No Good Narcissist Goes Unpunished

Me, me, and me. Is blogging completely narcissistic?

By JonesToTheGrindstone.com

My family and best friends tell me that I am a talented writer and that one day I will be famous (!). Even though journalistic employment is in lean times and newspapers are collapsing left and right, my skills will eclipse this bad omen. My mommy assures me of this.

Being narcissistic is underrated. People who lack self-love spend too much time beating themselves down, second guessing their decisions, and are in consistent, unnecessary, damage control mode. Walking in a world of insecurity eats at the soul. I know people on that treadmill and they are exhausted. I would much rather think I’m ” ‘da’ bomb” who explodes onto the scene as a fireball of fun and excitement instead of a stink bomb that clears the room.

Posting my thoughts on the Internet is offering an open window into my mind. I have to think I’m pretty cool to get away with that. Damn it, I am cool. Successful blogging requires certain self-confidence. I have to own my words—not be ashamed or scared of what others might say in response. I have the nerve to boldly state my opinions, my observations of human behavior, and whatever the hell else I’m thinking. I don’t have a sociology or psychology degree, nor do I have any kind of training in those types of fields. Whatever my conviction is, I just say it. I am a pundit of humanity because I say so (?!).

I am a regularly published columnist in The 11th Hour‘s family of newspapers in the Middle Georgia area. My header states that I “delve into the idiosyncrasy that comes along with being a military wife.” That description aptly gives me credit where credit is due because of my over fifteen years of military spouse experience. In fact, being a columnist is what gave me the idea to create an independent blog. I wanted to post my column to the world: Everyone should have the chance to be exposed to my ingenious observations on military life. I did not want to stop there. Singlehandedly, I decided that my penetrating insights should extend to the general public. Voila!

Some advice from one of my editors, Chris Horne, at The 11th Hour was to come up with three adjectives to be associated with my brand of blogging. He counseled me to not come up with negative descriptors. He emailed to me, “Avoid ‘cranky, violent, drunk, and annoying’ as they make bad traits for a marketable character… unless it’s Oscar the Grouch.”

So, I pondered upon what words I would like to have associated me and my writing. I came up with “cunning, influential, real” and those words are located on the homepage’s “about” section and smack-dab, boldly on my business cards. Horne further suggested that even if I don’t feel like I am those three words, then to “fake it until I make it.” Sure, why the hell not?

Blogging opinions can be easily spun as certain self-aggrandizement. However, I would not like to live on a planet where no one shared their thoughts and judgments out loud or in written form. We would feel very isolated and bored without others (or especially me–lol) doling out their self-proclaimed pearls of wisdom.

Thank you to those who are willing to cut open their underbellies for the world to read.

I hope I’m making it with you.

cunning, influential, real. xo