I Have a Blog, But I'm Afraid to Use It.

Seriously.

In the past year, a well-meaning but off-base acquaintance has "trumped" my blogging a few times. Off-hand comments such as:

Please don't blog about that.

You can't blog about that.

Don't write about that.

Take that off your blog.

If you don't take that off your blog, I'm going to call Obama and invite him for lunch at your house.

Okay. Maybe it wasn't that bad. BUT even a few off-hand comments stack up.

Now, I feel censored. Watched. And for goodness' sake if there's one thing I don't relish in life it's knowing someone doesn't approve of something I'm doing.

ARGH.

Here's the thing..... Blogging allows me to write. And I LOVE it. I love sharing with all four of you. I love being real. I love the good, the bad and the ugly. And believe it or not I do censor myself to some extent. I haven't even told you about.... (See??)

I have to create. It's part of what makes me me. It's kinda like breathing. I have to be doing something with my hands and brain and all that together or I'm just stifled. And stifled is a great word for how I've felt since this person started getting all up in my business.

I've tried to be real with you -- and this road we've walked together has been UGLY at times. BUT I've been real. You know it all.

But knowing that I've been "watched" or "mothered" or whatever you want to call it has just completely taken the wind out of my sails.

Yes, it might have been a mistake to blog about certain things that have happened in the last year. But if I'm stupid enough to blog about them, I'm the one who has to deal with it. RIGHT?

So here's my question.... How do you deal with this? What are your boundaries when it comes to blogging? And how do you deal with people who get all up in your business?

I can do so much good with my blog -- but not if I'm afraid to use it.