Post 1: Introduction

Why does one create a blog? More interestingly, why do so many people read blogs? These are the things I wondered as I considered creating my own blog. What is it about our times that gives one (me, in this case) the idea that other people will be interested enough in their (my) thoughts and opinions to publish them to the world (Wide Web)? If a person posts blog entries on the Web and no one comes to read them, dothey really exist? Does it matter?

So the challenge seems to be, How can I differentiate my blog sufficiently to make it appealing for people to read, and then come back to read some more?

My initial concept was to make it a music blog - I am a huge music fan, and a number of my friends actually encouraged me to start a music blog. But that seems too limited - I get turned on by just about all of pop culture, so this will cover music, movies, books, sports, and overall cultural issues - as well as my life. My big gap seems to be video games, which I avoid like the plague, out of a fear of my own lack of self-discipline at home. I recognized that my personality is so easily absorbed by such distractions that jacking in to XBox Live might be the end of all productivity from me.

Since an introduction needs to actually introduce. I am a 37-year old divorced father of two amazing daughters. I live in the New York City Metropolitan area, and have worked for interactive media companies for my entire 15 professional career, though never as a journalist (I'm sure you will figure that out over time). Before that, I was a DJ at a classic rock station in Burlington, Vermont (106.7 WIZN - the WIZARD of Rock). I was born in New York City (hereafter referred to only as "the city") during a blizzard in 1969. I went to school in the city and then in Connecticut, and then on to college at UVM in Burlington.

As for my tastes, I am a Classic Rock guy, though I am interested in all kinds of music. I love movies, with a penchant for 70's films, sci-fi, and a soft spot for romantic feel-good films. I love the Yankees, the Knicks (hard to do currently, but that's part of being a fan!), and the Steelers (we'll get into that some other time). I like reading biographies, mysteries, suspense novels, and classic sci-fi. I don't watch much TV, but I am hooked on Lost, How I Met Your Mother, and 30 Rock.

I am sure I will make many mistakes that newbie bloggers make - hell, I don't even know what those would be yet. But stick with it, let me know what you think, and I bet this will be entertaining for you and for me.