Perhaps more than anyone else here in the Rain, my buddy Steve Smith can relate to this post. Especially in relation to the hoards of girls that used to hang on his every word as a radio disc jockey. I don't think he had to deal with anything like the wacko stalker that Clint Eastwood had to deal with in, "Play Misty for Me." If he did, he hasn't told me that story yet.
It got me thinking about Disc Jockeys, and how Bloggers, in a way, are kind of like Disc Jockeys. We blog away not having much of an idea of who is listening----or if in fact anyone is listening. I think that is what makes the comments back so rewarding---when we get them. A while back, I got a comment from Sandy Aichner on a post I did about how Plumbing P-traps work. This is what she said:
"OMG!!! I can't believe it! I have been having clogging problems with my kitchen disposal and it leaks down into the cabinet and I haven't been able to figure out what the problem is and so I kept pouring drano down the sink. I went and looked and wouldn't you know, IT'S ON BACKWARDS LIKE YOUR PHOTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Does it get any better than that?
I have had hundreds of such comments----just never an "OMG!!!" and never quite so many exclamation marks!!!
My reasons for blogging are both complicated and simple. Obviously there is the "points" and the SEO----but if it were not fun and I didn't feel like I was contributing to my readers lives, I doubt that I would be all that interested in blogging. December 23rd marked the one year anniversary of my first blog post. My only question is "How can that be?" Time sure flies when you are having fun.
As we build a "stable" of subscribers-----these are our "listeners"----we can actually feel like we are being a contribution. With any luck, they will stalk us on a daily basis and tell their friends about us. While we hopefully won't have anyone that wants us to play "Misty" over and over----it is nice to see all their smiling faces as they roll through the blog-log----and occasionally give us that pat on the back by leaving a comment on our posts.
Thanks to all my "listeners."
Charles Buell
PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)
all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.
DeCroe, is my "certiflied" home inspector assistant and occasionally flies into my blog to offer assistance. To find out more about her beginnings just click on Raven.
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PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)
all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.
My WORDLESS WEDNESDAY pictures and some selected POEMS & STORIES.
Charles, how can you be having fun!! You're getting sued by Nutsy! You're house is a mess because of Nutsy! But you are home....and after you're trip to Florida and other places, I guess you ARE having fun! LOL
and we'll be back right after a word from our sponsors... ~Rita
Hey Charles I think you have a stalker, but there are some problems (other than the obvious). It has a long tail, it's a he, and I do think it has a tendency toward violence. Well, the world isn't perfect.
Love the part about the agent discovering her plumbing problem from your blog. Great help! I learn a lot from inspectors that have been very useful in my personal home. Have a great 2009!
Just a comment to let you know that I enjoyed your post!
Barbara, how can anyone that talks to squirrels not be having fun?:)
Rita, I guess you know you have hit the big time when that happens!
Jack, no matter how you spell squirrel it is still just food----and maybe with a couple a hundred of them----a good coat:)
Connie, thanks for the comment
Thanks Kristin----keep stalking:)
Stalking or striking, the same thing to me. I will do the latter.
The most interesting thing about this post is...Steve as a Disc Jockey...ok maybe. But Steve compared to Clint Eastwood....umm...don't think so...lol. I hope you and your family had a great Christmas and I wish you all the best in the New Year! And keep those great blog posts coming...I got me alot of learnin' to do! -Jim
NO NO NO NO!!!!!! You misunderstood Nutsy. When you get three strikes you go away forever. In fact I have a picture of your new home.
Jim, I will do my best! You have a great New Year as well. (by the way I totally agree about the incongruity of Clint Eastwood and Nutsy Steve Smith:)
Thanks for the insults. Actually, I imagine that there still are radio groupies. There were no shortage of them back in the 70's. The one in Misty was more violent than most of them. Make no mistake there were quite a bunch of them even in markets like Bellingham. That is one reason deejays usually use a fake last name or use the middle name as the last name.
I loved this post. I actually was jock in my previous life and actually had a stalker. I nick named him donnie dommer... nephew of the infamous jeffrey dommer. He followed me to a co workers house one evening after my shift. Creepy.
