One
Today is the day that I make my first post on the bearblog. What a momentous occasion. I encourage you to pop open a bottle of champaigne.
I've been reading the feed for a few days now, which encouraged me to finally get the subscription and start posting. Before, I never made a post because nobody would read it. Now, I've kept myself from making a post because someone might read it!
Truth is, I am not sure what I am going to write here. On one hand, I could write about anything that comes to mind. I could log the progress I make in different areas, or I could endlessly ruminate about all the things I would like to do and I'm not doing.
Truth be told, before upgrading on the bearblog, I had opened a substack. I thought I had stuff I wanted to write and perhaps it would be interesting enough that maybe might even want to pay me money. Then two things happened. I started browsing the Discover page on bearblog, and I reconsidered what a mainstream medium like Substack would entail.
So I decided I would rather pay to get my words across, than subject my writing to the ills of the market. Money is still engaged, and that, for me, means a way of taking it more seriously. Whether I am earning or spending is a relatively minor detail (at least for now.)
I used to write elsewhere, but the low traffic on that site would mean that my posts would be more visible on the feed, and I would feel exposed. Here, I can post more often and still pass relatively (yet not completely) unnoticed. Seems like a sweet spot.
I've been meaning to write more. In fact, it's currently my goal to practice my writing skill. So I'll write often. There are two types of posts I intend to make: daily ruminations, and developed arguments.
The first are just going to be free writings on whatever I happen to be thinking during that day. The second are going to be more carefully developed essays on topics that I keep thinking and developing over time. These latter are likely to perplex, maybe even offend some. I don't try to be offensive, but I mostly write them as a reaction to "Western" exceptionalism. So they are going to be, at the very least, provocative.
There is one more thing I expect to do, which is to engage with people through email. So, if you are reading this, and you post on the bearblog, expect a mail from me. I'll be talking more about this in a future post.
In the meantime, let this serve as a little introduction, perhaps a way to break the ice, a "first" post that I can get out of the way so I can start writing what I mean to write, whatever that turns out to be.
I am glad to have found the bearblog community, and I've been checking on the Discover page a few times a day. Because I don't use social media or any of that, I usually don't have much to look at online. But I like to read, and especially, I like to read what other people are thinking.
Until next time!