I will throw some new stuff out there though. I've had folks ask me how/why/when I blog. I guess they're interesting in knowing the creative process that leads to strokes of genius like this (sike). I can indeed give you that much.
With no further adieu, ladies and gents, Remain Anonymous Part II
How do you choose the topics you blog about?
This one's complicated. I get blog ideas from everywhere. I read lots of other blogs, usually via RSS feed or Feedblitz each morning on my way to work (the BlackBerry Curve is that crack). I also scan 5-6 talk and sports radio stations. All this while braving a stop and go commute and dodging pedestrians. I'll usually scan a few newspapers once I hit the office. Somewhere along the way, an idea clicks. If it doesn't, I just don't post anything. Hey, it happens. This is why somedays I'll post 6 times, other whole weeks, I'll post 2 times. It all adds up to about 30 good posts a month, which I think is a reasonable grind for a guy with a life who isn't living in his mom's basement.
Subject wise, I try to make every post count for something. It doesn't make sense to just echo everyone else's opinion on a topic, so if I see enough others already covering something, I'll punt. I try to shy away from shallow sports, entertainment, or pop culture crap. There's enough blogs that already do this, and do it well. I try to stay in my lane and usually roll with politricks and race stuff.
Since I typically write in a critical manner, I am well aware that I could be branded as a hater. That's fine, cause I don't really care. I'm here to entertain, enlighten, and say the stuff you probably would if you took a moment to sit down and think/write about it.
Why so many links?
One thing I'm really picky about is people being un/mis/underinformed. After all, information is power. Most of us are used to having info forcefed to us in bite-sized, pre-summarized chunks (ie: the news and talk radio). Such media are focused on keeping your attention, so they don't have time to expound on the details (ie: books, newspapers) of a story. Since I don't want to be responsible for putting misinformation out there, I typically overload my story with supporting facts.
This is a two sided coin of course: it usually means people will be steered from your site. Since my goal is to keep you here, look for fewer and fewer links in coming posts.
Where/when are you when you usually blog?
90% of the time, I'm on my Day Job. I only blog over lunch, and since my employer monitors web usage, even then I have to be economical about how much research I do. I usually have the idea in my head long before I pull up the browser. I usually bang out the posts in one take, 5-10 minutes tops. I always spellcheck, but seldom proofread. Who has time for that? On weekends or after hours, I'll post something if time permits (like right now), but with a one year old, and a marriage I'd prefer to remain in, this doesn't happen often.
How many people visit this site daily?
I am really only able to monitor those who visit via the front door (averagebro.blogspot.com), as opposed to via other web links. We've steadily grown from a few dozen hits, to now several hundred a day, but this is hardly scientific since it doesn't account for RSS, Feedblitz, etc. The Feedblitz Daily Digest has over a hundred subscribers. This may not sound too great beside some more popular blogs, but 0 to 1,000 average hits in just 6 months isn't bad at all. Of course, by telling a friend to tell a friend, joining the Daily Digest, or emailing stories of interest, you can only help this number grow.
Why does the color scheme/layout keep changing?
I'm picky about stuff like that. I change the wallpaper and color scheme on my laptop probably 4-5 times a day. Clearly, I get tired of looking at the same thing all the time. A few weeks ago, I flipped thru the channels and saw the Cleveland Browns playing a preseason game. 5 minutes later, the site was Brown and Orange. Then there was the Carolina Panthers phase. I don't even know what colors I currently have up there. I just change this stuff on a whim. Soon, I'll settle on a banner image and color scheme I can stick with. Until I change my mind again of course.
What exactly IS your Day Job?
Yes, I have a legit day job that pay the bills. No, this ain't one of them gigs like Tommy from "Martin" where I go into a nondescript suburban building and perform some mysterious task. I'm a engineer for a large software company. It's what I went to college for, I'm good at it, and for a legal slave, they compensate me quite well if I must say so. So, no, this blog ain't some 'MySpace Rapper/D-League Baller/Ghetto Dreamz/Get Rich Or Die Tryin' type of Grand Hu$tle. It's a creative outlet for a guy who doesn't get many of them on his Day Job. Simple and plain.
What are your longterm ideas for this site?
Honestly, at first I just wanted a creative outlet. Now, I am thinking about how to parlay the success of this site into a paying side gig as a regular contributor to either another website or some print medium under my Government Name. I'm already working on this, like I said, you'll know when it happens. As always, you can help by telling a friend to tell a friend to tell a friend.
