Monday, February 26, 2007

I Beat My Own Drum. Some Say It's Noise, I Say It's Pretty.

Much to my surprise (and some small degree of horror) two people have told me in the past couple of weeks that my blog has become depressing. Really? Really?

Well, um, shoot. Sorry guys.

I'm not one of those bloggers who carefully structures their entries around themes, or writes scholarly essays. I have a lot of admiration for the attention to content that those sorts of bloggers have, but I'm more of a write whatever pops up in the forebrain kind of guy. What I lack in consistency I hope I make up for in spontaneity and moments of wise-ass-ness.

My natural reaction is to kind of leap to my own defence, because this blog is something that after two and a half(ish) years I still hold very dear. Sure I'm open to criticism of course, and this is probably justified. However, even the most jestery of Court Jesters needs some down time. Room to kick off the tiny bell-toed slippers and piss and moan about sore feet. If I have a cold, grief, or the blues, I'll write about that to some degree.

Oddly, if I have any criticism of this blog o' mine I would say that at times it's not personal enough. I hold back sharing some of the personal stuff because I don't think it'll entertain you guys. I guess some of that shows through, no matter how hard I try. I know you guys don't come here for hand wringing, and I don't particularly like writing about that sort of stuff, but if bits of that show through then I'd ask you to hang in there.

As a great philospher once said:
The sun'll come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun!

Sing it, girl!

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your blog has become depressing? Oh, boo hoo for them! It doesn't depress me. So if whomever mentioned the blog was boring would like me to redefine "depress" just email me!

I was under the impression blogging is your own expression and after two and a half years can be as personal as you choose it to be.

You say "My natural reaction is to kind of leap to my own defence" besides having to analyze how it made you feel, my response is go with your natural reaction. The key point is where you say "Oddly, if I have any criticism of this blog o' mine". It is your blog.

Your blog is insightful and the talent you show in writing and speaking makes me hope you are thinking of writing a book.

M-H said...

I don't find it depressing. In any case, you're under no obligation to entertain (or to do anything at all here, actually). This space is for you, and if people don't like it they don't have to read it.

The Other Andrew said...

Thanks ladies! I don't want this to come across as too defensive, because really everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I just wanted to kind of put my point of view out there, and I guess ask for a little patience and understanding.

Michael said...

Depressing? On the contrary, I always come away from your blog feeling upbeat, if only because I feel better about myself by comparison. ::rimshot::

I kid because I love. I enjoy reading about how you FEEL, no matter what the emotion, darling. I treasure those posts, and they more than make up for the relentless stream of quirky closeups of doorways, gates, flora and signage. Again, I kid! I love it all.

Anonymous said...

I like the blog. I like your point of view.

Patience and understanding as a topic alone is something most of us can forget.

You are always as humanly possible practicing kindness & compassion as each of us do. But to feel the need for patience and understanding (in this instance) is like asking people to forgive you for being remiss about something. Which you have not been. Don't do it :)

Perhaps some support might be better and thats another thing we should all consider too.

No i am not ::standing on a soapbox:: but i don't want to see you feel like this and it didn't imply defensive.

Keep writing :)

Michael said...

PS Do you beat it or bang it? Your drum, I mean?

Anonymous said...

Good grief Michael! Or slap it?

The Other Andrew said...

Well if nobody else is banging it for me, what option do I have other than to beat it? Really? :)

spyder said...

Weird how some people might think your blog is for their entertainment.

The Other Andrew said...

Q, you tell him. He loves a bit of rough handling. Apparently.

The Other Andrew said...

Well, it is kinda. And mine. It's for ALL OF US.

Michael said...

We are the world!
We are the children!

The Other Andrew said...

I'm feeling a group hug coming on!

Anonymous said...

Apparently he does like it a bit rough lol ;)

Yes group hug i am sure we need one :)

Kris said...

Ack! For my own part I'll claim a misunderstanding: I didn't mean to imply that your blog was depressing (and I never would have used the word boring!). I just meant that you'd seemed sorta "down" over the past few weeks, and I hoped that cross-dressing nuns and dancing jam pots would cheer you up! (Of course, as soon as Maria started dancing around on that mountain and we all gave that orgiastic cheer, any possibility of your being depressed flew right out the window...) :)

worldpeace and a speedboat said...

go to, TOA, go to... ignore the naysayers sweetiepea, they are far outweighed by the TOA Glee Club :-)

Kenyo said...

Andrew, Andrew, Andrew, "Don't change a hair me ..."

Who could see your blog as depressing? You tell us your ups and downs. That's life, not depression.

I'll admit did get feeling a teeny bit down at the mere mention of TSOM Sing-Alongs. I got a dose once...

Kenyo said...

It's really early in the morning here...I MEANT to say, "Don't change a hair for me..."

Michael Guy said...

Criticizing a Blog is comparable to overhearing a self-appointed art critic state, while viewing a David Hockney: "..my kids could have done that.." Sorta.

How can anyone critique a semi-private journal based on an individual's real-time life? I say if someone finds my Blog depressing or lacking in jolly good times they have a clear choice to move their cursor to "NEXT BLOG."

I enjoy your posts, Andrew. Period.

The Other Andrew said...

Thanks everyone. Kris this wasn't specifically aimed at you I promise. Another friend said it the other day too (a new blog reader in fact) and I was like "Holy shit, really?" This was supposed to be a more general comment about my approach to this blog, and I just mentioned the comment as back story. Sorry if you felt it was aimed at you!! :)

yani said...

Ditto on the non depressingness of your blog... but trust me, there are those of us who will keep coming back no matter what you choose to write about... so just, you know, write...

If you write it, we will come...

Oh lord, somebody shoot me, I just reference a Kevin Costner movie...

ladieaphrodite said...

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