What the blog is going on here?!

So, I've realized a few things over the last year or so regarding this site.

1.  I really like to share on it.  I know that people are reading (almost 10 000 views), but not a whole lot of dialog, which was one of the reasons why I wanted to take this blog seriously and get into it.

2.  Not a lot of dialog is probably my fault.  I spend a lot of times complaining about China or ranting on and on about a hockey team that nobody really loves as much as I do.  I've not a whole lot of topics that allow for discussion, nor that provide the need to comment.  I've gotten feedback from more than a few people who say that they really enjoy the blog, which is nice, but the very fact that they do not communicate their feelings through the blog exposes an obvious shortfall that I would like to improve upon.

3.  The Internet is a very dangerous place, in more ways than one.  The battle am going through now is that I seem to be spreading myself too thin.

The blog is one thing. I am writing every day to a mysterious following.  Seemingly spewing out every little tidbit about my life for the Internet to swallow up with the rest of the noise.

I visit Failblog a lot, and I've found it less and less funny.  I am less and less impressed with the funny photos or videos that they post.  I feel frustrated by it, by it's addiction and how unsatisfied it makes me, yet I go back for more.  10 years ago, if someone caught something amazing on film, it would be on America's Funniest Home Videos and that was the only place you could see it.  How things have changed.

It's gotten to the point where it's going beyond impressing and straight to shock value.  I came across a video the other day of a guy going through something called the "Challenge Gauntlet" or something.  He ate 6 habanero peppers, 10 Warhead candies, some Mentos, a 2 liter bottle of soda, and a gallon of Milk.  Once he started barfing up the milk I turned it off.  Curiosity took me that far, but my eyes and heart had had enough.  This poor sack of human being was just trying to get famous on the Internet.  Is it really worth risking permanent heart and intestinal issues to became famous for 5 minutes?

I need an intervention.  I think that most of us do.  Being in China, feeling isolated can be a big problem and the quick fix is to go to something familiar, Facebook or whatever, and stay there for 2 or 3 hours.  What a waste of a life!

4.  Since feeling like I cannot be spread any thinner, I've come to a point where I need to do something about it.  Prioritizing things is a start.

5.  A way to combat this thinness is to find ways to go deeper.  As if an answer to prayer, my friend invited me to join a discussion on a blog that he has started.  There will be at least 4 of us discussing a wide range of things.  I'm looking forward to a change or scenery in regards to blogging; new people to talk with, new audience, more people contributing their ideas, time, and interest.

It's a different angle of the view I've been trying to get a glimpse of ever since deciding that a blogging community would be a good place for me and my sanity.  I'll dip my toes in at first, and if the water is warm enough I'll let you know the details.

So, in conclusion, I'm going to cool it for a while on the blog.  If I can do that for, lets say until after Valentine's Day, then I am a stronger man than I thought I was.  After that, who knows?  I know some people that don't even have Facebook accounts.  Could you imagine that?