I am glad you have fun and are posting after the year Charles. You are a lot of fun and I enjoy your posts and have learned a lot from you myself.
Mr Charles,
My uncle spent some time there with friends from Chicago. He said it was a very comfortable quarters. This photo was taken shortly before they began their group vacation. As I recall, they spent several years there because it was such fun.
Steve, the early 70's were a special time for sure for radio
Tammy, sounds too freaky----probably a little easier years later than at the time I would think.
Nutsy, well you should feel right at home then.
Charles, You are absolutely right. You do not know who is reading your posts. I never thought of equating blogging with being a DJ, but that is a pretty good analogy...
~~ Happy New Year ~~
Charlie, I think one of the greatest parts of blogging is when somone uses the information you provided to their advantage. That is one aspect of home inspection and for me energy auditing, that we do not get to see. The client results. Usually we do our job, deliever the report and move on. Once in a while we get a letter or phone call that let's us know we really helped someone. An OMG!!!!! if you will.
Michael, who knows----maybe we will start getting comments like: "Will you play P-trap again? Or Gas Fireplace again? Or Foundation Crack again?"
James it seems with inspecting it is more like going back to the same house 4 years later and finding that nothing has been corrected:) On the other hand I have had clients that used the report like a punch list and fixed everything.
Charlie,
You are right about the premise. The blogging is similar to broadcasting. However, except for a few national networks most broadcasters are aimed at their home markets. The message is focused. At active rain it is like shooting shot from a shotgun, it goes all over. That makes it harder in some ways. In other words, doing an inspection feature in Bellingham on the air one would know exactly what to tell people about their roof maintenance. Take the same show to Florida -- oops.
Charles, You and Steve are the Laurel and Hardy of Activerain. You two guys get going on each other like nobodies business and get me to laughing so hard that I have to walk away from the computer to just catch my breath.
I enjoy your style of writing and the point in which you convey your message within the post. Also agree with James Quarello comment.
~ Life is Good
Roy, we should hold a contest to see which one of us is which one of them:)
Charlie I think you have a great idea for one of your contests.
Perhaps----but I think you should run it:) I am just thankful there were "3" stooges:)
I'm listening. So Play Misty for Me...
Here's Misty for you Jay:)
She's FANTASTIC! I notice too that all her performances are from her bedroom - that isn't at a home somewhre is it? She should at least be somewhere people can throw money into her hat - she would make a mint!
I thihk she is maybe a closet harpist----or harp-sincing:)
Gotta agree with Roy. The Laurel and Hardy of Active Rain.
Some funny stuff between the two of you, but it sure works.
AND you'll never know how many houses didn't have problems because someone read a post and fixed it before it could be a problem.
Thanks Erby---but I still want to know which one of us is which?
Sorry Charlie. I can't answer that one for you. Perhaps y'all should get side by side and draw straws to see who gets which name for the year.
When I was a home inspector from 2001-2005, I used to say a lot of "OMG" silently to myself. The worst one was when I walked into a condo with, I'm told, 87 cats with cat poop on the floors, chairs, couches, tables, countertops. Just plain bad.
Best wishes for health, happiness, peace, and prosperity in 2009.
yes, that was "me" with the OMG! but it's like one of those "ah ha" moments when you have been so puzzled and the fact that I am saving big money from either having to call a plumber for something simple or maybe something would have backed up terrible and caused some more costly problems later. so Thanks again! You do have people that benefit from your content! laughs, helpful, intelligent, fun.
Erby, he would just try to take both names.
Jim---sounds pretty bad:)
Thanks, Sandy----I love playing in the Rain:)
Ya know, he's just about funny enough to perform both parts of "Who is on First" all by himself!
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Erby, that is truely one of the classic comedy routines of all time. It is pretty clear to me that I would have to be the skinny one:)
Not personally knowing you or him, I'd defer to your judgement.
In any case, you're both hilarious.
Well, all I can say is that Steve just has a lot to laugh at:)