Ettiquette....Blogger Style

Its past 2am, and I am on gchat with one of my friend. This happens to be pretty normal for us, but tonight's conversation is far from our typical hair,make-up, fashion, can't wait to see you, OMG did you get the new Vogue, chit chat. We are pinned on blogger etiquette. Respect. Privacy. Community upholding. My plan really wasn't to blog this weekend, I ended Friday on a note to show how much I appreciate knowing so many of you through blogging. When I began blogging, I had no idea I was in for such a fabulous group of friends, who truly care for each other. If someone would have told me, " you'll wake up in the middle of the night to refresh your dashboard to see if anybody blogged", I never would have believed it. But I do. I wake up, look around, see how every one is doing, leave love, support, good luck, words of encouragement, and I'll even recheck in on someone who I know might have had a rough day before. I talk about so many of you, like I know you in 'real life'. With a few fabulous ladies, we've even mentioned how great it would be to actually someday be able to get together, over Nutella crepes. I am real. You are real. We have lives, families, jobs, problems to climb over, interviews to nail, bills to pay, decisions to make, and blogs to post. Our blogs are insight into parts of our lives. Some blogs have themes, others do not, some are a mesh of all kinds of good stuff, some advise us how to dress, do our hair, eat right, and others open their comments up for personal advise. But the one thing they are have in common is this:

"blogging is so great because each individual blogger
can choose how much personal information
THEY WANT to divulge to the public.
Being a part of "the blogosphere" it is
our responsibility to respect that".

Since, I could not have said it better myself, I used part of a comment quote, from earlier in the evening. For those of you who have been with me from the beginning, my blog may look a bit different to you. Certain pieces are now missing. I use the word 'missing' as opposed to 'taken off', because it truly now feels missing to me. So many of us blog without giving precise details about ourselves. Some will use initials, some give nicknames, code names, or used Disney characters to protect those we love. We open parts of ourselves up by saying we work in a particular industry, but keep the exact locations, names, details, to ourselves, each for various reasons. Ultimately, our details are irrelevant.

I was terribly sad to be informed that a giveaway is being conducted to figure out the details behind my life.

'I have been scrolling through her
previous posts to see if I can get some hint
as to who they are and I got nothin'.'

I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend. I am so much more than meets this blog. We all are. I will laugh with you, cry with you, help you, be there for you, and I will support you though the toughest of times. And, through all of this, I will protect my family with ever fiber of my being. If I share pictures, if I share stories, if I let you in a little, I am giving you the parts of me, I am comfortable sharing. So, please understand, why I, just as you, will keep my family only as visible as I choose to.

My comment to the Giveaway Post reads :

Hi. Wow. Although, flattering, I myself, consciously do not use our names. I am truly writing this to you in the most respectful manor, as my children are involved, I would appreciate, from one mom to another, if you would please, kindly remove this blog post.I would hope that this does not upset you, but as you said,nowhere in my blog is the information visible, and I would like to leave the privacy of my family as such.

I choose to believe, no harm was meant, behind the giveaway post. But, I would like to use this as a platform, for open discussion, not about myself, but for our community. We are bloggers, lets keep enjoying each others company, support, and friendship, while respecting our rights to some anonymity as well.