Thank You

Posted by Chris Campbell at Tuesday, December 30, 2008

In the three years that I've been writing on this blog, I don't think I've taken the time to thank those of you who visit and read what I have to say. That said, not a post goes up without acknowledging that some folks actually find interest in what I have to say. I've received many e-mails and texts regarding something I wrote about, a video I posted or a few pictures I shared. And every single time I remain amazed that people, whether friends or strangers, have taken an interest in, well, things that interest me.

I write on this blog solely out of passion for the things that influence my life. Music and politics clearly take the forefront, but I also try and share anything that may move me both negatively and positively each day. There are many times that I'll be on the bus, in the park, at dinner or in the car when an idea pops in my head. Maybe I'm listening to NPR, reading the NY Times, listening to Bob Dylan or talking about the economy or the environment when suddenly there's an idea or concept. And I immediately need to find my computer. And my uncontrollable urge to write stems simply from a need to share my thinking, passions or whatever captivates me at that time.

I started casually tracking visits to my site earlier this year. I don't dig deep into the stats, but rather just check the unique visits every few days. It turns out that this month has been the most popular month on this site. I can certainly attribute a lot of visits to www.largeheartedboy.com, who has linked to my site a number of times. But in addition, I know that some of you come back regularly, and have shared the address with friends. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this.

I noted in late October that for the first time since graduated college in 1996, I have found myself without a day job. This news did not come as a surprise and was something that I'd been preparing for, as best I could. Given the free time, I have been writing more on this blog, working on a few short stories and doing many things I didn't have time for in the past. It should also be noted that I do not earn a penny from this blog. I'm not sure I could even if I wanted to, but even a modest financial return has never been the impetus for writing here. However, since I am out of "work", I have come to the realization that one of my many passions does lie here. In all likelihood this will remain a hobby, but if I ever took the time to try and monetize this site (if at all possible), and could sustain even a meager living doing this, I can't imagine being happier. I write here almost because I feel as though I have to. Whether a day brings three readers or 350, the notion that anyone is listening is incredibly rewarding.

As we move into 2009, I plan on continuing to share my oft over-the-top opinions on music, political events, Barack Obama, policy, books, movies and happenings in my daily life. I plan on taking more pictures, reading more books and yes, listening to more and more music. And for some unexplainable reason, I will find the need to share everything here.