image via
One of the people we hung out with in San Francisco on Saturday is a football player for the San Francisco 49ers (for those unaware, the 49ers is a professional American football team in the National Football League). While eating lunch in the hotel's restaurant we got to talking about our jobs. He mentioned how he doesn't like telling people what he does for a living because he feels uncomfortable with the assumptions people might make.
image via
I wanted to say, "I know exactly how you feel!" Maybe not for the same reasons that he does, but I always hesitate when I tell people I'm a dancer or a dance teacher. When I broke my wrist and had to get x rays, telling the hospital staff that I broke it
dancing raised more than a few eye brows. The x ray tech actually asked
while looking me up and down, "Do you still have to be skinny to be a
dancer?"
image via Christian Sebastian
Then I got to thinking about the blog and how I hardly ever talk about my blog to people in person. When I approach people about being interviewed I hesitantly say, "I...uh... I have a blog..."
Are you open about your blog to non bloggers?
How do people react? Do you get shy about it?
(ps... my dad is a HUGE 49ers fan. Huge. My night gown growing up was an oversized 49ers shirt.)
33 comments:
I've mentioned my blog to people outside of the blog world but they don't seem to get it. I think they react to it like when a guy starts talking about his favorite video game. It sounds kind of dorky unless you love it too.
Actually it's not like that. Because guys video games ARE dorky.
Hmm.
Sometimes, I've get shy about it... I really only mention it to the people I feel comfortable with. But then again, whenever I post something on my blog, I put a link on my facebook profile so my friends without blogs can see it as well. I never think about other people are also reading it! haha
haha sometimes im shy about it when i first mention it and then i go thru and explain the process of blogging and it gets me excited!! hehhehehe too funny!!
I've gotten much more comfortable over the past few months telling people that I blog. Now, I tend to mention it casually, though I almost always feel the need to clarify why I blog when I do mention it. I just don't think many people don't understand it, and all I have to say is that they're missing out.
i used toget embarressed - not as bad as before but there are def some awkward moments and you described it well with the whole "um....yeah, i have a blog." so i feel you, girl! ;)
I get shy about it definitely. I usually have to explain why, how, who reads it, and a whole bunch of questions so I just say I have a blog and move quickly to the next topic. I'm very open in my blog & ask for advice about life situations so I'm a lil weary of the people I'm writing about reading it because I don't want them to get upset. I don't know. I should be more open about it tho. =)
Melanie's Randomness
i didn't tell people about my blog for awhile - now i'm open about it and tell people .. i'm ME and my blog is part of ME .. SO SHARE IT!
*kiss kiss*
Erika
~Tiptoe Butterfly~
I have no problem at all telling people that I have a blog, and that I'm a blogger. However, their reactions always irk me. Some ask, "What's a blog?" or "Why would you do that?" And guys oftentimes think that you're high maintenance simply because they hear that you write about fashion.
Sadly, there are a lot of misconceptions and misunderstandings about fashion bloggers - and bloggers in general. Regardless, I'm proud to say that I am one - and that I'm in good company!! :)
i don't really tell peeps about it because it's never been a blog to be shouted from the rooftops and adored by the masses ... except for my masses in california and washington :) it's a courageous thing to put yourself out there, and it seems like most tend to shy away from being like, hey check me out! but the blogging community, for the most part, seems to be a warm and welcoming place with lots of rooftop worthy, check me out, come and adore me goodness :)
What? That X ray tech was rude! I would think it would be so AWESOME to tell people you're a dancer! :) Because who among us gets to do something so beautiful when they grow up? Most people just settle for boring desk jobs - at least you get to move and be connected with your body and feel free. (Can you tell that I seriously wish I could dance for a living?)
As for blogging, it's so funny that you mention that here. I was like that for the whole first year I was blogging (last year), but that was one of the really awesome things about going to Alt - we were able to talk about blogging openly (and that's basically all we talked about those three days :), and it felt really great to be able to talk about it with people who understood. Before that, I didn't tell anyone I had a blog (my sister lived with me for 6 months before she discovered it on her own!). But ever since Alt, I've definitely become a little bit more open. I've shared it with a few friends, and I've been getting really great reactions :) It's been a great growth for me, though I know there's still a long way to go! :)
I tell people but am always a little hesitant.
Great topic! Talking about my blogs is always difficult. I try not to go in depth about them, but my family is always like, "She has a photography blog and SHE REVIEWS RESTAURANTS TOO!"
I think it's easier to explain to people now than it was 4 years ago, though!
That is a good question. My friends and family know and read my blog. Sometimes they ever write me an email to talk about something I wrote they liked but when I meet someone new I dont think it comes up righ away. Hmm..I truly never thought about this. Btw: that x-ray guy was really rude!
