10/12/2006: "Life and the Art of Redacting"

I’ve always written down my thoughts as a way to process…I’ve been keeping journals since I was…14 or so, and I continued until I started my blog in 2003. I think the transition to the Blogosphere was particularly easy for me; initially because no one was reading it. But as with most people who’ve dabbled in baring one’s soul online, there comes a point where you start to feel a little weird.

Take for example earlier this week. I had to call my doctor’s office to check on some blood work. The receptionist answered the phone,

Me: “Hi, this is Elise Tomlinson”
She: Audible gasp
Me: “Hello?”
She: “You’re never going to believe this…I’m reading your blog right now!”
Me: “Uh, really?”

It turns out she was looking for someone to run a diagnostics on her computer and my blog came up in Google just before I called. She was freaking out, saying nothing like that had ever happened to her before. I just felt uncomfortable and wanted to find out my results.

My point is, my blog comes up in lots of random Google searches, and it’s not just people from across the seas who read it. In my stats (which I don’t bother checking anymore) I used to see multiple (daily) hits from IP ranges here on campus, for example, and I have no idea who these people are. My boss? One of my students? The creepy guy who tries to cover my hand with his (mouse encounters) when I have to help him on the computer?

Not to mention the fact that after my last couple of entries (about Blueberry Hill, which was very innocent btw, and posting my Halloween costume)...I received several *very* inappropriate emails!

I don’t want to write if it’s just going to be sanitized BS and yet, I find I can’t write about * or how I * * * * *! Or how sometimes * * * * * * *.

I'm going to keep writing here about ideas for art projects and posting works in progress (yes, I have some of those coming soon!) etc… but maybe, for the other stuff, I need to break out the pen and paper again? Let's see, how does that go? Oh yes...Dear Diary,

Replies: 7 Comments

on Thursday, October 12th, Daniel North said

Trolls suck. Although, I think you may get the more twisted variety, being female and "putting it out there" for the world to read. You have done nothing wrong, unfortunately the internet (like the real world) is full of nutjobs. Enjoy!

on Thursday, October 12th, greg said

Hey Elise - I hear ya with the what to focus on aspect - us Renaissance-types are hard to pin down (especially when my own artistic ambitions are wilting like summer flowers) ;)

...it's just that there's so much to be said! Even so, I wouldn't want to blog about * * * *, so I keep a blog of that in me head!

I'm honestly relieved not to "enjoy" your level of fame (although my post on "slovenian beehive art" gets quite the hits!), but then you're Alaskan and made of the tougher stuff! :)

on Friday, October 13th, Elise said

I've been fairly free of trolls posting on this blog, but I do get some "twisted" stuff through emails now and again and it always makes me cringe.

Really, unless people have questions about my art or about Alaska etc, I'd prefer to not get personal emails...ya know?

And Greg, your artistc ambitions are wilting like summer flowers?

Well, just buck up and get busy, winter is usually one of my most productive periods, you just need to go into it with the right attitude.
:D
(can you tell that I'm trying to psych myself out as well!)

Honestly, I haven't been painting anywhere close to what I normally do. My whole studio routine is pretty much shot. The up side is that I *feel* fantastic!

on Friday, October 13th, willow said

Just wanted to pop in and say hello! I sent ya an email, it does include the word "art" so maybe you'll read it? :P

have a good weekend everyone!

on Friday, October 13th, Elise said

gee, I wasn't talking about *you* Willow...I mean random people I don't know.
;)

on Saturday, October 14th, Howard said

I've always been very concious in my own blog about how personal I get. I very much wanted it to be about my artwork and not my personal stuff even though there is a huge overlap between the two. It's a rather tough balancing act.

on Saturday, October 14th, Elise said

You're right though Howard, there is a *huge* overlap between our lives (how we feel, who we spend time with etc.) and how we create so how do you seperate the artist and that art?

I've (obviously) never been any good at that...and in the past there have been similar times I've felt the need to dial back on the personal stuff but it always seems to come creeping back in.

Maybe because there are so many fallow times, when I can't write about art, because all that's happening is my life. If work is *all* I ever wrote about, this thing wouldn't have been updated much all summer.

I think you and I are a lot alike though in that we tend to be more productive in the winter. I'm gearing up for that hope anyway. I need to spend some serious time in the studio!