Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Blogging Bubble


Sometimes when I blog i get a little down. Let me explain....I look at everyone's perfect little lives and their beautiful families and I admire how talented all my friends are and I think, "What am i contributing to society?", "what am I contributing to the blogging community?" (that second phrase was a little sarcastic). Don't get me wrong-I know I am blessed. I think blogging is wonderful but sometimes I think it could use a dose of reality. Not that I really expect people to write depressing things.
Here is a little glimpse into the "blogging bubble", as I am going to call it. Every once in a while I work with Jason at the front desk of the dental office. I was perusing the blogs and a co-worker was looking over my shoulder and said, "don't you have any ugly friends? Or weird ones?". Some of you are probably laughing...I did. I know I have A LOT of ugly pics of myself...like I am going to post them and embarrass myself. We all post the most wonderful things about our lives accompanied by the most beautiful pics. I guess that's how it ought to be. Anyway....the point being that sometimes after blogging I get overwhelmed and think about how talented everyone I know is. But if I really think about it, I am combining everyone's talents and comparing those to myself. So it seems like this mountain of talents compared to my molehill. So I went home last night and had burst of creativity...I guess trying to prove to myself that I had something to contirbute. I just wanted to share that little thought process I had. Here's one of the scrapbook pages I went home and made and then Jason praised. I think he could tell I was desperate for praise! :)



I was so excited that we had the chance and cool weather to light our chiminea the other night. I should've anticipated the following event. Link's favortie pasttime was playing in the ashes of the chiminea. UGH. So this is him, caught in the act of taking his first "ash shower" of teh season. He throws them up and then laughs as the ashes fall on and around him. I am sure it's the first of many to come.
Then today it was raining the entire day and was quite gloomy. Around twilight the sun shone through the trees, while it was still raining. It was gorgeous. I just wish I had the skill/camera to really capture it. It was a phtographer's dream. Everything was glistening. this picture does not do it justice AT ALL. I should delete it. oh well. Can you see the rain???

20 comments:

Rebecca said...

I agree. I have made myself promise that I won't go perusing around blogs that I don't have on my blog roll- for that reason- I get kinda sick. It is unrealistic and I know I get caught in the same trap. cute page, though!

The Allred Family said...

I am so glad to hear other people feel the same way. It's easy to feel like crap about yourself.

Amanda said...

I know what you mean too! But I totally think that you are one of the creative and beautiful ones!

Jack G. said...

I agree. It's like that convo we had last Wed. While we don't wish ill will towards our friends, it's sometimes nice to know that we are ALL human. But I do have to say, Claire, that your REAL life is pretty close to many people's blog fantasy. I wish you could see yourself how we all see you. YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!!!!

Michelle said...

I don't even know who "Jack Attack" is but the above is from me...love you :)

The Allred Family said...

i don't know who jack attack is either....what a wacko jacko! :)

Alicia said...

Hey the list update thing is under "add a gadget" and then you just have to type in all your friends blogs, or copy and paste like i did. It won't work on private blogs though, so you have to do a separate thing for them. I know what you mean about the blog thing, I almost stopped blogging because when I would read everyone else blogs I would get down and Dustin would notice and said he hated it when I read friend's blogs because my personality would change. Then I realized that we are all in different stages of our lives, and while it's easy to compare, we just have to realize we all reach our goals at different paces and patience is needed. Maybe this isn't really the way your thought was aimed, but that's how blogging was affecting me. Sometimes we need to praise ourselves for our talents and be proud of them, so that we realize how great and individual we all are. Sorry this is so long, but I totally relate to what you were saying. Great scrapbook page by the way, you've always been so good at scrapbooking!

J said...

Claire,
I just wanted to say I can totally relate. Often there have been times that I'd have a really serious or depressing thing to write about but decided not to put it on my blog because I thought, "Nobody wants to hear that crap!" I think most people like to write about the good things in their lives, but when that's all you read about someone it can just seem totally fake and unrealistic for them to be that perfect. I also used to get down on myself when playing the little game called "click NEXT BLOG" and read about all these great and wonderful adventures other people had. I couldn't help but think what a terribly boring person I am! But then I think they obviously aren't posting all the crap in their lives. And you know EVERYONE has crap now and then.

I love your scrapbook page btw. I love when I get creative bursts like that. Sometimes it's nice to just have an outlet, ya know?

kateworthi said...

