Look in my window

One of my blogger friends, Sister-Three, likes to compare reading someone's blog to "looking in their window", which I think is an apt description.  The more I thought about it this morning, the more I agree.

I've had blogs I followed faithfully for years that eventually made me feel as if I knew the author:  You start seeing patterns in her days and learn the rhythm of her life (or his, but I only read three or four male bloggers).  Sister-Three's sister Patsy was one of those I felt I knew.  I loved her for her sometimes almost brutal honesty.  I never had to wonder how she felt about a person or a topic.  She died some time ago, but a couple of her relatives still follow my drivel, and I read their blogs.  

Back to this "looking in the window" comparison.  I can learn a lot about someone by looking in her window while she lives her life:  Is she a good housekeeper?  Is she rich or poor?  Is she religious or spiritual?  Does she like to read?  Is she lazy?  What sort of music does she like?  

But if that lady knows someone is watching her, she's going to be careful what she says and does with the shades up, or the blinds open.  So we bloggers, if we're smart, take care how we behave while we're in the public eye.  

I've had regular readers of my blog more than once tell me how wise I am, and I almost laugh out loud.  Trust me, nobody I know in real life has ever accused me of being wise, because they have seen all the stupid things I've done and bad decisions I've made throughout my life!  Obviously I've kept a few things in the back room, so the window-peepers can't see them.  And please stay out of my closet.  Whatever virtues you think I may have, I will guarantee that for each one there are several vices or imperfections in my storage room and closet.

When Ree Drummond first began blogging (The Pioneer Woman) , she was so real and charming and funny.  Now, of course, she has a TV show and is famous, and can't really have the fun with her blog that she did back then.  Ree picked up a lot of haters who actually started whole blogs about how they hated her and what was wrong with her.  They have gone to great length to discredit her, going so far as to find out about indiscretions of various relatives, right down to traffic tickets (who cares, and what does it have to do with her?).  They complain that she has used her blog to make money and, since she already had plenty of money, it must be a sin to make more.  They research her recipes online and accuse her of stealing them (aren't most recipes in the public domain anyhow?)  Since Ree wasn't disclosing all this stuff, that makes her a terrible person in their eyes.

I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.  It's life.  It's a normal human trait to hold back a lot of information about yourself to others and we all do it.  

So welcome to my window, and enjoy peeking in.  Sometimes I might even invite you inside... just don't go down the hall or look in the corners too closely.

By the way, my windows aren't that clean.