Bloggers on Blogging About Blogs

Yes, we're a narcissistic bunch, us bloggers. Write a report about us and we'll all link to you obediently. The latest (which you've undoubtedly already read about) is the Pew Research Center's new Blogger Portrait (Also see article in SFGate.com). I just wanted to take a moment here to answer a few of the questions (pdf) for myself.

How many years have you been an internet user? - 11 or 12

How many years have you been blogging? - 5

Before you started blogging, did you have a personal website, or not? - Yes, several, since 1996

How many blogs do you have online? - 2 main blogs (personal and business, plus a couple of experiments and such floating around out there

How often do you read other people's web diaries or blogs? - Several times a day

What would you say is the MAIN topic of your blog? - These days, it seems to be politics, but that's really not my intent. Officially, it's an open space for whatever I happen to thinking about, from a really good meal, to personal health issues, to popular entertainment, to the world going to Hell in a handbasket.

Has your blog ever received attention from or been mentioned by any of the following?
* Public officials, politicians, or political campaigns - Yes
* The news media - Yes
* Other bloggers - Yes
* Local community members - Yes
* Colleagues, coworkers, or bosses - Yes
* Family members - Yes

Overall, do you consider your blog a form of JOURNALISM, or not? - No. I comment on journalism, but I do not pretend to be a journalist. I do not conduct original research, formally interview people, or put much effort into verification other than checking a few basic news and hoax-busting sites. When I comment on the news or political events I filter my information through sources that I have already learned to trust for their journalistic skill and fact checking veracity. What you see here is my opinion on broader issues and facts from my personal experience only.

Aside from your blog, have you ever published your own writing or media creations anywhere else, either online or offline? - Yes - My short stories and essays have appeared in a few tiny journals over the years. I have also self-published books of fiction, on nonprofit fundraising, and other smaller projects

If you had to say, do you think you'll still be blogging a year from now, or not? - Yes (assuming it's still legal)

(There are many other questions - some of which you can deduce the answers to just by looking around this page, I.E., I use Blogger, I have RSS feeds, comments enabled, blogrolls, etc. - and others that are none of your business.)

There. I'm glad I got that off my chest.

Tags: blogging, Pew Research Center, survey