Two Years Ago...

Many remember this date for the tragic 9/11 attacks which took place eleven years ago. Even though I'm not American, it's a day I'll never forget either. I've always felt the world became a bit of a darker place since that day. For me, though, today also means something else. Though it pales in comparison to those events, I guess it's something that means more to me than anyone else. And it all started two years ago.

Two years ago my Facebook account sat virtually untouched in the year or so since I created it and the only thing I used the internet for was my Yahoo mail and World of Warcraft. Two years ago I was going through the biggest turmoil of my life with no clue where to go and what to do next. Two years ago I kept most people at arm's length and never opened up to anyone.

That was two years ago.

Today I have two Facebook accounts, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, more email accounts than one person really needs and a host of social networking accounts. I honestly don't know where I find the time sometimes.

And I have this blog. A blog I started two years ago today with my first post where I promised to improve in some areas as I went along (so much for that). This day, two years ago was the first time I hit "publish", bringing this world to life for me.

Up to two years ago I felt like an outsider. I never fit in. I didn't know who I was and it still amazes me how I adapted so easily to this world of blogging, like a fish to water as they say. I've found like-minded people, made friends, was asked to be a writer on Sprocket Ink (I've got two posts there for the week so far, by the way: click here and here).

Two years ago I started a blog. A small thing to a lot of people, but an important part in me finding out who I really am finding friends and finding my "place".

I guess all that is the reason why, after two years, I'm still here.

The Wonderful World of Blogging Part II: Interview With A Vinny

From time to time I like to go over my old posts. Not for any narcissistic reasons, though. It's just that it allows me to maintain some perspective as to where this blogger-brick road is taking me. Like so many others, I've called this my personal therapy session from time-to-time and I actually have discovered quite a few things about myself through blogging.

But I've begun to notice other things. Certain aspects of my personality that, before blogging, would have gone unnoticed have begun to reveal themselves to me as I reveal them to everyone else. To properly articulate what I'm trying to describe, I composed a little mock interview with my pre-blog self which I feel describes the me that I see emerging. The answers are compiled of little bits and pieces from my past blog posts and comment responses:

Pre-Blog Me: So, tell me your name.

Blogger Me: Vinny C.

Pre-Blog Me: Okay. And tell me...

Blogger Me: Or you can also call me Major Über Zap.

Pre-Blog Me: Sorry, what?

Blogger Me: Major Über Zap. Master of static electricity, scourge of metrosexuals, spoiled brats and permissive parents everywhere and ever-watchful guardian against alien attack. But you don't have to say any of that other stuff. Just Major Über Zap.

Pre-Blog Me: Ooookaay... So you're a superhero, then? Well, I guess that explains the cape anyway. I guess that means you have powers?

Blogger Me: Yes. I can google info like nobody's business.

Pre-Blog Me: That's not really an impressive super-power.

Blogger Me: I wasn't done! I also store massive amounts of static electricity which, initially, used to cause me to get zapped from doorknobs and filing cabinets but I can now unleash upon my foes.

Pre-Blog Me: I see. Interesti...

Blogger Me: Through spankings.

Pre-Blog Me: Huh?

Blogger Me: I give static electric spankings. I call them “Shock-Spanks”.

Pre-Blog Me: Hmmm...

Blogger Me: Also, if I come up against a really tough opponent I can boost my powers with the help of coffee. I call those “Cafe-Au-Shock-Spank”.

Pre-Blog Me: …

Blogger Me: What?

Pre-Blog Me: Let's just move on, okay. Do you have any weaknesses?

Blogger Me: Um, yes, Japan.

Pre-Blog Me: You're weak against an entire country?

Blogger Me: Uh-huh, mostly. Well, to be more specific, when I come into contact with anything from Japanese pop-culture I become a lazy, useless geek of a nerd.

Pre-Blog Me: Sounds unpleasant. So tell me, as a superhero I suspect you have enemies.

