Being yourself on your blog
ThoughtsEarlier this week I responded to criticism that my blog isn’t serious enough. It could be boiled down to two points: this has always been a record of my interests and hobbies above all else, and lighthearted topics are a necessary distraction and a bit of fun.
This generated a dozen more follow-up comments, most in support which I appreciate. A few still disagreed, which is also fine. A personal site will necessarily have my specific voice, and the reality is not all of us get along. I harbour no resentment or hard feelings, we’re just different people.
Well, almost. The gentleman who provided lurid details of my site mascot’s skirt didn’t appreciate his lurid details being characterised as lurid, for which I unreservedly apologise for correctly identifying. For review purposes, here’s some official promotional art from Kyoto Animation’s Suzumiya Haruhi franchise, with the titular character sporting the uniform that inspired Clara when drawing Rubi. Given this gentleman’s Twitter profile says he’s all for “facts over leftie feelings”, these facts should be fine.
I cut this paragraph from the final post because it was already too verbose even by my standards—some of you subscribed to the RSS feed may have already cached this—but I think it fits well here:
The good news is there’s never been a lower barrier to entry to start your own blog if you don’t like my tone or topics. Living well is the best revenge, so if you’ve found anything I post here pointless or inappropriate, you’re free to start your own to show us how it’s done. With no cynicism or sarcasm, I’d actively encourage you to do so! The only way we’ll get the free and open web back is to make it.
And as always, Om Malik put it beautifully:
We are getting buried under freeze-dried news reports and hot takes that make supermarket baloney feel like a prime cut. Everything feels like a faded facsimile of everything else. It is the internet equivalent of the same strip mall mediocrity.
So that is why I say. Be real. Write like a person. That is how your words will be unique because only you can be you.
