Striptease

Show a little here………..reveal a little more there…….just not too much…….not too fast…..

I find myself torn over what and how much to reveal about myself on this blog.

Sometimes the internet and social media can be a cruel place. My earlier experiences with communicating with strangers over the internet have resulted in being called some very unkind words. Words I DO NOT wish to repeat. Of course, this has also happened off the internet as well. It just seems people are bolder when they have a computer to hide behind.

There are those who will read my blog who already know me and don’t care about my race, age, or gender. Then there are those of you in cyberspace who will totally care about my race, age, and gender. (Don’t even try to deny it.)

I have reasons why I have decided to keep these things private. Reasons other than my early life lesson with internet bigots.

I don’t want to be judged immediately by a photograph. That’s why I have Facebook. (Oh come on we all know that’s what Facebook is REALLY about.)  I want people to read my words because they find them interesting. Not because you think I look good. I also don’t want people to avoid my blog because they think I’m ugly. How superficial, yet realistic, is that?

I also am hesitant to fully let go and reveal everything I truly think and feel. I admit that I have an issue with vulnerability. I don’t like it. I feel like when you let someone close to you that you give them power. Power to love you, respect you, or betray you. Maybe even all of those over the course of time.

I can’t help but notice looking through a few other blogs that I must not be the only blogger who feels this way. Many blogs I’ve seen don’t have pictures. Many bloggers are not using their real names. I guess we all realize that the internet is already too filled with judgement and there should be at least one place we can escape from it.

Maybe one day I’ll be able to go full throttle and lay it all out there…but for now all I can say is that hey I’m a turtle and we turtles don’t often come out of our shells unless we have a damn good reason…LOL

So what about you my fellow bloggers and readers? How much have you taken off in your striptease?