Could Shoulda Woulda

Do you ever compare yourself to others?  I don't mean "others" like people that are way out of reach, who have gobs and gobs of money and apparent smarts and whatnot.  I mean "others" like those you consider your peer group or your network.

You DON'T?  What?  Are you not human?  If I prick you, do you not bleed?  Or are you saying that I'M the "crazy" one because I put where I am on a scale?

Okay, I know you do - we all do.  Here's what I'm doing lately, and what I'd like to stop (or curb, at least a little):

I have a blog.  You know this, because you're reading it.  (Yes, it's this page that's open before you RIGHT NOW).  I have not had this blog for very long.  It's not even been six months yet, for goodness' sake!  Day One was published on 12/13/13 (or 13/12/13, for all y'all who date things the European way - or is that the NON-U.S. way, making it the actual "norm"?).  Today is 4/17/14.  Four. Months.  That puts this blog still in its infancy, as far as blog-writing goes.

I started either on the same day or at least the very same week as Anne Wheaton.  I discovered she had started blogging because I frequent her husband's site.  Do I compare my blog to Anne's?  You betcha, because I'm human.  Here's the problem with that, though.  Her husband is a FAMOUS geek, and he set up her site for her, and by marriage, she has acquired some fame, too.  I try to find something to post every day, but I also check her blog EVERY DAY because somehow I'm in competition with her.  WHAT?  I'm not even competitive!  And I know she's not competing with ME, because while we've had "conversations" in the comment section of her blog, she doesn't actually KNOW me.  And I don't know HER.  I only act like I do, when I do things like link her blog here.  What am I accomplishing?

I found Wil's site via The Bloggess, who I consider the QUEEN of the blogs.  If you click on any of these links, you'll probably discover that they're all "humor" (or "humour," if you're so inclined), with occasional "meaningful" posts.  I don't know what my place is in the world yet, and that may be part of my problem.  If you read my profile here (=====>), it'll tell you that I'm NOT a blogger!  So what is it I'm doing here?

Ennyhoo, I've also recently discovered A Life Less Frantic, I think also via The Bloggess, and THAT blog is the reason I'm debating Coulda Shoulda Woulda today.  Kelly's blog seems (to me) to have a POINT: it's a self-help by way of someone sharing her own trials and tribulations to reach the end result of a Life. Less. Frantic.  It's not humour-based, altho Kelly IS funny.  She starts meaningful conversations.  I have opinions, and I express them in the comments.  Recently, she indicated that I should maybe write her blog.  I don't know if SHE was comparing her life experiences to my own and measuring up short, in her own eyes, or if she was complimenting my willingness to share, or what, exactly.  It made me feel bad, though, that I might be making another person, someone I consider my PEER or at least my NETWORK, feel even slightly inferior.  I love her blog!  I love that her comments section is open to engage in!  I LOVE that she replies - to EVERY comment - and I wonder how that allows her to live a life less frantic.

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Back to Coulda Shoulda Woulda.  I am enjoying blogging, for the sake of getting whatever's on my mind "out there."  I appreciate all of my readers, and I check my stats frequently to see how many folks are visiting me and from whence they come, and I also notice which websites are actually driving traffic my way.  I don't want to compare myself or my four-month-old blog to any of the folks who got me started or have connected with me since I got here.  I don't want them to compare themselves to me, either.  EVERY blog I've linked here is on a privately-managed website.  I'm still using Google's community, because they don't charge me to be here.  Once it starts costing me something, maybe that's when I should care where I exist in the blogosphere.

Until then, let's all just be happy in whatever niche we're in, shall we?  NO MORE "Coulda Shoulda Woulda!"  That goes for you, too. ;)