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Salute
November 19, 2008
Around the time of the election, as I thought back to the personal websites I’d been reading for years, I made a mental note to myself that the ones I really looked forward to reading had the most incredible staying power. It was as if their blogs were never a decision, but rather, something that just sort of happened, a passive presence more like a goldfish that won’t die, despite those days you wish you didn’t have to get out of bed and sprinkle a pinch of flakes into the bowl, but then you’re so glad you opted for an immortal fish instead of that everlasting Rottweiler.
Reading the PittGirl article in yesterday’s paper, especially the part that said, “Mike Woycheck, a local technology analyst who handled technical matters for the site, said he received an e-mail from PittGirl late Monday with a simple message: ‘Take ‘er down,’” I heard, in my mind, the scene in Titanic just before they strike the iceburg, when they attempt to stop the ship and the engines screech and machines buckle under pressure. Her website was one of those places I loved, and probably the first of such that I’ve seen shut down.
An anonymous writer, she declared in the past that if any threat was made to acknowledge her identity, the site would be cut away. Aside from her writing talent, one enviable trait was her ability to attract loyal readership both from those involved with blogs and media, and those who logged on only once in a while to check their email. For this reason, my biggest hope is that she finds another outlet to contribute to, as I’m sure her fans would be quick to follow.
Categories: Daily, Pittsburgh
November 19th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
This reminds me of the time people realized that the only difference between Superman and myself was that I wore thick, black-rimmed glasses so I had to move to a new city and use my powers to save them from the grips of evil villains.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
You are so strange.
November 19th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I’m always so sad when a good blogger pulls the plug.
I’ve had the same problem. While I love writing the really personal posts the best, I’m undecided where I’m going career wise (i.e. writer? PR? marketing?) Obviously some fields will be more lenient than others in terms of what I can express online, but I find myself censoring in preparation for the worst. I’ve thought about writing an anonymous blog but it’s just too hard to keep up both.
These days, I try to keep my blog professional enough that if anyone comes across it, it’ll reflect both my personal and professional aspirations… but even then, it’s a fine line.
November 19th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
It’s sometimes dangerous tos how your true self or the hand behind the mirror with online blogs, I think. If you’d like a good read somewhat-related, I’d suggest “The Gospel According to Larry” ;) let me know what you think!
November 21st, 2008 at 11:03 am
A real loss to the blogging culture and to the regular reader. And a real indication of just how many wierdos are out there lurking.
November 21st, 2008 at 10:29 pm
On the other hand, I believe in saying pretty much anything that’s on your mind, within [responsible adult] reason. Why hide? Not that PittGirl was hiding, necessarily, but because I despise the concept of needing a “web personality” and a “real life personality.”
Remember: for every person who disagrees with what you say in a blog, there’s another person who DOES agree. The fear of judgment shouldn’t force people into a life of anonymity.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Justin, I believe that PittGirl’s reasons for hiding had to do with her “day job” and the possible repercussions that could have ensued if her anonymity was breeched.
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:20 am
I’ll never understand why people are never content to just sit back and enjoy something without the desire to ruin it.
Let’s not let that happen here, ok?