I’ve heard several internet-famous characters claim that they had more fun when they were just posting stuff without an audience. While they are always careful to say they are appreciative of their public lives, they nostalgically think of when they were toiling away anonymously.
Hearing such humble brags make me want to retort, “wish I had your problems”.
But Grizzlypear is a hobby (not a job).
So I thank them for the insight. Their warnings have tempered my desire for internet popularity. I have an enjoyable job that pays well. Why should I pursue an extra gig that might be neither?
I enjoy publishing publically on this blog because it encourages me to take the writing touch more seriously. Knowing that I’m not the only reader forces me to refine my thoughts. Then again, the small audience limits the angst to that of a professional email.
I’d say this is a perfect balance for my circumstances. Of course, my ego would gladly accept more acclaim, but I’m always concious of the warning “beware of what you wish for, ’cause you might get it.”
Between writing and publishing this post, I suddenly started a two week (minimum) side project with daily one sentence stories. I had been lightly playing with the idea for a few weeks and just started publishing them on a whim.
I suspect these silly experiments should have been perfect for social media, but that world has developed a darker tone these days, as many centralized systems ultimately become. And so we’re back to blogging on an older version of the web. The audience doesn’t come as easily – but neither does the mob.
Obscurity gives me the invisiblilty allows me to play without much angst. As always thanks for reading!