I’ve always said I couldn’t own a restaurant, because if people didn’t show up in droves for every meal I would take it personally. It turns out that having a blog is just as bad. If large numbers of people don’t visit each day I wonder what’s wrong with me. So, in my typical self-absorbed manner, I’ve come up with the top 10 reasons you don’t read my blog.
Reason #10 I am an egotistical narcissist, and this post proves it – I certainly do write about myself more than anything else. I like to think it’s because I’m dealing with my challenges well, and I want to share these experiences with folks who might benefit from them. But maybe I really am an egotistical narcissist, and my motivation behind this entire post is to fish for compliments. You see right through me.
Reason #9 You didn’t know this blog existed – There are roughly 7 billion people on the planet. Only a few hundred, or maybe a thousand people even know this blog exists. So roughly 6,999,999,000 people have the most common reason of all for not reading my blog.
Reason #8 You forget to read it – I hear this a lot. If you are only being polite, then the real reason you don’t read it is probably somewhere else in this list. If you are being sincere, I have solutions. The easiest is to have each new post emailed to you. There is a box on the top right-hand corner of my homepage where it says “enter your email address.” Then you push the subscribe button. You’ll receive a confirmation email that you need to respond to in order to finish the subscription process.
Reason #7 I make you sad – I don’t sugarcoat my situation, and some people are saddened to read about my life. They want to spend their time with happier thoughts. I get that.
Reason #6 I show you the future – For readers who have MS, you may think you’re looking in a crystal ball, and you don’t like what you see. I get that too. But remember, most of you will never deteriorate to the point I already have, thankfully (there I go, pulling a #7 again).
Reason #5 You are annoyed by how well I’m coping – I think this is a reason that some people, with MS or with any other difficulties, are not inclined to read this blog. No matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to cope with your problems as well as I do with mine, and you don’t need me to constantly remind you of that. This is a tough one.
Reason #4 You don’t have all the advantages I have, so you can’t identify with me – Maybe you don’t have a great support system, a loving spouse, or financial stability. “Of course he’s content,” you say to yourself. “He should try to walk in my shoes.” Yup, I understand where you’re coming from with that, even though I can’t walk in your shoes.
Reason #3 I think I’m funny, but I’m not – You probably have a more highly refined sense of humor than I do. That’s unfortunate.
Reason #2 My writing is not that interesting – I get that, especially some weeks, like maybe this week, and last week, and the week before. But three weeks ago? Come on! That was some good shit.
And the #1 reason you don’t read my blog is that it’s no fun for you – If you find that reading my posts is a chore, then maybe you just need to let me go. To extend the restaurant analogy from the opening paragraph – you can walk right by my door and go to the blog down the street. I won’t even see you. That’s what I often do with both restaurants and blogs.
So tell me, what’s your reason for not reading this blog? Wait. Crap. Never mind. My bad.
Okay, I read you. Your situation is not mine; better, in some ways (your wonderful support system); worse, in others (physically). Still, I read you because you relate your story in an interesting manner, and I can learn. However, with a prospective book in the works, you might actually be interested in making sure you have a "platform," which will include a blog. Because of that, you might be interested, beyond not getting your feelings hurt, in having a decent readership. How to achieve that is the subject of many online articles. There is no sure fire way just as an advertising firm cannot guarantee that their ad will create sales. You might be interested in what these highly regarded bloggers have to say about marketing books. Their most recent post is about what NOT to do to market books. http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2015/03/how-not-to-sell-books-top-10-social.html
Judy, you are so right! Thanks for sharing your experience with me. I'm already a big fan of Ann Allen's blog, and I read that post carefully. I don't think I'm making any of those mistakes, yet!
The biggest reason I don’t read your blog is because you’re too funny. People in the office walk by my desk and see me smiling and giggling to myself and think I’m going loco. I'm afraid I'm going to end up back on the funny farm. – Wade
Wade, thank you for your brutal honesty. Perhaps I should add a disclaimer to the top of any posts which I think may drive you back to the funny farm.
Hello Mitch, we first meet on MCP, and I know you asked "Why people don't….", but I would like to share "Why I do……". My deceased younger brother also had PPMS and he kept his feelings and thoughts to himself. I feel I can relate your post to what he must have dealt with in his journey.I have RRMS for 20 years and one day it will be SPMS so any thing I can learn from your post will make that day easier to handle. Keep posting and I'll keep reading. Take Care.
thanks so much for writing. I used to be the kind of person who kept things to myself until I became a blogger and I realized that just wouldn't cut it anymore.
