As someone who actually knows a thing or two about the nuts and bolts of the internet, I've never been a fan of blogs. Call me elitist, but I don't particularly like that blogging software lowers the bar for publication on the internet even lower than it already was. Of course, the idea that it takes any kind of ability to publish something on the internet is archaic at this point. If you thought blogging was easy, wait until you try Twitter or Facebook. At least MySpace (and all the terrible graphic design that came with it) is all but dead.
I digress. The reason I overcame my disdain for the practice of blogging is that I have come to recognize why people do it. Smart people don't blog because they think everyone needs to hear their thoughts on life (although I am sure that drives many bloggers.) Smart people blog because they need a place to let out their thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Readership isn't nearly as important as having a soapbox, even if you set up your soapbox in the internet equivalent of a vacant lot. Shouting into the void is therapeutic, and if someone reads your ramblings, that's just a bonus.
So here I am. In the last couple of months, I found myself writing long posts on Facebook--far longer than appropriate for the medium. I kept telling myself that I should find a better place to write these things, but I never did. I am not sure what this blog will be. It will probably be a lot of things. I expect it will be political, but I hope it's more than that. I'm just going to use this space to organize my thoughts and vent, and I'll see what it turns into.
