Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Being Popular vs. Starting a Blog

I have to admit, I am learning a lot and having some kind of fun starting this new blog. I love to write and it's been way too long---and a few thousand trout streams--- since I did it professionally. That said, there's also some pain that goes along with this project.

A few people I love--friends, family and an acquaintance--do not approve of what I am doing in general and several of my posts in particular.
And it pains me.

Like everyone, I want to be universally liked and acclaimed. Endlessly right and never boring.

Unfortunately, it's never gonna happen. And I feel a small sting already from several people I would most love to share this project with.

My piece on Constance Gee at Vanderbilt was "mean-spirited" and hit too close to home. The one on Bob Corker with Bill and Lamar was not nearly nice enough. It seems political correctness is in order if you're writing about your own party and and the home team.

Yesterday, pontificating on my sleep habits was low on the "interest meter," said a reader. Should have been more risque.

My critics can take heart in knowing that I have very little traffic yet. And may never have much to speak of. There won't be a lot of sex, violence or profanity to spice things up.

But it ultimately doesn't matter.

I, and every blogger worth her/his salt has to decide why we're here, what we stand for and who we mean to please.

Last night, I talked to my very liberal sister in Colorado and told her of my new endeavor. Her response, "It's not one of those neo-con things is it?" Well, actually yes it is, I told her. She doesn't even want to know the name of it, and will never come here to read. And it's just as well. It would only make her endlessly mad, and Thanksgiving might be ruined as a result. So it's fine with me, really. Still makes me a tad sad.

So I'll keep on writing and taking a few hits, keeping in mind that being popular, through blogging, is by no means a guaranteed result. I love, love, love to think things out by writing, so I'm not about to stop. But it doesn't change my love for my family critics. And hopefully, theirs for me.

But I'm not willing to compromise being true to myself and will just have to let the chips fall where they may here at Webutante.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good post Webutante.

Those who strive to accurately evaluate their own endeavors are more often than not far more apt in their evaluations of the world around them.

As someone who has been putting thoughts into the blogosphere for nearly two years, allow me to say that the quality of visitors -- meaning for example, those with valuable thoughts to comment -- can often compensate for an absence of great quantity.

Ultimately, I believe, you blog for yourself, and for that often small community that decides to keep coming back, week after week.

Keep up the good work. You have wisdom to share, and it can be great fun.

Anonymous said...

Well, do you want to be thought of as nice, or thought of as credible? Politically correct is "nice," but another term for "lie." Stick to your guns.......you've got truth, logic, and America's best attributes on your side.

ChemGrad said...
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