Ok, I am going to pick on Neil again because this post caught my eye. It made me wonder outloud as it were, How Well Do You Really Know Me?
I am very honest about my thoughts and feelings. I have shared things here that I have never discussed with anyone, provided an intimate look into my head and heart. So it makes me wonder what kind of impression I am making upon people.
If you met me in person would I be who you think I am. There have been pictures of me on the blog and a number of audioblog entries, so you have a visual and audio picture that you can use.
But I wonder if my sense of humor comes across. Do you think that I am funny or a whiner. Do you have an accurate read on my politics, my interests and ideas. Assuming that you are one of the 17 regular readers of this blog, would meeting me in person leave you wondering how your impression could be so right or so wrong. Would you still want to read my blog or would that ruin the image.
Many years ago I used to have a real fantasy about a woman who worked in the same office building as me. I would see her daily and be amazed at how sexy and beautiful I thought that she was. The attraction was very strong and I used to wonder about her.
And then one day I saw her eating lunch with someone I really disliked and that took some of the polish off the fantasy, it chipped the veneer because I couldn't help but wonder why she would find a jerk like that to be so funny.
Not that any of this matters anyway, but what do you think? Would pulling the curtain back reveal the Mighty Oz or just a simple man who was relatively uninteresting.
10 comments:
Having read your posts for the past several months, I've noticed a pattern that every two to three months you write a post like the one you've just presented us with. You wonder aloud what your readers think of you, how you've presented yourself to us...but almost as if in the same breath, you'll issue another post that's outspoken, seemingly announcing that you don't care how you come across to us, just airing your thoughts with this anonymous public.
This Ping-Pong of insecurity/security is what makes you human...and interesting...and real. We don't need photos or audios to truly read you. Your words give and show us your all!
I don't know if I am considered one of your regular 17, but I would be surprised if your in person self would be different than your blog self. You come across as educated, interested in learning, a family man, competitive, middle of the road in politics with a bent toward Democrats, someone who appreciates women and of course your wife. I think your humor comes across in your audio posts more so than in writing. There is my two cents.
While I think writing in this kind of format is partly about constructing an identity, no matter how hard you (or I) may put across how we see ourselves, or what aspect of us we want to be seen, a fairly true picture emerges for the close and regular reader nonetheless.
Jack - I don't come here often enough to form a picture, but I wanted to make sure you saw this article.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=whitlock/050711
Air Time,
The best line in that weak piece was this one:
The Pistons won a championship last year, and should've repeated this year.
I could have said that about the Lakers for years. It is the most ridiculous line I have heard.
Mitch Albom is a decent sportswriter, but he is not the best. The entire article is overblown.
People can only see the side of you that you choose to show.
People who know me from blogland assume I'm funny.
Jack: Seeing you in person would only reveal you for the simian we all know you are.
Mitch is the best. Of course, now we know he has a hard time distinguishing between reporting and fiction.
Recently I read that Hal Holbrook has been doing Mark Twain longer than Sam Clemens did. Twain was a created persona. Every writer does that. If I met you I wouldn't know what to expect because writing is writing is live is live.
Mistanthrope,
I hope that one day my children and grandchildren will get a chance to read this and learn a little bit more about me in a way that not too many people do. I want them to see me as human, which is sometimes hard for children to do.
Lucy,
I think that you are right, people get to see what we show them and not much more.
PT,
You are a funny man, don't let anyone ever tell you differently. Pearl can vouch for that.
AT,
I miss Jim Murray, he is still my favorite sports writer of all time.
Rav Fleischmann,
The news of my death has been greatly exaggerated. ;)
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