an online random thought

In an era where your online persona sometimes counts more than your real-life one does, is it not surprising that many people are feeling the urge to disconnect?

Case in point. Someone told me the other day that I sounded whiny and needy. They’ve never met me. But it stung like a bee in my hand.

I had always thought I was quite the opposite. I sat up, desperately reading everything I’ve posted online for the last month, trying to figure out where they got this from. Apparently, if you tell people you’re tired, you’re whining. Sorry. I’ll stop that immediately. Clearly this person who doesn’t actually know me, felt like picking on someone else instead of themselves that day.

It’s a scary thing, the online world. Whatever you say is almost immediately solid. You can’t unsay what you said, and, as a friend of mine says:

you can hit delete but you cannot clear other people’s cache. 

Which is true. Truer than it should be.

Another case in point. Some people tweet things they normally wouldn’t do if they weren’t out at 3am, partying up a storm with their friends. Some people do. I’ve been guilty of it in the past. I know that, for me now though, you’re probably never going to hear from me at 2am with some garbled tweet or status update. I’m never awake at that time anymore. Unless the power’s out. Which I hate, by the way. No whining, just fact. There was a time in my life, rather a very long time ago, when I would’ve been awake, running amok with my mates at 2am. That time, I can promise you, is well behind me, and I’m thankful for that. My nearly 31-year-old self could not ever keep up with my 21-year-old self. I am totally okay with that.

I guess what I’m getting at here is: think before you say something online. This is a common lesson, but I’m more and more aware of it nowadays. Even more so, I hate to put negative thought into words. Let’s face up to that a little – it’s often easier to put those negative thoughts into words, than it is to find a positive angle.

I’m making an effort to do that. I really am. In every aspect of my life. Otherwise, I just fall into the sea of negative thought and I’m the type of person who battles to swim out of it. I can go pretty far into it before I even realise I’ve lost sight of the shore.

What’s my point? My point is this. It’s not that I’m whiny, it’s that I’m honest. It’s not that I’m this beaming bubble of joy, it’s that I’m just trying not to let myself float out to that little dark island of negative thought. Because, frankly folks, I’ve had enough of that.

And that, that is my random thought for today.

(oh, p.s. I’m not picking on anyone in particular. everyone’s free to say what they feel, this is just me choosing to say what i feel)

5 thoughts on “an online random thought”

  1. I like this post very much.

    An online persona is a bit of a difficult thing to define. This is your blog. Rant, whine, bitch, jiggle, dance as much as you want because it’s yours and quite frankly if someone doesn’t want to read something you’re not holding a gun to their head. I use my blog to vent if I need to and often it helps get something off my chest that I wouldn’t necessarily tell my friends personally because I don’t want them to think I’m being silly.

    With things like Twitter and Facebook and the like, its more about social interaction with followers and friends so what you put out there will draw a variety of reactions. Although again, if someone doesn’t like what you’re saying they can always unfollow.

    Having said all that though, I hear what you’re saying about it being easier to put negative thoughts into words rather than finding a positive spin. I need to make more of an effort on that so thank you for reminding me 🙂

  2. I haven’t ever thought of you as whiny… It just goes to show that everyone interprets what they read differently.
    I am always very careful about what I post. I know what it feels like to be at the wrong end of gossip and rumour. And being married to such a wonderful man and loving my son like I do I will never post something that they may be embarrassed to read.

    I know you closed the comments, but I wanted to tell you how much I loved your one year post. There is so much love there and I am so very proud of you. You often make me wish I had been a different kind of mom to my knucklehead from day one.

  3. I know I’m a bit late on the uptake, but I just wanted to offer my 2 cents…

    I am so aware of everything I do online, the same way I am offline. I love your friend’s quote – it is so true. I will never type something that I wouldn’t say out loud, and before I press enter I always think of who could be reading it.

    That said, some people will have a problem with me, regardless. If I come across as whiny and annoying, well, unfollow me. If you don’t like me in reality, then don’t be a part of my life.

    As much as it hurts when people say bad things (especially when they are false/ignorant comments) I have tried to let go. I know who I am, they don’t.

    Try keep that in mind Cath… xxx

  4. I often forget the line between on-line me and real me – probably because it does blur and I do not have an online persona that I hide behind.

    My blog and forums are the same me that you will get over a cup of tea or a glass of wine.

    Maybe if I was wiser/more cautious I would make a clearer distinction.

    I do take it all personally no matter what someone says – however … and only sometimes …. I simply move the “bad comment that plays with my head” into my trash box, and every day I get a bit braver and then one day I will be brave enough to just delete it.

    Sometimes people do give me a “reality check” but sometimes people are plain “shitty” …….

    It does not mean it does not lurk and nag at me all the time —–

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