I guess I said I'd do some sort of "thought" each week and if I don't do it now, I may never get it done this week and this week is almost over, yikes!

I do like the title "Thoughtful Thursday" and I thought of that at first but I kind of want some thing else. I haven't decided yet. So you'll just have to wait and see what I finally decide on calling it.

So here it is for this week....

Blogging Etiquette?

Did you know there was such things as "Blogging Etiquette"? Well there is. I guess I am not down with all the Blogosphere terms yet and all the rules that go along with blogging. I'm fairly new to this I guess. I just thought as long as I didn't personally attack some one via my blog or another persons blog that was good enough etiquette for me. I happened upon a blog that posted about "Blogging Etiquette" here, that I thought was interesting.

I read that post and then started searching for other posts on other blogs about blogging etiquette, just because curiosity got the best of me, and ya know what? There are a lot of people talking about this and a lot of people have strong opinions about this subject, and I would have never known unless I happened upon a post regarding this topic.

After happening upon this subject, I realized something; this whole "blogoshere" as they call it, is so BIG, bigger than I thought! I'm not trying to sound totally naive but really, I guess I just didn't stop and think about how many people are in this world and how many people have access to the internet, and how many of those people decided to take up blogging....any way it's bigger than I initially thought. Sad that I have just come to this realization, but I have a lot more to think about than the Blogosphere.

Not only is this Blogosphere big, but there are so many types of blogs out there, it's insane, and amazing and fun and you can get into trouble when you get caught surfing it for too long (i.e. your kids kill each other or your house looks like a bomb went off in it, or both, not good). Among all the different types of blogs out there I have found though, that there is a big chunk out there of what are called the "Mommy Bloggers". At first I thought that was dumb to call them that and I was a little offended mainly because I thought it was a term used to judge me/us, but then I realized it's not a bad or negative term and besides, that is what we are isn't it? We are Moms, and we blog and we are proud of it.

If I had to define a Mommy Blogger it would be this....

Mommy Blogger: A Mother with one or more child(ren) taking on the responsibility of a blog for several purposes which may include one or all of the following: one, to keep in touch with Family/Friends keeping them up to date on their Family situations and happenings, two, to connect with other Mothers out in the 'blogosphere' and share in the good and bad times that Mothers some times experience on a day to day basis, three, to have some sort of creative outlet in photography, writing/poetry or any other skill they might have and share that with the public via their personal web space (i.e. their blog).

There ya have it my official definition of a "Mommy Blogger"! Not as good as Websters definitions but what can I say, I am no "Webster" ;)

Now, back to my subject of Blogging Etiquette. As I searched the internet of this topic and read multiple posts of what to do, what not to do etc. it came to me that us Mommy Bloggers usually don't need to be reminded of this 'etiquette'. I'm not trying to be snooty saying "Oh, we are better than you, we are already so polite...yada yada yada." It's just that what we post much of the time doesn't cause people to get angry or rude in their commenting, though, this is not always the case, much of the time it is. I mean, with my definition of what and who we are, we see that Mommy Bloggers are there for supporting one another but some times, yes, some times people out there in the world wide web will stalk a site and put negative, rude, uncalled for comments to personally attack or hurt some one, but that it not the norm for us, or so I am guessing.

There are these two sisters sites that I love to read here and here that are perfect examples of what the Mommy blog worlds is all about. I came upon them months ago because of the news that had spread among us Mommy Bloggers about this family in need of the support the blogosphere can bring, when a tragic plane crash changed their lives forever, but not necessarily for the worst. I love these two sisters. I don't know them personally, but I know them blogg-ally (ha ha is that word?) I guess what I mean to say is I have never met them in person but some how know them. I know their sweet personalities that they so willingly share to the world via their blogs. Have I said I love these two?!

I must say regarding this topic, that my eyes were opened to some of these unwritten rules to blogging that I need to remember to do when blogging. I have made goals to try harder on my blog to do, or not do some of these. I won't list them all, that would just bore you plus you can just go to the links and read for yourself if you wanted to.

After searching these sites that posted all about blogging etiquette I realized, that it is pretty much the same, in many aspects, as real world etiquette, with a few exceptions. I really liked this blogs post on blogging etiquette because she relates our blogs as our "house" and since it is our house we make the rules. I thought that was a great concept of what blogging is all about. It is "our" blog and so we decide what we do in it and who/what we let come in as well. I like that!

So why is it so hard for people to figure it out, just be kind! I find it interesting though, that people come to blogs only to vocally judge, criticize and hate someone they don't even know. I bet those people would never say any of what they type on blog comments to some ones face. I feel bad for these people, they must be lonely or sad.

Any way this post is long enough. I know some of you are not interested in this topic but I just happened upon it and thought I'd share it for my weekly thought.