I’ve been blogging since 2005 – four years almost exactly.

First I blogged pseudoanonymously. Then at Katie’s suggestion, I opened up and started blogging as me. I found that I got far more readers when people had a name and face instead of a conjured personality.

But then I found my whole family reading my blog, and more and more I censored myself. I tried not to, but there are certain things that my parents don’t approve of that I wholeheartedly endorse (alcohol, for example) that I couldn’t bring myself to write about. Then I more and more felt like I was writing my blog for my mother’s consumption. And I didn’t feel comfortable with that.

So after a few months of downtime, I started this blog, with the hope that it could stay on the DL. I like being able to write about things that I wouldn’t want my mother to read. I like occasionally saying “damn, what a fine beer.” But now I find myself fearing the thought that they will find it again, even though it’s far more anonymous than the old blog. I’ve put up blocks so they can’t see it from their house, should they find it, although I can’t block them from looking elsewhere.

I don’t really know how to resolve this conflict. I want to blog openly to everyone except my family. I guess for now I have to maintain the status quo.