I get a bit irritated by people who blog for the sake of blogging and regurgitate stuff from other sources, and equally by those who worry about the purpose of blogging, the number of hits they get etc. It seems to me that all these people are making a chore out of a pleasure.

My blog is first and foremost for me: it is simply what it says a web log (an online diary) in which I record my thoughts on the day's events - the events in my day, not the news day - which I share with my friends and a small number of other people who flick onto my blog and stay long enough to read. Occasionally I may write in the heat of the moment when something has particularly irritated me, and there is the chance that - despite my careful avoidance of full names - someone may occasionally read something they do not like (possibly even something about themselves).

And herein to me is the beauty of the blog: it is wholly democratic and anyone can post a response or, if they prefer, they can send a private message to the writer. No one need ever harbour a simmering resentment about a lightly written remark or hastily made judgement.

More than two months ago I expressed an honestly held opinion. Today I learn that somebody found that expressed opinion offensive. I do not wish to offend and have now made that particular entry private, but why wait so long? Why not just comment "Lissa, you've gone too far this time - tone it down"? Why allow a lightly made comment to fester until it seems so much greater than it ever was and turn the whole thing into an issue?