Privacy, Playground Gossip and Me
Twice today I've been asked about Privacy in blogging. It's not something that I really think twice about I mean I choose to blog, that means I am putting my life out there for someone else to read about. It could be my neighbour (Hello Neighbours), my family (hello Sister of mine), someone from my past (Hello Tor), someone from my husbands work (Hello K!) or someone from the School Playground. I'm not ashamed of my blog, and will tell everyone I meet about it if it is appropriate! I mean I'm on Three Counties Radio every Saturday morning talking about what we have done this week and I was in one of my local papers after I won the MAD Award for Family Fun so it's not like I'm quiet about it.
Then there are things that I am quiet about. I don't discuss my husbands job or work for example (He develops entertainment systems for the hospitality industry. Which is boring compared to what I was told in the playground his job was!). I don't talk about my sex life (it's rather fantastic thanks), I don't talk about how Bedfordshire County Council annoy me with stupid policies (I will one day though), I don't talk about what I think about people who endanger children's lives by parking on the corner of a junction just so they don't have to walk an extra 100 yards and I don't discuss the private business of those around me. I think most importantly though I don't discuss people I barely know's business and I like to think that I am above the kind of childish behaviour that some of the playground Mums have been indulging in.
That's right, good old playground gossip is doing the rounds again. The thing is it isn't just about me, but about a friend, someone I care a lot about (You know who you are). The gossip that they have been spreading is about something that hasn't been put out there in the public realm. It's something which is personal, something which they don't know about and are discussing without thinking of what damage they could be doing by spreading half truths in their quest for something to pass along to others. Then there is the bit about me. Something which is so untrue it is funny and flattering at the same time and something else that makes me think that I'm being physically attacked because they said something about my blog.
Part of me wants to stand up and shout that I know they are talking about me and my friend and that if they want to know anything all they have to do is ask us. We might not tell them what they want to hear but we would be open and honest. Part of me wants to march up to them and practice my kick boxing on a real person instead of the punch bag in the garage I would even give them the name of a great plastic surgeon so they could have their broken nose fixed afterwards. A little too violent for me maybe.
Most of all a part of me feels sorry for them if all they have to talk about is me and my friend. I mean I know I am fantastic and amazing and all but really I'm the fodder for gossip? It's been suggested that they are jealous. Are they jealous of my incredibly strong marriage? Are they jealous that I have fun with my family? Are they jealous of my two very clever children? Do they wish that they had a blog? Are they jealous of the money I earn through my blog? Are they jealous of the number of Twitter followers and Facebook likes I have? Are they jealous of the things I get sent for free? Then again maybe they are just bored housewives who sit around gossiping for something to do between watching Jeremy Kyle and hating their lives for being so boring.
Still I think that Oscar Wilde said it best.
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| Nice picture of me right? |
That's right, good old playground gossip is doing the rounds again. The thing is it isn't just about me, but about a friend, someone I care a lot about (You know who you are). The gossip that they have been spreading is about something that hasn't been put out there in the public realm. It's something which is personal, something which they don't know about and are discussing without thinking of what damage they could be doing by spreading half truths in their quest for something to pass along to others. Then there is the bit about me. Something which is so untrue it is funny and flattering at the same time and something else that makes me think that I'm being physically attacked because they said something about my blog.
Part of me wants to stand up and shout that I know they are talking about me and my friend and that if they want to know anything all they have to do is ask us. We might not tell them what they want to hear but we would be open and honest. Part of me wants to march up to them and practice my kick boxing on a real person instead of the punch bag in the garage I would even give them the name of a great plastic surgeon so they could have their broken nose fixed afterwards. A little too violent for me maybe.
Most of all a part of me feels sorry for them if all they have to talk about is me and my friend. I mean I know I am fantastic and amazing and all but really I'm the fodder for gossip? It's been suggested that they are jealous. Are they jealous of my incredibly strong marriage? Are they jealous that I have fun with my family? Are they jealous of my two very clever children? Do they wish that they had a blog? Are they jealous of the money I earn through my blog? Are they jealous of the number of Twitter followers and Facebook likes I have? Are they jealous of the things I get sent for free? Then again maybe they are just bored housewives who sit around gossiping for something to do between watching Jeremy Kyle and hating their lives for being so boring.
Still I think that Oscar Wilde said it best.
The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.