As much as I appreciate all of the wonderful comments people made about me awhile back, I’m a little disappointed that no comments appeared from readers who have never actually met me. You still can, of course (hint, hint).
Anyway, that got me wondering…how do you perceive this site? If you don’t know me, how did you find it and why do you come here? If you do know me, would you come here if I wasn’t a friend?
Do my constant attempts at being positive and uplifting get boring or annoying? Does my take on reality ring true? Or am I just another nut with a Web site? Am I generally amusing, or amusingly generic?
An inquiring mind wants to know.
After last week’s scatterthought, you might think I’m simply looking for an ego boost, even though I’m inviting people to make negative comments if that’s what they feel. But that’s not the case. If there’s anything you can say about me, it’s this:
I crave feedback.
I don’t live according to other people’s expectations, but I can’t do whatever I want without caring about how it’s perceived by others. There are too many people in this world who don’t balance these aspects. They’re slaves to public perception (the basis for peer pressure) or they’re rebels without causes (or, at least, good reasons).
We might think we’re doing good in this world, but the only way we can really know is through feedback.
After all, we all know at least one person whose perception of reality is, umm, far from realistic. And we’ve each got some of that inside of us.
So, once again:Â fire away. I’m curious.
I found your site one day when I was trying to find directions to waterloo from st. thomas. I hadn’t met you yet. We had never been introduced or said hello. I’m not sure what sparked me to read as diligently as I did. I find your writing compelling and was amazed to see how much typically private emotion was displayed. I think that’s what intrigued me the most. I think, too, part of the attraction is that I’m a snoop and reading this site was akin to reading a diary, so I felt devious which was an exciting feeling. The site has changed a lot since then. It’s still very thoughtful but there is far less personal drama. I find the material compelling but now it’s compelling like a Dr. Who episode rather than an episode of East Enders.
Why do I always feel compelled to write back when people ask questions? *sigh*
Anyhow, no, I probably wouldn’t visit this blog if I didn’t know you. I’m insanely picky about what sites I read. In fact, I only read three blogs with any regularity whatsoever: Groklaw (’cause it seriously helps me with work), In the Pipeline (because it reminds me of the years I spent learning chemistry that I barely use anymore), and your page… because I know you, and I enjoy what you write. If I didn’t know you, the randomness would probably get to me after about a week.
Each of the pages I read provides something I can’t get anywhere else. Whether it’s insight into copyright and patent law, chemistry annecdotes or an opportunity to live vicariously through a friend, there’s something worth reading, and that’s what brings people here.
So, let me throw the question back at you: What answers were you expecting to hear to your question from people that do know you? And why does it matter WHY they read your blog? And, what seems to be the most important question to me, why is their feedback so important to you?
At the risk of being too introspective, even for Scatterthought, what drives your need for feedback? Are you not happy publishing because you feel like publishing?
On a separate issue, I like Frankie’s simile to a Dr. Who episode.. it’s very fitting. As I child, I only ever caught the last half of Dr. Who episodes, in random reruns. So, like my childhood experience with the TimeLords, it doesn’t really matter in what order you read things on this page, ’cause in the end, you just hop back into the Tardis, and you know next time you tune in, there’ll be another un-related adventure!