So, finally I’ve decided to join the millions who have
already entered the world of blogging. Go
ahead, call me slow. Probably I am – again – entering something past its peak
of popularity and at the point where its decline is already underway. It’s my
way.
Blogging has often seemed like an attractive proposition
because I like to voice (or write) my opinions and often think that somehow it
will be world changing. Well, not really, but I admit that I do get some
pleasure from the notion that my ideas and points of view are needed by the
rest of the world and that many people will want to read them. I often expect
to be applauded for them as well.
The opposite reaction is really not appreciated at all. But that’s just human nature, and if I am anything, I am painfully human.
In my exhaustive research of blogs – which means that I
spent a few hours reading some blogs and became exhausted because of my
terrible chair – I have learned that people blog for many reasons. Here are
just a few:
1.
They are leading, or have led, a genuinely
interesting life and want to share experiences and viewpoints with others who
might relate to what they have been through.
2.
They BELIEVE they are leading, or have led, an
interesting life and believe that their experiences and viewpoints are
important for others to read, no matter if they relate to what they have been
through or not. (See the next point)
3.
They are narcissists who believe they are the
cleverest and wittiest writers the world has yet to see and just want to spew
their “look at me” bloviations for all to admire.
4.
They want somehow to purge their inner demons by
laying their entire sorry lives bare to any Internet denizens who happen across
their textual self-flagellation.
5.
They believe they have found important, but
heretofore undiscovered, secrets of life, and it is their duty to share these
with others.
6.
They have deeply held (even if not
well-thought-out) political views, which they want to share with others so that
they can win the admiration of those who agree with them and instigate
hate-filled comments from those who disagree, thus inciting ugly “comment wars”
on their blogs.
7.
They are frustrated novelists or poets who just
can’t get published anywhere else.
8.
Ultimately, no matter which of the above
categories they might ostensibly fall into, they really just want to sell you
something.
9.
They don’t really care if the rest of the world
reads what they write, they just have things they want to say to friends and
family.
There probably are others, but I’ll leave it at nine,
because it’s my favorite number.
So which category do I fall into? Of course, I fall into none of those; my
motivations are pure and on a higher level, and my written product far more
impactful and important than 99 percent of those other bloggers. I suppose it’s
what every writer thinks. And if you believe it, you should never go outside
without adequate protection from the falling products of the many flying pigs
that crisscross the sky.
Which reminds me of a moment, a few years ago, when a pigeon once scored a
perfect bull’s eye on the top of my head while I was walking in a Ukrainian shopping
mall parking lot on a warm summer afternoon. I felt something wet on the top of my head,
yet there were no clouds. Then I felt
with my hand and exclaimed, “A bird just crapped on my head!”
A Ukrainian friend who was going shopping with me started on
about how fortunate I was, because being hit on the head by a bird’s mid-air dump
is a sign of good luck and impending monetary windfall. But all I could think about was the fact that
I had just been crapped on.
That was just a little bird. Imagine if we really had flying
pigs!
Anyway… I am blogging now, so the next thing is to decide
what I should write about. It would seem obvious that an American expatriate in
Ukraine should enthrall the Western world with his unique observations about
life in a foreign land. OK, so I will do some of that. But I’ve read blogs and message-board
posts by other English-speaking visitors to Ukraine, and they generally made me
want to toss my cookies. Usually they were just silly drivel that were either entirely cliché or painfully
lacking in insight. When I do offer my observations of life here, I hope they
will actually be worth the time for me to write them and for you to read them.
My second area will by my observations about American life,
culture and especially the current political and economic situation. Be warned:
I am mainly libertarian in my outlook, although I cannot fully embrace the
Libertarian party. The Republicans have disappointed me too many times to fully
embrace their camp, and the current crop of Democrats just scare the hell out
of me; the real Democrats have apparently been abducted by aliens (from outer
space, not south of the border) and replaced with socialists and even
communists. Someone needs to get out the over-sized flyswatter for that gang.
So… you can see where I am coming from on that front.
I teach English, and I am a writer, so I will undoubtedly write
about the language from time to time. Misuse of the language drives me crazy,
so I will do my best to drive you crazy with my rants about it.
I will not write about sports, unless the Avalanche have a
great season and have a valid shot at winning The Cup.
The last area, it seems, will be largely undefined, but
centered on my observations of the human condition: relationships, friendships,
motivation, lack of motivation, personal responsibility and discipline (or lack
thereof), childhood, changes, dreams, spirituality… and the list goes on. Just
remember that whatever I write about in this area is probably something that I
have failed at in real life, so keep it all in the proper perspective.
As for the name of this blog, “A View From Afar,” it may
just be temporary. But for now it seems
to work because I will be looking at life in America from “afar” in
Ukraine. But as I look at life in
Ukraine, it will be also at something of a distance because I am not Ukrainian.
And as for the other stuff, well… whatever. It’s just a catchy title.
So here I am... and here I go!
