Why I blog

This blog started as a chance to keep my friends and family up to date on the goings-on in my life while I'm far away from so many of them. Since then, it has evolved to a place where people can observe certain chapters of my life and glimpse an understanding of a different world.

Well, I don't keep this up for the money. I'm not here fishing for sympathy or flattery. I certainly don't do this to take abuse from anyone. I encourage lively, constructive discussions on the comments pages, but I do not want posts that make unfounded assumptions about myself or any of the people about whom I write. If you would like more information about anything I've written, please ask questions. If you just want to attack, there are plenty of fora on the internet for that, but this is certainly not one of them.

I try to exercise a certain degree of restraint in my writings. Note that I used the word "try". I whole-heartedly acknowledge that I may cross a line on here sometimes. However, I try to avoid making assumptions about the people whom I write about, and I try to avoid classifying people as good or bad (although, I have highlighted a few cases where it appeared to me that people were not fulfilling their responsibilities, but that was not intended to be a judgment on their character). There was a single exception, in the form of one of the teachers at my school, who I offered some anonymity, but highlighted his abusive nature, always hoping that he would prove me wrong and I would write a redemptive post. Sadly, that never happened.

The point that I am trying to make is that respect is a two-way street. I ask my readers to be respectful with what they write on the blog, but I also encourage them to call me out when I am being disrespectful with my content.