Mom gives it a try, or, Does this blog make my ego look big?

So I've been talked into this blogging thing by my dear daughter, Sarah, The Writer. She has quit her full time soulsucking job in Property Management (you have only to see her house to understand the wisdom in this) for the thrilling and fulfilling life of a Freelance Writer. Turns out, it's thrilling, but not so fulfilling. At least not in a paying the bills kinda way.

So, along comes Mom. Who just happens to be a creative, productive, enthusiastic but easily distractible artist, working in Hot Glass. (I make glass beads, to be exact. Really nice, artistic glass beads. But, it's waaaay too hard to explain to people why this should be considered an artistic pursuit, so I just say I'm a glass artist. They have to settle for that.)

I am pretty good at making glass beads - I should be, I've been at it for almost ten years now. (One of only three things I've done consistently for any length of time. The other two things involve children and a husband.) However, what I'm not so good at is selling my own work. (It's an Artist thing.... ) That just seems like too much..... well.... WORK. And, feels a bit awkward. Embarrassing - asking people for money for something I enjoy doing so much.

So, I ask my daughter with all this free time to help me establish my presence on the internet, hopefully to drive traffic (the kind with more loose change than impulse control) to my etsy store, my website, or any other way they might see my prolific inventory of beautiful art glass beads, waiting to be purchased. She readily agrees, and gives me the discounted "family rate" for her time. Okay, fair enough. If I'm not making any money, why should SHE suffer?

But still, I have this uneasy feeling about having a blog on the internet. What if my fellow beadmakers see it, and think I have an overly inflated opinion of myself? What if I get so into blogging that I have to give up some of my precious Pogo (internet game site) time? What if one of these young evil hackers (very possibly my son-in-law) who understand the internet better than I do finds a way to steal my identity, or my avatar, and I end up with my head attached to some indecent .jpeg of Smeagle the LOTR gollem?

I grew up in a time and family where to put yourself out there meant that you risked that someone would either smack you down (emotionally speaking) or take advantage of you. The uneasiness I feel about having a blog comes directly from my early teachings: The more attention you draw to yourself, the greater the chance you'll wish you hadn't. And forget promoting yourself! You do that, and you're just ASKING for trouble!!

Fortunately for me, the family members who instilled this fear in my fragile little ego are even older than I am, and feel that the internet (and computers in general) are a worthless waste of time. So, it's highly unlikely that I'll be taken down a peg, and put in my place. On the internet, I'm safe from that, at least. Thank goodness - since McAfee apparently doesn't come with an Aunt-blocker.

In the meantime, if you're reading this and want to see my beautiful beads, check them out at Schermobeads.com, or my etsy store, schermobeads. (OMG I can't believe I just wrote that! Shameless self-promotion! ACK!!! )

(whew. I survived.)