Blogger Me: Yes, I do. Many. But my arch-nemeses are called Boss Man and Boss Lady. They're a husband/wife team. I do battle with them every Monday to Friday.

Pre-Blog Me: Sounds tough.

Blogger Me: It is. And I also suspect they may be sexual deviants.

Pre-Blog Me: Really, why is that?

Blogger Me: (Look around nervously, leans in closely and whispers) This one time she asked about my... going number 1.

Pre-Blog Me: What?

Blogger Me: (Still whispering) You know... she asked about... when I pee.

Pre-Blog Me: Oh!

Blogger Me: (Voice still low) And while she was asking, her husband didn't say an-y-thing. He just listened.

Pre-Blog Me: That's disturbing.

Blogger Me: (Normal volume) No shit. Not that I don't suspect they weren't curious about that too.

Pre-Blog Me: Anyhow, let's try to get back on track (not as if we ever were). Going back to the cape for a sec. What are those things on the shoulders?

Blogger Me: Oh, these? Those make up the rapid detachment system I put in place... for my cape.

Pre-Blog Me: I see.

Blogger Me: That way, if I get it caught in an enemy trap or a car door or something I can quickly escape.

Pre-Blog Me: I guess that makes sense. You know what, I'm tired I have a headache and I think I've heard enough for now. Plus, I need a drink.

Blogger Me: I'll buy. Coffee?

Pre-Blog Me: NO!!!

******

Well! I don't know about you but I think therapy's working out just fine.

The Wonderful World of Blogging.

When you first get into blogging you often don't know what to expect. We all get into it for different reasons, of course. Sometimes it's to cope with day-to-day stress or to help deal with a traumatic event or even to test your skills as a writer. Whatever the case, you may not often realize how entering this new world can affect you:

At first, when you start blogging you think to yourself, "I don't care if nobody reads this. It's my blog and it's for me." (Let's be honest. If you really didn't care about who read your innermost thoughts and ideas you'd have just bought a diary in the first place)

Things progress harmlessly enough. You publish post after post and, while you're sure no one reads your ramblings, you keep at it. You read other blogs from much more interesting people than yourself and leave a comment or two. Eventually, though, you see an actual reader has left a comment about the nice post you put up. This happens again and again and then, one day, you see it. Your first follower has appeared! That's when things get interesting. All of a sudden and without even realizing it, all you can think about is blogging:

Oddly, I haven't observed anyone saying that they've experienced any weight loss from blogging.

And all you want to talk about is blogging:

Over time, as you more gain followers and get more positive comments, you start to think, "Finally! People who get me." Blogging becomes all-consuming. It dominates all your free time and permeates every aspect of your life. Pretty soon, all you do is find opportunities to tell everyone about your blog. Your friends, your family, your coworkers, they all must partake in you genius:

You're hooked. You try to post daily. You want to post daily. All for fear that your followers may lose interest and find something more interesting to do. Blogging has taken control of your life and soon you want nothing else but to publish that next post:

Well, almost nothing else. Let's face it, for some things there aren't any substitute.

Meanwhile, you forget about the real reason you started blogging in the first place. This isn't your personal therapy session any more. No, now it's about the followers and the comments. You start to feel you can do no wrong and every keystroke is a magical pearl of wisdom and wit that is born out of the teardrops of angels.

Not so:

You aren't really as good as you think and you won't always get the validation you desire. You can sometimes find yourself taking it personally:

_____________________________________________________________________________

Before too long, real life starts clamoring for attention, like the needy little attention whore life is. Petty annoyances like bills and loans and your job/kids/hygiene, whatever all decide to get in the way of your new, happy world. You can even suffer a bout of writers-block (Yeah! I can say it. I am a "writer" now so why not?).

Eventually, through trial and error and for reasons as varied as the reasons for getting into blogging in the first place, you find you do eventually find a balance. (If you're lucky you may even realize you aren't as good as you think you are and stop being a douchebag.)