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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Concerto & Blog Revalations

This will be a two part post, I hope that you all don't mind.  The first part will link over to Magpie Tales for this weeks photo prompt - #48 - as it seemed to relate well to the thoughts that have been forming within me for this post, for the last week or so.  The second part will cover some additional thoughts, somewhat of a summary of feelings that I have been mulling over regarding my posts and the direction of this blog.

Part I:  Magpie Tales - Concerto Revalations


picture prompt #48 for Magpie Tales
As explained in Britannica Encyclopedia - eb.com  a blog is an 'online journal where an individual, group, or corporation presents a record of activities, thoughts, or beliefs.' and  '“To blog” is the act of composing material for a blog.'   Okay, so then what is it to compose?  According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary online - m-w.com the second definition would be:  'a : to create by mental or artistic labor : produce  <compose a sonnet> b (1) : to formulate and write (a piece of music) (2) : to compose music for'.

Thus one would come to the conclusion that to create or compose a blog, one is in their own way, creating music for the reader much like a musician would create music for the ears of his audience.  While composing a poem, or sonnet, if you will, they are expressing a talent as if being one who participates in the presentation of a symphony.  Each post, each poem or tale presented, a specific song or concerto, a piece of the overall concert presented by an orchestra.  

Due to time constraints and a very demanding schedule, I have not been as attentive as I would like, often absent from blogland as of recently.  Though I have found this to be frustrating, this sporadic absence has given me the opportunity to step back, to listen to the music I have created up to this point, and then to re-evaluate if my blog is going in the direction that I originally intended for it. 

Overall, I would say the journey up to this point has been a very positive experience, much like listening to the first concerto of a symphony.  I have highlighted a variety of aspects, my poetry, my short stories, a few minor glimpses into a couple of short adventures in nearby areas, the progression building on the creative efforts I was hoping to free up, if you will.  However, I have also discovered, just as if one was at a concert, ones energies can build as the cresendo in a musical composition, building in a specific direction solely to highlight a specific instument... 

Part II - Blog Revalations

I have also found that the stats offered by Blogger can be, like all the positive comments, very addictive causing one to switch their focus to meet those numbers, to highlight those notes within the symphony.  I have just recently hit the 5000 mark for page hits, a goal I found myself anticipating, though I was surprised to find myself so interested in this stat.  In the past I have been rather hidden about my creative writing in general, much like I am about my personal life with those individuals that I come into contact with on a regular basis in the here and now 'real world' of my life.  Somewhere, within the last few hundred page hits, in my mind, I set this 5000 mark as a transition to my approach here on my blog.

I'm not sure exactly what this transition will be, maybe posting more things expressing my everyday world, whilst trying not to 'offend anyone who participates there'... this was the topic, or sort of, in another blogger's post recently... I don't know that there really is anyone in my world who would be offended if I speak of them, but a mental note made, that I should be aware of how I present things if I transition to speaking of the real world versus sharing the stories created in my imagination.  I hope that you all will continue to follow along as I explore further paths of this journey, and I hope you will enjoy whatever instuments that I highlight as the music here plays on.  

Thank you all for following along and attending my symphony.  
                                                                        Yours Truly...    Reflections

17 comments:

Sioux Roslawski said...

I agree---the stats and the comments are a bit "addictive." And I also agree that increasing one's audience is a delicate balance. Everyday life interspersed with observations about the world (for those more serious-minded) intertwined with writing tidbits, along with...It's hard to please everyone, and it's hard to be passionate and yet not offend anyone.

I liked the comparison between composing posts and composing symphonies. Well done, Maestro!

Cad said...

We all have a chance to add harmony to life's music...

Tess Kincaid said...

The blogosphere is indeed a symphony. Congratulations on 5000!

Brigid O'Connor said...

Interesting post, I like yourself am blogging to find some creative space in my busy day and try to steer away from the stats. Congrats on your blog to date!

Margaret said...

If I look back to the beginning so of my photography/poetry blog which I started in October 2010 - it has changed tremendously, I think. Growth and change are good and I look forward to following you in 2011.

Composing blogs - life's music. Nice.

JeffScape said...

Ah, very insightful and I share some of your observations. I think, for me, it's time to let the composition fade into silence.

Kathe W. said...

Growth and change as mentioned by Margaret does happen- I have seen it in myself and other bloggers and I learn so much from everyone!
Good thoughtful blog here!

Lyn said...

I've never been a numbers person, so stats just jam me up..like a math test.....there is a good amount of introspection to this piece..smart!!
Only strangers visit my blog (thank goodness)..friends and relatives can't be bribed to look in.

joanna said...

An interesting and reflective piece. I haven't checked the stats on mine blog, oh well, ---
like Lyn's comment ditto for me as well.

nice magpie,

joanny

Deborah said...

This was so interesting and wonderful to read and I know I wil follow your tune happily :o)

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

I only looked at my status on my Jingle blogger account 2 or 3 times, never looked at it on JP...

blog and comment if I can, let it stay empty when I am busy...

admirable advice here..yet, let it be, you shall relax and enjoy what you can do.

Happy Writing,
Happy Blogging.

Pamela said...

I guess my blog would be called a trio--mother and two daughters...all in different tunes of life, yet forming music together.

Kavita said...

It's always a pleasure reading your blog, Reflections... Your poems are a delight to the sense (just like music)..
So, stats or no stays, write on, my friend...
And may you find immense satisfaction in expressing your views here...

Love & Best Regards!! :))

Tumblewords: said...

Change is so constant - I'll keep following ...it's always a pleasure to read your posts!

Lucy Westenra said...

This interesting post makes me wonder whether any serious sociological research on blogging/blogs/blogfollowers etc has been carried out. The relevant Departments in our Universities need new and exciting projects, do they not. Oh, SURELY? Somewhere recently I read a post where the guy wanted to find out why bloggers need to "approve" comments before posting them. I always assume these people are Mamby-Pambies who want to know that the World and his Wife luv them. But I could be wrong.

Maggie said...

I think if I had one person visit my blog each day, that would be okay. My blog is my music. It still sings for me.

Follow the music, not the stats.

kaykuala said...

Petrina,
It is good to lay back and reflect. It is educational to those following you. It did to me. Statistics can be revealing as it provides a quantifiable element to responses received. You've given us an incisive analysis which is thought provoking. Good show!