Is It Your Blog or My Blog?

The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason 

and critical analysis.” ~~ Dalai Lama

We all follow some blogs, are religious about reading others and have stopped following even more for one reason or another. We can read what we want, write what we want and if we want.  Sometimes we start following a blog because that blogger is writing about things or places we are interested in or maybe it’s because another blogger made a comment on ours and we want to reciprocate.  It might be the blogger’s style or maybe we know the blogger so are really interested in following their blog.  Whatever the reason some we like and some we don’t so much.  We’re all different, see things differently and interpret things differently.  Thank goodness for that because we definitely all like different things.  This also applies to blogs. Isn’t that true?  If you agree that it’s true then why is it there are so many authorities telling us how our blog should be written?

Over the last few months there have been several blogs posted regarding what makes a good blog.  I didn't pay much attention to them originally.  That is I hadn't paid much attention until one specific blog became the off-line topic of discussion with several blogging friends -- perhaps, writers of blogs you may also follow. It was then I went back and read several of these blogs.

The earlier blogs just gave suggestions on their thoughts of what made a good blog.  It was just their opinion.  Most were about personal preferences on form and appearance  --  many of which I really did agree with – but not all.  I didn’t agree with some because it just didn’t work for me.  If suggestions don’t work for you, you don’t have to go along with anyone’s ideas but your own.  Their opinion isn't the law.  An example of one that didn't work for me, was the suggestion of putting pictures in a slideshow instead of posting on the blog.  I rarely view slideshows or videos.  If my friends have pictures, I want to see them on their blogs.  That's how we communicate.  Also, I’m an RVer and internet is off an aircard.  I might post a small video or slide show but it is very rare that I do.   Even when I upload pictures mine have already been resized to reduce upload time.  That's my preference.

Recently suggestions on what makes a good blog became pretty popular.   The original idea was to make the blog itself easier to read.  I guess a few folks figured if they had been writing one for a couple of years, they were the experts.  They just posted their opinions.   We all have our opinions and that's what a blog is about -- expressing our opinions.  However, then it changed to content of an RVers blog.  In other words the suggestions on appearance of the blog became suggestions on what you should or should not put in your blog. Golly, ever thought about having someone else write your blog for you? 

One blogger didn’t want to see pictures of flowers, family, pets or wildlife.  The blogger didn't want to read about a travel journal or craft projects and added this   …….” provide a link for the three people who want to look at them?”     Was that last little comment really necessary?     It’s simple …. if you don’t like a blog, don’t read it.  Don't insult other bloggers just because they don't post to please you.  We all have the choice to read a blog or not.    Read the ones you enjoy and not the ones you don’t.

Another blogger reminded us that our blogs should be limited to the RV lifestyle and if you want to write about something else, you should start another blog.    Write what's on your mind and not what's on someone else's mind.  After all ... it is your blog.

RVers do many things that have nothing to do with dumping tanks and solar panels or even being on the road and in a campground.  That doesn't mean they don't have lots of things to share.  They do and this includes their thoughts, beliefs, vacations, home projects, family, day to day life and many other things when they aren’t actually in an RV.  Face it ... some people are just better writers than others but it still doesn't mean we don't want to follow them.   In many cases we get to know the writer by their blog.  We follow the writer no matter what it's about. Some folks like to know about others and some folks only want others to know about them.  We’ve met them?  Haven’t you?  Blogging gives you the ability to do both as it levels the playing field. 

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The following are a few comments left by other bloggers.  I think these comments were very appropriate.

... . "blogging gives an opportunity to be creative yourself.  It’s our little outlet to enjoy the creative side of ourselves with writing and photography. 

…. “It is my blog and my thoughts…nuff said! “ 

…..”Ideas and suggestions are not rules, nor are they guidelines; they are simply what I said they are – “ideas and suggestions”.

…. “If you don’t like how someone writes it or you don’t like their content, just don’t read it.”

….. “What ever happened to blogging just being a fun hobby? ..never mind trying to fit a ‘square peg in a round hole’! “

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Whatever we want to write about and whatever pictures we want to post .. that’s just what we should do. It’s your blog so go for it!! When others want to tell you what to read, what to write about or what music to listen to, roll your eyes and ignore them.

That’s my blog and that's my opinion.   However, now I’m going to go search for pictures to attach.   I’m one who loves the little photos … mine, yours or even clipart.  To me a blog without pictures is like a day without sunshine.

‘Tis life on the road …. or sometimes parked in a driveway.