edit/publish

circa 2011

i recently had someone in my offline life tell me "you know, you are so much more interesting in your blog."

::CRICKETS::TUMBLEWEEDS::TWITCHY EYEBALL MUSCLE::

thanks?

but then i thought, well, DUH.

of course i am a more interesting person in my blog.  my posts are about things that i find interesting (and i hope that others do as well, hence the reading of the blog post).  i do not find the topic of brushing my teeth very interesting and yet it is something that happens quite frequently in my real life.  am i required to post about it because it is "real" or should i continue to edit it out because it is boring as heck. 

am a a false blogger because i edit my topics of choice?  who really wants to read about my never ending wait in the bank line?  or the awesome sale on canned peas at the grocery?  not me.  shoot, i didn't even want to be in that moment so why would i ask somebody to read about it?

i have come to appreciate that blogging gives me an opportunity to edit in a way that real life interaction does not.  i do not have to blog about my bad days, boring nights or workplace doldrums.  where the people in my offline life are privy to the fact that i wore the same outfit two days in a row i can choose to edit that fact out when writing a 'wear' post.  and anyone visiting my home is going to discover that i have been missing a towel rack in the washroom for months because i am too lazy to put up the new one i bought forever ago.  but i am not going to take a photo and brag about my laziness.  instead i choose to focus on the positive and post about yet another thrifted teapot that i really didn't need.

my offline life does not allow me to edit my bad skin, period bloats, crumbs on my shirt, things said i wish i could take back, weird faces, gas (yep, went there), hours spent watching crap television, eating crap food and just generally being a dullard.  my online life gives me an opportunity to edit all that out and instead present a woman with interests and passions and a sense of self that i would hope someone else could relate to and enjoy the company of, if only for the time spent reading a short post written and edited with purpose.

i by no means present myself as a perfect person on this blog and i take comfort in the fact that my bloggy peeps have chosen to get to know me, warts and all.  i just also take comfort in the fact that i have the opportunity to edit, edit, edit before hitting publish.  something we are unfortunately not always afforded in real life.