***
The InterWebs had gotten hot and sticky and Anna’s hand still throbbed from the bite her Blogroll had given her. While not a nasty bite by any stretch of the imagination, Anna couldn’t seem to find the place in her head where she could erase the bite and move on, and so it continued to hurt.
Susan had brought her into the fold of the personal bloggers a few days ago now and she was slowly settling in. There were a lot of bloggers still racing around and trying to outdo each other, but it wasn’t anything that Anna couldn’t cope with. The pace was less frenzied in this section of the InterWebs and while the advertising continued to flash at her, it didn’t seem quite so bright anymore.
The personal bloggers were an interesting mix of people, some parents and some not. The parents amongst them tended to call themselves Mummyblogger Rejects, which seemed a little harsh to Anna, surely the Mummybloggers didn’t reject anyone? She’d only left because she couldn’t seem to fit in and that was her own issue.
Anna wasn’t sure what she wanted anymore and her grandiose dreams of InterWeb life seemed a very long way away, when compared to the unReality of the situation she was in.
Since she had moved over to the Personal Blogger section of the InterWebs, Anna had felt like she could breathe a little easier. It wasn’t so perfectly shiny and happy over here and there was some grit and substance to the bloggers, which she liked. It suited her here, better than the Mummybloggers had, with their perfect children and smiling personas.
It’s strange though, thought Anna, I’m not sure what is actually different here. The label, yes, the pressure, probably, but these women, they’re all the same really.
Anna was busy pondering this when a group of women ran past her, looking frenzied. She wasn’t quite sure what was happening, when the shouts started.
“BANDWAGON!”
“QUICK, SOMEONE CATCH IT!”
The women jostled her and she found herself being moved along with the group, quite without wanting to. If she wasn’t careful, she’d be trampled.
The shouting started again.
“QUICK QUICK, THERE IT GOES!”
“DID YOU GET IT? DAMMIT, SOMEONE CATCH IT!”
Carefully, Anna maneuvered herself to the side of the crowd, to try and see what was happening. The press of bodies didn’t make this easy and they were running faster and faster. Beside her ran a stocky looking women with dark hair. Anna tugged on her sleeve.
“I’m new here, can you tell me what’s happening?”
The stocky woman looked at Anna, and answered without breaking stride. “It’s the Bandwagon love, we’re trying to catch it.”
Anna wasn’t any less confused. “A bandwagon? But what’s a Bandwagon?”
“You jump on it love, and do things as a group. They’re powerful, Bandwagons are.” The stocky woman put her head down and ran faster.
“But why?” Anna asked.
“Why love? Because we can. Why not? There’s power in groups love, lots of power.”
Without a backwards glance, she pushed through the people in front of her and disappeared.
Anna wasn’t certain this was what she wanted to be doing, but the push and crush of the crowd made it impossible for her to escape.
Suddenly, a giant cry went up from the crowd and the running slowed. It appeared the Bandwagon had been caught.
The excitement in the crowd was palpable and Anna had to fight to not get caught up in the heady rush of peer pressure. The people behind her were pushing forwards and she moved with the crowd, completely trapped now. Keeping her eyes on the backs of the women in front of her, she moved along.
Then she was being helped up into the Bandwagon and even though it looked like she would never fit, a space opened up for her. The stocky woman was sitting across from her.
“I see you made it here okay then love?”
Anna nodded, still out of breath from the chase.
She looked around.
“What are we doing here?” she asked.
“Why, we’re on the Bandwagon love! It’s going to empower us to make changes in the InterWebs and we’ll be able to use it to our advantage!”
“What kinds of changes?” Anna was normally a smart woman, but the Bandwagon jumping confused her.
“Well, this Bandwagon is about fairness for all bloggers. It’s showing us all how to behave, so that we can all get along. Isn’t that just what we need?”
Anna looked away. She didn’t think that this was exactly what she needed.
“Where do Bandwagons come from then?” she asked after a time.
“This one’s Jennifer’s love. She’s had some cracking ideas lately, ways for bloggers to get along and make money and it’s just lovely.”
Anna was even more dubious about the Bandwagon now. The rumours about Jennifer had been steadily growing since she left the Mummyblogger camp – rumours of Jennifer making decisions for the entire community and there was talk of a rethinking how a community works. She wasn’t sure she wanted a Queen in the InterWebs, not even a queen of the relatively small Mummybloggers.
She looked around, trying to work out if she could get off. It looked like there was a path back off to one side, if she could just reach it. Standing up, she braved the crush of sitting people.
“Excuse me, sorry, can I just get through…. thank you so much.”
A few minutes and countless trodden toes later, she was able to climb off the Bandwagon.
Standing in the open air again, she was able to breathe.
Looking around, there seemed to be a few bloggers who had decided that this bandwagon wasn’t for them, or who hadn’t climbed on in the first place. Anna smiled at them and one woman smiled back, before walking over.
“Are you okay? You look a bit shaken.”
Anna laughed. “Yes, I’m fine. My first experience of a Bandwagon, that’s all.”
“Ahhhh.” The woman smiled knowingly. “That’s okay, you get used to them. The key is finding out whether it’s something you truly believe in before you jump on.”
“I know that now” said Anna.
With one last pat on the shoulder, the woman made to walk off.
“You’ll be okay?” she asked.
“Yes, yes, I’ll be fine.” said Anna.
Taking a deep breath, Anna turned around and walked away. Behind her, the Bandwagon trailed off, taking the bloggers with it.
Anna was sure that Bandwagons were perfectly alright for some people, in some cases.
But she just wasn’t sure that they were right for her.
Have I said how much I love what and how you wirite? Well, lots…
Loved this post…. I feel like I’m kind of floating above the bandwagon. Or perhaps sitting in another one with a few others…. Or maybe it’s not a bandwagon at all…
It’s so hard to being able to see clearly when you are caught up in things.
I love this post. Brilliantly written and could really be applied to SO many social groups.
Ahh to step back and look. I need to do more of that
Love.
I love this series of pieces. Really well written.
Love this series. Has given me a good giggle but some sage advice too 😉
I *love* the messages given out in this series, sweety. Can’t wait for the next installment!
No. Really. I can’t wait. You have to get out of reality and write it this Very Second. You here me? What do you mean you’re ASLEEP??
I tried the bandwagon for about five minutes. Then I realized how many gawddam rules there were. Had to pony up, so to speak, and accept the path less paid.
And I’m so glad I did.
You didn’t disappoint with this one! I think I might read the older ones again soon:)
Wow.
I’ve just come here for the first time, Veronica.
That was so funny and beautifully written and TRUE. You have a gift, dat fo shiz. I love the concept of Mummyblogger Rejects. I think I put myself i that category: not saccharine enough to be a real Mummyblogger. That is kinda funny because my brother was once a Bikie. Tough guy. But he got kicked out of his gang because he wasn’t “tough enough”. So he formed his own Bikie gang with other rejects called The Remnants. Must be genetic.
Off to read the other parts now. Very glad to have “found” you.
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