To blog or not to blog…
That is the question I have been stewing over for some time now. What am I afraid of? The “slings and arrows?” “The insolence of office and the spurns?” “The heartache and the thousand shocks?” Or just plain making a fool of myself? “Fools names and fools faces always show up in public places.” One of my reticent Midwestern relatives used to quote that. As opposed to my not-reticent East Coast relatives who would laminate and post on the bulletin board any clipping that named anyone they were remotely acquainted with.
I am a writer. They tell me I must have a “platform.” Why does that always make me think of tap dancing? Or train stations. Maybe tap dancing at the train station. Look at me: tippity, tap, tap. Here I am.
As a writer, you want people to read what you’ve written. There’s no point in pecking away in your lonely garret, letting the pages pile up unread until it’s time for the shredder. Except I’m living in Southern California at the moment. No garrets here. I do have a shredder though.
And stealing a few more words from poor old Hamlet, when I “have shuffled off this mortal coil,” these words will continue to swirl around the cyberclutter like so much space junk. That’s a comfort. I think.
Until then, I need a place to put this stuff. So here goes. Be gentle, please.
[Photo: Jesse Bailey]
Patricia Nieder 
A delightful blog, which for once displays fine writing. I’ll continue to follow this one, just to lift my spirits out of the mush usually seen in blogging. Tap dancing, train stations and Hamlet in one deft blog. Viva Pat!
Thank you! My second comment (the first after the 10/22 blog item) and again so complimentary. I’m going to get spoiled, though I know it won’t last.
2 b. or not 2 b., that is, oh well, you know the rest. The answer is “Blog away!” Particularly if you can do it in your customary mellifluous English without resort to emoticons, illogic and random ranting, all of which you seem to have avoided so far.
And, of course, don’t sit up nights waiting for responses, because it will take a while for people to find you. And when they do, many of the responses will curl your hair, cause you to grind your teeth and sharpen knives. Resist! Pay attention only to the kind, the sweet, the adulatory, the funny and the wise remarks. Ignore the rest.
Have fun and say whatever you want to. Knowing you, you couldn’t ever bear to offend anyone, even when they richly deserve it.
But, above all, have fun. What the heck else is life for? he asks.
OK, so this is the secret: If you’re lucky enough to confine the comments to good and true friends, you’ll never have to worry about “the slings and arrows.” But as I’ve said before, I know this wont last. Nice way to get started though. Thank you!
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog and look forward to more posts. I have recommended your site to all of my Facebook friends and hopefully they will not do the “slings and arrows” bit!
Thanks so much! Sooner or later I’m going to offend someone, I’m sure. But so far, I’m having fun and glad to have readers.
Hi Pat,
I’m so glad to see your work. I have always enjoyed your low key, but right on target, humor. I want to send you some pictures of my recent political and social artworks. I, too, don’t want to create in a vacuum – somebody needs to see it.
Wanda Kline
Thanks, Wanda. I agree that creativity needs an audience, even if it’s just the little green men in cyberspace.
I think the little green men in cyberspace are the ones who my company cleans up after, or more grammatically since this is a literary blog, the ones after whom my company cleans up. Sometimes they are in green buildings, surviving on green energy and green eggs & ham (a literary reference that’s at my grade level.)
Ahh, environmentalist humor. Welcome.
Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wished to say
that I’ve truly enjoyed browsing your blog posts.
After all I will be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write
again very soon!
Thanks so much! Just did something today.
Well, I want you to know, that I do not feel obligated, but I better if I want another delicious dinner at your home! Cheers,
Ha! Do you suppose that’s a way for me to build readership? “Follow my blog and get a dinner invitation.” Nah.
I just finished reading your Christmas letter. You have such a beautiful place – but all those steps! Not always easy to get around for Ed and for Lotte. Best wishes to the three of you.
Thanks, Peter. But what does that make me? Part mountain goat I guess.
You are enough lucky and thinking too much about audience is not really what you have. Of course, writing for ourselves will lead us to nowhere. Why you are lucky? Your native language is English which is one of the richest languages in the world. You, as writer, have the chance to have worldwide audience through English and that makes you enough lucky. Look at my comment, I really have no idea which is correct, ” you are enough lucky” or ” you are lucky enough” . At least, you have a treasure which is English. If I were you, I would focus only on writing rather than thinking about audience. If we write well, they would buy our books and like our articles. 🙂
Of course you are correct to chide me about unnecessary concern for what the
audience might think. The result of too many years writing for other people
instead of for myself. Better to start young and keep at it continually. As an
example of how not to do that, note how long it’s taken me to reply to your
comment. Life intervenes.
By the way, I think the correct usage is “lucky enough,” although “enough
lucky” has a nice ring to it. Thanks for reading (and writing).
Pat, we need to reach you right away. The old email for you seems not to work. Can you send a new one? Ford
burkhartf@gmail.com
Pat, I was thinking of you this morning. How are you doing?
Hanging in. How about you? Let’s have a catch-up email chat.
No need to tap dance! I enjoyed reading your short blog! Happy weekend! Peter
Thanks!
Hell yeah Aunt Pat let’s chit chat
Niece Bri now 30
Boom!
Email me need your #
No! Thirty? Hard to believe, Brianna. About as hard for me to believe as me being 80. Here’s my email address; it’s also on the website home page.
My dearest Pat,
I laughed…I cried…
Thank you for this wonderfully warm and witty blog from wonderfully warm and witty you! I’m thrilled that I can settle in with a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine or two!) and visit with you from afar. Sending you lots of love from across the country…
Thank you!
I have read the whole damned NY Times today and not been as moved by anything as these old blogs from the PatNieder.com site. Thanks for those. And consider from now to November 2020, we need your voice as much as ever. But what the hey, if you don’t post anew we’ll just keep re-reading the old ones on the shelf.