Well, I’ve been blogging for almost a year now. I’ve learned a lot!
About me:
- I don’t know as much as I thought I did.
- I knew I didn’t know as much as I thought I knew, but now I know I knew even less than that! (Say that ten times while drunk).
- I’m a bit of a lazy writer. I am embarrassed to admit it, but it is true. I wrote a few good posts, but too many are just paragraphs with links.
- I don’t say everything I want to because I am afraid someone will use my commentary out of context. For example, I have many questions about our President that are unanswered but I tend to stick to the positive because the attitude “out there” is so negative and I don’t want to fuel the “Anti-Bush” movement with my doubts and questions.
- My command of grammar, spelling, logic and writing has declined significantly since high school. This is embarrassing and discouraging.
About Blogging:
- Writing good posts takes a lot of time and work.
- Writing poor posts or “lame” ones is really easy.
- The discussion with those who disagree is more interesting than with those who agree. Maybe that is why political “cross-fire” type shows are so popular. If we agree, what more is there to say than “thanks?” Yet I find myself afraid of inviting a lop-sided crowd that opposes my ideas to the discussion as well.
- It is really tempting to start gearing oneself to get readers, rather than to write good posts.
- It is hard to stick to the original vision and purpose of this blog!
- It is hard to stay civil and stick to the type of discussion I value. The temptation and tendency to join the”dark side” which is more interested in labeling and putting down opponents than content is stronger than I thought. For the record, the “dark side” does not refer to a political persuasion but to the generally divisive nature of political discussion. The world views out there are so different and in some cases incompatible that it is difficult to have relevant discussion! It is easy to mock and insult.
- The world of political discussion on the internet is more brutal and antagonistic even than a family gathering! (Is such a thing possible?) Sometimes it seems that the goal is to “defeat” ones opponent instead of to have challenging and useful discussion. I hope I haven’t gotten sucked into this. God help me! (I know He will) I have learned this via Digg.com and other blogs more than at my own. Most people here (even those who disagree with me) have kept things civil for the most part.)
- I am not sure what to do about ads on my blog. I have experimented with Google Adsense, etc. but haven’t made hardly anything with it. I was hoping to just recover the costs of my webhost and domain names but have not come even close. Perhaps I’ll just delete them all. I don’t know.
Future goals (I don’t know when I will be able to attain them):
- Write fewer yet higher quality posts.
- Write more posts with content relevant to the main purpose of the blog – “freedom ideas.”
- Learn how to do more quality research.
- You know, I’d almost like to take a Journalism class at a Community College to see what I could learn.
- Come up with a decent comment policy and learn what to allow and what not to. So far I pretty much allow everything and almost no-one has written anything too nasty anyways. 🙂
Thank you to all who visit here and have joined me on my Freedom Journey! I genuinely thank those who have consistently read and commented and I truly include those who do not agree with my perspective. The Bible talks about “Iron sharpening Iron” and I need sharpening! The vast majority of my discussions before blogging involved people who were significantly less informed than myself. I am enjoying and growing from the challenge of the blogosphere! I believe it will make me a better man with a clearer mind in the long run.
For now I am in Australia and the network I am using is a dial-up network shared by dozens of people. I can no longer download and use quality pictures in my posts! Yikes! So I am not sure how the next three months will look. I may or may not be able to do much.
If you visit this site I would strongly urge you to also check out the categories that are not necessarily political commentary. Some of the ideas stuff is better.
I remain dedicated to the basic idea that God desires humans to be free in their hearts, and also desires that they live in a free society. Internal Freedom and External Freedom. I know that if we can make people who are free on the inside (starting with myself!) we can produce a society with more freedom externally as well. Freedom can filter into business, education, arts, family, government, and all areas!
I am still Thirsty to be Truly Free! I want the same for my children and their children.
I am beginning to understand what it means to Thirst for Liberty! Freedomthirst!
Thank you for joining me in my Quest!
