Following Kevin's lead, I am transitioning from my lurker status in the diabetic blogosophere to a real participant in the wonderful conversations going on here. So often, I've been stunned by the ways in which those in this blogging community articulate something so perfectly (like Scott's "6 things I hate about low blood sugars" or Kerri's "Minutae of a Moment") and I've wanted to editorialize and comment back, and the comment function just wouldn't cut it. I feel like I have real connections to these bloggers, yet as a lurker I don't really exist. And so here I am.
But...I'm here with some mixed feelings. I have major apprehensions about blogging, in part because of my profession, in part because of the weird ways of cyberspace. So, I'm going semi-anonymous on this one. I also do not primarily identify myself as a diabetic. If one were going to ask me who or what I was, diabetes would not be the first (or fifth or tenth) thing to make my list, maybe because it is just a part of me and has been for so long. But this is the blogging community that I feel most comfortable on. It has none of the pretension of the academic blogging community and none of the vitriol of some of the others I've lurked on or participated in. And I feel like here I can be a person defined by something more than my diabetes, or my profession, or anything else. And that, I am finding, is what is most important.
6 comments:
Welcome, welcome, welcome!
I'm so proud to have inspired you to start your own blog (although it sounds like Scott and Kerri deserve the bulk of that credit!).
I've read your other posts and really like your writing. I'm sorry you had such a tough time with your dissertation committee and your blood sugars at the same time. No fun.
I too find that saying "shit" will do wonders sometimes, too.
Look forward to reading more of you posts!
Welcome!
Hello and welcome. I have a mostly anonymous blog too, for various personal/professional reasons. For me, having a pseudonym allows me to be much more frank about what's up with all sorts of things, resulting in richer conversations.
I've had diabetes for less than 2 years, but during that time I've shifted from being more or less consumed by it to integrating it--though not always smoothly or happily--into my larger life. It's a long and strange road.
Welcome, from another pen-named blogger.
Welcome Nic!
(from another 'nonymous blogger)
For a long time I insisted that diabetes was not a significant part of my identity. Oddly enough, I think that coming to terms with the impact that it has had on my life has meant that I am, overall, less impacted by it. Trying to ignore the monsters sitting at the dinner table with you takes a lot more energy than nodding to them politely and saying, yes, you're there. And I wish you weren't.
Blogging has helped with that!
I'm always late to the party. But - better late than never I always say!
So - a warm welcome to you, and a kind "thank you" for your reading and commenting. We're all very glad that you are willing to share some of your experiences with us.
One of the very nice things about blogging and the internet in general, is that you can remain as anonymous as you want to be. We will love you all the same.
I look forward to reading and commenting on your blog!
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