How else would you know when I'm having my period?

So, today one my favorite bloggers asked why blogging is important.

I know for a lot of people, it's not. A lot of people consider it mindless drivel and a waste of time. The line I've been hearing a lot lately is, "I'm too busy living my life to write a blog post [or Facebook status] about it."

Well, congratufrigginlations if that applies to you. A lot of times (though not all, so don't get your panties in a wad and think I'm talking about you), these are the same people who will magically find time to write a blog post if they have something to brag about.

But anyway, blogging is important to me.

Despite how I may seem here, I'm really shy. Painfully so. And awkward. And I spent 30 something years being someone outwardly that I'm not on the inside because I simply didn't know how to be me around people I didn't know well. I chose to do what I thought would make the greatest number of people happy, and then maybe they'd like me. And then once I was pretty sure they liked me no matter what, I'd let the real Brandi out. Sort of. There's still the shyness and awkwardness part, but I'm working on that.

But then one day about two years ago, I decided to start this blog. And in doing so I discovered that social anxiety doesn't exist on the internet. I could be me all the time. It was liberating!

And even better? I found that letting people get to know the real me opened the door to friendships with awesome people who are a lot like me, while at the same time weeding out those who only liked my facade. Talk about a win-win situation!

It's not all fun, of course. I get hate mail. Most of it doesn't bother me. Some of it does. I've alienated a couple of real life friends because they don't like what I have to say. But the good parts more than make up for the bad.

You make up for the bad.

If my kids have been demons, I know I can come here and bitch about how evil they are. Or if my husband blows off my birthday yet again, I can whine to all of you about it. There's no pressure to pretend that I have a perfect husband and kids.

When I decided to have gastric bypass surgery, you were my cheerleaders. You didn't tell me horror stories about people who died on the table.

I showed you my pre-tummy tuck pannus and you didn't unsubscribe.

If I've spent a day with my good-girl face nailed on, I know I can come here and get all the inappropriateness out of my system.

You know that feeling of freedom and release when you get home after a long day and you take off your bra? That's how you make me feel, internets.

And that's why blogging is important to me.