I had actually prepared an incredibly tiring piece on the state of poverty in BC, specifically Victoria where I live, but I think I will shorten it down and take some of my slanted bias out of it. I woke up this morning happy I had not posted.

There are many blogs out there which are personal and very confessional. In these cases I find many opinions that are judgmental and selfish. I absolutely don't think this is a bad thing.
A blog is a blog is a blog.
It's your own forum, you can cry if you want to! In fact, I have on many occasion! (see various posts on anal fissures, breast-feeding, September 11, to name a few... )

However, for me, when I am aware that a certain group of people are reading my blog, such as family, friends and the odd acquaintance, I try to keep the petty personal matters out. This cuts down on the passive aggressive factor of blogging as well. It's not that I'm sterile, it's just that it is too easy to cause damage - just ask dooce or the house of winds, or many other amazingly talented people who started out with a personal diary in the vast internet ocean only to end up being pin pointed, discovered, exposed or accused of indiscretions.

Of course, every situation is different. I understand. I'm not saying Miss E should not post about her ex-husband, or dooce should refrain from making fun of her family's religion. I fact, I don't have the authority to say anything of the sort. As Miss E beautifully stated on another comment board, "It may be exhibitionist and narcissistic to blog, but it's just masochistic to read on when you're obviously uncomfortable with what you're reading".
So true and well said.
Of course, in my case, when the point of my blog is to keep in touch with certain people who I count on visiting the site, I am not prepared to make them uncomfortable in public. I can do that very well in person...

All I'm saying is, among others, my family and close friends read this. Some of who are closely connected to poverty in some way or another. My views in what I wrote contradict some and expose others. I'm not willing to make a friend feel badly about their life just because I have a certain view that I need to spout off to the world. There are just so many other things to talk about.
Like Chair and Jay's little bean's conception! Hooray! Congratulations you guys!