This will be my 100th posting, according to the Eons counter. Here is what I have discovered during this journey:
Subject Matter: So many blogs ask the question, “What should I write about?” From the time you get up in the morning to nighttime and even in dreams, your mind is active. If not, get checked for Alzheimer's. You think about the past, present and future. You have emotions; some negative, others positive. You read the paper, watch TV, read books, have conversations, do things, go places, etc. So be alert to these situations. Refine them, do research if necessary and compose a blog. It can be therapeutic. It’s fun.
Style: I have never taken a course in creative writing so my style is natural. However, I have taken many courses in Business Presentation techniques and have learned that if you can’t present your proposal or idea in a few terse sentences, nobody is going to read it. But, you can use any style that you want. I find the best to be anecdotal in relating my experience or thought. Keep it brief, terse and tell a story. Use humor or pathos as appropriate. Be challenging or accommodating. It’s your blog. Some one asked if it has to have a point. Of course not, that might be the point.
Subject Matter: This is not going to Confession. You are not seeking absolution for your sins. Any area of your life or personal opinions you don’t want to share, don’t write about. I personally don’t want to comment on my sexual fantasies, toilet habits or mental health. If you do make such comments in your blog, expect feedback. Hey, that’s the whole idea of posting to begin with. With some of the creeps who have snuck on EONS (Porn Merchants) I would be careful what I said anyway as it is public information and could end up embarrassing you. Don’t blog about work or your boss could read it, as has happened to some people recently. I would not write about secret trysts of mine if my wife reads the blog regularly.
Groups: I have tried the Groups and enjoyed them. There’s nothing like an active thread to contribute to. However, I have shied away from the Political Group as it gets too personal and crude and seem to be dominated by two or three people. That’s not to my taste. I have posted on Potpourri and Tough Questions. I also enjoy Bookoholics from time to time, as I am an avid reader.
Commenting on Blogs: I try to comment on 2-3 blogs per day. At first I made the feedback engaging but then recognized that some people merely vent on their favorite subject over and over again as a form of mental health. So I let them. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get Al Qaeda to blog, instead of blowing shit up when they are pissed about something? I mostly make positive comments now and have had some lovely people ask me to be their friends. What a good feeling.
A Tip: Jay Leno has make of career out of finding misstatements in newsprint. Popular books are full of errors. So unless you are a Grammar Teacher or professional Proofreader, you should consider using a word processing system prior to submission, then just copy and paste. It’s not perfect but will eliminate misspelling some words to the point the reader can’t figure out what you are writing. Always remember the quote by Samuel Clemens (I think), “It’s a very narrow minded man who can only spell a word one way.”
Booming: I still have no idea what it is all about. Does anybody know?