Invasion

"Hey, what's... 'The. Hamster. Wheel?'"

I look up and see a nosy face peering over my shoulder, reading the current blog posting in progress.

I stop typing mid-sentence (and mid-thought). I've lost my momentum and I can feel the blog thought slipping away as my attention is forced to focus on this invasion of privacy. Needless to say, I'm a bit aggravated by this.

"It's a blog. It's my on-line journal of sorts." I scowl a bit to convey my annoyance, but Nosy Face is busy trying to read what I have typed so far.

"Oh yeah, that's neat. I've heard about blogs."

I turn my attention back to the computer screen, thinking that Nosy Face would now move on seeing that I was not interested in talking. But no such luck. After several less subtle hints fail to drive away Nosy Face, I just close up the window and leave the computer.

Ah. The hazards of blogging at work.

I admit that I am a bit particular when it comes to these blog postings. I want people, be it friends, family, or complete strangers to read my blog and my posts, but I don't want anybody observing as I type up a posting. I don't know why, but I feel violated to have someone watch me, or even simultaneously read my post as I type it.

I can only compare it to getting dressed to go out. I don't mind people looking at the finished result. In fact, I want people to see me dressed up. But what I don't want is someone to watch me during the process of getting dressed. It's just not right, and I feel violated.