Blog History: Where Would We Be Without Carolyn L. Burke?

I’ve mentioned in earlier posts that I am excited to share the stories of twenty people who’ve been featured in the film, An Anything But Ordinary Journey. I wasn’t joking in the least.

Carolyn L. Burke, for those of you who aren’t in the know, was the very first person to originate and maintain an online journal called, Carolyn’s Diary. Today, we refer to Burke as the first blogger. And as innovative as that is, as I watch the raw footage of her interview with Michael McCleary for his film, I find her to be so much more.

My hope, in the telling of Carolyn’s dynamic story, is to show our readers that this woman, who by all accounts lived an ordinary and quiet life as a child, created nothing short of an extraordinary life. With a burning desire to examine what it’s like to be a person, Carolyn embarked on recording every detail of her life, with the determination to be as frank and honest as possible. She referred to this as living “private in public.” Her story is relevant and fascinating as we live in the age of social media and using blogs for public and private communication. For Burke, she’s said that Carolyn’s Diary inadvertently acted as a source of therapy. It strikes me that in my time as a blogger and Facebooker, this is still a common purpose. Is it our deepest human need to be understood?

Writing this chapter has caused me reflect on my own life experiences, as well as the experience I’m currently creating. Hearing the breakdown of how this self-proclaimed shy girl revolutionized modern communication, I’m inspired to find ways to be more honest and live a little louder. Think about it….

~tbk