In the past people would keep a journal on their bedside table to keep records of their daily events and their thoughts. Writing down in daily diaries would help people remember their life. These paper trails of life was a private introverted way of compiling ideas.
Today recording life's daily events have now changed. Blogger and Twitter are different ways that technology has changed journaling from a private affair to sharing daily events with friends, family and even random blog stalkers.
Blogging has opened the world to keeping updates on your daily life. (Blogs can be used for more than just personal journaling but today I am just going to talk about journaling) Speaking from a personal experience... I have been using blogging as a way to keep friends and family updated on my baby Riley's photos and growing changes. People have written to me disappointed that instead of posting everyday I choose to play with Riley. People have become excited to read the daily updates and view photos. People are even more excited to be mentioned or even posted in a photo in the blog.
I have been using the blog as a new form on "baby book" for personal record keeping and to share with others. Websites like can take your blog and print it out into a paper book or journal to save in another form of media.
Blogstalkers have also made blogging an even more popular way to use public journaling. I have a few blogs that I am a blogstalker on. and have become two of the blogs I love to read. Both have joked about how they have blogstalkers. People who feel like they know them but really don't. I have a few blogstalkers as well. One came out of the closet the other day. One of my parents' classroom parent approached her the other day about one of her vacations. Apparently, she found my blog and then linked over to my father's photo blog and saw all of my parent's vacation photos. haha! Luckily for us we did not put any photos that were too personal up. People are using the internet as a way to stay updated on other people's lives through their blogs.
is a new microblogging addition that can be added to your blogs. Twitter helps you keep people constantly updated on what you are doing. You can update instantly that you are standing in a line at Target... or walking down the road thinking about the beautiful day. This instant microblogging takes the journaling to a new level. Recording instantly every little thought or moment. People are aware of your every thought or move when you introduce Twitter.
Are we becoming more extroverted and using online journaling as a tool or has online journaling created a more extroverted lifestyle?
Do you really care about others and are excited to keep updates or has the Internet made you more noisy and curious about others life?
Which came first the blog or the blogstalker?? :)
3 comments:
I have mixed feelings about blogs as journals. One thing is certain, it is a handy and colorful way of recording one's life events and I keep up with a friend in Romania thanks to his blog, just like you noted with fans of your blog.
My hesitance over blogging is that it feels like a double edged sword in terms of privacy since pretty much anyone can view it. So (as you mentioned with the photos) I feel that one must take care in what one posts. The same goes for any 'personal' space on the web. One needs to properly consider what one chooses to reveal... or not.
Casey,
I started my first blog when I had job interviews in February. It was an excellent way to constantly update family and friends about our interviews, or what school we were leaning towards in that moment. I can't imagine not having blogged and coming home having to explain the whole experience. Blogging allows you to state how you are feeling at that moment, and that can change an hour later. I'm definitely going to keep in going once we move to Germany, without any incriminating, of course! :)
I really like they way you started a blog for Riley. I wish I did the same thing for when my my son was born. It is a great way to keep track of everything as well as have friends and family keep track. We have family in Ireland who would have been able to keep up with the all his firsts.
I assume you will be able to print it for hard copies as well to put in a journal.
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