One thing that's tough to accomplish on a personal blog is to avoid plugging myself too much, to avoid being self-centered. If most of the sentences in a post begin with "I," there's a problem. If most of the posts on a blog have that issue, well then why read the damn thing? It's something I work on, something I'm aware of, and still my results in avoiding the over-indulgent "I" aren't great, but that's just because I'm so great I can't help it. Or something like that.

This idea came up today because of something I notice at work, a division of people who can't seem to help overusing "I" and those who almost never talk about themselves even when it would be acceptable. At work, I've gotten pretty good at keeping my "I" out of it. Some of that is made easy by the nature of the work. My job involves writing grants, managing some activities, and getting things done for other people. Also, the mission of the place is to serve others (It's a cookbook!) That is, it's not all about me. Right now that means reading a draft of new by-laws sent by a lawyer for a new initiative. Earlier it meant writing a section of a grant to sound as if the person signing it was the author. An hour ago it was writing an email disappointing one person while not revealing that it was someone other than me who made the decision. That guy was not happy, but oh well.

This is good work to do, a great job to have, my name doesn't have to be on things. It's not about me but it's troubling how much people feel the need to put their stamps and signatures on things. It's like people who give millions of dollars but demand their name be on the building. What, your money doesn't give you enough attention? Sheesh.

There's some question as to whether or not leaving my name off leaves me behind. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and all, but it's better to be a wheel that turns quietly, largely unnoticed. The right people know they can depend on me. That's enough.

Still, there's the writing question: Am I am thinking and writing too much about what I am doing, what I am thinking, and trying to get people to notice me? Even in this piece, I'm referring to myself, but there's a difference between using experience as example and turning the spotlight on myself to the exclusion of everything else. Here's hoping this piece is on the right side of that.

Getting away from I is like training writers away from "you" in referring to "the reader." I have no clue who "you, the reader" might be and assumptions leads to racism, sexism, and bad writing. "You" is almost always a sign of immaturity, inexperience, or laziness, but "I" may be even more dangerous. Note the man-child in the White House if you have any doubt.

There are times and places for "I" and "you" in writing, but it's always time to be wary of them. Avoiding "you" is just good sense. Avoiding "I" is also good sense, but it's more than that, it may even be spiritual, maybe moral. Like my job, writing isn't just about me. I'm in there, but there's so much more when "I" get out of the way.