Who'da "Thunk" it...?

Last Thursday (17 January), when I posted about LOCATION and all the nuances that go along with it, little did I know how much of an impact this can have on the Blogosphere. Let's face it...when it comes right down to it, the ONLY REALLY SUCCESSFUL blogs are those done by people of some measure of notoriety or outright fame.
And "location" (of a sort) plays an integral part of this. It doesn't have to be where you're at GEOGRAPHICALLY-SPEAKING, just where you stand in the virtual world of personal publication or even journalism.
There are those who already work for newspapers that blog, and that's all well and good. It's refreshing to see THEIR view "outside" of the printed realm. There are those that WANT to work for the media (and look upon blogging as a form of "job-app"), and I can't take it away from anyone wishing to better themselves.
There are bloggers who love to stir the s**t-pot (yours truly included) and we just point out things many people either fail to see, or may see themselves, but never had the venue to make their thoughts known. Some bloggers like to editorialize (as do I). There are bloggers who love controversy in ANY form (called SPILLING the s**t-pot...lol) and blogging provides them a way to get all the crap off their chests. If you say right, they will say wrong, just because they can.
We don't do that HERE.
There are political bloggers, social bloggers, crime bloggers, military bloggers, and racial bloggers. Some people use blogging as a journal or personal online diary of their lives. I admire those "purists" who have the fortitude to share the facets of their daily journey in this life. Banality (in MY life) is NOT my forte'.
But it does all come down to "location" vis-a-vis READERSHIP. Some people say that if no one reads your blog, it's because it's crap. I refute that on SO many levels it's not even funny. I will say that with ALL the blogs out there (with more coming online daily), time becomes a premium commodity. You can't read ALL the blogs ALL the time.
Still, what will make one blog more "successful" than another will be the manner in which it is MARKETED (and we know from my Thursday post that marketing AND location go hand in hand). Content alone will never make or break ANY blog. Sadly, much GOOD commentary goes unread...not just HERE, but elsewhere in the blogosphere.
It's also true that If you've got all the "bells and whistles" , you'll undoubtedly attract more readers. They even have sites you can visit in order to make YOUR blog more "attractive" (finding a more "upscale location" as it were)...for a price. I call it "moving uptown".
I make no apologies for the content of MY blog, OR the manner in which I present it. If you don't Iike something you read, by all means SAY SO, so we can reach some accord. Good and honest debate is what fosters knowledge and wisdom. I don't have any bells or whistles on this blog. Hell, I can't even view YouTube (or any other) videos due to having a damn slow system and a dialup-landline modem connection at 50.6K (best speed possible apparently with AOHELL). I don't even have a STAT counter, so I don't even know HOW MANY people even stop by, yet never comment. I have no desire to pay out the ass for what I would "need" to make this blog "popular". And I won't resort to "anonymous" comments to bolster my readership. I'm not asking to be crowned Miss America, nor am I running for a political office (heaven forbid).
I'm not in this for those reasons.
I blog because someone has to be a voice of reason...a voice for the common man, the John and Jane Does of the world who never seem to get the fair shake they're due as long as they bust their asses all their lives. I blog because someone has to tell things the WAY THEY ARE in MY part of Fort Wayne. I blog because it's a release. It keeps me centered. It keeps me focused on things that do need changing, as well as things that need to remain exactly the way they are.
So if my readership consists of a mere handful of people that find some measure of solice, comfort, or even (dare I say it?)...TRUTH in what I say here, Then I've done MY job.
They "get it".
It would be nice to address all those that DO NOT read anything here, but since they'll never see it anyway, I figure why bother.Oh, what the hell, they're not going to read it.....so screw them!
(To all those that do not read my posts):
All of you people that deprive yourselves of knowledge AND wisdom (yes, he said wisdom...pay the hell attention) by NOT reading the posts here are typical of the problem we have in our society...apathy. You're out for a "quick fix"...that immediate adrenaline rush of entertainment, and listening to anyone that has something of SUBSTANCE to say is not on your agenda. If you were to read these posts, you'd see there is NO smoke or mirrors, as well as NO monkeys flying out of my ass. I would normally feel sorry for you, but I have neither the time NOR the inclination to do so. I'm much too busy educating (as well as learning from) those who DO read these posts, and providing some humor along with the enlightenment that THEY apparently look forward to! I live in the United State of America...not the United States of Entertainment!
(God, I feel SO much better for saying that...lol)
We're not starting any movement here, just bringing facts along with some commentary on what needs to be said. And if I make you smile during this process once in a while...well, everyone needs something like that to break up all the monotony, right?
It's not The Glenn Beck Show, nor the O'Reilly Factor, nor the Lou Dobbs Report.
It's just one guy, in a Midwestern city...trying to make a difference.
(Is that the Knight Rider theme I hear in the background?)
The PA-IN Erudition might not have the BEST "location" on the blogospgere, but it's ALL mine (AND yours).
This isn't about having a variety show popularity...it's LIFE 101.
Learn it...Love it...Live it.