Milestone

Marking an anniversary is an effective way of tying together events from the past with current affairs.  This time is less of an anniversary and more of a milestone.  It is the 100^th blog of Craig’s Corner.  It’s taken a little less than two years to hit this point.  Along the way “significant” issues have been tackled, some successfully, some less so.  On this auspicious occasion let’s look at some of the behind-the-scenes stories.

For a number of years friends (and foes?) have suggested that I take my opinions / perspective and put them on the web with a regular commentary.  I was dubious.  What was a blog anyway – some morass filled with gooey liquid?  I have not only found the process to be intellectually fulfilling, I’ve have quite a few nice things happen. 

You’re not alone:  thanks to all of you who generate 1,200 and 1,400 views per month.  It’s my Sally Field Moment (you like me, you really like me!).  OK, well, maybe like is too strong a descriptor.  “Toilet Bowl Sunday” from February 2011 which took a look at Super Bowl Sunday and the importance of advertising and branding and applied it to the political process is the most popular blog so far.  Well, truth be told it’s probably the most popular title I’ve written, but, still.  Stats don’t lie!

A reader asked me to read and write a book-cover review for their tome.  Of course the problem was that I couldn’t quite understand the two page summary the author sent as it seemed to be written in gobbledygook.  It seems that ended my potential side career as a blurbist. 

I have met with a variety of people – being asked by leaders of some major organizations to come and talk with them after a particular entry aligned with their goals.  Disappointment seemed to ensue when I had to make clear that I wrote things how I saw them and I wouldn’t be able to use the talking points I was being provided.  But it’s always nice to be asked.

This is ad supported content and a weeks ago I got my first payment.  $101 --- so that’s about $1 per blog.  It won’t quite replenish the 401K, but it’s a start.

Many marketing and branding experts have advised me to spend more time on getting each blog out to the public more so that more people could be following the entries and that there be more of an impact.   For a few months I cross posted the blog each week with a well known, well respected “progressive” site.  In short order the blog picked up quite a following and there was actually a fair amount of back-and-forth on the comment fields.  For a couple of weeks running by happenstance the subjects Craig’s Corner tackled mirrored the subjects the editor of the site tackled.  A number of readers began to support the perspective I offered.  I soon found the entries were no longer posted on the “highlighted” areas of the site, and shortly after that each commentary was suddenly rejected.  “Badly written” and “Poorly referenced” were reasons – though they were more justifications given that all facts are cross-linked to source material.  On the plus side I must’ve arrived – I’ve been censored!

Onward I go – opining on oddities, inconsistencies and things that catch my fancy.  Thanks for reading – and for clicking through.  Like, Share and comment…there’s more to come!