Why Blog?

I recently asked my old friend Alan, who lives a good distance away, why he hadn't ever read my blog before last week, when he did in fact read the only entry ever to make a splash in the "vast ocean of words in the blogsphere." (His words; I would have said blogosphere.) His answer was surprising: 

"Don't be absurd. EVERYONE has a blog.  Everyone I know, every student, every colleague. Plus Facebook pages, twitter feeds, etc.  Everyone wants to be heard and read.  We would be drowning in opinions, rants, and statements except that no one with any life at all has time to read all that. I can barely get through Ulysses (which I'm reading on my iTouch) let alone the vast ocean of words in the blogsphere. A three year commitment to yours? You've got be kidding."

Several thoughts came to mind. First, I was stunned to learn that in his world, which is New York City where he lives and New Jersey where he works, so many people are bloggers. Here in Maine, where I live and work, I know of only one other within my circle of friends and acquaintances.

Next, I was seriously depressed: Who needs to write a blog if every Tom, Dick and Harry is doing it too? As a professional writer with a paid humor column and feature writing on my resume, I sincerely thought I was adding something of value--to someone, somewhere. Besides offering an occasional laugh--and let's face it, I can be funny--my cynical but honest take on societal trends and Death with a capital D often contain several nuggets of truth and a decent helping of food for thought. But according to Alan, I'm a drop in the ocean!

Finally, I realized: Blogging is free--anyone can do it--and those loquacious New Yorkers, of which I am one, always have something to say.  I guess I'll keep going until A, my mind's a blank, which could happen any day, or B, my laptop crashes. And besides, reading my blog is so much more fun than reading Ulysses, doncha think?