Blogging - what's the point.

I don't enjoy this (award) time of year in blogging.  Some blogs I enjoy reading become trumpet blowing 'pick mes' or self congratulatory.  It suddenly all starts to feel a little less genuine, tainted.

I don't really know why I do it anymore.  It's not for money.  I recently read an article on how to make more money from your blog, how to engage the appropriate people and really thought 'MEH'.  It's nice to see your name on a list of  'popular'.  I guess we all want to be popular but if I was sensible I would write a post entitled "the intellect behind successful bloggers, 10 easy steps to blogging stardom" not "what's the bloody point". I'm always likely to shoot myself in the foot on that one.

I sometimes feel like I have made friends but then those people who I invest emotional attachment into simply disappear.  (I'm missing Jennifer in America, I'm missing Kathryn in Italy.)  These are people that I would help out if I could, offer my home or support and yet with one swift stopus blogus there is a feeling of loss.  And that feeling of loss underpins the reality of the evanescent nature of the relationships formed online.

I get satisfaction out of stats, I like to see the graph rising month after month and the numbers go up and up.  "oooooh" goes the needy me !  But it doesn't really drive me on, it's a bit like a chocolate pudding at the end of meal.  Sometimes it feels good but the feeling is short lived and not the be-all of the meal. 

I used to feel like it was good to get the thoughts out somewhere because it stopped them floating around in my head and filling it. 

....

Actually I feel loads better now I've said all that out loud.  So maybe that is the point. Thanks!

I think what I'm trying to say is :

I hate awards, back patting and lists, they unsettle me, they make me question whether I'm doing the right thing. And the people whose blogs I read, the people who I talk to on twitter, I consider you friends not 'hits'. I value your opinions and support not 'comment counts'. 

I think what I'm trying to say is :

"So, it has come to this"

Source http://xkcd.com/1022/