Introspective
I’ve posted before in the past about why I do this site…
But something’s made me look into it a bit deeper. I have my site with my banners and my ads and I always attempt to make it appear clean and professional, and while I don’t expect to make any money on this, I admit, to be the “rockstar” of the blogging community, and to get nods and recognition is certainly appealing, and drove some of my early activities. But I think that’s over. I had an “ad” budget, and paid $30 a month for it…but why? Should I really have to “push” to get people to read this…and how many people who click through from an ad are going to be regulars?
So I finally cancelled anything I have to pay for other than the site. I’m not going to make money off of this. All I can hope to do is subsidize the cost with a dollar here and there, and make people laugh. The posts are a bit more seldom, and it’s because if I truly have nothing to say about the issues, I don’t want to strain to crap out something just so I can hit my 2 – 3 posts a day quota, but I like to think what I post now is, if nothing else, entertaining. That’s why I’m doing the video thing (still editing the current one)…anywho…
The question does bare repeating, and repeating often. The moment I take this seriously, or think that I can make real money, then I need to be put down in the same way as Cujo. It’s the same way with me and music. I play music because I love music, I don’t want to go into it to get on the radio, because then you’re writing for everyone but yourself…I want to play what I love to play, and if I get a single on the local indie rock station, then great…but on my terms.
I love music, movies, and politics. There it is.
Thanks a lot, Stout! I’ve never seen Cujo, but now you gave away the Old Yeller ending!
You continue to perpetually divide this country between red and blue states with your movie-ending giveaways…
But seriously, it does surprise me to hear that you do this website out of fun, like a hobby, rather than out of civic duty.
I pay my taxes out of civic duty. I no longer relate civic duty and fun…the only fun Civic is the one I drive…and I drove it to Jack in the Box for an Egg Nog milk shake, which is why I’m a model American.
Driving a foreign car though, hmmm…I know a Conservative who’d call you a RINO for that!
But you pay your taxes out of fear of going to jail. After all, you’re a Republican. That same Conservative would have yet another problem with viewing tax paying as Civic Duty…
I’d drive a Ford, if my last one hadn’t broken down…never had a problem with my good old Civic, bought at an American dealership. I’m trying, I really am. I’m more the free market conservative, than the “pay higher prices for a domestic car that goes straight into the pockets of the unions that vote democrat”…ha, took me a bit, but I can justify it.
I like that justification. I’m-a gonna use it against those Conservatives I was talking about.
I was very clear with myself when I started my blog that it would just be for me, and I wouldn’t try to make it something it wasn’t, or become overly concerned with traffic.
Now, I admit to being somewhat concerned about traffic (who doesn’t like getting hits?), but I try hard not to pander to traffic by limiting my posts to popular topics.
The blog either belongs to you; or you belong to the blog…
Ah yes…keep writing if youre so inclined..if ya think it is productive in any way..even if its just to silence the voices in ya head..lol
Stouty, this is without a doubt one of the best, from-the-heart posts of yours I have ever read. I honestly admire and share your view. If they come to view something other than Stouty, for what Stouty IS, what value is in their visit? Hell, you don’t want that! And your prose better make you happy, above and before everybody else. It looks to me like it does. Good and perfect!
A really excellent blurb. It dovetails interestingly with another I recently read
over at ScottG’s … I don’t know if you read him or not, but he is a really sharp, deep thinker with great attitude and style. I truly hope he will not hang up the tools.
The comments to your post here were also exceptional. For perhaps the first time even, PR’s comments didn’t make me want to heave! (God, I hope I never have that quelling effect on him…)
And hey, what Conservative would call you a RINO for driving furren vehicle anyhow? :-)