I began this in August of 2020, writing that I didn't know what this was. After over 2 years of writing in my blog, "Whatever This Is", I still don't really know what this is.
At first, it was an experiment. Just something to do. I like to write. I like to ramble. I thought maybe a blog was just the thing. After a couple of years, I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that blogs aren't exactly the "in" thing. But, if you know me at all, you'd know I've never really been about the "in" thing.
To be honest, I'm always behind the times on any given trend. Sometimes it's because I'm clueless and late. But mostly, it's because I don't like bandwagons. If it's "cool", I don't want any part of it. Screw cool. It's probably not even cool to use the word "cool" anymore. Which is a good reason to continue using it, if you ask me.
Beyond the fact that very few people are interested in following a blog, mine also doesn't fit into a nice neat category. Hence, the title. I don't write about food. I don't write about sports. I don't get political (it might slip out accidentally on rare occasions, but I really do try not to go there). I don't offer advice (though, I do insist that you DO NOT eat the yellow snow). I vomit thoughts from an addled brain. Much of it is pure nonsense (which makes sense considering the source). And then, out of the blue, I start to write a short story about having superpowers and alien voices in my head. It's not hard to imagine why my readership might drop off considerably.
The very few people left who are still following along (I love you, by the way) are my kind of people. You're the ones who I can have a bizarre, meandering conversation with while not feeling uncomfortable or self conscious.
Maybe that's what this is all about, at the core. It's a way for me to have the kind of conversation that interests me without all the stress of worrying about whether I'm interesting. Those who have read one of my posts and never returned are saving me from seeing their expression in actual one-on-one face-to-face conversation. The blank look in their eyes, the bored stare, the "how do I extricate myself from this" look. Those who have read a post which led to another, and then another... those are my people. 99% chance if you're reading this right now, you are my people. If you got here by accident, then you have my welcome. Make yourself at home. Feel free to do the dishes if you like.
I just want to say thank you to my few fans out there. You encourage me to keep writing. As long as someone out there enjoys my rambling, it's worth continuing to spew forth my flavor of insanity to the multiverse.
I do get some limited feedback from my website that lets me know when someone takes a peek. But it does not inform me who is reading. The only hint I get is the name of the town they're in. I get a range from all over New York state, which is where I reside, to California, and sometimes a few places in between. I know very few people outside of my home state. I know zero people from Ireland. And yet, I have a repeat reader out there. So cool! Thank you, my fine Irish friend! And thank you, Californians! Thank you, east coast! Thank you New England! And thank you, New Yorkers. There are more of you than any other. You are truly my bread and butter.
Thank you all for hanging in there. I'm sure these aren't all doozies, even if you are a fan. But I will continue to try to bedazzle you with my utter nonsense for as long as I am capable. Or until I get bored. Whichever comes first.
I didn't know what I was doing when I started this project of mine, and it turns out two and a half years later I am still nowhere near figuring that out. Maybe that's part of the charm? Unlikely. My high school creative writing teacher would pull her hair out trying to wade through this mess attempting to find some rhyme or reason. Though, I think I made her pull her hair out a number of times back then, too.
Point is, I don't know what's next. I'm just winging it. I truly enjoyed writing about Sizzle. And, I'm in the process of putting it all together into one cohesive (hopefully) short story. There might be somewhere I could submit it to see if I get any interest in doing something further.
But, as far as Whatever This Is goes, I think I will at least continue with my Top Ten lists. I'm having fun with those. They happen to be my son's favorite bits too. He loves to hear me read them to him before bed quite often, despite having heard them dozens of times. He just might be my biggest fan, and that's no surprise.
Beyond those, I suppose I will just have to dig deep into my chaos to come up with some nuggets of silliness or weirdness or silly weirdness. "Weird"... I love the word, but I hate to see it in print. It just doesn't ever look right! It looks... well, weird. I suppose that is just as it should be.
So, thanks for sticking around! More madness to come (in one form or another)!
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