I am a Blog Voyeur

A little fun fact about me. I am a full on people watcher. I am a student of human nature and there is not much about people that doesn't pique my interest. Now I am not a voyeur per se but I love to be out in public and watch people act, react and be the best and worst of who they are. I also love to talk to people and read about people. I guess I find the inner workings of others intriguing. I find people who are polar opposites of myself particularly interesting. I can't help but wonder what in their lives brought them to be who they are, after all.....we are all products of past and circumstance.

Because of this love of humans and human nature.....that is likely why my personal library is full of mostly biography's and autobiography's. I read about stars, saints, pioneers and every day people. Each has their own story and each is as different as a snowflake. I guess that is why I also like blogs so much. Blogs are essentially personal journals of thoughts on day to day life put out in the world so we all can see. Come to think of it....maybe I am a bit voyeuristic. Perhaps a Blog Voyeur! Whatever you choose to call it...reading blogs are a great way to get insight in to real living people all over the world who come from all walks of life.

On my blog roll I have quite a few blogs that I dearly love to read, but rarely do I have the time. However....when I do get a minute or two....I sneak over and check out some of my favorites. One that I love beyond all measure is a blog that I just accidentally came upon one day. The writer is a young woman, late twenties I believe and when I first started reading....she and her fairly new husband had just bought a new house. One that was probably too big and too expensive for them to afford....yet it was her dream home. This young woman is irreverent, somewhat self-absorbed and so funny that she often leaves me laughing to the point of snorting or crying. I learned long ago never to read her blog when others were around or when I was drinking anything. I knew this girl was special as she had a way with words and comedic timing that was pure talent. Whether she was talking about her job as a teacher, her biking, her shoe fetish or her lack of control when it came to shopping.....she pulled no punches, she was always funny and often she portrayed herself as not coming out looking so good in the end. Then one day it happened.....the right person finally saw her skill and soon she was a bona fide writer. I am so proud of her and proud of myself for knowing talent when I saw it. Yeah....I take credit anywhere I can! I think she could possibly be the new and edgier Erma Bombeck. Possibly Bombeck with a 'tude!

Other blogs I follow are one where a young woman lost her young husband to cancer. Her blog was/is her therapy and eventually her healing process. I have shed a few tears reading that one. Another blog is of a woman who is documenting the journey of her father who has Alzheimers. The way she writes is both uplifting and sad at the same time. Knowing that the outcome is inevitable....she and her entire family try to find the blessings and the joy in her father's final earthly journey. Her last blog was five weeks ago and things weren't looking good. I fear his journey may have ended.

I follow other blogs too....blogs about kids, blogs about cooking and blogs just about things. I also follow some of my family's blogs and a friend or two. One thing I always try to do though is to reciprocate a following if someone starts to follow me. I figure if someone finds something interesting or enticing in what I have to say....then maybe I will find things just as interesting in theirs. And this leads me to my latest follower who became a follower and an ex-follower in the course of a week. I on the other hand will continue to follow him because for some strange reason.....he intrigues me. I know it is the whole past and circumstance thing that has me so fascinated and honestly....I am not sure why.

About a week ago....I had posted a blog. I can't even tell you which one but in the comments I had someone comment who actually didn't comment as anonymous and they even had their own blog. This gentleman said he found my blog interesting or entertaining or something and that he had chosen to follow me and he hoped I would come check his blog out and reciprocate. A day or so later I did. He blogged about his view of the world...political mostly and sometimes you could read a real irritation in his words although he seemed to try to make the tone....at least in some of his blogs as more nonchalant than irritated. He was a man in his seventies I believe, and from reading his blog he was not in the best of health and had lost a son in the not so distant past. The few entry's I read sounded as if he possibly had mid road political views with a liberal lean. He was interesting because he was a vet and he stated he supported the Constitution and he felt that anyone who thought the Constitution was in danger was just pretty much an extremist and an alarmist. I commented on one of his posts....very respectfully and actually to draw him out a bit as he answers all of his comments. He was nice in return but I could tell that my worry about 1st and 2nd Amendment rights got under his skin a bit.

So last night I had a few minutes....and I went over to his blog to see any recent postings. He seems to be a daily or almost daily blogger and with all that had gone on in the last week....I was interested to see his opinions. Now as I said....he is not in the greatest of health, although I don't know what is wrong with him. He states that he walks with a walker and is in pain a great deal so I can only imagine what kind of a mood that would put you in. But I was really surprised to read his blogs. They were no longer hinting at irritation....they were now full on rants...some political and some personal. He stated that he had gone through and unfollowed all the blogs that he was following who were crazy tea party extremist who didn't support the president and didn't have anything nice to say about him. Mind you though.....he was ripping up congress and specifying certain members he felt were worthless (mostly conservative members). It made me wonder if he was still following me or if he found me to be an extremist too and no longer worth reading. Apparently he did as I looked and he was no longer a follower. See what happens when I get political???? Damn my controversial side!!!!

I think the unfollowing me made me just that much more intrigued by him so I read on. He was a vet and as a vet he said that Obama had done much for vets. Now I haven't read up on what has happened with vets or what has or hasn't been done for them....but I know current military are getting some pretty raw deals. I honestly wanted to comment and ask him what Obama had done for the vets (a legit question) but in his current blogging mood....I was afraid it might put him over the edge thinking that I was trying to be a smart alec or condescending so I refrained. He went on to talk about his short temper and going off at a waitress who had patted him on the back and caused him pain and about someone else getting smart with his wife. Intermixed with all of this was his complete dislike for conservative views on anything from the budget to abortion, (I am sure yesterdays blog didn't do much for making him a fan) and his self proclaimed liberal views which held no room for conservative views, thoughts or opinions of any kind.

Along with all of this, there was something sad though about his writing. Something that made you feel that he saw life and people as one big let down. It made me wonder if he had it to do over again....if he would have chosen to fight for this country and the population that seems so overwhelmingly disappointing to him. Now mind you....I don't pity this man. After all...who doesn't have loss and physical or mental pain in their life? Who hasn't been let down by others....and who doesn't get frustrated to the point of high blood pressure at opposing political views? Sadness I feel....but pity seems to be something he has enough of. Most of it self given. I don't think he needs me to help make it a full on party. In fact if I feel pity for anyone....I feel it for his wife whom he talks about a lot and I would bet gets to deal with the brunt of his discontent when he has no conservatives or waitresses to go off on. Still...he fascinates me. Maybe it is his age and also his military status along with the many things he says that seem calm almost humorous to the full on rants he seems to pull out full of irritation, four letter words and border line hate. He is an oxymoron to say the least.....and those to me are the most interesting people in the world.

I am sure I will continue to read this mans blog as he goes beyond the basics of what I did for lunch today. By the way....mine was turkey and cucumbers. He is obviously passionate, a bit uneven and to me....fascinating. I will also continue to read about handling twins, becoming an up and coming writer and life after loss. I will read the words and look for their meanings between the lines and at times find comfort in the fact that everyone has problems and that there are those out there who can and do make me laugh even on my worst days. There are also those who teach me, others who make me think and most of all.....there are those who are a reminder that this world is big enough for all of us. Yes folks...I am a Blog Voyeur!