Profiles in Blogging: As the Dust Settles

When I was about 10 years old (when dinosaurs walked the face of the earth, as I like to say), we watched a movie at school about South Africa. In it, they showed how the black farm workers had to "sign out" whenever they left the farm. I don't remember the details, but something struck me as really wrong. These people were adults, but it looked like they were being treated like property. I was upset by what I'd seen.

Naturally, being me, I couldn't keep my mouth shut. After the movie was over and the teacher had turned the classroom lights back on, I raised my hand and asked why the black people had to live that way. I can't remember what the teacher said, but I do remember that my classmates started ragging on me. "Why are you asking questions like that? Shut up. Who cares!" and other comments of a similar nature. I'm still glad I spoke up.

I haven't changed a bit.

I am concerned about others, about the state of the world, about who's going to win in the upcoming municipal election (don't get me started...), about myself and my family.

Although I don't use profanity in my blog (real life is another thing completely, lol), I do sometimes make pointed comments. I try to be diplomatic and even to button it entirely, but not always...

I realize some people saw themselves in "Profiles in Blogging" and were not necessarily thrilled with the picture I painted. Fair enough and perfectly understandable. It's nigh on impossible to portray ourselves in all our wonder and splendour to those we know in "real life", let alone to our readers on the Internet. The picture we present to others in our blogs is but a small slice of who we really are. "Profiles in Blogging" focused on that small slice. There is so much I don't know about my fellow bloggers.

So please remember this: I care a lot about the bloggers that I read. And though I may seriously disagree with certain things, I wish everyone what I wish for myself and my family and the entire world: all the best. You all deserve it.