This morning I woke up suddenly, startled out of sleep after seeing Joel Grey walking along a Paris street near a flower shop like the one above. Before this morning, the only two things I knew about Joel Grey had to do with his career as a stage and screen actor and that he was the father of Jennifer Grey of Dirty Dancing fame.
Although he’s played many characters in his lifetime, he is most well-known for his role in Cabaret and is also as I just discovered, a fine photographer who based on his work, might find my photography a bit tame. As someone who dreams in color and almost always sees a deeper meaning in most of my dreams, there is far more to this dream than I can share. I try very hard to be careful when sharing stories that involve other people especially when their story is not even remotely a part of mine.
So while I wish I could reveal more, I am going to practice a bit of restraint and keep the deeper meaning of Joel Grey’s dreamy visit to myself. How about you … do you struggle with how much is too much to share either in a blog or your everyday interactions with others?
Gifts Of The Journey 
Absolutely. Recently I wrote a post of my frustration with my job hunt, and I debated whether or not to post it. Maybe a prospective employer would read it and think, ‘what a wimp!’ or maybe a general reader would think, ‘what a depressing gal’. So yes, the question of what to reveal on a blog is a personal decision…and not always easy.
Interesting question and intriguing hints about your dream. (I don’t think I would have recognized Joel Grey on the street)
The strange balance for me is that it’s not just my own privacy. My core value is having no secrets. Not letting shame or hidden things have a hold over me. My Mom grew up in an abusive family. She and her 8 sisters all promised each other ‘no more secrets’. It was how they took power back from the abusers and she raised us to have that value.
Then I married an introverted man who is easily embarrassed. He hasn’t discovered the freedom of ‘no secrets’. I chose to create an anonymous blog so that I could be honest, but then chose to share it’s existence with him. We got into some major fights early on when he thought I’d portrayed something about him ‘wrong’. Our compromise has been that if I write about him, I show it to him first and give him power of veto before publishing.
I have trouble sharing on my blog .. things like feelings, or about parts of my life .. My children not normally on here, have to ask permission, ask permission about grandchildren too… My sons would have a fit if they thought I was talking about them on here. These two men don’t even go on Facebook , one is 27 and one is 35.. They say it causes problems!!
When I am doing my blog, I like to feel happy .. or at least make others happy, so for me I just keep things to myself.
Yes, I struggle with how much to share with others in everyday interactions. Oftentimes my mouth works faster than my brain, and I don’t do a good job of filtering what comes out. When I think I’ve shared too much, I’m embarassed, and I chastise myself after the conversation. However, over time, I’ve found that these feelings are more about how I feel about me and not about the actual conversation. So now, when I find my filter hasn’t worked in a conversation, I try to cut myself some slack and not dwell on it.
Absolutely. I would hope everyone who blogs struggles with questions of how much to disclose (but I fear, in this post-Oprah world, they don’t).
I especially question what to post when I discuss others. I ask my grown daughter before posting anything current on her or photos because, well, I guess I think it’s her life, not mine, and only she has the right to disclose it.
I’m impressed with OTRgirl, who reached the compromise with her husband about posting. Both of them stretched a bit, and what a wonderful end result from blogging.
Also, that’s a beautiful, beautiful photo.
Jennifer
I took a dream class and I know there are lots of meanings to dreams and you are supposed to keep a dream journal because things symbolize one thing to one person, but to another person it may mean something else. Concerning what to write in blogs, I let it be a fun thing – sharing what I’m learning or posting pictures – things I enjoy. I like that rainy day picture – life in France – must be lots of bike riding for transportation.
Not so much. The sub-title of my blog is, after all, “… where nothing is sacred.” 😉
I do. Completely struggle. The resulting self-editing makrs for a muh less interesting blog on many occasion. I guess finding one’s feet in this area takes a long time. I also agree with Jennifer in that I can see its often how i am feeling, not what the other person is actually thinking, that colours what I feel others are thinking. If that makes sense…?!i
You dreamed of Joel Grey?? How wild is that!! And – absolutely – there are some things that are never meant to be shared!!!