I try to post 2-3 times a week. The Nation may have noticed that I'm not keeping up.
I have two related problems. The first is that my actual job job, as opposed to the job of promoting Responsible Ticket Journalism, has been very demanding the past three months. I believe I've had one day off the last 75 days or so. This means I don't get to listen to The Little One as much as I had been, or as much as I would like to.
The second one is that I don't have time to write much -- spare time is spent taking care of the sod house, visiting Mrs. Plainsman's family, eating. And when I do, I go to my list of topics -- and, truth to tell, they're starting to look a little stale. Not all of them, and I'll try to start cranking stuff out here again shortly, but you'll be able to tell -- I'll be doing some scraping, and I'll probably apologize when I do.
But I got to thinking --
This thing will be 2 on June 30. Over 300 articles. Basically from listening to two shows and some of the weekend stuff, hardly any BaD or Norm. I'm grateful that traffic continues to grow, but I'm thinking you know, this site could use a good kick in the shorts. I mean, how many articles on The Ticket's lousy signal can you tolerate? How many ways are there to say that I wish The Hardline weren't so vulgar? So I'm thinking I gotta keep the Faithful Confessor stimulated, entertained, informed.
How can I improve my exposure to what the Nation is hearing and thinking?
Well . . . one thing I gotta do, I gotta go where The Nation is going.
So, with extreme humility (for the very best of reasons, as you will see) it is my honor to invite you to:
Follow me on Twitter: @Plainsman1310
 |
| All cleaned up for my Twitter debut |
Maybe I'll even be allowed to join The 2300!! (I told you I'm embarrassed.)
And, as honored as I am invite you to follow me on Twitter (jeez, that sounds so nakedly self-promotional), I am even more honored to report that my first follower -- he must have found me because the first thing I did was to follow as many Ticket guys as I could find -- is none other than @tweetgrubes himself, That Nice Young Michael Gruber.
Now I'll have even less time to write.
Funny this article comes out now. I started a Twitter account a couple of years ago and deactivated it. Too many spammers trying to get access. Well, last week, I reactivated it and I think it's because everyone is talking about it on The Ticket. Like you, I follow everyone except Rhyner. He's too shock jock for me, and too colorful. And you know Grubes bit, follow him and he'll follow you, so I have one follower. I'll be interested in what you might have to offer, if anything. That's why I frequent MTC in the first place.
ReplyDeleteThank you, T4. I've gotten a few more followers -- faithful Confessors -- since posting. I've also de-followed a couple of Ticket-related guys whose constant tweeting of inconsequential stuff made it difficult to keep up with more interesting observations. Still have a lot to learn about how the thing works.
ReplyDeleteFeeling the heat from #The2300, eh? I was wondering when you'd realize their business model is sleeker and more immediate than the standard old blog. Not that I prefer it - I don't. It's just a lot easier to have "fresh content" on a regular basis under the Twitter model.
ReplyDeleteTwitter works as a nice side-dish but not as the main meal. You're going to have to fall into what many bloggers discover as the "way forward":
ReplyDeleteguest posts
Act as an EDITOR and have some P1 readers submit articles. I'd suggest that you give people some prompts or assignments and go from there. It might be shaky at first but you can really build a community this way. Most of the _successful_ blogs that I read are rarely written by one writer. No one with a real job has the time.
that's all i know.
Phil, I've thought about that in the past and a couple of times when I've gotten either an excellent longer comment, or an email, I've reposted as an article. I'd love to have some guest articles. Let me think about the best way to solicit. Thanks for reminding me.
ReplyDeleteJust previous Anonymous: You're absolutely correct -- I was noticing lots of folks making reference to Tickety tweets. No point in pouting about it, if that's where the readers are going, I'd better be there.
ReplyDeleteYes, I hope I can continue to add some value with longer thought pieces, but if sites like MTC are dinosaurs I'll accept the inevitable.
Agree that guest posters is a good thing. Also, create an open thread now and then. Folks here just like to talk about Ticket stuff. We don't need a long, dedicated story to start it off.
