Someone once said something very true: we live in a world of Perception, not Reality. Although I was first impressed by this insight long ago, recently the truth of it has been hammered home pretty hard.
This blog has certainly been proving the point, and don't get me wrong, the irony of what I'm about to cite regarding blog feedback is not upsetting: on the contrary, it fits well with my new worldview, which I will relate at the end here.
I guess it's pretty clear what set me off and got me going on writing a blog is my increasingly unpleasant experiences with the local gendarmes and their objections to my driving behavior; but especially bothering are the new trends in Federal participation in local traffic enforcement. Blogging about it gave me the perception that I would be seen as valiantly fighting back against Big Brother, etc, etc. The reaction from my niece Louise, though, gave me some pause. "Man, Uncle Carl, you sure get stopped for speeding a lot." Hmmmmm. Maybe the reality of how this blog is being received is different than my perception here! Who else thought that I clearly was someone just getting too many tickets... or that it was a little nutty to do such a rant about it?
When I sent out the URL that helps balance your checkbook; that wasn't a blog, and I wasn't sure everyone would find it useful. But I allowed myself to think some would use it, or pass it along. The one response I got [you know who you are!] joked about balancing checkbooks: "do people still do that?" I got a chuckle out of it. But that also gave me some pause: probably a lot of people thought that was a silly thing to send out. God help me, I use the hell out of that thing.
Here's something more in the category of "hammered home hard."
.... Anymore I do not assume that other people see me the way I see myself. Realizing this when younger would have been very helpful at work, in relationships, for life in general. I'd say that's the positive thing I'm taking away from that whole fiasco.
Keep it coming on the blog feedback. Fear not, I am receptive these days to wake-up calls on Reality. I thank you in advance.
9 comments:
I laughed out loud when you quoted me in your blog. But part of the reason I thought that was that you had two traffic tickets in a seemingly short time period, and you made reference to others. Again, perception vs. reality.
Re: your friend. My guess is that the problem is not that you (or anyone else) is a poor influence; my guess is that the wife thinks the husband should spend all his time with her. So it's not that your pursuits are bad, it's that she feels her husband should not have time with you alone, because he should always be with his wife.
I feel sorry for the husband.
Whoops, that was me. In case you hadn't guessed.
Also, I think you're a lot closer to federal enforcement of traffic laws than we are up here. We don't get much influence from the Feds up here, so I don't worry about it as much.
I am going to add one more thing: I do not know what dad is talking about his "mastery of the law". Do not let him fool you; the reason I didn't get a ticket is because the cop didn't show up.
I'm glad you're taking it ok, Louise, I was a little worried you would resent being quoted. It was cute, though, and it really did make me start wondering what everyone was thinking about the whole thing.
I actually am the "support your local police" type guy, ironically. A friend long ago predicted I would not be able to maintain such feelings for traffic enforcers, and he was right.
Re: your Dad, we can't bust his bubble with "reality" ... we want him to live in the world of his "perception" as master of the Law. [vbg]
there are lots of different ways to think about blogging. let's face it, you're not a financial genius, so we're not here to get rich off your great advice. you're not in touch with any of the "in-crowd" so it's not a celebrity blog. it's the rants and ravings of a middle aged man with something on his mind, who happens to be a friend and or relative to most who read his blog. your content won't be quoted in generations to come (much to your disappointment, I'm sure) but you can let people know what you're thinking or feeling without burdening us directly, and that's what I like about the blog. I like to keep in touch with those I'm not in direct contact with through the blog. it's not forced like a letter often is, and it's not annoying like a phone call. you're not emailing everyone, filling up their inbox with your rants, you're putting it out there, and if we wish to read, we will. it's not a scholarly journal. sometimes you may even be Wrong. I have been on my blog. embrace this form of communication/expression, don't quit once you've lost interest, and take it less seriously if you feel it's taking too much out of you.
eventually, the public will start to understand and use RSS/Atom feeds and I think blogging will finally become almost as ubiquitous as email.
oh and the wife can go to hell.
my blog is http://crash6767.livejournal.com
mostly ranting and raving about technology related things.
Aaron
I did say I would be receptive to keeping it real!
Thank you, Aaron. Glad you really do read the blog.
>sometimes you may even be Wrong.
Now wait a minute! [g]
*Hey, why don't we go hunting?
Carl, sounds like an opening for another "rant". What about one on your thoughts of Michael Vick? Or, on those who claim that hunting is no worse than dogfighting. I reckon you can get some mileage out of that, without being pulled over, AGAIN, by your friendly traffic policeman.
perhaps I'll have time between court appearances.
Next blog looming would seem to be about the sub-prime lending problem.
Carl, I do recall asking you about Virginia propert prices several years ago, and you did say that you thought that the "bubble might burst". I don't know if you recall that, but it looks like you got that one right!
Anyway, stay out of trouble.
Best wishes,
Mark
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