THIS BLOG MUST DIE (AT LEAST IN ITS PRESENT FORM)
This blog won't actually die, but it won't be about politics or religion any more. If there is something that makes my blood boil, you won't be too likely to read about it here.
Given the current amounts of stress I have going on with job issues and family life, I don't need to add to things. And given what happened with the last post, which has since been taken down at the request of an individual who very correctly complained in a comment about it, I'm a bit more stressed than usual.
My apologies to any of you who like to come here for political rants, diatribes about fundamentalism, etc. Because I want this to be a place I like coming to, I would also like it to be a relaxing place. No arguing, no overwhelming negativity.
Thus, you will be seeing more posts about the band I'm in, about my cats, some things about my family, reviews of books or movies I like, some sports talk, some personal observations. And if you find you have to argue with me about those things, that's fine. I only ask that you just leave the politics and religion out of it. Because I will be doing my best on that front.
Within the next week or so, I will have expunged many of my 1,558 posts which represent things I no longer wish to view on my blog, or which might represent copyright infringement in any way, shape or form. If you want to go back through the archives, there probably won't be much left! But there will still be enjoyable things in there, should you decide to look.
But that's o.k.
It's o.k. because there are so many things in life to celebrate, so many things to treasure! I can stay politically active by doing the things that really matter: e-mailing or phoning my elected representatives, participating in my local Democratic Party's activities, writing an occasional letter to the editor... Those are things that will have a more immediate effect on things than this blog ever would have, given its limited readership.
I love all of you, and I thank those of you who have been faithful readers. I will still be here, but I've simply decided to slow down, take a deep breath, and... relax!
And I'll continue to show up at your blogs, and I will probably rant once in a while!
Cheers,
Snave
The next post here will be of some pictures from our band's performance at an Eastern Oregon Univeristy football game "tailgater" party today. It was hot and sunny, and everyone had a great time!
17 Comments:
Snave, I will continue to visit your new digs:)
I'm looking forward to coming by to talk about...just stuff. I really am -
And you are always welcome over at my place, if you feel the need to have a nice blowout rant.
XOXO
Bee
Dude, did you hear what Barack Glenn Bachmann said??????
I'm with you on the politics. What a soul sucking venture, no? Rock on, man. Hey, how about your Ducks! What the hell was that about? 42-3!
Thanks, Bee. And yes Randal... how about those Ducks!!!
Very inspiring, not including my family, I probably love music more than anything else, always have and if I had a choice, playing in a band playing music I love, or blogging, it would be a no contest. Enjoyed reading your writings. Some things are more important.
What can I say to that?
I agree
Hey...ya gotta do whatcha gotta do :-) I'll keep coming by.
You took the post down?
Coward. Blogging 101: never fear or avoid controversy because controversy means reader numbers. Seriously.
Check out my Michael Vick post. I've never seen so many white, male NFL-loving idiots, who masturbate to their poster of the dog killing son-of-a-bitch. Hundreds and hundreds stopped by to say I was wrong for letting him have it. It reached a point where even the Baltimore Sun and ESPN picked up the damned post.
But you have to do what's best for your well-being.
Meanwhile, just remember to keep fucking that chicken.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Whatever.
Re. my taking down the blogpost: I don't want to have anything on my blog that is the intellectual property of others. I had a brain fart when I put this person's article up. I liked the article a lot (despite the disgusting and sad content), and I did what I shouldn't have done. If the owner of the article happened to come by and tell me to take the article down because what I was doing represents theft (which is what happened), well... the author was absolutely right. So that is what I did.
Christopher, your comment isn't one I find particularly kind, but that's o.k. You may be coming here after the fact, without having seen my post and without having seen the author's comment, and I respect that.
I am not shying away from controversy, nor am I a coward in this case. The penalty for theft of intellectual property represents a lot more than "controversy" when it comes to the possible punishments. Because it could literally bring me to financial ruin should this person decide to take action and make me an example or something (and because my current financial situation is tenuous at best), I quickly honored his request and e-mailed him a sincere apology. It doesn't matter that I make no money from this blog. But from this point on, I only use links or the thoughts I present here are strictly my own.
Now I sit here wondering, hoping that is as far as it goes. I have basically put myself over a barrel here, as do any of us who reprint articles written by others without the permission of the author or the author's newspaper/magazine/weblog/etc.
