Friday 22 December 2006

On Blogging

It’s the time of year everything starts winding down. Most people I would imagine broke up from work today, and if they’re lucky they might not be back in until the 2nd or 3rd. To those who work in retail and will probably only get Christmas and boxing day off, I’m with you in spirit. Having been in that position myself many times in the past I know how galling it can be.

But this isn’t going to be a meditation on Christmas working. Now everyone's gone home and won't have a dinner time to waste surfing the blogosphere I think I can get away with a vanity post. I’ve looked through other leftist blogs and all at some point take the time out to reflect on blogging. I know mine is young but I might as well join the club. And besides, I'm stumped for anything else to write about.

Most bloggers claim only to be writing for themselves, be it to help them think through ideas they have, practice their prose, talk about their lives and what have you. These are things I want to do to. For me this is rooted in a longing to be a diarist. From about the age of 8 to 27 I regularly tried to keep a journal but they would succumb to an attack of “Oh I can’t be arsed” in the end. I always felt slightly daft writing about stuff that only I would likely to be read too. Perhaps the spur of a small but growing audience will help me plod on, in the same way interminable UKLN debates carry on and on and on because participants know their rants are at the least likely to be read by scores of subscribers. Well I've been at this blogging lark a week and half and AVPS is still going strong!

No doubt much to the relief of those of you who know me I will not be going down the Abby Lee/Audacia Ray route of laying my life bare. This isn’t because I’m coy about such matters – it’s just that my life is far removed from one long debauched rollercoaster of promiscuity and fornication. If I was younger and/or single it might have been worth doing anonymously. I'm sure an Adventures in Horizontal Recruitment would be a massive hit. If anyone wants to take up the cudgels ...

Sadly, unless sociology and sectariana is your bag you will find this blog wanting in the titillation stakes. Readers searching for a deep exploration of the human condition are also likely to be disappointed. I’m a happy chap of a permanently cheerful disposition. I have no desire to acquire a slanty fringe and a hatred for my parents. You can keep your AFI and My Chemical Romance thank you very much. This blog is proud to be a razor blade free zone.

But whatever our motivations and protestations to modesty, we blog because we feel we have something unique to offer. As far as I’m concerned I don’t really know what this is and doubt I ever will. I’ll leave that to others to judge.

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