A comment was posted earlier that has a certain resonance. While there is no greater online sin than blogging about blogging, I will trespass for a moment – always with the aim of pleasing you better, dear spectators. The comment:
You know, if you took the amount of time you spend on a week’s worth of these mediocre mumblings and used it to write one thing, it might be good?
This is a possibility I have wondered about myself. I feel a constant urge to write, but it may be better directed in a less haphazard direction. At the same time, about 100 people a day read the blog; I am willing to bet that is more people than will read my thesis, in total, between now and the end of humanity.
The issue, then, is not the medium, but the message. What would it be more socially useful to write? Before seeing that comment, I was going to write tonight’s post about metallurgy and the possibility that we are living in a ‘composite age.’ Hardly my area of expertise, and hardly an area of interest of most people who I know to be reading the blog.
The format of this blog is intentionally somewhat experimental, as well as somewhat scatterbrained. All told, I am skeptical about whether I can impose a pattern upon something as ephemeral as daily posts, but constructive criticism and suggestions about profitable directions to take would be most appreciated.
PS. We had our 30,000th visit today.
I think the idea I could turn blog posts knocked off one evening on a passing piece of inspiration into useful thesis material ludicrous anyway. One might as well say turn all your TV watching, eating, sleeping, and going out time into thesis time too…
If you are trying to maximize traffic, you are making a billion mistakes. If you are trying to be yourself… carry on.
I have talked to many people who really enjoy your blog. Not every entry is captivating, but we all have different interests and reasons for returning to your blog. I am impressed with the multitude of issues that you have addressed, even though, I look primarily for glimpses into your own life and person. Carry on with what you do and give your self a pat!
I access your blog through Alena’s email. I agree with Alena and also ask that you carry on in your own spirit. Congratulations on a job well done!
Much as I appreciate knowing that people are getting something out of the blog, it would be better to concentrate on flaws, such that it can be improved. The reason comments like the one that sparked this discussion are valuable is precisely because such candour is so rare.
I have a great deal of sympathy for the idea that spending more time per post could yield items of higher quality. It is something I will experiment with.
Reference is made to you on this page.
Congrats on the 30k visits.
When is that since?