Blogging Identity

Last night in our class I met several bloggers who discussed blogging in an in-depth manner. It got me thinking about our blog identities and how radically they differ. I still haven't fleshed this out entirely, so forgive me if I sound cruel or out of sorts.

Aldon Hynes is a pretty influential blogger in Connecticut. He currently works for DiStefano's campaign, getting the word out in a grass roots manner. I really wanted to discuss with him what being a professional blogger is like.

Aldon, dude, no offense but you should never lead into an introduction about yourself by describing how you began with MOOs (online text role playing games). Those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, MOO's are possibly one step up from Dungeons and Dragons, but probably not. Aldon, when you described yourself as a blogmaster, I couldn't help thinking dungeon master. Also, when you talked about frequenting Xanga to read pre-teen blogs, it kind of creeped me out.

Which is unfortunate because I really liked you. Your voice reminds me of Emo Philips, while you kind of look like Dr. Demento. The inner geek in me wants to reach out to you and discuss nerdy things like the new video Ipod and Weird Al. But I am very judgmental, so the Xanga thing put me off a bit. Nice blog though.

The other speaker, Tom Fausel, who looks and sounds like Daryl Hammond impersonating Phil Donahue, runs Connecticut weblogs. Connecticut weblogs is a site that feeds other Connecticut blogs. Original content is scarce, but not bad.

I didn't like your blog, and I was scared to say so in person. I'm sorry for that. The problem is that your blog is boring and we as a class were tiptoeing around that. You really did a good job trying to solicit information about how to make your blog better, and for that I respect you. Your blog could easily be a great one.

The major problem is that Connecticut doesn't have too much of an identity, and trying to bring all those Connecticut blogs together just amplifies that notion. We are a corporate state, lacking original food but dripping with franchise and chain stores and restaurants. Most people who live in Connecticut are willing to take the short trip to visit New York and Massachussets. We don't have a flavor, and therefore neither do our blogs. Your other idea for a blog was pure genius.

The most fascinating part of the night for me was when Aldon discussed having MMORPG meetings. My major concern is that those meetings must inevitably be awkward considering the immense distance between a person's identity and their character. Aldon admitted that those meetings were awkward, but thought that bloggers meetings might be lots of fun and not at all strange.

I disagree. There is a disconnect between authorial voice, blogging voice and identity. Social situations are not at all like blogging, where you sit down and collect your thoughts in order to publish them. While I think professional bloggers are able to overcome these difficulties because they are seasoned writers, I still sense consternation when people who know each other over the internet meet for the first time. I'm looking at you Aldon and Tom.