I'm always abivelent about reading blogs of people I know. Not know as in famous people, know as in I actually know them as people. I've talked to them, they've talked back to me, they are real. Because blogs are so ... voyeuristic in a way (btw my spelling will be atrocious because the work machine refuses to install Spellbound, THE reason to use firefox over IE). I mean it's fun to read the personal details and intimate thoughts of people you don't know (Oh Dooce, you so silly!), but when it's people you know it gets a little ... creepy.

Do you pretend like you don't know about the 4 hour trip to the vet that included an improbable but hilarious run-in with David Hasslehoff? Do you mention that you read up about being dumped by Sue? Do the former, and you rob them of the joy of telling a hilarious tale. Do the latter and you steal away the comfort of venting (plus, you have nothing to talk about, so you just sit and drink your beers in silence). And that's not including all the bits about what's going to happen to your coversation right now, and is it going to be blogged well or badly.

I prefer to just not read the blog at all. There are exceptions, especially for people who are physically far away whom I don't get to see all that often. It's a lazy way to keep up. Of course I could just call them more often, which would be easier. I would really prefer it if I could go out there and see them (or better, they get off their lazy butts and come see me), but time and money have a way of interfering with that. But in general, I prefer to not read the blogs of people I know. Because that David Hasslehoff story is hilarious, moreso when told live and in person.