Asorted readers

[franceslievens]

Sometimes in face-to-face conversations I suddenly get hit by the realisation the other one reads my blog. It's almost like the real person and the person who's blog I read aren't one and the same. Talking to frenchani over the weekend, I got struck by this realisation several times. I should know she reads most of the things I write, because LJ is the way we keep in touch. Still I seemed flustered when she told me: "Oh, that's what you wrote on your blog just the other day." Yep, I thought I had something different to say. It gives a whole new dimension to telling a story twice to the same person. In real life I start of with "Stop me if you've heard this one before!"
Things I've written down are a different matter. I don't realise I've told something before, because in the strict sense I haven't. I don't keep track of who reads what. What I write is for everyone to read, and for no-one to hear, so I might tell you a story you've read before. Or sometimes I don't realise you know things I have never told you. A. said something reminded him of the way I talk about singing. I couldn't help wondering how he knew about those ideas. We never had a conversation on the subject. Later I realised: I'd written it down. It wasn't talking I had done, but blogging.

Comments

[kashmanik.livejournal.com]

I've had the same experience when talking to Richard. The strangest thing though isn't necessarily the blog, it's when I've mentioned something in a thread on a board. A whole conversation with a seperate person, which I try to relay to Richard, before he says "Yeah, I read it." It's sort of weird. Like someone eavesdropping in on a conversation.

But I suppose thats the nature of the net, isn't it!

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

Have that thing with P. when he suddenly reads things I posted on the BC&S. That really sounds like eavesdropping for me, because at first he never went there! Now he only goes to read what I write (or to check of I posted the GMT, so he knows I'm at home/online *sighs*)

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

It's usually the other way around for me. There are things about me that I assume I've told people repeatedly and when I do mention them in passing they say: "Oh, I didn't know that".

On the other hand, there are a couple of stories that I tell too often and then people will finish the sentence for me!

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

I hardly ever have that problem. Sometimes I do think I've told someone something, but then I realise I told it to someone else. Yay me!

[chrissie-linnit.livejournal.com]

I've often wondered if it's because I've been so open with myself on LJ that I'm now too afraid to meet you guys face to face?

Over on BC&S, I was all frippery and fun. Here, I've used LJ as a true diary/journal, and now I fear that the person you thought you knew, the one you originally rather liked has turned into something else entirely, and that's an uncomfortable thing. For me, in case I am a disappointment. For the other person, for exactly the same reason.

It's also unnerving when my power of recall, these days, is less than stellar. So, if we got to meet, would I need a transcript of everything we'd ever discussed so I didn't look a fool if, or when, someone suddenly started talking about something we'd all written about?

Oh, the worry!

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

What, youre afraid to meet us? I'll be standing on your doorstep one of these days demanding you give me place to sleep!

I still see the frippery and fun Chrissie over here. For me you haven't changed a bit, but you've gotten layers! Although I miss the Chrissie-hugs sometimes. Can I snuggle in your bossom?

And don't worry. I only recall what I've written myself. Sometimes I totally forgot what others wrote. frenchani talked about a film once, and I even commented on her thread. And then later she mentioned the film again and I totally forgot all about it! I didn't even know I'd commented in the first place!

We all are fools sometimes. We should be. The fool is the one who holds the actual knowledge by turning things upside down.