If this blog is to survive (there are doubts), I need to get an more formal online agenda. Let me enumerate what I see as my options:
1) Let it rot slowly like now. Post randomly and infrequently. This would require little work and actually fits the statistics: most blogs are highly active for 30-16 months…that is about how long I was into writing here.
2) Formally lay the blog to rest. This offers closure and space to move on. Maybe it is time to break up for good, to take some time alone, and see what else the world has to offer. I will always have the memories.
3) Revitalize “Rants”. This would require me to rediscover an interest, reason, or rational as to why I want to share my life with you people in the first place. I mean really, why blog? (Disclaimer: I have been reading about blog theory–I have some unanswered concerning with blogging.) There are other, less publisizing, modes of comunication that I currently make use of. Is the blog a good personal investment of time? Is it a release? It is self-affirming act? Is it a waste of time? Who are you people?!!!
5) Revamp/reformat “Rants.” In this scenario, “Rants” as an avenue of thought would likely be rendered an archive in my blogging history and another blog would be born. This has benefits because I have some things I would like to spout off about concerning technology, society, philosophy, etc, but if that is the case, I think placing a period at the end of the chapter called “Rants” before writing the next one would be useful. It is nice to change clothes once and awhile. A perceived clean slate can be inspiring.
So yeah. That is what comes to mind at the moment. Considering the audience (you) here as severely decreased in my lackadaisical blogging efforts, this entire entry is basically a bullhorning to the ether. Until a decision is reached, “Rants” will follow item number 1) on the list that being: it will rot. :-)
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I do hear that it sounds like you don´t actually want to write, and just so you hear one voice from your “audience,” I personally vote three or five (you realize you didn´t put any four…?) because I love hearing your thoughts.
I´ve also been torn about blogging. Where have you read about blog theory? Any recommendations?
oops…no 4…that is how much I am into this right now. :-) “Zero Comments” by Geert Lovink – I recommend it.
As with any “successful” blog site, you are right, there needs to be an agenda or overlying theme. This is not that case of yours. It is scattered here and there with personal journal entries, journalistic essays, and pockets of your photographic work. If you are continually doing all three of these things you have two routes;
1) Focus in on one of these areas so as there is a main topic of discussion that your audience may expect updates from you on a regular basis, and it eliminates the doubt in your mind on what to do with the site on a monthly basis.
If you aren’t such a paranoid dick who thinks that we were to steal all your intellect by posting new areas you are developing in photojournalism (ha! get it? developing, photographs? funny, hahaha.) why don’t you give us updates into what you are doing with it these days, by posting about what you are doing, how you are doing it, filters, plug-ins, blablabla.
or
2) Make a schedule for events in the month for you to post certain topic ideas on certain days. Photoshop fridays, just like our friends at Somethingaweful.com, Pissy-ant emo bullshit diary entry Saturdays like those written by whatever dipshit pansy brickhead that is running anyone of the 500 Twight web-rings (my most newest, funniest thing to make fun. Thank you twilight!) Hell, even taco tuesdays, where you go around the city looking for the best tacoria stands and rate them on a scale of 1 to Awesome (and the exceedingly rare gold standard of Awesome plus a BJ) Cuz I noez you hav to haz some bangn tacos in Berlin!
Most successful blogs that I frequent follow either of these two architypes, as if you just post whatever the hell you feel like, you will get bored as the initial fun runs out, and you don’t have a structure to build up on.
That’s my thought for the day at least. Oh, that and Never play Bioshock at 2a.m. in an empty house as YOU WILL SHIT YOUR PANTS… REPEATEDLY.
One Love,
Sam
OOOOOOOOOooooooh, also? I am really into papercraft right now. Because I don’t leave my house, so I have decided to make little friends to worship me at my altar. Yeah, I have an altar. It’s mainly used just for religious holidays, but that’s whatever day I want – in my new self based religion, so now it gets used to pile all my junk mail on. Try it out at cubeecraft.com
They have a really good blog as well.