Are blogs dangerous?

So... at what point do you change your blog to private? I've just been thinking about this the last month or so. Here are the problems I see with blogs:

1. Putting too much personal(and family) info out on "the net". There are a lot of strange people out there, right? And I just got some random person leave a "message" on my fridge down below with magnets that said, "I HATE bragging". Appearently they googled "bragging pictures" and it brought them to my post, Bragging pictures of my kids. Um...ok. Thanks. Love you too. :P But that just irked me, ya know? Hasn't this person ever watched Bambi? If you can't say nuthin' nice, don't say anything at all. Thanks Thumper. Love YOU. (btw, he also taught us that clover greens are a healthy treat. Good to know.)

2. I try very hard to never write (or say, for that matter) something about someone that I wouldn't want to get back to that person. I'm hardly perfect, and several times I've thought about that, or ever read over what I've written to make sure it's nothing I would be ashamed of, or could cause hurt feelings. But what if I said something innocently, and it gets taken wrong?

3. That being said...there are still some personal thoughts and feelings I've shared that even though I would share them with oh, the majority of people if they *asked*, I still want to know they know, ya know? lol. This part is more for people I know irl (in real life... btw fyi lol). If someone in my ward, or now that I work, were to find my blog, I'd simply want to know. I would hope they weren't waiting around to see if I say something about them, lol (see #2!).

BUT here are reasons I do like blogging:

1. I can say what I want to say. Well...taking into account previous numbers 1, 2 and 3, lol. But I have a PLACE to say them, I guess would be more accurate.

2. I'm horrible at keeping a journal. Always have been, unless you count my jr. high diary, which I'd rather we didn't. Ever. ;) I'm also bad about writing in my kids' baby books. I do much better here.

3. I can share pictures fairly easily. That's a good one, especially if you have a hard time mastering the network54/photobucket relationship.

4. I really enjoy writing. I would love to actually have something published someday, and the fact that I have readers who visit to read about the *boring* stuff I write could maybe give some indication that I'm not a totally boring/waste of time read. I guess I'm "BRAGGING" now. Let that ding dong say what they want. It's MY blog. Go get your own, and spout whatever nonsense you want. This is my nonsensical rant. :P

Wow. I had to stop myself from saying "Na nah na NAH na" out loud just now. How pathetic of me.

5. I also love the people I've "met" through blogging. Mostly it's my random search or through a link of a link of a link of a friend's blog (I once found a whole slew of awesome creative photography blogs-done by young moms- through a link Dana posted on her blog like a year ago. Dana is well connected. Girl's got networking down!) Either way, I think it's fun, and I love reading about others hectic lives because I feel like one of the crazy gang instead of just the lone wacko Mama wandering in the wilderness.

So...I guess I will not err on the side of caution. I'll keep blogging, just because I want to. I really appreciate any and all reader(maybe with the exception of Brag-Hater) who take the time to read my ramblings. Thanks!