It’s a double edged sword having your friends and associates know your personal thoughts….
On the one hand you get everything out there….many people appreciate your candor and your “boldness” for having your life (however boring and insignificant it may be) in plain view for the world to judge.
On the other hand….you run the risk of hurting people you care about (intentionally or not)….you get taken advantage of by others who wouldn’t or couldn’t let their feelings be known….
In the past 4 days I’ve managed to betray the trust of one of the only people outside of my family to show me true and unconditional friendship and love….I’ve irrevocably damaged a couple of other friendships….I’ve got to live with the consequences of these actions for the rest of my life….
I’ve come to a few conclusions….I CANNOT stop writing here….call me selfish, but it’s too therapuetic for me….I however, WILL NOT write about the lives of other people who haven’t given me prior consent from now on….I should have always had such a policy….I was mistaken in NOT working under that policy before….
In the future I won’t consent to writing something because it “needs to be said”….I won’t believe that it will “be good for someone”….that’s not my job….I was spineless in the first place, I’ve learned my lesson….I knew what was right from the beginning and I got convinced otherwise….
To the people I’ve hurt/betrayed/offended in the past with my writings, I’m truly sorry….it may be too late to mend some of the relations, but know that I am the worse for my actions….
April 30th, 2003 at 11:46 pm
i feel you on that…im sorry to hear that u’ve lost people whoa are close to you…i know how it feels to have friendships faulter, not matter who is to blame…i try to watch what i say on my site…but imma say what i want… i just dont use names, or descriptions that are blatant to those who know me off the net…but i feel you really…
May 1st, 2003 at 12:11 am
I was under the impression that this spot was created for YOU. If there is something that you feel the need to express your thoughts on, you should be able to do it. Point blank. I don’t think you should stop talking about things that you feel need to be said. Just don’t be afraid to actually tell that person if need be.
May 1st, 2003 at 1:24 am
Um, Cal baby, this is YOUR website. Write what you wish. You can use aliases for people that you don’t want to front out, but otherwise, say what you wish. If this is therapy, take advantage. I am sure you have mastered the art of word-wizardry, so use it! Smooches!
Take me for example..when “ol’boy” was acting strange, and I wanted to talk about it, I did…and only the people that I clued in knew what I was speaking of.
Cal, if it helps, I still love ya! 
(Hugs)
May 1st, 2003 at 11:26 am
To be on the safe side you gotta come up with code names for those who are unwilling to share their stories with others.
May 1st, 2003 at 5:08 pm
I’ve been through the same thing…
May 2nd, 2003 at 2:34 pm
I’m pretty much known for saying whatever the heck I like on a fairly regular basis…but I mostly try to refrain from blurting out overly personal details in my blog. Yes it’s my site that I paid for, but it’s also their feelings that as a friend or a family member I have to protect.
There’s a big difference between letting the person know face to face how you feel and putting it on front street in cyberspace. Looking at it from their perspective, it’s an invasion of their privacy.
I know how cathartic journal writing can be, so I would encourage you to keep being free about expressing your thoughts. Like Antonio said, you can always use code names to protect the innocent/guilty.