9.24.2002

 

Sometimes life in the blog world works out well. I have been wanting to write a little post about my pal Alfred, having already determined more or less what I wanted to say, but I haven't had the time. And then he goes and sets the perfect opportunity for me.

Earlier today he had a moment of crisis and sort of wondered why he blogs, feeling that his efforts are random spur of the moment and don't amount to much. Well, I can tell him why he blogs, and I will do so in a moment's time, but I should first explain why I'm giving up a little love to him right now. I owe a large debt of gratitude to Mr. Pennyworth; it's questionable whether this blog would have survived its infancy without his support and patronization. He and I started our blogs at about the same time and for roughly the same reason, and regardless of how much my visits and thoughts have helped him, I know his efforts have greatly aided me in becoming a better blogger.

And yet I am continually astounded how different he and I are. Compare our writing styles some time, the things we write about and the way we write about them. Take those items and formulate sketches of our personalities. You won't find two more disparate characters with divergent interests, including music, hobbies and concerns. Alfred posts in a very spur of the moment matter, whereas I spend all my time in the shower wondering what I am going to write about and maintain a list of topics I'd like to explore at some point. I don't go a week without writing about girls, I cannot remember a single instance of Mr. P doing the same. I don't listen to metal much, and my glam rock collection is pretty much limited to Bon Jovi, but Al could tell you anything and everything you've ever wanted to know about those topics and much more. And on and on. We're two very dissimilar writers and people.

But I visit his blog at least twice a day. I enjoy reading his ramblings, his reviews and anything else he puts up. I get pissed on the weekends when he doesn't post anything because feeling privileged to share a little piece of his thoughts with him is highly enjoyable, whether his thoughts are on Randy Rhodes or Cal football. I read Ultrablognetic because it's there and I enjoy it. So do you, if you're smart enough to read it on a daily basis.

But Alfred does not develop Ultrablognetic because I think it's good. He does it because it is good. And those of us who read it would miss it if it weren't there. So until Alfred stops wanting to blog for his own personal reasons, I argue he cannot worry about blogging poorly for want of ideas or anything. That's his style. He shouldn't worry about what we think, because we visit at our own volition. He should just keep putting up whatever, until he no longer wants to do that. And that's when he has my permission to pull the plug.

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The last few days have been alternately exciting and terrible. I feel so completely debilitated right now, and yet even with everything through which I am trying to wade, I'm more or less at peace. I've gotten some terrible news and some great news in the last couple of days. I haven't slept more than 4 hours either of the last two nights, and I've had a enjoyable cold, which makes me really want to sleep. And yet I'm getting better (I maintain the best part of my body is my immune system, since I am rarely sick, and when I am, it's very minor. I had mono last year, but I only missed two days of work during that time and most of the other days I was working from 8 am to 11 pm). All I do anymore is work, unless I have my scheduled moments of recreation, and that's not an exaggeration. But it's cool, I'm enjoying it, and the simplicity of my life is enjoyable. I'm doing okay.

Well, the reduced blogging could improve, but hey, life ain't perfect all the time.