“Do you want to get married?” my boss asked me, after one of our co-workers had described a particularity difficult day in her marriage.
“NO.” I said, with force, as an absolute. “I’m never getting married.”
“Yes you will,” he shook his head at me, as he does frequently, when I amuse him especially. A darling man, he’s never been married. He’s so generous, so forgiving, ‘an excellent uncle,’ he tells me. “That’s the great thing about not having kids: you have nieces and nephews, and then, it’s all cake; it’s all icing: it’s always easy. You’re there for the good, for the fun, and you can high-tail it when it may be bad.”
“I’m not getting married,” I repeated, this time much with much more intent, and turned and pivoted, as I learned to do in dance class when I was so young, so many years ago, and walked out of his office. My long hair flipped over my shoulder, and I strode out, confident, indignant, and contemplating. He was left, still amused, still convinced he was correct in his assessment of me.
He probably is. If I say, “I’ll never…” it’s mostly because I don’t want to be told I have to. I don’t want it to be expected of me to do something. I am so fiercely my own person, if I do something, it’s because I want to, not because society or whomever says it needs to be so. For me,if it’s black, it’s really white; if it’s up, it’s down, left, then right.
I don’t like to feel like my existence is being threatened, that I have to do something because someone else expects it to be so.
So when it comes to how to conduct blogging, I’m torn. On one hand, this is my outlet. This is my passion. This is my thing. And I decided to do this, despite my begging, I can’t get anyone else to start. The problem is, I can’t write about anyone else. Not even when others have inspired my need to vent, need to scribe, it’s not my place, because of a little thing that I, ironically enough, demand: privacy.
And if I have a problem with someone, it’s not my place to blog it. And that’s when I get fiercely protective of this, my baby, my project. I want to be able to bust through any door, no consequence. Why shouldn’t I write about what I want to? There are obviously limits, but if it affects me I think it should be my right to work it out on here. I’ve lost friends over this (well, there were other factors, compounded by the fact I blogged), and as a result, I’m cautious, but I still believe I should do what I want.
But maybe it’s not. Maybe I should just listen to others, and accept not all things are my god-given right. If it’s my life, it’s my right to blog it. I can’t help you don’t want to be portrayed a certain way. This is me, telling my story. And I’m angry, and I don’t know how to deal except to write it. But for the moment, it will need to wait, until things are sorted out.

December 6, 2008 at 8:05 PM
Oh, honey. The things you think at 20. They end up being SO DIFFERENT from what really happens. (I don’t say this as a girl so much older than you, you know that – the things that can happen in five, six years….lord you don’t even know.) I so look forward to seeing how it all plays out for you.
On another note, I think it IS your blog. I don’t understand why “if you have a problem with someone, it’s not your place to blog it.” If it’s YOUR problem, it’s your place. Period. Have I gotten in trouble because I beleive that? Hellllllll yes. But I have never once compromised my blogging integrity as a result.
I tend to abide by the rule that if it’s not something you would say to someone’s face, it doesn’t belong on your blog. But if it IS, then go right ahead. (My problem is that there isn’t a lot I *wouldn’t* say……..)
I commend you for always trying to figure it out. It makes me love you so much.
All in all, I think you’re on the right path. In life, in blogging, in everything. You are an amazing, special girl, and someday maybe someone will ask you marry him because he sees it too….
December 6, 2008 at 8:06 PM
Um. Sorry for the longest. comment. EVER.
December 6, 2008 at 8:18 PM
Ditto what Pare said. (and Pare, that was soooo not a the longest comment ever. If so, I am in trouble!)
I can’t believe the things I thought/believed (about myself and the world) when I was 20 compared to now. I know you get sick of hearing that but it is so true.
I guess my only thing about blogging about others (in sticky situations/conflicts) is, of course, never use names. I may mention a friends name on my blog but it would be like “…and my friend Sarah could tell you that I…” but if I had and issue with her, I’d be pretty general. No names, and I’d try to go easy on specifics you know? I guess that’s just me though.
December 7, 2008 at 1:35 PM
I struggle with this all the time. I actually disagree on the “what I’d say to their face” thing because there are plenty of things I say to people’s faces but then still respect them enough to not take it public – you know what I mean?
The bottom line is you could probably have the most popular blog in existence if you took no prisoners. But you might not be proud of it.