Sometimes I Wonder What I'm Doing Here

Intense blogging events like the recent film festival are like going on a busy business trip.  I'm still in Anchorage, but I'm constantly busy watching movies, meeting folks, and posting, and I act as if I'm out of town, passing up all other activities.  But it's over and I have had time to think about where this is all going. 

What To Do With All Those Posts?
But it also makes me wonder where all this blogging is going.  Blogger says I have 3279 published posts.  The clutter war moves out of the closets and onto my blog.  I'm wondering if I should pause a bit and look back at what I have and whether I can do something with it all.

The Blogger label function (that long list of words on the lower right) would be a lot better if there could be a hierarchy of topics.  For instance, I could have a Birds label and if you clicked that you could see Eagles, Ducks, Ravens, etc.   Part of me thinks I should get rid of all the labels that only have one post.  But then I see people finding that one post and linking to it.  And Blogger doesn't listen to me when I suggest fixing labels up a bit. 

I still have room for more pages on the tab bar on top (you can have ten.) I've used the current ones as annotated tables of contents to posts on specific topics - Redistricting and Film Festival.   I thought I might use a few more to offer links to some of my favorite posts now lost somewhere in the 3279.

In a sense the blog has been a journal of what I'm seeing, doing, thinking, and people I'm meeting.  It's been a place to jot notes on topics as the ideas come.  It seems that going through my notes might be a good idea.   Are there some ideas that could be combined into something longer - perhaps an article or two?


The Photos
What about all the photos?  I sometimes make cards with them to send to friends and thought I might offer readers the opportunity to get cards, but would they want the ones I pick and would it be worth my time to let people pick the photos they want?  Probably not.

I've been thinking of making calendars for friends too.  But haven't yet.  I could also make those available to readers.  Then I could make some money off the blog, at least enough to buy a sound cards for my camera once in a while.   But I'm not sure anyone is interested. 

And the film festival has inspired me to try to use the video I've taken over five years of Anchorage International Film Festivals and make a movie for next year's festival. I know it's a bit incestuous, but it doesn't have to be in competition.   I think I need to move up from iMovie to Final Cut for that. And looking at all the people in the credits of even the two minute movies, I'm going to have to reach out to others.  But the film maker workshops let me know those others are out there waiting to do the same.  I have video of Travis Betz' workshop and also Richard Cunningham's and I try to get those up before long. 

Not Becoming Consumed By The Blog
I tend to rationalize that the blog is merely an electronic journal to record things that interest me anyway.  I just take my camera with me when I go places.  And blogging gives me an excuse to talk to folks I might not otherwise talk to.  But it's also a good excuse to avoid other things I need to do.  Longer writing projects mostly, but also liberating a room downstairs and the garage from the clutter monster.

Who Are You All?
Some people who visit here regularly I know because they sign their names when they comment - Jacob (aka Jay), Ropi, Dianne, alaskapi, Tomás, Mark M, m, Iatto, Kathy in KY, and many others now that I think about it.  Some of these folks I've met only via the blog.   But there are 33 followers listed and most of you I don't know.  Or if I do, I don't know you by your blogger ids.  Some folks have sent emails to say hi. (Thanks)  Others leave friendly comments to say they've been by.  Some people tell me when they see me that they read the blog.

Many visitors get to very specific posts via Google.  It's nice to know that someone has found something helpful - like those who google "my linksys router was hijacked"  or "snow leopard causes black screen."  Or, "can you use fluorescent lights with dimmer?"  Or "hiking trail to Doi Suthep." But those folks are coming for one thing and they probably won't be back.

But if you stop here more than once a month, when you feel comfortable, say hi - either in the comments or by email.  (I know the comments aren't always that easy to use.  There's an email link in the upper right side bar.)

And do give me feedback about cards and calendars.  I'd do cards by hand and at cost plus shipping and a small profit.  I'd do calendars through one of the online operations.  It's a bit late for calendars for 2012, but in the future?  Or if you have other ideas, let me know.