Blogger shot in Wicklow
I still don’t understand this “blogging” lark.
When I started nearly seven years ago, I hadn’t a clue what it was all about and I still haven’t.
Before I started this site I hadn’t written anything longer than a shopping list so there was no great urge to put pen to paper. There was a very good reason for that – I am a mediocre writer. Now I am honest with myself and I am not fishing for any compliments, so if you say I am anything better than a mediocre writer then you’re a fucking liar.
As sites go, this is a very small one. I thought I had a reasonable level of traffic, but last night I discovered an error in the site which means visitors are being counted twice. So I only have half the small number of readers I thought I had. So instead of being a little fish in a big pond, I’m actually a minnow in a fucking ocean.
Now all that is fine and good, but there is one thing that puzzles me more than anything else.
Why do they keep wanting to interview me?
If they said they wanted to interview Ireland’s Wrinkly Bloggers I could understand. If they said they wanted to interview all hairy bloggers I could see the point. But they don’t. I just get an email from a journalist saying they want an interview. Why pick me? Let me quickly say that I’m not objecting. I’m quite happy to chat away to nice female journalists, whether it be on the phone or face to face. But out of all the “bloggers” in the land why do they come to me? You only have to look at the Blog Awards Long List to see that there are hundreds of “bloggers” out there. Am I on some kind of list that journalists pass around?
The only real problem that I have with these interviews is that each and every one asks me the same question – why did I start? It’s a problem because I don’t fucking know. I was just messing around one day and it kind of happened. I didn’t plan it, and if I had been asked then I would have said it would be dead in the water within a month.
We had another photographer here yesterday.
Of all the photographers who have been here, he was the most thorough. He shot me in my armchair. He shot me in the kitchen. He shot me in the sitting room. He shot me in various places in the garden. He used wide lenses and telephoto lenses. He lay on the ground to get an upward shot but Penny licked the lens so that idea was scrapped.
He told me I was an excellent subject because I wasn’t afraid of the camera.
I told him it was because I had tons of fucking practice with previous photographers.
Apparently the article is supposed to appear in the Sunday Times on Sunday week. Or maybe next Sunday? I don’t know. I don’t even know what the article is about.
At this stage, it’s all a blur.
Having read this blog, and more importantly the comments, for a while, I'd say your readers are excellent liars. You should not use pejoratives when referring to them.
Now with that said, we certainly are not hear for literary prose. I know a number of people who's writing skills far surpass yours. While I will not speak for others, I am not here for how you write, but for what your write. Keep the content coming.
It is a conditional pejorative term and therefore only applies to those who warrant it. 😉
It still doesn't explain why they keep wanting to interview me though. I don't think the majority of them have even read the site!
Journalists are always trying to fill up newspaper space. You are just another human interest story for them. If it wasn't your turn they'd probably interview a runner-up in the Rose of Tralee contest and ask her why did she thinks she was pretty enough to enter. Have any interviewers told you in surprise, Grandad, that you act far less crabby and look far more virile than your posts on the blog suggest? And what do they say about Herself?
The only comment about my appearance I ever remember hearing was that I was much taller than they expected.
The odd interviewer asks if Herself reads this and what does she make of it. I tell them she's too busy cooking up spells with the coven to do any reading.
The photographer yesterday wasn't even sure what a "blog" was, which led to some interesting conversation. He was a very nice bloke. Penny liked him too. Maybe too much……
…like some sort of slimy intelligence agent? Did they ask you your attitude to the situation in the Southern Caucasus?
All Yer Man could talk about yesterday [apart from Penny] was the grounds of The Manor. I think he wanted to move in. Lucky he never noticed what was growing in the Top Plot.
You omitted the obvious. They are lazy and you are easy. Or you are easy and they are lazy. Or you are lazy and easy.
I think I'm right about this.
Or maybe they are easy and I am lazy? Or I am lazy and they are easy? Or both? Or neither?
You could be right.
They are lazy in trying to establish contact with another blogger who might turn out to be a right weirdo. They have your contact details from a previous call or another journalist and so are the 'go to' blogger.
Also it will create greater impact (and more words) for the article in referencing the multitude of awards won
You are easy – but you accepted that already
So rather than contact someone who might be a weirdo, they contact someone who is a known weirdo? Sort of makes sense? The devil you know and all that shit.
Multitude of awards? Not that many….
I assume the Irish Sunday Times is like the UK Times behind a paywall so I won't get to see it. Would you please post snippets of whatever they print – together with your scintillating comments of course?
IF they print anything and IF I remember to buy it and IF I can find the article, I will indeed … IF I'm not too embarrassed.
Shameless self promotion, rather well done though!
I was afraid someone would say that, but in fact it is genuine puzzlement. Maybe I have just been around too long?
Overheard in the Features Office – "Try ringing that Grandad fella and see if he's still alive"……
As one of the (almost) original
commonerscommentors whose been fucking lying in the comment section for the past 7 years, I take offense at you thinking you're just a mediocre writer. I don't know why I take offense but perhaps it's just because I thought you might appreciate it.Maybe your government officials are fans of HR? They just can't shoot you enough.
Go away outa that, KirkM. I am under no illusions about my skills or lack of. Or are you looking for a favour?
And incidentally, your first comment was apparently on the 27th December 2007, and you were giving out even then –
"People who pontificate by making psuedo intellectual political comments that contain obvious spelling mistakes and bad grammar should all be gagged with their own hard drive cables and banned from commenting anywhere online for at least one solar year."
I bet you're sorry you started now!!
Ah, I'm impressed! You actually went and found my first comment although I think that wasn't actually my first but knowing my mind…
Not a bad first comment though.
Hah! Apologies. You're right. First comment – 5th October 2007. It's not easy wading through 40,000 and more comments!
Actually, you are quite wrong on the date of my first comment (even though it was a good one). I'm back to October 23, 2007 ("Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated") Bet I'll find oj e even earlier?
Rats! You replied right before I did.