Has Blogging Become Passé?

I was wondering to myself, just the other day, whether blogging had become passé. I don't really believe it has. I think it is no longer a trendy fad, and that those who wish to blog are out there blogging and maintaining a presence on the web. I think it has become an accepted part of life, at least in western countries.

I think those who blog typically have something to say and once they find a place they are comfortable navigating, they write. This doesn't guarantee an audience, but it is an outlet. I think one of the biggest changes in the blogging experience since its inception in the late 90s to early 2000s, when most people first heard of "web logs," is that people are less inclined to wonder why anyone would want to read about some unknown person's daily life experiences. People will often come and read if someone writes. It's just a matter of the right people with the right interests stumbling upon the right blog. Of course, one has to write consistently to keep them coming back.

Another big change since blogs have been mainstreamed is the tendency for people (people from the past, potential employers, current employers, law enforcement, the media, etc) to start looking you up on the web if it suits their purposes. Facebook tends to be the site of choice for getting a feel for who people really are beyond the pixels, but it started with blogs. So is blogging passé? Not yet. It still serves a purpose and gives people an outlet for creative expression.

St. Nicholas Day

I just remembered that today is St. Nicholas Day!

Random Thoughts

Today I am missing some people . . . and that's all I have to say about that.

Against the Odds

After losing in my fantasy football league each of the last two weeks, and most recently to the hubster, I was starting off this week's game in a tenuous situation. By Monday night, all of my players were done, but my opponent had one player left. I was encouraged by the fact that my opponent's player was a wide receiver who was just coming off the injury list, and the fact that I led by over 20 points. Usually, the first game back following an injury, players don't necessarily put up big numbers. Wide receivers don't often put up numbers in the 20's either. By the end of the second quarter, my opponent's wide receiver had amassed 18 points though. I pretty much figured that I was about to go on a 3-game losing streak at that point. I didn't even watch the whole game. I fell asleep. The hubster woke me up to tell me I had won by one point. ONE point made all of the difference between being in the winning or losing column this week! Amazing.

Late Start, High Hopes

I got a late start in joining/setting up a fantasy football league this year, but I finally got it done! The hubster is already signed up to play in the league, and the invites have gone out for a few others to join us. As I do most years, I vacillated about whether I'd play fantasy football this year, or not. I procrastinated about starting our league. In the mean time, the hubster signed on to play in about 10 other leagues, and our oldest son signed up to play in a fantasy league for the first time. I was really starting to think I'd be content not to participate this year, until the hubster and son started talking about the performance of different NFL players and how it impacted their fantasy teams last week. It adds a whole new and fun dimension to watching football when the people on the screen or in the stadium are playing for YOU! I am excited! It also makes it easier to justify the purchase of the football purse . . .

Things That Make You Laugh....Hysterically

One of my dogs REALLY likes to go outside, the other, not so much. She'll go, but most of the time there has to be a purpose beyond the sheer joy of experiencing the great outdoors. Though my dog that LOVES the great outdoors wants to be there, she prefers to do it as a joint operation, and will reluctantly re-enter the house if her sister refuses to join her.

After being rebuffed several times in her efforts to get our 'comforts of home' dog to join her outside, I was going to accommodate my outdoorsy dog by encouraging her sister to go out with her. I did this by using a dramatic, excited voice and making eye contact with 'comforts of home' dog as I said, "On your mark. Get set...." But I neglected to open the door as I uttered the word, "GO!" The next sound I heard was he thud of outdoorsy dog banging her head into the door as she plowed into it at full speed when it should have opened and given her full access to the great outdoors. It probably wasn't great for outdoorsy dog, but my son and I immediately fell into fits of laughter. Fortunately, outdoorsy dog is not only very loving; she's also very forgiving. AND she has a hard head.

The Grand Illusion

I keep thinking I ought to start blogging again, but somehow, I never find the time. Somehow, I am keeping so busy in the dailyness of life - at least at the moment - that I am barely keeping up with the pace that the dailyness of life seems to be imposing upon me. There seems to be a lot of running to and fro, and when it comes to tasks to be completed, there are times when I don't seem to be getting anywhere. It's a frustrating turn of events for one who likes things to be "just so." The upshot of all of it is that, if nothing else, there is a humbling aspect to it all. I am being reminded how little control one really has despite the appearance of the control we wield in our own lives: The Grand Illusion.