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Whither The Blog



There's a rumour going around that blogging is dead. I read this on the internet so I'm sure it's true.

Sad, but true.

And last week I hit a new personal low with all of 23 people visiting my blog one day. Of course I haven't created any content since Christmas and that might have something to do with it. And I did taunt everyone over the last two weeks when I sent pictures of the ocean, the beach, the pool, the golf course in 90F Bijao, Panama to all my pals caught in that Polar Vortex. Nah, that possibly couldn't have had anything to do with it.

Anyway, the blog is dying? I mean really? I'm a blogger. I like to blog. Sure I may have creativity lapses now and then but then a brain fart'll come along and away I go spouting off on one thing or another.

And on those occasions I find I really have more to say than Twitter's 144 characters would allow. Or a picture on Pinterest. How creative is that? Sure I'll post funny pictures or cartoons to Tumblr but, hey, I'm not original. I'm posting something someone else has seen, not to mention countless others before him or her.

Instagram? Forget it.

What else is out there? I don't know and I don't care.

A blog allows one to play with words, to lovingly caress the language and take your time nice and slow until you reach your literary climax. Hey, get your mind out of the gutter. I said literary climax.

A blog allows you time to develop an idea, lay it out there, dress it up and send it off for others to enjoy. Gee, that sorta sounds kinky, too.

Now Facebook, despite it's popularity, will never replace the blog. Well, that's my opinion of course. Sure I follow friends on Facebook. I post items. I comment on other people's status updates. And I've been known to hijack a comment thread or two along with my buddy MikeWJ from the great high as a mountain state of Colorado. But after awhile even that gets old.

And what's with the "Like" button. That just encourages illiteracy. I guess it's for people too lazy to string a couple of words together. You know, noun verb, adjective, adverb, modifier? Click Like if you agree with me. Like, fer sure. Gag me with a spoon.

And what's with all the cats. Every day, everywhere I look people post pictures of their cats. Oh, look here's a picture of my darling kitty pooping on my head. Just about. I exaggerate. I've never seen a picture of a cat pooping on one of my friend's heads. Maybe I just have the wrong friends. I dunno.

And food. Why do some people think the rest of us want to see what they're eating at every meal. Why? I mean I wouldn't eat half the stuff I see on Facebook. And besides, I'm trying to diet. Posting pics of lunch and dinner is just mean.

Now if someone posted a picture of them eating their cat that would work for me.

Wait a minute. I think I have an idea for a new blog. People Eating Cats! What do you think? We can share recipes, cooking methods, summer BBQ hints, how to de-fur a feline, what the best cut of cat might be. Wow, I think I'm on to something. I know for sure I'd be a hit in China.

Instead of always worrying about feeding the cat let the cat feed you.

It would be purr-fect!


Comments

Cheryl said…
I was going to say that even people eating cats has been done to death in China but you stole my thunder. It's a wonder anyone visits your blog when you steal all the good lines leaving nary a crumb left for commenters.


As for blogging, it's alive and well all over the internets but fairly dead in my reader. Most of the long-time bloggers I enjoyed don't post much anymore. At this point, I really don't want to have to seek out a new set of bloggers and break them in just for fun.
Bryan G. said…
John, John, John. Sigh. You don't have a cat, do you? ;)


But the rest I agree with...I like to blog too. That to me still is the center. Facebook is just a tool to get readers to my blog (hopefully, although like you, the numbers are low some, no, all days for me). I long for the days, where it was a lot...well...simpler than it is now.
nonamedufus said…
I think the height of my blogging glory has come and gone. The original Humor Bloggers Dot Com and other such organizations for bloggers have all folded. Many of my blogging buddies no longer blog. One of my blogging friends just died. My Blog Roll has several blogs that have been inactive for over a year. And sometimes I have to light a fire under myself to get me writing. Facebook? Meh. I'm really getting tired of some of the stuff i come across there. I think in 2014 I'll be spending less and less time on Facebook and my blog and more time in books and looking after my health. God I'm starting to sound like Bryan G. Robinson.
nonamedufus said…
Yes, I do have a cat although I don't think I would eat it.


As for blogging, Facebook and other social media, they're quickly being overcome by reading good books, listening to good music and watching good television. Well maybe not the last so much because there isn't a lot of good television. God, I'm getting old.
ReformingGeek said…
People eating Cats? Sigh. You may get a lot of hits on this post. Now get that poor kitty out of the stew pot!

I like to blog, too. I'll guess we'll just have to keep it alive!

I find the LIKE button on FB handy, especially when I read comments that all say the same thing, and yeah, when I'm too lazy to be creative.
nonamedufus said…
Blogging and FBing actually fills up a lot of my time. But I'm thinking lately there's got to be better ways to fill up my time. I just may pull back on the amount of time I devote to social media in 2014. You know, like, get a life.
ReformingGeek said…
What is this thing called life? Hee Hee. I know what you mean. Social media eats cats, er us!
Mark Baker said…
Like.


Seriously, the blog may decline in popularity for some things, like the on-line journal, bur for others, like reviewing, it's still the best option out there if you want to be able to control your content.
nonamedufus said…
There was a story I saw today that said 11 million teenagers had left Facebook since 2011. I wonder what they know that we don't?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2540205/Have-11m-teens-left-Facebook-2011-New-report-claims-mass-exodus-continues-site-messaging-apps-over.html
nonamedufus said…
I read a lot, Mark. Maybe I should do book reviews. Somehow I think that might reduce even more my ever dwindling circle of friends.
Cheryl said…
Yes you are sounding a lot like Bryan but that's not a bad thing. Both of you sound like you've come full circle with social media. I never had a group that I blogged with so didn't have the benefits of like-minded folks to hang with. Whenever I think about posting something, I just stare at the blank screen. I have nothing to say that I want out there for anyone to read.