ReplyDelete-Anon B
P.S. Will fire up the Twitter and find you, Plainsman.
I don't have Twitter, but I did search for you. I have to say I am utterly disappointed that your only tweet so far is "Welcome!" Come on, Mr. Plainsman. Break out an HSO to reel everyone in. Set yourself apart--but not by going all shock factor--and grab my attention, please!
ReplyDeleteAnon B, I have missed you (or I haven't been following as regularly as I should be). I like the idea of an open thread. Why are there no Ticket message boards or chat rooms? They may seem like something 13-year-olds do before they discover porn on the internet, but I would love to have a place to talk to other Ticket folks about things I missed or misheard or wish to speculate about. Half the staff where I work are male, but they seem to be lacking testosterone. I need some Ticket guys (and Christie) to talk to! Make it happen, Mr. Plainsman, if you please.
Anon B and Jonaessa: I have done a few open threads with varying degrees of success. Just throwing out a general topic ("Hey, how about that Norm!) doesn't seem quite right. I do like the idea and I have no problem with the concept whatsoever -- happy to host others' desire to set down their thoughts about The Little One.
ReplyDeleteI would be extremely grateful if Confessors would suggest topics either in comments or by emails directly to me at:
theplainsman1310@gmail.com
Actually, Jonaessa, I don't think I ever tweeted "Welcome". I've done a few tweets, including a couple this morning. Sure you got the right Plainsman? (@plainsman1310) Accept no substitutes!!
Yeah, I miss Christie, too. I think she's upset with me because I don't write about Dan very much.
@ Plainsman about dropping a couple of Ticket-related guys. I had to drop one (I won't name him, but he thinks very highly of himself and his overtweets) because he was deluting my other follows.
ReplyDeleteJoanessa, you were seeing AP's welcome tweet he sent to The Plainsman.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the new new frontier, Plainsman. I'm following you (in the non-creepy way, of course).
No need to re-invent a forum "wheel," if that's what everyone wants. www.grubesismyleader.com (formerly, the BobandDan.com forums). It's been around for years and has been "confessing" Ticket love for years. I think that there's a chance to build a nice community here though. Those forums are ripe with tiresome bits that I just can't tolerate.
ReplyDeletegrubesismyleader.com is not a viable alternative. The regulars are not open to newcomers (some are openly hostile), the in-jokes and tired bits are run into the ground, and the posting rate is frenetic at best, making it damn near impossible to keep up with anything meaningful that might be going on. It's a playground for a select few.
ReplyDeleteI've got nothing against grubesismyleader.com, but I tried it a few times and had difficulty making heads/tails out of it. And yes, as insidey as MTC probably gets from time to time, GIML is is very insular and I also note a fair degree of hostility (both to newcomers and between regulars).
ReplyDeleteI didn't really mind that so much, but I did have trouble figuring out where to make a particular point if there was one to be made. Experienced users may not have that problem, I dunno.
Having said that, it admirably serves its patrons who like that sort of thing, and I say -- carry on, GIML. How can anything with "grubes" in the title be bad?
I'll try another open thread here shortly.
Yeah, GIML is just very dense and difficult to navigate. Not a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteAs far as over-tweeters (slightly OT, sorry), man.... I'm about to dump Ben Rodgers (of Ben and Skin). I like his Mavs insight, and he seems like a nice fella, but he just dominates my feed.
-Anon B
I am pleased to announce that I have vaulted into the low double figures of Twitter followers.
ReplyDeleteI've never noticed before how much Errol Flynn looks like David Beckham. Or is it the other way around?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clarification, cancer monkey. Maybe I should jump on this whole Twitter thing. How complicated can it be? (Do I have to have a smart phone, though, to be completely connected 24/7? I refuse to jump on that technology.)
ReplyDelete@ Jonaessa, I'm sure you will need a smartphone. But....before I got mine, I had a non-smart phone with unlimited data and was able to access alot of things online. Things aren't built for it though, so the format was not too good.
ReplyDelete