Anonymous said...

When I blog, I am mindful of those who might be reading.

For example, I don't swear, much, because, well, I just might be surprised to find someone young, or old, who could be mortally offended by a "choice" word. I really don't think, "Well, I'd best not swear because someone at ________[church, work, home ...fill in the blank] might read this." Rather, I'm more concerned about the person who doesn't know me, know my heart, reading a swear word and concluding that I'm a potty mouth, or that bad words are the tip of the moral iceberg that constitutes who Joel is.

I also don't expound at great lengths about my mental or emotional anguishes because,
1. sometimes running helps me sort through them and sometimes running only magnifies them,
2. I really don't anguish over much and to expound about it even a little may leave the occasional reader concerned that my inner being is like a little boat on an ocean of tumultuous waves, and then may feel compelled to help that little boat find some island of refuge, and
3. unless one writes really well about their anguishing, it tends to just sound like cry-baby-ass whining. Oops. Not being very mindful of my readers there.

I also try not to blog about anticipated runs. It feels like bragging about something I haven't done yet. There are bragging rights associated with a long run that every ultra runner is due. But to brag before doing is just plain bad taste.

There are lots of other thoughts that get tempered when I write, because I am thinking about you, the reader. However, a recent comment flipped this all on its head. The comment said, "Don't you love me[?]
You can see me here" and then left a url that I did not follow.

It made me realize that while I may be mindful of those who are reading my blog, there are others who aren't. So, I've added word verification to my comments now. (thanks Jenna). We'll all be a little safer.