Ramblings on Blogging and Family

I have been thinking a lot about blogging and why people do it.  As those who read my blog know I don't blog very often.  There are a few reasons for that.  One is not for lack of being at my machine.  Again, those who know me know I find my Mac to be a source of great enjoyment and entertainment.  I have often likened it to television.  Some people love television and movies (like my husband for example) and will watch hours of it.  Some love computers and will spend hours in front of one (like me) doing any number of things.

So back to blogging.  Why do people blog?  If they are like me, it is to just talk to yourself.  A way to sort through thoughts and frustrations, not really expecting a reply, knowing a few might see it, but more as an outlet for thoughts and feelings.  I believe there are levels to this as with most things.  I think of it simply as high, medium, and low.  I am a low level blogger.  I blog when I have the desire or the motivation.  I blog for Mary, when she points out I haven't blogged and try to come up with something witty, or something that lets me get my Latina out.  I am generally pretty laid back, but some will press my buttons just to see me get riled...not in a bad way, but to see the other side of me, the Puerto Rican side.  It is rather humorous and enjoyable for all who witness it or trigger it.

I write about blogging because something has been troubling me.  My husband reads my sister's blog on a regular basis.  I do from time to time when she links it to Facebook and I am on Facebook to see it.  This gets back to what I do with my computer time.  I am not constantly on Facebook as those who know me know.  Anyway, my husband loves to read all the goings on of friends and family on Facebook.  He is a regular reader of my sister's blog and often gives me the synopsis of what is going on in her life, which I generally enjoy. 

Like all sisters...or siblings for that matter...my sister and I have had our ups and downs.  We are in a down period at the moment due to a recent disagreement, that I choose to not go into because blogging about it would do nothing for me.  My sister has blogged about it, and this issue aside, is a very regular blogger.  I have been very impressed with her dedication to daily blogging and her desire to chronicle the goings on of her family.  I have long known I cannot blog with that much regularity.  It is not something I care to do.  I do however enjoy blogging, on my terms.  I enjoy writing, sharing my thoughts, ideas, and opinions.  As a matter of fact that is what I do most with my computer time.  Write.  I have always enjoyed writing...creative writing.  Writing for my National Boards was a nightmare because I had to write so clinically.  But when it comes to story telling...that is different. The irony of my National Boards is not lost on me.  It took me THREE YEARS to achieve it because of the section on WRITING.  Teaching writing is a huge task and had long been a source of frustration in my teaching.  Knowing I LOVE to write and then not being able to effectively teach children to write was a huge disappointment.  So the National Board journey taught me that, forced me to find a way, so I could achieve my goals of achieving certification, and more importantly teaching children to be effective writers.

My parents are very loving and raised my sister and I well.  There are various sayings I recall from my parents as I grew up.  Two of which I will mention now.  My mother often said to us on various occasions "I don't make no ugly babies!" I smile thinking on all the times she has said that.  She always says that with pride and conviction, and I always took that as a confidence booster.  My sister and I are strong women, confident in who we are, and I think that simple statement my mom would say to us captures that sentiment well.  The other saying I am not sure which parent to credit it to...it could have been one they both shared, but I recall a time when I may have said too much at school one day, and one or both of my parents were in my face, talking sternly pointing to the double door entry of our condo at the time "What happens behind those doors stays behind those doors!"  That sounds very ominous and I assure you I was not harmed as a child in any way by my parents.  They simply meant that the goings on of our family were meant for our family alone, not to be broadcast.  This is the saying that comes to mind when I think about blogging.  In this day and age so much is shared on the internet.  My sister shares more than I would, but I consider her a high level blogger where little to nothing is censored and she blogs her mind freely.  I often censor myself, this saying of my childhood heavily ingrained as well as supported by my husband.  So I blog within reason, not revealing too much, careful of what I write even when venting as to not hurt or offend those closest to me.

All that being said, I have been troubled hearing what my sister has blogged, not sure how to respond to her, not wishing to make things any worse, but not sure how to make them better.  So I come to my blog, much in the way she comes to hers, to say openly that I do care about her, her feelings, her family, and her soon-to-be born son.  Our lives are so full of work and family, I really do enjoy visiting with her, just she and I at a restaurant, talking.  No kids, no husbands, just sisters.

I have my own mottos in life...one of which is everyone is entitled to their opinion.  I don't say that with malice, I say it as a simple fact.  We all have our opinions and perspectives, as well as our reasons for them.  I respect that, and I expect it respected in return.  Another of my mottos is the Golden Rule...Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.  Those two mottos come up most in my life and I have found that if I life by them, life is often quite peaceful.