In Jesus,
ThirstyJon
I agree with what you say about blogging. I’ve learned some of the same things.
Jon – everytime I come to your site, I am forwarded through it to a search page where I am informed it is sorry it can’t find
http://www.freedomthirst.tld/public_html/wp-mail.php
You might want to check into that
So true:
>>>It is hard to stick to the original vision and purpose of this blog!
Not sure if I agree about the nastiness you write about the blogosphere as a whole. I think you’re looking at one corner of it–the realm of politics primarily. It is true, however, that there is a 3-4% segment that aren’t necessarily the nicest of people. But thats in real life too–its not unique to the blogosphere. I think there are some folks on YouTube and other places that are exceptions and that use the anonymous nature of the internet for a cover for their hate. I’m just saying–I think you oversell the hate.
Adsense. Three options: amazon bookstore, sponsorship from your host (what better target market than those that use the product), or sponsorship from another company that would be interested in the focus of your blog. For instance Allfacebook makes money that way (look in the upper right hand corner). Of perhaps look at Copyblogger or Problogger’s
ad set up.
Congrats on making it a year!
opps I didn’t notice your hosting link at the bottom. Perhaps if you moved it up they would give more money or give you a different set up.
making an appeal once a month to talking about how you like your host and to check out their offerings to get traffic and click throughs seems reasonable to me.
I congratulate you on your site.
One point that I would like to chat on is negativity and mocking. Remember Elijah and the Prophets of Baal… The only scriptures that talk about God Almighty laughing is when his enemies boast and plot. If God can laugh at his enemies we can too (in proportion, for dramatic effect, to provoke discussion or to just break a gridlock in discussion).
Mocking, if done right against the most ridiculous opponents can change the tone of discussions or silence them. Then again it can have the opposite effect with a fool. It is OK to try different tactics as long as you are sensitive. Not that I am an expert or anything…
Well, congratulations on making it a year! That means you have some longevity. Keep up the good work!
I, too, have learned so much from blogging. Forcing myself to write out my thoughts is a good exercise. Perhaps, it is easier to have a personal blog, but good writing takes a lot of work, no matter your niche.
Best wishes for an even better next year!
Congratulations on this your first year. You sure did a great job at that.
As far as I am concerned, blogging has been a good thing for me. It pushed me to look into more topics so I could discuss with all the “caspers” in my life!!! – no offence…
God’s blessings upon your ongoing work. Keep it up.
Congrats, and I have observed the same things as you.
I would add to that the importance of being sure of what you are saying and why. Being challenged is inevitable, but when it comes sharply from fellow Christians, it has a different sort of sting. There shouldn’t be such a thing as Christian hate mail, but sadly I know from experience that there is.
I think the easiest way to keep comments amiable is to watch your own tone. If a post is sarcastic, comments will be. At least until you start getting traffic. At least that is my casual observation from reading a variety of blogs…and knowing some people who leave very hostile comments on other blogs but have always remained respectful on my blog.
Yes, Congratulations!
Concerning blogging, I feel the same way with you. I removed most of Adsense off my blogs ’cause it doesnt make sense to me and pays for nothing. It just takes precious space for promoting own content.
Blessed New Year!
I have been learning the exact same things myself, my friend. I originally started my blog on a whim one morning b/c I was fired up about the immigration bill and wanted to vent. I had no plans for it to go anywhere and look at in now! Sometimes it gets to be quite a bit of work though.
Keep fighting the good fight my friend and God bless.
Holly
http://www.onthewriteside.org
Thanks for the tips on blogging. I am so very new to this and I appreciate your tips. I think that since I embarked on this blogging journey to continue my studies and strengthen my faith and knowledge plus your tips I can make this journey successful. God bless and keep you strong, we need to continue to hear your messages.
Congratulations on a year! This is my first visit to your wonderful site. I love the tone of discussion and couldn’t agree with you more about learning from those with whom we disagree.
I look forward to many return visits.