Monday, August 4, 2014

A Huge Blog Fan

See...I told you that I wouldn't just talk about The Mutiny...look at me being kind of shallow today. I know...it's really what the people want, right?
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I had always dared to dream that someday a fan of my blog would approach me and confide that my writing had changed her life.

I suppose I would be equally excited if it was a man, but as the scene plays out in my head, it’s always a woman.

That right there tells you the level of my vanity….I’m assuming there’s at least one “fan of the blog”.

I know I joke about it, but it’s truly not that I think my writing is all that spectacular…but I hope that other people think that it is.

I struggle with it…I’ll admit I OFTEN struggle with it. There are so many things I almost do not post b/c I’m not sure it’s good enough/interesting enough/filtered enough.

If you read my blog at all, you know that “almost do not post” does not mean that they don’t get published. Because frankly, most of it does.

While I’m going down this “true confessions” lane, I will confess that above all else, I wonder what would make people want to read this blog.

And more importantly, what would make them come back and read more. (I am truly not meaning to pander for compliments here, just feedback. Feel free to weigh in on the comments with why you read this blog, because I honestly want to know...I want to give the people what they want!)

I have given this some thought and this would be the pinnacle of all praise (at least in my little blogger mind): if someone went back to the very beginning of my blog and read every single post.

Mind you…I am uber-thankful to those of you who have hung in there since the beginning. And I do mean “hung in there” because I know not every post is a homerun. I try but sometimes I have “a swing and a miss”.

Yes, a baseball reference from someone who despises baseball. Just because I don’t like the game doesn’t mean I don’t know a little something about it.

When I first met Mr. AR, he played softball…which is not the same thing as baseball but in my mind it is close enough. I can only assume it is close enough for most of you as well.

It's enough for the reference...that's what I'm all about.

But there is one thing that makes softball better than baseball: softball games have time limits.

Yeah, I said it.

But I have digressed.

In terms of people reading all my posts, what I was talking about was/is someone who is just now “meeting me” and who takes the time to go back and read them.

All.

Every.single.one.

Because that’s true love right there.

Or maybe stalking. It’s kind of a fine line.

I have done that with only one blog and the writer was a woman who hadn’t even written a new post in over a year…she still hasn’t written anything new. She just stopped. Cold turkey. 

But she left her blog out there. Odd, huh?

(In fact, I’m still waiting for her to write something new. That’s a good blog right there…leave them wanting more.)

I’m sure some of you were maybe thinking that I was on the verge of doing the same, when I dropped off the planet for a few days last week.

Even my mother was harassing me about it.

OK, not really “harassing” but when I mentioned my lack of time to write, her response was, “I know…I keep checking the blog and there’s nothing new!”

So at least my mother enjoys my writing. Or at least pretends to.

And possibly my dad too.

But I have digressed.

My point in all this (as you may or may not have guessed) was to tell you this: I met someone last week who opened with "I am a huge blog fan!"

Squee!!!!

I don’t think I actually, audibly said that…but maybe.

It’s all kind of a blur.

I think I almost passed out.

Oh yes. For reals.

Or not…I’ve been known to embellish sometimes. A hyperbole, if you will.

I think I kept my cool, though…I’ve got a reputation to uphold for crying out loud. Calm, cool, and collected.

And yes, it wasn't that my blog had changed her life...but it was close enough for me to claim it in the moment.

Over the course of our conversation, she shared that she was considering writing a blog, but wasn’t sure on the theme. She said that she’d considered writing about her daughter because, as she shared, she and her husband only have one child and (to quote her…I’m such a journalism major, attributing my quotes) “people always think that's weird.”

Of course, I interrupted to share that I, myself, am an only child.

And her response was, "You are?!? I love meeting well-adjusted only children!"

My heart sank. Did she just say “well-adjusted”? She did say she reads the blog, right? I think she needs to go back to the beginning and read all the way through, don’t you, because I’m not certain that “well-adjusted” is a word that’s ever been used to describe me.

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6 comments:

  1. Did she say I am a huge blog fan or I am a huge fan to your blog....anyway I like your writing, I like your writing voice.... but more importantly I am sticking around because I have no idea what PBA stands for; it's probably silly and simple but I cannot get it - I know go to the beginning...one day I will but not today (I'm on my lunch hour ) so tell me if you want or keep me guessing either way I will always try to read your posts. :)

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    1. Well this is awkward...I presumed she meant my blog because she went on to reference a couple things, but maybe she meant blogs in general. lol

      I'll tell you but ONLY if you promise to keep reading. It stands for Parker Brothers Academy...it's just what I call our homeschool. :)

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    2. Oh Marisa, you make me laugh. :)

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  2. I love this post, man! *two thumbs up!*

    ...and I would *like* to think that it was MY blog that you went back to the beginning, but...alas, since I'm the one who told you about the blog and just so happen to know who you're referring to, I know...*sigh* that it is not moi. ;) S'ok. I'll be fine.

    Anyway....what it is about writing? It such a weird thing... I mean, you want people to read but get depressed when no one comments or you don't get much feedback. Then, I try to convince myself that it's not about how many or any at all read the thing, it's mainly that I'm just writing something because I enjoy it. Yeah, right! That convincing doesn't work? Why? BECAUSE.WE.WANT.SOMEONE!!TO.READ.WHAT.WE.WRITE. Because what's the point of writing something if no one is reading it??? I'd start a private diary if I wanted that! Such a conflicting thing. Writing. Blogging. You know, the saddest thing about my recent 'hiatus' is that no one even asked me where I'd been, or if I was coming back. *sniff* Eh, obviously I got over it, 'cuz I started back up. SO...today, I got an email from someone who I know reads my blog, but I sort of forget that she does because she isn't on social media and is more of the "stalker" type reader. Here's what she said in the email...the Subject line read "THANK THE GOOD LORD!" and in the main message "I'm glad you have your blog up and going again. I appreciate your entertaining style." Yeah, *squee*. (But, then she went on to convince me to watch "Frozen", but I'm trying to forgive that! ha!)
    Ok...my comment has been as long as an actual post now, but all of this to say, I get what you're saying. I'll go out on a limb and say that 97.89% of other bloggers do too! (my numbers may be off .009% ... give or take)
    Love your blog --- love your writing style... I love the randomness because if I'm honest it's how my brain works as well....I love your honesty & humor. How's that? Enough feedback? :)

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  3. Congrats on the fan! It is exciting to find out that someone you didn't know was reading actually reads regularly. Squee away.

    It is especially fun to read blogs of people I know in real life. I can picture what's going on, I can hear their voices, and sometimes I know the story and like to see how the person writes about it.

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