What's the purpose?

I realize that this is only my fourth post, but I've started thinking about what I'd like this blog to be. Obviously, it's public, but who's going to read it? Is it something that I make my family aware of? Friends? Both?

The blog is sort of a new thing. Anyone can make one. A prospective mate may find out about it. Knowing that all of your thoughts are right there on the table, what does that encourage you to write or not write? Your ex-wife may read it. How much emotion do you want to pour out?

In the past, the medium closest to the blog might have been considered the newspaper column. If the column was successful, a LOT of folks would read it. Family, friends, enemies, strangers, etc. But, what you wrote was often taken with a grain of salt. After all, it was chiefly for entertainment or educational purposes: The columnist was trying to get his message across to his readers. Change a few minds, perhaps.

What's the goal of a blogger? It ranges from the guy who wants to be that columnist, to the guy that wants to keep his family and friends informed about his life, to the guy who's so full of himself that he thinks everyone should know his inner thoughts. I'm sure there are other types, too. Most bloggers are a mixture at the beginning. The mix will likely change over time, but all types will still be represented, to one degree or another, in every blog.

What I do know about myself will help with what goes into this blog. Here's a list of a few things that I will improve on:

1. Communication. A big part of my failed marriage was because I didn't step up to the plate where communication was concerned. I didn't want the confrontation, so I put it off. Often, I put it off until it was too late, forgotten, or the issue "dissappeared." It never really went away, but somehow, I deemed that it was no longer an issue that needed discussing. Bad idea, all around.

2. See #1, above. All other problems of significance are rooted in the above issue. By not communicating, I lost the relationship with my wife. My extended family is still there, but since I never really communicated with them well, either, that's gotta start from scratch, too.

So, obviously, this blog is about communication. How and with whom is still to be fully determined...