Monday, December 8, 2008

Spinning Chicken: Why

Strangely enough, sometimes when I sit down here, I really don't have anything to write about. I could spew out some witty "I have nothing to write about" post, but it would be forced since I truly have nothing to write about tonight.

But now I'm back! I just came back from a little walk in the bloggerhood and blow and lehold... sorry, low and behold, inspiration. Inspiration of a rambling nature, but then, that's nothing new. The Spin Cycle! I've missed the last two weeks because... well, just because. This week is an easy one though, why I started blogging.

Why did I start blogging? Easy enough, because I'm terrible at picking up the phone. My family lives in a different city than we do so, being the lazy person I am, I thought I'd just put up one update with pictures for everybody else to come look at when they wanted. Much easier than all those emailed stories and pictures and phone calls. So I started a little page on Yahoo. Can't even remember what Yahoo calls their community, but whatever, that's where it began.

At that point, June of 2007, I'd heard of blogs but never actually read one before. Supreme Leader was reading food blogs, but short of looking at whatever was making her drool that I HAD TO COME LOOK AT NOW, I didn't really pay much attention. Until one day her maniacal laughter led me over to see what she was reading. She'd followed a link on one of her food porn sites to Dooce. I read what had started her laughing and was hooked. Hooked and confused. Why did her blog look so cool and mine looked so lame ass? So I poked around and found Blogger and my madness was released.

But then nobody read it. Nobody in my family at least. Other people were looking at it though. Not commenting, but I was getting hits. Whether or not they were reading wasn't relevant, they were looking at it. Attention! More importantly, I was enjoying myself. I'd found a creative outlet I didn't even know I needed. And it became apparent that I needed it. At one point I think I was up to six different blogs. I've managed to reign that in to just four now. One that I started to write stories in, one that helped me to sort out a whole lot of crazy in therapy, Us & Them and one that I just can't seem to get rid of because I like the name.

Now my blog does get comments and oh does that feel good. Is there anything better than getting comments? You know, aside from your children, life partner, health, sex, food, money. Shut up. You know what I'm talking about. Unless you're a lurker and you don't. Lurkers! Yes, you! The only way you'll ever get comments back is if you leave them to begin with. It's easy. It doesn't hurt. You'll meet amazing people and you'll make friends. It's so worth it.

So, that's why I blog. I was going to end off here, but rereading I noticed I wrote "inspiration of a rambling nature" which means that when I started off I had something else on my mind and unless I want to go back and rewrite that paragraph, which I don't, I'll have to come up with something else...

Ok, here. Unmitigated posted a picture of some Shoyu chicken she'd cooked so Supreme Leader decided we'd have it for dinner tonight.



The bok choy and black beans don't really go with this dish, but we didn't feel like fighting Liam over a new dish and since he would eat dirt if we put black beans on them, that was our side.

Maybe it would have been easier to just rewrite that one sentence...

46 comments:

  1. I'm a comment whore. and a book whore. okay, this is going where I intended.

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  2. This is NOT going where I intended.

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  3. I NEVER learn to keep my mouth shut

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  4. But WAY funnier the way it came out, VM. Of COURSE the chicken looks better than mine. Yummy!

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  5. Supreme Leader is obviously an artist. You dont want to know what that dish would have looked like if I made it.

    Black beans huh? that is the secret t getting the kids to eat? I'll have to try that.

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  6. O, Captain, My Captain!

    Since I can't really play an instrument (unless you count air drums/guitar) I have come to think of writing as my jazz.

    If you think of posting as a kind of jazz, where you take something (idea, note, the crud in the corner of your eye) and riff on it, it often works itself out just fine. Hence your above post!

    BTW, that pic of the chicken is excellent. Jeez, now I'm hungry and all I have is a granola bar...

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  7. yes, I lurk. Don't always comment, but that's because I don't want to make people feel obligated to comment on mine. Still the best part is the community I've gotten to meet through a bunch of you.

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  8. I am a lurker. I rarely think I have anything interesting enough to leave behind. I am trying to fight past it. I have never kept a public blog before, I always just stayed hidden on a private friends only profile on Myspace where I knew who I was writing to. Lately I have been finding so many amazing blogs I have to stay up later at night just to try and read all the ones I want to. including this one.

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  9. Dude, I am coming to your house for dinner. I will be there in a few days......
    So, what is the link to your other blogs............
    Black beans..... interesting.
    Dude...... you pulled out a few lurkers!!!

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  10. Bok choy and black beans go with everything, in my book.

    Ellie

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  11. I was a lurker for months on a ton of blogs. Now I only read the ones I comment on faithfully...

    And, um... I really need to see the links to these other blogs you have. Like now.

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  12. Ah, a blog is born!
    Wonderful Spin, Cap'n. Personally, I love this site, but I'm sure I would love the others too if you linked up to them.. (that was a hint)
    You're linked! (And you're not even late!)

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  13. At first (three years ago) I was satisfied by 10 comments. Then I started reading other blogs and saw their comment count wanted more. I still want more. Yes, I'm a blog whore, too. What I don't get is the fact that reciprocation is KEY to our success in the blog world, but there are others out there who get hundreds or thousands and they never visit other blogs at all. Bitter? Yes, it's my middle name. Sue me.

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  14. Did I miss my dinner invitation? That looks YUMMY.

