Whew! A Whole Year of Blogging

I made it! I set out last year to write a new blog post every day this year, and (with just a couple of exceptions) I was successful. It's been an interesting experiment and it's fascinating to see how the posts have evolved over the year. I look back on them and I'm pretty proud of the whole of what I was able to accomplish. 

I learned a lot over the year. For one thing, I think having some sort of image to go with each post is helpful in drawing attention to the post, as well as in finding past posts. I also learned that my best blog posts happen in the morning. By evening my brain is done and I just want to chill and not think a bunch.

I don't plan on stopping blogging next year, but I may not be as diligent on making sure that there is something new published every day. There are days when I just don't have anything new, helpful, or interesting to blog about, and trying to come up with something relevant is sometimes a little stressful. So I will continue to update this, but there may be days where I don't necessarily post anything. 

I hope this has been and will continue to be interesting for you. Maybe more people will be impacted as this blog floats out there on the net in the years to come.

Here's to a great 2022 and hoping for a wonderful 2023! Happy new year.

Inform, Inspire, Motivate, Entertain

Once in a while on my blog here I'll point out something that is frustrating or try to steer people away from something I think is subpar (maybe a food item or a TV show or movie), but usually I like to highlight something that is good that I think my readers may enjoy. Or maybe something to make people smile or laugh. (Like the picture today.)

My other goal (sometimes) is to get people to think. Usually I try to pose a rhetorical question to stimulate reflection or perhaps even action. Of course, readers are always welcome to take the questions non-rhetorically (is that a word? That's a rhetorical question - I don't care. It is now.) By that I mean that they can comment (as long as it's appropriate and relevant), although to this point I haven't had a lot of people interacting. I get that, as there are a bunch of blogs that I read that I don't comment on, either. But the invitation and opportunity is always there. 

I wonder if it's possible to combine these goals. Can I inform, inspire, motivate, and entertain all at once? 

What if we all tried to do that in all our interactions?

(See what I did there.)

Finding Meaning in Unstructured Activity

It's always interesting to come up with post ideas for this blog. Sometimes a seed of an idea will germinate for several days or longer before I write a post. Other time it's more of a spur-of-the-moment kind of experience (like today!) Sometimes I'll start writing with just a general concept and see where it takes me. 

It's kind of like a daily schedule. Sometimes external events dictate your activities (your job, school, other commitments, etc.) and your activities are highly structured. Other times you have more of a general idea of what you might want to accomplish and then just see how the day unfolds, like on weekends. Then at the end of the day you look back and decide whether how you spent your time was worthwhile or wasted.

It's amazing how many times while writing that I'm able to bring this blog around and suggest a conclusion, question, or challenge that is (hopefully) helpful or insightful. And then there are the other posts, like this one, where you might have to search for meaning and draw your own application. Which seems like a useful ability to cultivate.

So what application would you suggest? 

(Hey, I ended up with a question, after all!)

Blogging for Posterity

I spent a little time yesterday looking back over my blog posts from the last 15 years - which sounds impressive, but only total 264. It's only this year that I have been diligent about posting daily (and I've only missed one day so far! Fingers crossed.) 

It's interesting looking at my earlier posts and how many of them are very time-bound about things going on in my life or ministry at the time. More recently I have tried to post items which have a greater reach and hopefully greater value to people beyond just those who know me personally. My goal it that if someone stumbles across this blog accidentally, they might still find something to encourage, inspire or entertain them. 

It does make for a nice kind of journal for my thoughts and kind of a time capsule. Perhaps someday my kids will read back over my old posts and smile at some crazy thing I said.

A Comment on Comments

I read an interesting post on Ken Levine's blog about the comment section of his blog. It's usually quite busy with people interacting about whatever Ken has posted on or asking questions. Apparently there's been an increase in the meanness of tone and critique by many of the commenters (not just trolls). I haven't had to worry about that because I rarely have anyone comment. Maybe I'm just not controversial enough. Which is okay, too.

But in case anyone ever wants to, let's keep it civil, and please be sure to leave your name. I'll plan to delete anonymous posts. I'd enjoy hearing from you if you find a post particularly helpful, insightful, or if you disagree (beyond something like "you're wrong" - make it helpful.)

Rob's Recommendations: Ken Levine blog and podcast

Podcasting seems to have overtaken blogging in popularity (or at least in the public zeitgeist) when it comes to people sharing information, ideas, or just entertainment. But there are some great blogs out there. 