Hugs and kisses, darling
Happy Tuesday
well reading the comments above I am happy I am not the only one who isn't shouting it from roof tops. Some family members read it and most of my friends do too but I dont link it to facebook or anything I know we are "fb friends" and all but.. we aint that good a friends lol. I don't usually talk about it with people becuase they seem very weirded out about it.. i get "But what do you write about exactly?" a lot.. lol
i'm so glad you posted about this, because i have the same struggle. i never tell people about my blog. people who already know about it give me positive reviews, but for some reason, i still get really sheepish when i say the word "blog." i even get embarrassed asking my good friend (who's a huge fan of my blog) to take pictures for me. i'm not sure why exactly, but i think maybe it's because i've heard enough negative things about blogging and bloggers that i get insecure about admitting i have one too. i absolutely LOVE the world of blogging, but i tend to hold this belief that real world people roll their eyes or look down on blogging, like they're going to say, "oh, you're one of THOSE."
but then when i went to the renegade craft fair with brandi & lillian, they were very up front about their blogs, asking the artisans if they could take photos to highlight their shops on their blogs. they even had business cards for their blogs! it was really good to experience their confidence and to see a positive reaction to their admittance. still, i told myself it was their super fancy cameras which made them legit. like somehow, if you can swing your blog as a professional business, it's acceptable in the real world. but that's probably just my insecurity coming out again.
it's probably just a matter of getting over the block in my own mind that will change everything for me. maybe i should just start telling people and talking about it out loud so i get more comfortable. thanks for bringing this up!
haha yah, i don't tell everyone about it!
My favorite thing is when I tell people I'm an opera singer-the first thing they ask is, "Don't you have to be fat to sing opera?"
As for blogging, I absolutely get shy about it, but most of my friends and colleagues read my blog all the time!
Was that brat trying to insinuate you were fat? Growl....
I don't talk about my blog much. People don't get it.
Great topic, Tiffany! I have to say that I don't share outright that I write or run Dance Advantage. I think I'm even worse about it with people (dancers, students, parents) that I meet or work with in person and who would be likely readers! This frustrates my husband to no end, I might add. Even when I went to the Dance Teacher Summit this year, it killed him that I didn't hand out a business card to every person I spoke with. And explaining to other friends or family requires... explaining. Most people don't understand what I'm doing. I often just say I'm a dance writer and teacher and let them ask questions if they want.
Maybe it's a female thing? I'm not always comfortable with it but especially with the nature of DA, it's something I have to challenge myself to get over or at least find an approach that I am more comfortable with. It's good to know I'm not alone in not exactly screaming about what I do from the rooftops... as a dancer or a blogger.
that's interesting... I also keep the blog pretty much to myself. Well, my girlfriends know about it but I tell very few people when I first meet them. I guess I do get shy about it...
It definitely took me a good while to come out to my friends about my blog. I think because it was a new venture for me to try and do something that might take some risks or guts (at least for me). It's nice knowing that there is comfort in making friends with likeminded interests, but with sharing it with those that do not blog, it feels hard to explain what this virtual world is all about. So, yes, I would say that i'm on the shy side for sure!
only one of my good friends understands how important blogging is to me and she is the only one i actually talk about it with...except for my boyfriend, he reads my posts. i've mentioned i have a blog to co-workers but i felt awkward...i have real life friends and then i have blog friends, so it's like 2 separate worlds and i kind of like to keep them separate!
I used to be a little more self conscious about it but not really anymore. I don't think that anyone actually even cares or goes to look at it after they find out :)
xoxo
most people react sort of weird because what they hear about blogs is not vey good but what they don't realize that most probably they already read the NYTimes blogs or even those by the Harvard business review... I always have to make it clear that my blog is not about cats or dogs (nothing against them) and that they will be portrayed in a good way...
I'm SUPER shy about my blog! I feel like there's going to be lots of questions I don't want to answer or I have to justify why I have it...too much explaining, I guess! And I totally understand what the football player was talking about...my dad is actually a professional athlete and it's always been atough thing to talk about. You have to overthink your answers to people or overthink what you should and shouldn't say. People certainly have expectations or opinions and I know I'm not the athlete but it makes me uncomfortable if it comes up.
I didn't tell anyone in the beginning and now I am more open about it. But you are so right, people just don't understand it. They ask, what are you getting out of it?! Love that you brought this up! xo
Perhaps I'm making up my own slant on things, but that x-ray tech's question was inappropriate. Moving on...I tend to be a very private person--I shy away from divulging much personal info on Facebook, Twitter or even my own blog--disclosing where I work, what I do, or even the blog I own takes a lot of effort. I hold a lot of that close to myself--perhaps it's because I've experienced in the online and offline community such polarizing reactions when I share such personal details. Some automatically assume my career/blogging is all glitz and glam and fun or geeky and easy with little intelligence or hard work required. And won't even get into trying to get people to understand the purpose of my blog... that's a whole different story. /rant
I actually fell on my left hip bone whilst dancing a forthnight ago - have yet to visit the Doctor - think it's ok now. Dancing is quite a fragile subject for me... Am eating yogurt, drinking milk and enjoying cheese again after Doc told me I need to raise the fat levels in my body - lol. This is what dancing does!
Vitamin D I find is very important for dancers. I shall stop now before I bore you - lol!!
P.S: My blog is mostly private, but a handful of my chums enjoy reading it.
I mention my blog to some people but not to others... Just depends on whether I think they'd enjoy it or not. That and there are some people I'd rather them not know about it since they don't get me IRL so why would they get me on my blog?
Also, I would have given those techs a really dirty look for asking that question.
me: i'm a blogger and freelance photographer
random person: oh, so you don't really have a job?
pretty much sums that up.
I'm pretty shy about telling people I know in "real life" about my blog, and every time someone finds out about it I get terribly embarrassed. I'm not sure why...
Oh, beautiful pictures! It's quite seperate worlds for me... I don't really keep it a secret, but I never mention the blog at work, in private situations I might mention it, but like many other commentators I feel most people just don't get it, so I leave it be.
Oh my goodness, I am so conscious that I blog with a pseudonym. Kind of silly of me, huh? :)
Post a Comment