Sometimes I feel like my blog is the worst on the internet. All I do is post up trades that I complete, a pack break every now and then with a group break sprinkled in for good measure. I have a hard time coming up with "original" material like Night Owl, Nick from Dime Boxes, or Napkin Doon do on a nightly basis. I've never been a talented writer when it comes to originality but when I get a prompt (or in this case a trade) I can usually put together a few paragraphs and say thanks at the end.
I don't get a ton of comments (669 comments on 437 post, ~1.5 comments per post) but I understand why I don't. Most everything I post is "show and tell", so all of the readers just look and move on.
Baseball cards are enjoyable for me and I do it on my spare time (which is less and less these days). I work a full 8 hours and then I come home to do some work in the yard (more on that a little bit later) or household chores and by the time I sit down to look at cards, my brain is in shut down mode. Coming up with thought provoking commentary or witty banter about something I enjoy is sometimes tough when you're pooped from the day's activities.
I'm not trying to sound like a whiner or get some pity from anybody. I know everybody else has issues that they deal with on a daily basis too. Bottom line is I hope that my writing style isn't boring to read. My blog is what it is and I just want to thank everybody that does read. I'm not going anywhere for a while so you're going to have to cope with my blog for long time to come!
The boring stuff starts right here:
Let me jump back in time to last May when the wife and I moved into a new (to us) house. I've always been the kind of person who enjoys a well landscaped yard and we both saw the potential that the house has (and is slowly reaching). The only thing is that while the inside of the house was well taken care of, the yard had become an overgrown jungle since it was built back in 2007. Trees were out of control and the flowerbeds were almost non-existent. When the weather cooled last September (right after my adult baseball season ended) we went to work. I hate Sweet Gum trees, especially those damn spiky "gumballs" that they drop. Out of the roughly 125 trees I've cut down, hauled away the brush to the dump, given away loads of firewood and chopped up the stumps with an ax, probably 100 of them have been Gum trees! Luckily our county dump gives away free mulch so we've probably spread about 20 or so loads of that in our new flower beds that have been constructed out of nothing but our imaginations and the dirt under our feet. All of this has taken a remarkable amount of time and there's still a lot of work that needs to be done. Everything I've mentioned has been in the front yard!
I'm planning on cutting down more trees in the back yard and planting some grass so that there's a nice place for the Mrs and I to relax with our dogs. Then there's the garden that we're planning on putting in the side yard. That will also include cutting trees down and getting rid of the stumps!
I actually enjoy spending the time doing yard projects. I'm getting my exercise and fresh air and I'm told that's good for me. Chopping my toes off with an ax or having a tree fall on me would be bad. I'm looking forward to continually work on finishing up these projects but it just takes time. One bite of the elephant at a time is what I keep telling myself.
You just keep writing - we'll keep reading.
ReplyDeleteYep, what Jeff said.
ReplyDeleteP.S. - We just single-handedly upped your average comment per post figure!
Doubled!
ReplyDeleteCurrently, we rent, but I told the landlord that we'd do the yard work. The two of us hate being cooped up inside all of the time, and I wish we had a bit more landscaping leverage - remove/plant our own trees, etc.
Today in the greater 'Cuse we're getting a hell of a wind storm and it's taken down quite a bit of out box elder, which is an easily storm damaged tree.
Also, Ryan, if you ever want tree recommendations, I'm working as a forester, so if you have certain desired traits for your new trees I can help out.
On to the beginning of your post, while I follow a bunch of blogs, I read very few of them thoroughly - this happens to be one of them. While you don't opine as freely as someone like the Night Owl, who, lest we forget, is an actual writer, your blog definitely fills a niche in the community. Instead of: "HEY! New Oriolez!!1" you describe why you like the guys, how you became a fan, and often have anecdotes on them, and it's definitely a trait in a blog that is enjoyable.
Dude, you must have a huge yard. How many trees can fit on your lot? I had know idea you are so big time.
ReplyDeleteI always read, but you already knew that. Your yard looks awesome. Come down here and help my lazy butt get mine looking better.
ReplyDeleteWorst blog? Have you seen mine lately? Seriously, yard work is one of my least favorite things to do, but I'd like to see a pic of what you're working on. As for your blog, it's fine the way it is and you don't give yourself enough credit. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteAs long as you're writing about what you want, when you want, then the blog is a success.
ReplyDeleteWhen you try to force your writing, that's when the frustration sets in. Life comes first, so keep clearing those trees!!!
By the way, would the worst blog on the net step in when a fellow blogger couldn't do community box breaks? The fact that you stepped up like that makes you a superstar...
I still think of you first if/when I get Orioles stuff in...
What everyone else said above me. I often feel that same way you do (except about my blog). I've learned that you can't necessarily compare yourself to whichever blog (or blogs) you think are best but rather do whatever is fun for you. In my case, that means I won't post a lot of narratives (since that's not my thing) but I still hope people stop by to read my smaller posts and whatnot. Keep up the good work, you are on my blog roll for a reason!
ReplyDeleteI'll never know how Night OWl and Nick find the time to write posts so often. I'd have one angry wife if I did that.
ReplyDeleteI also hate yard work, but appreciate a tidy lawn and garden, so our yard remains steadily mediocre....
The last few months of my old job made it very difficult to read anyone else's blog, or comment timely (ex: this). I'm getting back into the swing and I'll definitely keep reading when you get a chance to write. I would simply say don't worry about trying to be the best. Do what makes you happy. If it's all trade posts, that just means you're a great trader and people will recognize and appreciate that too. By the way, my post on our group break trade is coming up very soon. At least you can keep up with your trades!
ReplyDelete--Jon