Cuckoo for Blogging Posts

Remember the good ol’ days when people would write their innermost thoughts in a diary? And then the diary would be locked and hidden under the bed? This way, only after a person died did you find out he or she was cuckoo. But nowadays, we have Facebook and Twitter and blogs. This way, everybody on Planet Earth gets to find out right away that a person has more baggage than the cargo hold of a Boeing 737. I miss the good ol’ days.

I really shouldn’t be so snarky, since I’ve had a blog myself for a few years now. By the way, if you’re not familiar, the word blog is a contraction of the phrase “web log.” Basically, a blog is a personalize page on the Internet where you can share whatever is on your mind with 7 billion other people. Although in reality, if you’re not a famous celebrity or politician or criminal (oops, that’s redundant), you probably won’t be noticed by approximately six-billion, nine-hundred ninety-nine million, nine-hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine-hundred ninety-two of those folks.

My blog can be found at MerryCatholic.com. It’s not a typical blog, as I simply post my well thought out and carefully crafted weekly columns. (OK, fine, I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. Honestly, my goal for each column is to be well thought out and carefully crafted — and even occasionally run through Spell-Check — but I’m often running short on time, so the essays end up being a little sloppy, albeit always with good intentions.)

In comparison, the typical blog is a spur-of-the-moment running commentary, as the blogger types whatever pops into his or her head in response to, well, everything and anything. Sometimes it’s political commentary. Sometimes it’s the person’s views of society and culture.

Some bloggers are convinced the world is breathlessly waiting for an update, complete with photos, of every meal the blogger consumes each day. I suspect these bloggers aren’t quite reaching the full potential 7 billion viewer level.

Many blogs focus on specific topics or interests: dog grooming, scrapbooking, flowers, needlepoint, Red Sox trivia, automotive maintenance, and simple ways to build a tactical nuclear device out of spare parts in your garage. (These bloggers usually have a few extra viewers, namely the entire Homeland Security Department.)

My baby sister is now officially a blogger. Her commentary is quite insightful and funny. (I suspect she inherited those talents from her older brother.) Like me, she apparently is too hard pressed for time to use Spell-Check. You can find her at Katesflightofideas.com. (I’m glad she didn’t use the phonetic spelling of the word ideas. Growing up in eastern Connecticut, we learned to pronounce that word more like “eye-deers.” We aren’t as bad as Bostonians or Rhode Islanders, of course, but we do occasionally find the need to insert an “R” where it doesn’t belong.)

I make lighthearted fun of blogs and Facebook, but — no wait, there’s nothing fun about Facebook. I’m convinced it was created by Satan. Please, I’m begging you, save your soul by deleting your account.

Now, where was I? Oh yes, I make fun of blogs, but to be serious for a minute, typing out your thoughts and dreams is a very healthy and therapeutic exercise.

There’s a quote that has always stuck with me. I forgot who said it (and if only there was a way to quickly search for information these days!), but it goes like this: “I write to find out what I think.”

Feel free to check out my sister’s and my blog. Better yet, set up your own blog. No reason to make people wait until you’re dead to find out you’re cuckoo.