thoughts from a red couch in California

I've recently been searching for some good blogs to read, and I must say it's not easy sifting through all the blogs floating around in the blog-o-sphere to find something I really enjoy. The kind of blog I like reading most is one that is slightly more personal; it includes stories and pictures, adventures and memories, fills me with hope and makes me remember all the beautiful things that exist in the world, but is also real (by this I mean I appreciate a blogger who can step out of the perfect, glittery snow globe world and recognize that life is not perfect). In some ways this type of blog shouldn't be that hard to find. I think there are a lot of bloggers that write their blogs using this mold, but the problem I am having is how these stories, pictures, adventures memories &c. are framed. I have stumbled upon many whimsical looking blogs, excited to read the content, but have been turned off after reading the bloggers "about me" section. Why? Because so many of these sections start like this:

"I am a 23 year old married to my soul mate..."

"I'm just a small town girl married to a handsome man..."

"I'm 21. I love my boyfriend, my cat, and..."

"Hi my name is ----- and the hunk in the picture with me is my boyfriend ----"

"MARRIED, I am. HUSBAND, I have a hot one. BOYFRIEND, he used to be that. MARRIED, HUSBAND, BOYFRIEND! ... Oh and this is my blog."
I am sure I have offended someone at this point, but let me explain. It's not that I hate people being in relationships or am militantly against the institution of marriage, but I have to wonder: why is it that the first thing so many woman mention when introducing themselves to a potential blog reader is their relationship/marital status? For lack of a better description of how this makes me feel I will suffice to say it makes me feel weird. I mean, that's great that you have found companionship and a person to love, but when that is the first thing you mention about yourself it seems like your definition of yourself is based not on yourself, but on your romantic involvement with someone else. This bothers me because while a romantic relationship is a deeply meaningful and wonderful thing I don't thing it should be the thing that ultimately defines a person. Yes, you might be part of a 'we' now, but you are still an 'I'. You are still an independent entity that has your own thoughts and feelings, goes to your own job every week, and wipes your own ass when you are finished on the toilet. Hopefully you and your loved one haven't merged into some fleshy pink monster with four eyes and one asshole, right?

I think a person's "about me" description really sets the tone for a blog, and so while posts about the amazing weekend get away you had with your lover or a photo dump of silly pictures of you and your hunk-a hunk-a burnin' love (woo, running out of gender neutral synonyms!) are totally great and fun, it worries me when women's blogs too often focus on or frame things in terms of their romantic relationships. After all, it is your blog and should be more about you, right? Your an intelligent, strong woman and I want to hear more about you. Your thoughts and feelings. Your memories and adventures. And, of course, your loved one plays a part in these things, but not all the time. Some things are just your own even when you are in a relationship.

Why don't more people start "about me" descriptions with where they are from, where they are going, or the career and/or path they have dedicated their life to? I feel like this description would allow me to learn more about you instead of your significant other (who I am sure is a very nice person, but if I wanted to know more about them I would go read their blog).

So, how did you go about formulating and writing your "about me"? What things do you use to define yourself? Do you agree, disagree, agree to disagree? Let me know!