Facebook wore thin about a year ago & I installed software to limit what I see. I also tossed people into groups so they don't show up in my feed. I tweak that stuff on a weekly basis to hide more and more stuff. So much is offensive for a variety of reasons. Just prior to finally publishing the 3 Seasons page to pimp my photography. I'd made a decision to leave FB behind. Twitter is a waste of my time. LinkedIn is one place I check in with to help with my job search. Mostly, it's all just garbage. Except for you. :-)
nonamedufus said…
Aw, you're sweet, Cheryl. I don't know why but Facebook has evolved to pictures if tip many cats aa well as pictures of too many dinners. I didn't sign up for this. But I'll hang on to it I guess to promote my blog, for as long as I continue to blog that is.
Cheryl said…
I think one of the reasons FB has become so vanilla is because of the outrageous fighting over politics as well as the 'taking Christ out of Christmas' debacle. I know lots of people who've pulled back on posting anything remotely controversial because they know they're going to get nailed. I've been in that hot seat and I won't do it again.


The big question I have for you is whether or not you're going to join the 28 days of insanity over at Nicky's? Inquiring minds and all that crap.
Indigo Roth said…
Blogging is dead? Well, a lot of people trying to make money or teach you how to make money have moved in and are now moving out, which is never a good sign. Me? I'm just a slow reader.
Linda Medrano said…
I dunno. Sometimes you eat the cat. Sometimes the cat eats you.
Cheryl said…
Well, get a life, dammit. I've enjoyed the banter but I'm definitely out.
nonamedufus said…
That's not gonna happen, Linda.
nonamedufus said…
I'm a sicko. I've already written half the posts.
Cheryl P. said…
I suspect you are right that blogging has fallen behind in what people choose to follow. Such a shame that people would rather see snippets of nonsense on FB rather than read interesting stories or ideas from bloggers. FB enforces the idea if it takes more than 30 seconds to read it's too much work.

I still read more than 100 blogs each week although I tend to leave less comments because of the time investment. I am somewhat torn between the time involvement vs, the enjoyment. I would personally miss your blog so I hope you don't give it up. On the other hand, I believe that I will in the near future bring mine to an end as I, too, feel like I need to diversify my interests a bit.
nonamedufus said…
Cheryl, your comment comes closest to how I feel. You get me. I'm nevertheless astounded you read about 100 blogs a week. I don't think I even know 100 bloggers anymore.
babs (beetle) said…
All I know is I often have days when I get zero readers. They have dropped off hugely. That could be something to do with the fact that I don't post often any more. Long gone are the days when I posted two or three times a week. I do miss those days though.

I will never be a huge Facebook user. I am a cat lover, but even I get bored with all these cat pictures. I appreciate a really cute photo, but most are just snapshots of cats, doing what cats do - sleeping!

Lately, I have found something else that is filling my time. Making movies of all my thousands of photos. Once that's finished, who knows?
nonamedufus said…
There was a time I posted daily. Admittedly that was too much and eventually I pulled back to a couple of times a week. I think the lack of big numbers is largely due to the fact that there aren't a lot of blog "collectives" out there anymore where a bunch of bloggers share thoughts, conversations and such which engendered visiting everybody else's blog. I think you mentioned EntreCard the other day which is long gone and the original Humor Bloggers Dot Com was a great place for humour bloggers to get together.


Of course, I've pretty much given up on self-promotion too and it's gotten so that I pretty much write for myself and a small group of blogger friends. We'll see what 2014 brings.


I like the idea of movies from photos. That sounds like fun.
Nicky said…
That cat looks a lot like the cat CheesyMike "lost". Do you have something to tell us, mon ami ? :-)

I've been terrible about wriring and keeping up with my blog buddies. I'm hoping the challenge will help me get my groove back.

I'm glad you're in :-)
nonamedufus said…
Mike lost his cat? That's awful. Just so you know, I really lie cats - medium rare.
nonamedufus said…
Thanks, S.G., yeah I thought that Springsteen video was hilarious.


I visited your blog and loved it. I'm into books, music and to a lesser extent movies so I'll be visiting.


Long live the blog, eh.
Shawn Ohara said…
I think your numbers have dropped due to the infrequency lately, of the Pause Ponder and Pun feature.
nonamedufus said…
Really? You think? I found the number of participants tapering off actually.
Shawn Ohara said…
Well, probably not then. But Pause Ponder and Pun would get me to go to your site an additional two times a week.
I think the biggest thing is consistency. When I published 10-13 times a month my audience only grew. 8-10 times per month, was just to maintain my audience size. I have been publishing about three times a month lately, and I have been shedding readers.
nonamedufus said…
I'm gonna do my best to get through this 30 days of writing in February and then perhaps reassess things.
Shawn Ohara said…
Ya, the goal now is getting through February
I'm glad blogging's not dead to you, Dufus! I would miss you terribly. I'd be happy to take those little kitties on my masthead and roast 'em up just for you!
meleahrebeccah said…
Blogging is NOT dead to me either. It's still my favorite form of online communication too.

Great post, John. Truly.
nonamedufus said…
Now that we've agreed on the vehicle for our creative output it's just a matter of being creative! Sometimes it's easier said than done.

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