Crossroads

I have been reading several blogs the past few days and am fascinated by the whole concept of internet diaries. Just when I had given up hope that the art of the written word was alive and well in the general populace, lo and behold, I have seen some wonderful, insightful, even beautiful writing. Even more important though is the ability of people to express themselves. It's much easier to write about a subject, or other folks but to delve into ones innermost feelings and express joy, fear, anger, futility, frustration, sexuality, etc. is another "story" entirely. I have added 4 or 5 blogs to my favorites list and occasionally post comments. The fact that these blogs are just out there in internet orbit makes it a mystery to the blog author of just who is stumbling across their rants and raves, musings, mundane observations, innermost thoughts, desires.........on and on depending upon exactly what the author has chosen to reveal of themselves. How did I find these blogs? First of all, a month ago I didn't know a blog from a bog. My homepage has news capsules and apparently there was a young intern sexing up some Washington VIP's and writing about it in a blog. The rest is history thanks to internet search engines. I found blogs. Thousands of them. I found three categorized by location, one of which I no longer read because I don't adhere to that person's political bent and while I respect her right to her opinions I'm just not interested in reading them. And I don't have to; that's the great thing. One location discovery came from looking at a blog list from a part of the country that is a big part of my life even though it is far from where I live. I found two more by a "topic" search. I'm much more likely to read a blog written by a woman than a man. I'm quite surprised at the number of young women who blog and at how articulately they express themselves.
I think in many cases a blogger has some exhibitionistic tendencies in that they can be discovered, found out, at any time by anyone. If that prospect is appalling then I wouldn't think one would post on the world wide web. The thought of someone getting inside and seeing past the surface, into the deep and sometimes even dark side certainly creates a degree of excitement for me. I know that I want to know who reads my blog and I also know that I am at the point where I must decide how much of myself to reveal here. PG for the family and friends? or R for a select group? or..................all of it, the all of it no one knows, the stuff way in there. The stuff done, thought, coveted, feared. Certainly not all flattering, acceptable, proper, explainable, understood.
Crossroads.