person on the planet. I have the imagination of a loaf of bread. A loaf of white bread, to be more accurate. But I like this name, because it acknowledges the silliness of blogging. I read an online essay yesterday called “Why I F@&%ing Hate Weblogs.” I had heard the arguments before and I agree with them for the most part. There are so many weblogs out there that are just, well, boring. I especially love (read: detest) the blogs by 12-year-old girls that are all, "Ash was mad @ me today. I dunno Y. Like, mayB cuz I kist Brandon @ the party this weekend. Whatev. Shout out to Heather! Luv ya, girl!" Gag! Personally, I attempt to be entertaining. If you want people to read, you have to give them a reason to, right? I have a pretty cynical writing voice, which is really just an attempt to make people laugh. I love my life and the people in it, so if I sound like I’m whining about someone, I’m likely doing it for comic effect. I apologize profusely if you don’t find me funny or entertaining. Feel free to forget about my blog and never read it again.
That’s one thing about me (the real me, not the writing me): I apologize profusely for anything and everything. It’s because of my Over-active Guilt Complex.
Anyway, “Superfluosity” sums up what I think about my propensity for blogging. First of all, this is my second weblog. Why on earth do I need two weblogs? Because blogger.com is prettier than MSN Spaces. Yes, I realize that’s totally superficial and that having two weblogs is superfluous. And hence the name. Secondly, blogging in general is superfluous as I realize that I’m not really enriching anyone’s life by telling you all what I think and how I feel. I promise, though, that I do have real motives for blogging:
- I’m a temporary expatriate (who hopes to someday be a more permanent expat), and I blog to keep my friends and family posted on what I’m doing in
- Blogging, like writing, helps me sort out my thoughts. My brain doesn’t work in a logical, orderly fashion. I realize that I could write, or type, privately and not expose it to the world, but I am weak and need constant ego-stroking and the Almighty Internet so graciously has provided a fun outlet to satisfy that need. It’s only right that I take advantage of that, right? Right??
The first motive was my original motive for blogging. After I started blogging, a third motive came up.
- I’m addicted and I can’t stop. Before I fall asleep every night, or anytime I do anything remotely interesting during the day, I start mentally writing weblog entries. I call this “bloghead syndrome” and hope to one day beat it, but doubt that will happen anytime soon. As an au pair in a foreign country, I have way too much time on my hands to not be addicted to blogging. When I join the real world again in a month and a half, perhaps I will get a life and no longer have time to blog. One can only hope.
You hope to be a permanent expat, eh? Don't you love the old stars and stripes? Yankee Doodle? The Grand Canyon?
ReplyDeletePerhaps, in preparation for your permanent split from the good old U.S. of A, you should rent "An American in Paris." Most of the content should be familiar to you since you are living in France -- dancing waiters, extravagant black and white costume parties where people hurl themselves off of balconies, and regular folk breaking into song every two and a half minutes. But perhaps you could still learn a thing or two from it...