a list of confessions to your (imaginary) accusations*

As an exercise (or maybe an exorcism) awhile back I decided to make a list of the things I sometimes worry about while writing daily blog posts. Or after posting them.

Soon after I’d jotted down the list, the topic of confession came up several times in conversation, and I thought, heck, (no pun intended) why not go with it? So below is my list, the worries that go into writing a daily blog from Somewhere Else.

Everyone once in awhile I’ll read tips for bloggers, being sorta new to this gig.  Often they encourage one to “establish oneself as an expert.”  I don’t think that’s really my goal.  I’m not trying to be an academic or an historian or your personal leader or an encyclopedia entry on Shanghai, just trying to filter my experiences through my fingertips and share them with you, while remaining open, thoughtful, reflective and entertaining.

Some of the list, you’ll notice, are things I can only help so much–because of where I’m from in place and time, though I make an effort to be aware of my starting point.   Ultimately I try to cut myself some slack, let the worries go and remind myself my aim is towards something like this.

Please enjoy my neuroses (some more tongue-in-cheek than others) and then grant me forgiveness!

A LIST OF CONFESSIONS TO YOUR (imaginary) ACCUSATIONS:
or What I Sometimes Worry About While Writing This Blog:

> sounding too white (you know, how people apologize for/ make light of themselves with the #whitepeopleproblems tag? or #firstworldproblems tag?  like that.)
> sounding “too” Western
> sounding “too” American
> racism
> lumping Europeans with Americans (United Statesians) in a way that angers Europeans
> giving Europeans fodder to proclaim all Americans completely ignorant
> worrying so much about what others think about what I am writing that I don’t say anything interesting, or don’t say anything at all
> sounding like I think I know everything about China or Shanghai
> sounding like I think I know everything about X, Y or Z
> taking on an “expert” voice about someone else’s culture (blech!)
> sounding didactic
> trying to be so un-expert that I unsay everything that I say
> leaving the best parts out
> putting too many parts in
> does anyone want to know about all the people I’ve seen puke in public this week?
> who is out there reading this anyhow?
> associating off in too many directions
> striking the right balance between images and words
> being way too serious for my own good, and beyond the point of interestingness
> being fakely positive when I’m really not feelin’ it

* post title inspired by a Fun Frank mixed tape from the early two thousands. (I’m not sure if he is referencing something else or not.)