One blog that I read daily is By Ken Levine (not the game developer by the same name). Ken is a comedy writer - and baseball announcer, playwright, artist, author, and probably more things. Primarily known for his writing, Ken wrote for shows like MASH, Cheers, Frasier, Becker, Wings, and many more. He and his writing partner were showrunners for MASH and Becker (among others). Check out his IMDB profile for the full rundown. Needless to say, he is very entertaining and a fount of information about writing, show business, and more. 

In addition to his daily blog that has been going over a decade, he is also a podcaster with a highly entertaining podcast that comes out on Thursdays each weeks for several years now. (The podcast is sometimes PG-13 with language, just so you are aware.) Sometimes it's just Ken talking and sometimes he'll have on someone to interview. Either way, it's very high quality and always entertaining.

Why a Blog?

"What's a blog?" That was the question asked by one of my youth group students the other day when I told them I was starting the year trying to post a new blog entry every day. 

Why blog? Blogging is definitely not as popular as it used to be, having been supplanted by social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, MySpace...!) But there's a permanency to blogging that can't be matched by these other platforms. At any time you can go back and see what a person has written in the past without having to wade through sponsored posts, political rants, inane memes, and so on.

Another factor that I have recently become more aware of recently is the extent of censorship taking place on many of the most popular social media platforms (I'm looking at you, Twitter and Facebook!) There are more and more cases where content and people are censored simply for stating something controversial or something that goes against current cultural norms. I'm not talking about wacko fringe elements here, either, or misinformation/disinformation, hate speech and the like. I'm talking about stating opinions or sometimes even facts. Of course, it's possible for blog posts to be censored, (this blog site is hosted by Google) but it is less likely to be censored either intentionally or inadvertently (by various "algorithms" or "fact-checkers") . Not that I expect anything I post to be too controversial, but that's a moving target in today's culture. It's honestly chilling when you can't have disagreements in the "public square" of social media. It's almost Orwellian at times.

Again, censorship is not the primary reason to blog instead of make social media posts. It's more to share and be helpful in a way that is more permanent, easily searchable, and reflects your thoughts and opinions.

Facebook Vs. Blogging

Why a blog and not just post on Facebook?

Facebook is okay (I guess) for the occasional update or personal anecdotes, but it not very good for recording things you want to keep and look back on. (Although their Memories function which shows old posts is entertaining, it's not all that useful.) Plus with all of the advertising and junk that gets shared it's nearly impossible to sort through the important from the ethereal.

With a blog you can record ideas in a more coherent and lasting manner. It's also easier to search and doesn't have all of the clutter that Facebook has become overwhelmed with. Plus it's accessible to everyone - even those without a Facebook account. (There are those out there. I've heard stories of sightings...)

Seth Godin has a great quote about this:

"If you know you have to write a blog post tomorrow, something in writing, something that will be around 6 months from now, about something in the world, you will start looking for something in the world to to write about. You will seek to notice something interesting and to say something creative about it. Well, isn’t that all we’re looking for? The best practice of generously sharing what you notice about the world is exactly the antidote for your fear."

Do you have ideas that you want to share? Maybe look into starting a blog. Let me know in the comments below and I'll link to it (as long as it's not just cat pictures...).

Introducing Spahr Tracks 2.0

Seth Godin told me to blog. Every day.

He said so right here: https://www.cjchilvers.com/blog/seth-godin-explains-why-you-should-blog-daily 

So... Introducing Spahr Tracks 2.0

I'm revitalizing the blog I started years ago but haven't updated in the last 3 years.

Some days I'll write a lot - some days a little. I'll post on things I find interesting that I think may interest you or make you think. If this helps you - glad I could help. If not... these are not the droids you're looking for. Move along. Move along.

I'll try not to ramble and I'll endeavor to keep it interesting and humorous.

And short.

See you tomorrow.

Blogging, "Micro-blogging", and Facebook

What's the difference between having a blog and keeping your Facebook status updated (or Twitter, or MySpace, etc.)? Isn't it the same thing?

I've been a Facebook fan for some time now and recently added my 300th friend. That may seem like a lot to some, depending on how long you've been on Facebook and your age. Others may find this quite a small number - usually younger people or those who friend at random anyone they've ever met. But I digress.

