Wednesday, October 10th, 2007...11:36 pm
Why I Blog
When I mention to people that I have my own blog I usually receive a smirk. It’s as if their exaggerated eye roll is speaking directly to me and saying “what the heck do you “blog” about and isn’t that kind of nerdy anyways”. Right before I started blogging I told one of my friends the plan and he went off on a diatribe mocking the idea. Sometimes a person will say the world “blog” with an air of amused conceit like they are discussing my imaginary friend. I don’t usually try to combat their pre-conceived notion of blogging. Instead I’ll avoid eye contact, shrug my shoulders and mumble something about writing about life, college basketball and other random stuff. It’s a weak answer. So in this post I would like to provide a more thorough and thoughtful response as to why I blog.
Digital Media
I work in digital media. I have done so my whole professional career. I’m fascinated and interested by how the internet is changing the world. I’m constantly amazed as I explore the endless reaches of the internet and make phenomenal new discoveries. I still recall the sensation of my first experiences with websites like prodigy, AOL, eBay and Ameritrade. I remember the satisfaction when I made my first website for Robert and Robert – the crooks that ran Champion’s liquor store and laundry mat down the block from my house in college.
As I began to read different blogs I naturally wanted to create my own. I wanted to discover what would happen. Who would read it? What would they say? What would I write about? I started my first blog the night before I left to travel the world for a few months in January of 2006. I figured it would be a good way to stay in touch with my family and friends who were all convinced I had lost my mind. It was called On The Road With LittyHoops and the response was tremendous. When I returned home I started LittyBooks (book review blog) and a business ideas blog. After awhile I decided those blogs were a bit restraining and I wanted the freedom to write about whatever I damn pleased.
YO BRO IT’S ME LITTY has been as rewarding, exciting and educational as I had hoped. It’s a ton of work/time and I still get nervous when I publish a post but I’m learning as I go. I wrote about Michael Vick and somebody found my post and linked to it as an example of people’s ignorance when it comes to dog fighting. Whoa, I better watch out! I wrote about Ahmadinejad and I nearly pissed off one of my best friends. I’ve come to realize blogging is a bit narcissistic. That’s ok. I’m still trying to figure out how I can get others to comment more frequently. I’m constantly trying to determine if I’m writing for myself, my friends and family, or the random guy who stumbles upon my website.
I’ve also realized that blogging is an incredibly effective way to market myself as a digital media expert. If a potential business partner is interested in learning more about my background or experiences I can simply send them a link with this URL and they will have an opportunity to view my blog, read my posts and get a better feel for Sir Hoops.
I’ll keep on blogging and I’ll keep on trying to figure it all out.
Talk to My Friends
I’m not great at staying in touch with friends and I’m pretty lame when it comes to small talk. A blog is another way for me to communicate and keep in touch with my favorite people. If I encourage you to read my blog it’s because I want to have a continuous long-distance conversation with you.
I usually get at least 2 or 3 emails per post from friends or readers. Sometimes they might share a thought, add advice, ask a question or just drop a quick line. It often turns into a good conversation through email or we might pick up the conversation the next time I see them. The blog is a great way to let people know what’s on my mind. It let’s me stay closer to my cousin in Philly or my friends that don’t live in New York. Even more interestingly, it allows me to have conversations with people I see often but might not realize that we have similar interests. Whenever I hang out with my friend Aaron we talk sports. We’re both fanatics and its great when you can talk sports with somebody who really knows their stuff. Through the blog we’ve engaged in interesting conversations about art, charity, facebook and career paths and learned that we have alot more in common than watching football.
I Like To Write
I can’t spell and my grammar is whack but I love to write. I always have. It helps me organize my thoughts and is a huge stress reliever. It seems that often people don’t always listen to each other. But when they read something they are engaged and captivated and you have their full attention. It’s an awesome feeling. I wrote for my high school newspaper. I considered majoring in English in college because I loved reading and writing papers. My favorite part of LittyHoops was writing articles and I was a part-time sports columnist at CSTV. Blogging is a new way for me to write. The fact that I get to set my own rules and I have a small audience makes it even more enjoyable.
I hope this gives you some idea as to why I blog. If you’re interested in trying it out hit me up! My sister did and her blog is pretty cool. I’ll be happy to let you write a post on my blog. I’ll be happier to help set you up with your very own blog!