Say you had a blog.
And say this said blog was a Mommy-ish type blog.
And on this Mommy-ish type blog, you posted Mommy-ish type things.
But say…
there was a point in your life…
an event…
a…
situation of sorts…
that was troubling you.
For arguments sake…Let’s say you thought you were pregnant.
Like…you were REALLY convinced, beyond all conviction…that you were pregnant.
Like…refused to get x-rays for a, let’s say…back problem…on the off chance you were, GOD FORBID…with zygote.
Like…went and bought a 3 pack pregnancy test. And took all 3 in one day.
Like…THAT convinced.
But…say you had made a decision that if, on the off chance, you were pregnant…
That there was no possible way…say your age or say…financially or…potential health risk…
That you would want to…or even could…carry out this pregnancy…
Should those two red lines show up.
Would you blog about it?
Could you blog about it?
If you found out. That you…were pregnant. At 40. And had 5 kids already. And decided that, if you were pregnant that it would be terminated…hypothetically…
Should you blog about?
With fear of judgment from your blogging peers.
With fear of family and friends finding out.
With fear of all the hate mail and plummeting numbers.
After all…
I’ve been on blogs that discuss, in heartbreaking detail, about trying to conceive.
I’ve been on blogs that discuss, in graphic detail, sex.
I’ve been on blogs that have touched almost every aspect of life, death and everything in-between.
But NEVER, have I EVER read about…the off chance and the outcome.
Luckily…the lines weren’t there.
And luckily I don’t have to worry about the post that I was worrying about having to write.
And I don’t have to be that blog that would have to touch on THAT delicate matter.
And I don’t have decide which path to take.
But it got me thinking.
How much is too much.
How much do we REALLY spill on our blogs.
How open should the doors and windows to our lives be…here…for the world to read.
Because I WOULD have blogged about this…
regardless of the outcome.
Regardless of how many lines showed up…
Each and every time I took one of those tests…
and waited with my breath held for the entire minute it takes for the result to appear.
I would have taken the chance of losing numbers…
and perhaps respect…
from family and friends…both IRL and bloggy.
Because here, on my blog…
there is no such thing as TMI.
So I ask you now,
how much TMI is too much for you?
I would have blogged … but I would have done it so that other women wouldn’t fear doing it.
If you want, you can put a note up saying that if ANYONE ever wants to do something like this anonymously, they can use my Women’s Health (or even my WEGO Health) blog and I will post things there “it’ll say it’s by me but I’d say it wasn’t mine, that someone needed to anonymously get something out” since that blog is women’s health related.
First addressing the hypothetical situation: I would still come and read and offer support. I understand everyone has diferent lives and situations and circumstances. If the hypothetical person already has 5 children I know that abortion is not birth control, and that matters to me (while it shouldn’t but it does)
How much is TMI? Well hubby reads my blog. I do not post anything I do not want him to read. I censor myself greatly because of this. However if he did not read it I could not have it and if he did find it it would lead to a huge fight about secrets vs privacy and he would once again tell me to leave and threaten to take my kids, hypothetically of course.
So I put very little TMI info on my blog and when I have something really juicy I NEED to get out I send it to http://herbadmother.blogspot.com/ and post it anonymously.
TMI is my middle name, baby! Bring it 🙂
No seriously, there is a line based on your comfort factor. I’ve crossed that line many a time, but don’t regret it, regardless of the consequences or fall out.
I think it’s all based on each person’s own comfort level. That aside, had you written that post, my opinion of you wouldn’t have changed even a little. That is a very personal decision best left to the woman who has to deal with the outcome of that decision, IMO.
hypothetically speaking, i would offer hugs and support.
always.
I think how much is too much is a totally personal choice. I love reading the TMI. I think it’s interesting how other people’s minds work.
But I don’t always write the TMI. My mom reads my blog and there is a link to it on my facebook page. I share a lot, but I don’t share something I don’t want everyone in my life to know.
If I had a blog nobody knew about, then I’d probably spill my guts.
This is an excellent question.
I think there is an unwritten, unspoken rule in the blog world, If you can’t be supportive don’t comment.(that is in regard to personal blogs) There are political forums and blogs to debate and speak your mind on an issue. I bite my tongue a lot and move on.
As far as TMI, yes there is such a thing imo. I think people reveal way too much about themselves. I stumbled upon a blog the other day that was pretty interesting until I scrolled down to find a picture of that person’s child’s poop in the toilet. TMI!!! I was outta there PDQ
Hi! Popping over from SITS. Geez! This is a toughy! But I stand behind the “your blog is your blog” statement. What you want to share is your call and none of us have any room to judge. If I read something on a blog that gets under my skin negatively, I just wont comment. It serves no purpose for me to blast that person on their blog. I cant stand when I see people do that! It is THEIR blog and they can write what they want…just like I can write what I want. Not one of us is perfect so who are we to judge? Anyhoo…just my two cents. I know this was hypothetical, but I admire your courage just to put it out there!
I think the comments here say it all. TMI is based on a personal level of comfort on what you want to reveal, but with the understanding that you do open that door for comments of all kind (not from me, I agree with what Cristie said for the most part). Your hypothetical situation is one of high controversy so it would definately spark comments from both sides of the spectrum. If someone were to “put it all out there,” then I’d imagine they’d have to be ready for that influx of both positive and negative. If you’re willing to put the TMI out there, then I’d imagine you’d be ready for the results of that action.
If I have to think twice about hitting publish they I do not publish.
It’s your own comfort level. My friends read my blog, my husband, his patients, my son’s teacher, and my family read. Which is a good thing, for me. It keeps me grounded and on my path following my vision.
For me TMI is too much information. But that is completely my own comfort level. Hugs, girlfriend.
Yeah, that would be a hard one to blog about and I say if YOU wanted to blog about that on YOUR blog, I’d still read and not think any differently of you…none what so ever. Though you would feel back lash I am sure, but it wouldn’t be coming from me.
🙂
I tend to self-censor a bit because my in-laws read my blog and my BIL especially tends to be judgmental. But I would NEVER stop reading a friend’s blog because they shared “too much.” Your blog is for your thoughts and feelings. The situation of which you speak would be pivotal in your life and of course you should blog about it. I would support whatever decision you needed to make. Everyone’s situation is different and NO ONE should judge someone else for it.
And if any mean people did show up, I know that I for one would enjoy putting them back in their place.
I would have published that, because I am not afraid of my body, what it can do, the choices I make with it. And, I would have come here and supported you and called you up and offered anything I could to make it easier, because I care about all women, but especially women as fine as you.
Love ya.
I would have blogged about it. I’m pretty new to blogging but my blog is filled with deeply personal thoughts and opinions. They way I figure it, if someone reading doesn’t like it then they probably shouldn’t read my blog.
Kudos to you for being transparent and honest…
My dear, you have my respect for your honesty, regardless of lines. Every one blogs for different reasons, with different motivations, with different lines to truth. I respect someone who feels strong enough and sure enough to bear all. But whew! That was close, eh?
i dont beleive in tmi. unless someone is uncomfortable about writing about it. but if youre comfy in your own skin and dont feel like being censored…then what the fuck? serioulsy….who do you need to hide things from ? who would judge you? and if they did judge you…then who needs them anyway! and p.s. i told you…you DO have quite the sex life!
I have blogged about my own decision to terminate a pregnancy. I was scared that people would send me hate mail, but instead I got a lot of private e-mail messages from women who told me I was the first person they ever told about their own decision to do the same.