    I'm glad Supreme Leader stumbled upon Dooce. What would the world be like if you had not started blogging? I don't want to think about it.

    PS: I totally love your blog more than Dooce. :)

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  15. You people and your food pictures...I am so gonna have to get on this boat...I am SO going to start taking picture of my food!

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  16. The bepth of the Captain has been foind - I can just imagine what else lurks in the far reaches of the blogging worl - what other writings and insights he has to share

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  17. I'd eat dirt if black beans were on it, too. I knew I liked your kid for a reason. Besides the snails.

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  18. Hello, my name is Jim and I'm a comment whore. Not that I'll stop, I'm just saying. I think I had around five different blogs at one point. I've just got the one now. Much easier.

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  19. Shady's back. Back again.

    Dude! Dinner looks like it was AWESOME! I hope it turned out.

    I never lurk your blog. I have an unfortunate case of DOTH (diarrhea of the keyboard) that makes me comment before I can stop myself.

    Oh yeah, I'm back. So, so back.

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  20. Wow I am so super impressed with your wife's mad cooking skills! We had cereal last night. I can pour a mean bowl of cherios my friend! : )

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  21. I'm glad the Dooce enticed you to the dark side. I enjoy your blog and the comments you leave on others sites.

    Your kid's got great taste. Black beans are awesome.

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  22. Supreme Leader "suggested" I should clarify that those beans are fermented Chinese black beans and not, well, other black beans. Hope this has brought you clarity.

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  23. Is there a recipe for that chicken?

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  24. I started my blog for some of the same reasons. That chicken looks awesome and so yummmmmmmmy. Oh.....

    Wait. Where was I?

    Right, your blog...so the new header? Like how did I miss that? OK. Anyhow, I like it and I like the story behind your blog and all that. And Tim Horton's...never heard of this coffee until this weekend when one of our supermarkets boasted having it. Can't figure out why I care that they have it, but it must be famous or something. Guess I'm clueless.

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  25. ah, Genius, finally recognizes themselves. One day you'll be world Famous Cpt. Dumbass.
    My blog this week told of a miracle that happened in our
    kitchen.
    l

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  26. Recipe. If you follow the link back to Unmitigated she has a link to the recipe.

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  27. Comments are like heroin. Once you get a couple you need more, more more, more. So glad S.L. found Dooce and you went on to create this. Otherwise my own blog would still be sitting alone, with no friends, and I wouldn't have found my long lost Canadian brother.

    The chicken looks good.

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  28. I would like to advise Vodka Mom that I get to be the whore, not her.

    I was thinking of changing my blog name to Menopausal Whore....but it just doesn't sound right.

    hee hee

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  29. Self-described lurker finally out of the lurker closet. Okay, that made no freaking sense!

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  30. omg, Captain, I love it when you shoyu chicken.



    hahahahahahahahahahahaha
    God, I hope no one else made that comment.

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  31. I definitely have to do this Spin Cycle cause I am also dangerously out of things to write about. Now I just have to decide why I started blogging cause I really have no idea...

    But I am glad that you did, cause I love getting to come read your stuff.

    So thanks!

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  32. Glad you started blogging, thanks SL for leading you to crackdom! I'm a comment whore too and I DO know what you mean. It took me awhile to delurk but once I did it was ON!

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  33. First time on your blog and I'm determined not to lurk ;)
    Love the spin. I suppose I should get on mine... but I'm a procrastinator...
    So I'll just read some more of your blog instead m'kay?

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  34. Know what? I like you. And I'm glad you started your blog.

    Know what else? My stomach just growled and it's all your chicken picture's fault.

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  35. great blog! Funny.... well here is your stinking comment! I won't lurk anymore!

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  36. hello! I am new to your blog I just stopped by to say hello! I too started blogging as a better way to keep in touch with family and friends but now that I started I have gained much more than that. I have found some wonderful new people that are a part of my life. Feel free to stop by my blog and sign my widget!

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  37. hello! I am new to your blog I just stopped by to say hello! I too started blogging as a better way to keep in touch with family and friends but now that I started I have gained much more than that. I have found some wonderful new people that are a part of my life. Feel free to stop by my blog and sign my widget!

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  38. I am a new lurker. A sometime comment dropper..but mostly a lurker..but will be a photo friday player soon. :)

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  39. Fine. Lurker coming out. I'm happy to hear the story of how you become a blogger. Where's the blog where you sort out your crazy? That sounds like fun.

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  40. I'll "show you" some chicken!

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  41. I'm one of the Spin Cycle and I missed last week, too. But I plan to do this one. Your's is great! Love the food picture, food and puppies always help!

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  42. Hello, first-time commenter, long-time lurker here. Love your blog and look forward to the day many people read my posts and fight to comment first!

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  43. I am glad you blog. And I generally try to comment when I can think of anything to say. 'Cause as do most of us, I likes me da comments!

    Also: that dinner looks fantastic.

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  44. Mmmmmm. 46 comments just on food. Re: Liam. Liam's eat just about everything! He's got sophiscated tastebud-Lime, olive, fermented black beans. Dee

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  45. This is my first time over here (courtesy of Sprite's Keeper) and I'm glad I found you — and the chicken recipe. Yummy!

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Come on, sailor. I love you long time.