For a little while now I have been much better at keeping my Facebook status updated but have allowed the blog here to languish. Part of this is the assumption that most of the people I know are Facebook friends and can "follow" me there. Recently, however, I have begun updating my status a lot less frequently. I started updating my status only when I felt that I had something more significant to share than "heading to work again" or "staying up late tonight". I weary of reading some of my Facebook friends' updates that are constantly filled with trivia. It's not that I don't want to know what they are up to, but there is a point when the trivia becomes trivial. (For instance, there is the new habit some of my friends have gotten into where they post lines from a song as a status update. Sorry, guys, but I just don't care unless there is something in those lines of particular significance to you. If so, then explain it. Otherwise you may end up in my "hidden" list of status updates.)

The benefit of blogging is that there is the opportunity to expand on a thought and really flesh out items of more significance. No, I won't be giving up Facebook, which I think is a wonderful way to keep in touch, network, etc. But I think a nice balance of blogging is a great way to keep my communication skills sharp (as Seth Godin pointed out in my blog post yesterday.) Also, as these blog posts get highlighted in my Facebook status updates, there will be opportunity for interaction via the Facebook comments rather than on this site. Hopefully I can share some helpful, interesting, thought-provoking, or simply entertaining things on the blog and we can discuss together via Facebook. Let me know what you think.

Why blog?

Saw this today and thought it was brilliant. Certainly something worth aspiring to, for sure. I'm going to give it a try. We'll see how it goes.

Seth shares how to write like a blogger

In addition to being a youth pastor, one of my first passions is writing. Seth Godin has a great blog post that I thought was very interesting and a wonderful way of spicing up any writing. I was going to just quote part, but one of the geniuses of his blog posts is that they are so short and easy to read but hard to distill any more than they already are. Plus I hate having to jump to something when I'm trying to read a blog, so here's the whole thing. If you like it, you will want to check out his blog regularly. Great stuff.

Write like a blogger

from Seth's Blog by Seth Godin

You can improve your writing (your business writing, your ad writing, your thank you notes and your essays) if you start thinking like a blogger:

1. Use headlines. I use them all the time now. Not just
   boring ones that announce your purpose (like the one on this post) but
   interesting or puzzling or engaging headlines. Headlines are perfect
   for engaging busy readers.
2. Realize that people have choices. With 80 million other
   blogs to choose from, I know you could leave at any moment (see, there
   goes someone now). So that makes blog writing shorter and faster and
   more exciting.
3. Drip, drip, drip. Bloggers don't have to say everything at once. We can add a new idea every day, piling on a thesis over time.
4. It's okay if you leave. Bloggers aren't afraid to include links or distractions in their writing, because we know you'll come back if what we had to say was interesting.
5. Interactivity is a great shortcut. Your readers care about
   someone's opinion even more than yours... their own. So reading your
   email or your comments or your trackbacks (your choice) makes it easy
   to stay relevant.
6. Gimmicks aren't as useful as insight. If you're going to
   blog successfully for months or years, sooner or later you need to
   actually say something. Same goes for your writing.
7. Don't be afraid of lists. People like lists.
8. Show up. Not writing is not a useful way of expressing your ideas. Waiting for perfect is a lousy strategy.
9. Say it. Don't hide, don't embellish.

What would happen if every single high school student had to have a
blog? Or every employee in your company? Or every one of your
customers?

Why Bloggers Really Blog

Pearls Before Swine is one of the few comics that I find consistently funny - though it often has very dark humor. (The others I love are Dilbert and Foxtrot, which is now weekly instead of daily.) To subscribe via a daily e-mail go here. Collections of all these are available from the library via an inter-library loan (or you can buy them, which I am often too broke/cheap to do!)

New Format for My Blog

If you're on the site (and not just viewing these posts via a RSS Reader) you'll notice that I have an all new template in honor of our upcoming church Launch this weekend.

No, not really. I just liked this look. I've been tweaking it for a while now and finally got it to look the way I wanted it to. It's got a nice simple look and not nearly as dark as the last one. Enjoy.

This Blog's For Me!

Just read this in a post about communicating in ministry ...

Blog for you, not them
Don't start or continue a blog because you want a bunch of people to read your thoughts. No one cares more about what you have to think or say than you do. Now that you know that, the only reason you should be blogging is because you just have to get your thoughts out of your head and into some sort of online journal format. The ironic thing is that the more you blog from your head/heart, the more people will actually start tuning in because they see how important this stuff is to you.

I think this is really true. It's fun to have (or think I have) other people who 'care' about what I write, but that shouldn't be my motivation. Good reminder.