None of the above! I read your blog all the time. Sometimes I don't comment [my bad], but I still read and enjoy all you say. Keep writing!
Muff, I know you're reading! You're one of my most regular commenters. I have every intention to keep writing!
I've been reading all your blogs since I first learned of their existence. I don't always comment because I don't think I have a particularly unique perspective to offer — I'll mostly comment on some of the old "tried and true" feelings that most of us experience if I'm having a particularly bad week — then when time passes and I read back what I had previously written, I think "stop being such a baby". I find your writing to be humorous and honest. You can't be all things to all people, so don't beat yourself up. (There I go again with my lack of unique perspective! ;-D …) As long as you keep writing, I'll keep reading.
pups, thanks for stopping by and giving me your thoughts.
Everyone has said it so well so I can only add that there is just something about your writing and your personality that makes me keep coming back. You ARE funny, you are smart, you are a good writer, and moreover, I'm running in your tracks on progression so you are also helpful in that regard. As far as #10, well, I suspect there's a bit of that in all of us and it's probably a good thing.
Keep 'em coming!
Daphne, thank you for your kind words. You're right. We all have some narcissistic wiring. It's probably a necessity for survival.
A lurker here. I rarely comment, and I rarely read MS bloggers or support groups. But you write well, and I'm interested in your point of view. And your iBot is awesome.
Lisa the lurker 🙂 thanks for stepping out of the shadows and commenting. And you are right – my iBot is awesome!
I must admit, I giggled through this post. Yours is one of 3 'MS' blogs I have bookmarked. I think we about the same on the progression scale although you do get out and about more than I, so I enjoy your escapades. I share your sense of adventure, as well as your telling it like it is. Looking forward to your book. ~Patricia
Patricia, thanks so much for posting. I'm glad you can live vicariously through my escapades.
I subscribe to several MS blogs and each one offers something very different. I enjoy your humor, honesty, hearing about your escapades. You help me more than you know because I have a very similar situation as yourself. I feel like we know each other. Like you're an old friend I can come back to again and again. Your writing is comforting to me and I think you're writing is probably comforting to yourself as well. Keep writing and know that it is valuable to many people that you have never heard from or will never hear from. Kathy
Kathy, thank you so much. Now there is one less person who appreciates my writing but that I don't know 🙂
Hi Mitch,
I am also a lurker named Lisa… I have just never commented before but I read your blog regularly. I enjoy your positive outlook on MS, that's why I read. I am 48 and also in a wheelchair full time, so I can relate to almost everything you write about. I only read two MS blogs (yours and WK) because the others are usually so depressing. I try to stay away from that because life is pretty good and could be so much worst is my attitude. I also love to hear about Maine, as I grew up in Fall River MA and Tiverton RI. Thanks for continuing to write and remember just because we don't comment doesn't mean we're not reading 😉
Lisa, thanks for coming out from the shadows and commenting! It sure seems like we do have a lot in common. I hope you continue to find my blog to be a help.
Yep Mitch,
I still lurk here all the time.
I'm actually "the stalker".
If you look close you might see me hiding in your bushes.
I figured you "see" me on your live traffic feed hanging out here quite often and think about calling 'the cyber cops".
But seriously, I appreciate your posts more than you could ever know. Being able to relate with those who are "wheeling" around in the same shoes is really a great comfort.
Now – don't you go and get famous and leave us in your ibot dust!!!
Take care and keep on keepin' on.
Dee/OH
Dee, you will always be my original stalker. 🙂
I read your blog occasionally and have commented before. I often use Carnival of MS Bloggers as a springboard for reading. Our physical conditions are similar, but our spiritual views are very different so we cope differently. I find some practical tips and humor here and I have appreciated how you write about your wife.
climbing, I'm glad that you stop by and read my musings on occasion, despite our differences. my hope is that everyone can find a way to cope with their difficulties, whether it's similar to the way I do or something completely different. I think many of my experiences and much of my advice doesn't conflict with religious worldviews, but that's probably not entirely true. Best of luck to you, and thanks for reading and for commenting.
Long-time lurker. First-time responder. I'm Chris and sometimes life just gets in my way. 🙁 but when I do have 10mins to myself you're on my hit list. Enjoy catching up with ETR. All my best to you & your family.
Chris, thanks for being a long-time reader, and thanks for commenting.