Friday, November 04, 2005

"Coming Out"

When I began this blog, I realised that I'm someone for whom anonymity is simply not an option...I can't do secretive, and any attempt would have been doomed to failure in the earliest stages, I'm certain. So, I opted to be totally open, to link to my parish website and even to inflict a photo on the blogosphere, and I've never had cause to regret this. However, though I told both my Bishop and my vicar about the blog earlier this year, I've not talked about it in the parish much, though one or two friends are aware that I blog, and have dropped in here from time to time. On the whole, I don't think my on-line maunderings would interest the congregation particularly: after all, they are subjected to them irl all too often. I have tried to set the PCC always before me as I blog, and never to write anything that I would not be prepared to say (or have indeed already said) here at St M's, but I know it's a fine line, and that things which can be explained, expanded or softened in direct speech can seem very harsh and hurtful when read on a monitor.
So, when I took the decision to publicise the RevGals Advent book in church (which includes details of the blogs of all contributors) I looked back at my posts in the last few months, and have edited (and in one case deleted altogether) those which I think allow scope for misunderstanding or upset. My guess is that very few people will actually arrive here as a result of the book, but I'd hate to hurt even one...so if I find myself in particularly "heaning mislet" mood, it'll have to be a grumpy email to my friends. You have been warned!

4 comments:

1 i z said...

A wise move I think K.

It's so easy to forget the 'public' nature of an open blog and even easier to have a light-hearted passing observation get blown out of all context and proportion.

I sometimes wonder if we shouldn't invest in one of those 'private' blogs so we can all run dual level journals - the open one and the one only available to our trusted friends...but then I figure that nothing on the internet is completely safe and such matters are probably best restricted to phone calls etc...which short of GCHQ having an interest in our views on work colleagues etc should be pretty safe. ;-)

Anna said...

Good move, Kathryn. When you said you were going to publicize the book, I did wonder whether you'd need to double-check your posts!

Hopefully your parish will stop by and meet anew the funny, compassionate, wise K that the RevGals know and love!

Caroline said...

have to say i'm very relieved...remember that pact we had re giving warnings....i was trying to find the right words....

Tony said...

Do put me on the secret mailing list for the grumpy emails!