Monday, August 6, 2007

The Promised Second Article.

It's been a while, hasn't it? A week and a couple of days past since I last posted. It took almost all my being to sit down and write this second article. It's not like I don't want to write it, it's just that I know that if I start writing it, I would have to finish it. I'm that kind of person; takes a long time to start something, but once started that something is guaranteed to be finished. So I kinda feared that if I sat down and start to write (type...whatever), I will most definitely be forced (by myself) to finish it even if I can't for the want of words or time. That's okay you say. You don't need to finish it right away, you say. Right. Let me tell you something about me. If I stop, it will be a long time 'til I restart and even if I restart I loathe having to continue something unfinished 'cause by then my train of thoughts and ideas would have been long gone from the station leaving me behind with no way to catch up. I have a very poor memory. My memory retention skills are as good as gold retains water. Also, my motivations are very weak and only very seldom comes. Well, it would also be okay if the motivation to write the article came during times of leisure or where time and resources are plentiful. Unfortunately, I have had a very busy week and couple of days. Motivation and inspiration came during the times where I had to do the things I had to do, so I can't obviously write/type the article. Sometimes it came during time of leisure. Yeah, time of leisure... about five minutes after I feel sleepy. So I couldn't do it then either. So you see, making this article was a very hard thing for me to do. But all is well. I somehow started it so it is sure to finish.

Now to the real content of the article: Who I think normal bloggers are. That is, to say, what a normal blogger is. Mind you, this article is not to discriminate or derogate bloggers. It is simply my own opinion. Consider that as my disclaimer. Anyhoo, normal bloggers are people who either have trouble conveying what they feel or have too much feelings and, as I said in the previous article, people who are impulsive or those who are coerced. That's about the bare essential of my opinion of what normal bloggers are. Let me explain:

People who have trouble conveying what they feel tend to make blogs. They have trouble maybe because they're shy or that they just can't think of words when placed on the spot. Why blog? Well, where else can they express how they feel? Point One: It doesn't have to be a "right now" thing (as I have NOT done with this article). They can take all the time they want in making an article so that's less pressure already. Point Two: They can put anything, and I mean anything in their blogs. So if they have a hard time looking for words to express how they feel, they draw or sing or dance or whatever. Point Three: They can hide their identities. One thing about the net is that you can be anyone (this is both a good and a bad thing, but that's an article for another day). Some people are waaaaaay too shy. Writing/drawing/singing/dancing online can be made anonymously (provided that singing doesn't need to show one's face and the face can be covered during dancing for those who are extremely shy). So people can convey their feelings in anyway they want without having to reveal their identity. Point Four: These people can find others who sympathize with what they feel. People who read your blog will, no doubt, be someone like you or at the very least someone who understands you. Why would anyone read anything if he/she is not interested in it? Here enters a problem though. These articles can also bring flamers and haters (I will write an article about flamers/haters someday, remind me). An advantage to blogging is that you can ignore these flamers/haters like they never exist maybe even block them from ever commenting on your blog. Also, as a personal opinion, I think that being flamed online is less painful than being flamed in person. Flamers are strangers who don't know you so if they judge you, who cares? You don't know them so why take notice in what they say? They don't know you so their comments are baseless. They read one article and suddenly they act like they know every fiber of your being. Bovine manure! As for being flamed in person, that's harder to ignore. Also if it's in person, most probably you know the person or live near him/her or go to the same school or workplace. Since that person flamed you personally(I mean in person), then you know that that particular person doesn't like you or something about or you might develop a dislike towards that person. What if you become lab partners? Awkward. Very awkward. So blogging is a thing for the meek (when I say meek I mean shy not submissive) as they can be as overbearing as they want. Hehehe.

How is that different from a diary or a journal (same thing really, it's just that guys are so peevish when their journals are called diaries. But guys, really, they're diaries [Note: From here and now journals is also referred to when I speak of diaries])? Well, its because of Point Four. Yeah, you can take all the time you want to write in your diary (except if you're me). You can do anything in it except for singing or dancing but that can be easily remedied by using recordable media like tapes (video and audio) or discs as your diary. Unless you let people openly read from your diary, you can also hide your identity in a normal paper and pen diary. But finding sympathizers, friends, supporters or what have you is harder to do with just an ordinary diary. It's harder to share personally than with a touch of anonymity that gives you a bit of security and courage that you get from the net. I'm not saying that an ordinary diary is useless or not enough but hey, as long as you're doing it, why not do it online. Unless, of course. you have no intention of letting others see your feelings 'cause they're private and personal which would then make me think of the reason why you're reading mine, since you think that diaries should be personal. Go, shoo! Kidding, I'm kidding. Kind of unfair and a bit hypocritical of you to be reading this though. Since you're reading other people's blogs, why not share your own? Anyway, that's it about the meek and blogging.

