Ooooh, lovely to see new people here, mainly travelled via the ASBOjesus site, which I've been enjoying discovering.
What am I going to do to keep people here and reading and commenting and excited? What would anyone like?
I've been spending the day being shuttled from pillar to post in my Proper Trousers whilst trying to sort out arrangements and contracts and the like for my New Job. But I'm still so ardently grateful to have a New Job that I'm still amenable to a gentle bit of being slightly pissed around, and they do have a free and low-carbon-emitting minibus service which efficiently shuttles the 16 minute journey between Pillar and Post at 13 and 43 minutes past every hour until 1743. And on one of the journeys from Post back to Pillar I got an email on my mobile asking if I'd like to apply for a job at one of the partner organisations of Place of Former Employment. So definately, I'm very glad I've got a New Job.
But honestly, what am I writing about? What would keep people reading? All contributions welcome...
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I love your blog, I love you genuine and personal search for a new church and for truth and integrity in your own life. I love your thoughtful reflections and your insightful way of writing.
Sometimes what makes your blog so strong also makes it difficult to post - it's easier to engage on a more theoretical blog where you can get stuck in to a conversation because the blog owner's own vulnerabilities aren't so exposed.
On balance, I wouldn't want you to change anything at all about the blog, but if you are determined to have more conversations on it, maybe a few slightly less personal posts people can get stuck into without fearing to hurt you?
Keep doing the same thing.
I think it depends on your reason for blogging. Do you need a place where you can truly be yourself and write about what concerns you? Then do that, and forget about the numbers.
However, if you have a reason for caring whether you attract readers (other than just the seduction of numbers), then I would say pay close attention to which types of posts attract the most comments.
My wife says she'll help out at Guides for as long as she enjoys it - so far that's fifteen years and counting.
So I'd just say, keep enjoying what you are writing and people will enjoy reading it. And if you don't enjoy it any more, stop.
(But please don't stop!)
One thought: you've blogged us through some big changes in your life, and with regard to several of those (job, marriage) you've reached a good and stable place, so it's maybe not surprising you are asking, "what now?".
What I've found in your blog that I've not found elsewhere (but I don't look too hard) is the kind of gentle but pointed humour I enjoy, and genuine issues grappled with personally and honestly. Helps that I can contextualise you a little, having met you!
(By the way, with a regular minibus service, between two or three sites, sounds like you may be working for the same organisation as Emma.)
Erika, I read your kind comment about cats and bellies to our cat, and he looked at me as if to say, "You mean, I've not been your muse all along?", and slunk off in disgust, belly clearing a swathe through the carpet as if all the fleas on it were wielding machetes.
Just the two locations. There's Pillar the central urban location, and then Post which is, er, a bit of an outpost. But do drop me an email on that.jesus.wept@gmail.com and I'd love to know where Emma is... and you, of course.
"maybe a few slightly less personal posts people can get stuck into without fearing to hurt you?"
Fair point. And thank you, too, for putting it so nicely. Someone who didn't dare leave even an anonymous comment texted last night to tell me I'm just "all whiny and self-obsessed". Um, yeah. OK.
Oh no! I didn't mean self obsessed at all!
I am totally touched by your writing. It is deeply personal, full of integrity and gentleness. Reading what you write is like treading on holy ground.
But that's also why commenting has to be done very carefully and why your posts aren't often suited to a real debate.
Hi Grace,
Emma's NHS (not giving too much away there I hope!). So maybe it's not the same place.
As for email - can receive but not send anything at present: we hope to get that fixed soon but neither of us can find much time! How's about us and Poet friend and family meeting up one day, though?
As for me, well, doing my stuff. Exploring what it might mean to minister to a decentralised church, which involves at present a couple of voluntary (non-religious) jobs, and theologising, and random meetings in public places.
Pete Rollins says it better than I on his latest blog:
"A question that I am often asked when sitting in coffee shops or out for an evening, indeed a question that even my family and close friends sometimes ask, comes down to this: “what exactly is it that you do?” Well I was thinking that tonight might be a good opportunity to answer that question once and for all. And the answer is, “I have no idea what ‘it’ is that I do.” In fact, more than this, I can tell you honestly that I have no idea how I have done it for so long or why on earth I continue to do it."
...and proceeds to explore it in interesting depth.
[i]the answer is, “I have no idea what ‘it’ is that I do.” In fact, more than this, I can tell you oearth I continue to do it."[/i]
Well, I suppose that goes with the territory of (almost) amy Christian/faith-based/theological or ministerial or churchy-type work. With a Boss like God, one can never be entirely sure (though the charismatics might disagree...)
It'll be strange working for someone who's fully human without being fully God as well...
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