If you want to characterize me as stressed out and basically fed up with arguing with others and feeling a need to defend myself, then you would be on the right track. I have never been out for large reader numbers anyway. I think that's more of an ego trip than just being mellow and doing something like this for oneself. This venue is not the primary way in which I want to influence the world around me. This blog has always been intended as more of a hobby than as a vehicle for something else anyway.
I harbor no illusions, and I don't have grand designs. I just want to relax and have fun.
I understand and respect your decision, Snave. Your blog should be something you believe in and get satisfaction from, first and foremost.
That said, I will miss your posts on current events and such. Every sane, sensible and goodhearted blogger matters, and we need all we can get.
Regarding copyright, I happen to have had some education in that matter. I explained the short and sweet of it in a comment on the deleted post. The rules don't bar you from quoting key, selected parts of a book, magazine article, news story, etc. It's called "fair use," and it applies to your writing as well. Believe it or not, that Cincinnati Enquirer reporter could quote from something you've published on Various Ecstasies, and it would be OK. He just couldn't quote, verbatim, a whole post, unless it was a short one. Even beyond directly quoting (with a link and credit to the source), you're always free to summarize or paraphrase a copyrighted story or whatever.
It's a shame this incident caused you distress. You represent no threat to that newspaper or any other. You probably got the full measure of that reporter's annoyance with what's become a fairly widespread blogging practice. I expect he's feeling a lot of distress about the future of his newspaper and his job, and I can't blame him for that.
I will be coming by and you're always welcome at Oh!pinion.
Mr. Snave, I too am saddened that you were forced to make such alterations to your blog's format.
While you and I don't always see things the same way in the world, I am appreciative of your viewpoints as you helped me to understand and see things political from a different point of view that was more reasoned and less overtly over-the-top partisan than some of the other left-of-center blogs.
Best wishes to you and I will also continue to stop by. (If you feel the need to unload regarding some political rant, I suspect I could probably be a good catalyst for raising your blood pressure with some of my postings, sir.) :)
Regardless, I wish you the best, my left-wing, fellow Oregonian, U of O-loving blog friend! Cheers!
Snave, will be looking forward to whatever you feel like posting here. I'm with you, I often just can't deal with the political stuff anymore; either I get too annoyed or it is all too much trouble sometimes.
At least with blog names like "Various Ecstacies" or in my case, "Mauigirl's Meanderings," we can write about whatever we want - the name of the blog leaves it open! ;-)
So that explains it. I came over here a few nights ago and saw that you had a new post, but I was too wasted to read it or leave a comment. When I came back over here the next day, the post wasn't there. I was starting to wonder if I was losing it :)
You should only write about the things you want to write about. I write about politics and current events because it's fun and therapeutic. If I get pissed off at the latest rightwing flame-out, I can let off steam by writing a sarcastic profane post.
But my wife has the same reaction that you're talking about. She gets so pissed off about politics, she won't even talk about it. Half the time, when I see a maddening story in the news, I don't tell her about it and hope that she won't see it and get all furious and depressed.
So do what works for you. I'll still stop over to read about fun things, and I hope you'll still visit my site.
Snave, I'm Tom Harper's wife, and he was right in telling you that I feel the same way you do! I get so stressed out over talking politics and religion with freakin' idiots that I wish I lived under a tree and ate roots and berries. If this is civilization, they can have it!
All kidding aside, I wish you the best. I'll continue to enjoy your blog, and hope you have a more peaceful and happy life.
Mimi, your first comment here is one of my favorites. Thanks!
Thanks to all of you, as a matter of fact!
A blog should indeed be therapeutic. Sometimes if it becomes TOO therapeutic, it can become cathartic. Welcome to my catharses? Geez, I hope not!
But I plan to have some fun here.
Snave Post ANYTHING YOU WANT at Good Company. It's not for the general public and being a private discussion area between friends not subject to copyright garbage ... stuff there is not "published" just discussed.
Now if it only had a few more members.
snave
no matter what you write
i will read it - your intelligence and reasoning is what is worth reading - not the subjects
i wish you the best and look forward to continued reading
(like you - i have been veering away from politics, except to make fun of them, and more into economics - the one subject i truly love)
Post a Comment
<< Home