People who have a lot of feelings (too much, if I should say so myself) also tend to make blogs. This only applies to those people who have the qualities of too much feelings and has the urge or, rather, the need to rant about it. Point One: Since they have too much feelings, they need outlets for these. They can be cheerleaders or spokespersons or evangelists or show hosts or news writers or that nut around the corner on a crate shouting that the world is coming to an end (of course it will. It can't last forever. Duh! [Don't...mind that]) or anyone that has the privilege of having other people listen to them and yet all that yelling and talk time is not enough to convey all that they feel. You'd think that they'd run out of things to say, but noooo. They seem to have an opinion on everything. They can feel sad and happy and angry and anxious and calm and hopeful and ...(you get my point) all at the same time. It's okay. No one's saying that's a bad thing but then they have the need to talk about it, to express it. Unlike the people above who are shy, these people are not at a loss of words or media. That's why blogging is a common thing to these people. It's another place where they can continue their ramblings. Also, I think these people say what they feel not only because they have to say it but maybe they need someone to either reciprocate, accept or argue about what they are feeling or expressing. They maybe be looking for someone to tell them that what they feel is right or that they share the same sentiments. They may also be waiting for someone to argue about it just for the sake of arguing or maybe for a reality check. Blogging helps them with these things. Point Two: A... no wait. I don't think I have a point two. Heh! Guess it's just point one then. By the way, those who are extraordinarily impulsive fall into the this category.

Now, for those that are sadly coerced. These people make blogs because they are forced to. Well not to the point that there's a gun and blackmailing involved but by another form of forceful convincing that involves a more sinister method: Peer Pressure. Yeah, I think that's more dangerous not to mention more evil if you ask me. That's the main reason why these people make blogs. Their friends tell them, "Hey make one so I'd have more subscribers." or, "It'll be fun, trust me." or, "Please! Please! Please! Please!" or, "Jessica (Wha? Who that?) won't invite you to her party if you don't make one." or, "Make one or die!" (okay, not that one but hey, it could happen) or whatever else they can say to make another do their bidding. So yeah, these people make blogs.

Anyway, that's my view on who normal bloggers are or at the very least who the pioneers of blogging were. Now comes the question on why I wasn't very keen on being called a normal blogger. Well you see, as a child (though I did not intend it or have any recollection of wanting it) I was very...uhm...weird. I kinda deviated (there's that word again) from everyone else. I was a bit "lonerish". Not to the point of becoming a hermit, but to some extent that I didn't look for company, and occasionally hated it. This led me to have queer habits, principles and philosophies. I didn't know that they were weird then. When I was growing up, I saw, observed and/or noticed from my friends, classmates and cousins that my habits were peculiar. I didn't conform though. I saw no need for it. Eventually, my peculiarities has given me things (no, I didn't have imaginary friends) like a greater number of miscellaneous information stored in my brain in spite of my poor memory, or that I can "judge" a person by looks (not really, it's just that most of my first impressions (which were loosely based on looks, voice, manner of speech, all superficial aspects you first notice in a person) of people were correct and I mean most like 9 out of 10. That was then.) or I was a lot more tolerable of unusual things and events like black outs or heavy rains because I can entertain myself (not that way, perv) without having to watch T.V. or go out. I was proud and still am (a bit) of my weirdness. That was why I tried so hard to start my blog differently from all others. I didn't want to have all that made me "special" go down the drain. *sigh*

Anyway, I realized though that by starting a blog, I was subconsciously acknowledging my "normalness". My writing that first article and how I wrote only proved that I have consciously acknowledge it. All that's left is my accepting it. Soon, maybe. I see now that being normal doesn't mean bad. Besides, this blog would only mean I am normal in one way. It doesn't mean I lost all my weirdness. Hehe..hehe...he... Yeah... Maybe I'll take comfort in this in some way someday.

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