I guess everyone feels the same about this. I Totally do. I went through my little "bout of depression" about it several months ago - and I believe I posted about it too. And everyone was encouraging and cool in the comments. It made me feel better, and I decided that I'm only happy when I stop comparing myself [and my blog for that matter] to others'. I guess that's kind of a reason why I don't like blogging as much. I don't have a facebook profile, but I think I may be more cut out for that. You still get to post pics, and see what people are up to - but you don't feel all the mormon-mom pressure to be creative and perfect.... :) I love you Claire, and you are awesome and special and talented - and you contribute a LOT to the Community!!!! :) Anyway, I miss you and I want to come visit! If only I had the $$$$ to make it happen... I'm still working on it though! :) Love ya!

Emily Rupp Sessions said...

girlfriend i feel you! I feel the same way! Thanks for the support in my last post. I bought Baby Wise and am almost done with it. Its good so far. see my post wasn't all perfect...keep hanging in there. We are a lot alike. Too bad we dont live closer to each other. We could have a lot of fun!

Anonymous said...

Claire darling---as we learned in math class from our teacher...can't recall his name, we are all creative in our own ways! I love your scrapbook page...I cannot create anything nearly that cute nor do I find the time to do it...see how much better than me you are?? Love you girl and keep posting...I like that you post about reality...me I try to look like life is one big dream cloud...whatever works right?

Jessica Sedgwick said...

Claire,
I agree, and I guess that's one reason I don't "blog", but I have been better about reading our family's blogs lately. Sometimes I forget to leave a comment. That's how lame I am at blogging. :) But it's fun to read about good ole' hickory hill farm and see the pics. Your scrapbooking is WAY better than mine, by the way. I think I did about 1 year of Madison's life, then about 1 page in Caleb's book, and have done NOTHING since! I'm all about the online books, but I can't even catch up on those! And the list goes on...:)

Jill Bagley said...

i just read your profile thing.
i didnt know you guys were going to go to dental school! our ward is full of dental students. and then they move , and its depressing.
please please please come to oregon for dental school. we can be BFF's and it would be SOOO fun.
our kids are like the same age practically and they could be BFFS too!
im going to fantasize about this. and hope that it comes true.
you would love oregon. has your husband applied anywhere?
talk soon.
call me sometime.

Lindsey said...

I'm not sure I understand what you are talking about. I'm pretty much living everyone's dream. I have every talent imaginable and I am just the epitome of awesomeness. I never feel bad about myself.

Lindsey said...

ps- cute scrapbook page!

Derek and Emily said...

Hey Claire, I'm not sure if you remember me. I used to be Emily Alvillar and we were in the same cohort for two years. I found you through Angela's blog. Your family is beautiful. It looks like things are going well for you (even if you feel overwhelmed by the seemingly perfect lives of everyone else). I love blogging because it helps me reconnect with old friends, but your right it can be overwhelming. After I check out everyone elses blog I want to take a vacation, buy new clothes and redecorate our home all at the same time!

Jake and Annika said...

When we lived in Japan I used to tell Jake all the time that I was amazed at what you could cook from the limited ingredients we had! I think we all do this to ourselves... but just so you know, I think you are wonderful!

The Watkins said...

I love your post! I totally know the blog blues. I want to have a private blog where I invite my friends to write about some of the more less talked about subjects on blogs that we're all dying to know if the other person experiences. Really, if I don't ever write my book about it, then I'll create a blog. Then you can be a member and read the "normal" parts of life that we don't often publicize. My hope would be that people could visit the site and laugh when they realize other people are going through the same things. Sound like a cool idea? Anyway, if you remember how I am....very open about stuff...it would prove to be a fun blog to read. (At least I'd hope so.) Anyway, you are beautiful and your family, sorry to say it, looks perfect! Your blog inspires me to do more and be more. So thanks. :)

Anonymous said...

Well, just FYI, whenever there are several days of no new post on my blog, I'm probably in a crappy mood about my crappy life, so that should make you feel better!
Don't worry....I think you're one of the beautiful, smart, talented ones!!

Jake and Emily Hutchings Family said...

yeah, if i read my own blog i'd think...dang, she's pretty special:)! j/k. of course we're going to post the best thinkgs about us, who wants to remember all of the times we scream at our kids or cry because we want to beat them? not me, i prefer the world thinks i'm perfect!