Hooked on Blogging

 

Are you a blogging addict?

Blogging addicts, beware.

 You’re in good company. And the condition isn’t new. It actually started decades ago.

 The advent of the blogosphere (somewhere in the 1990s) made self-publishing accessible to the masses. For little of no cost, anyone with a computer and internet access could create a weblog, or blog, and begin publishing on any topic imaginable.

 All of a sudden, web-surfers became blog writers, hawking free subscriptions to gain coveted page clicks and advertising dollars for their daily (or weekly or monthly or whatever) entries.

 Although these changes initially to have created greater global community, another phenomenon arose. Blogging addiction quickly reached epidemic proportions. And it’s still with us.

 This diabolical disease has no known cure, and it has caused countless social isolations and physiological infirmities.

 Blogging addiction is considerably more dangerous than any known computer virus, primarily because it attacks computer users directly, rather than merely infecting their hardware or software.

NOTE: Written by this author, this copyrighted material originally appeared on another publisher’s site. That site no longer exists. This author holds all rights to this content. No republication is allowed without permission.

 

Symptoms of Blogging Addiction

 Are you a blogging addict? Countless millions face this affliction.

 How can you tell if you are addicted to blogging? The signs are simple to spot.

 First, several physiological symptoms are commonly exhibited by blogging addicts.

 

Blogging Addiction: Physiological Symptoms

 The blogging addict’s eyes may display a glossed-over appearance, often accompanied by a vacant stare. This results from constant concentration on a computer (or tablet or phone) screen, as the blogging addict peruses blog after blog after blog. The technical term for this condition is “screen suction.”

 The blogging addict’s mouth may be drier than normal. In the most severe cases, halitosis may be present. These symptoms arise from the mouth’s remaining in a closed position, as the blogging addict distances himself or herself from personal interaction with other human beings. On the isolated occasions when the blogging addict does converse in-person with others, his or her conversation generally revolves around blog subjects and cyberspace blog friends.

 The blogging addict’s hands may contain fingertip callouses from overuse of computer keys or electronic screens. The favored hand, which generally controls the blogging addict’s mouse or other cursor device, may exhibit carpal-tunnel syndrome or (in milder cases) occasional muscle spasms. These symptoms are generally caused by click/tap, after click/tap, after click/tap, as the blogging addict posts repeated blog entries and places strategic clickable blog links on innumerable other blog sites.

 The blogging addict’s spine may reveal excessive curvature, often matching the angle of the computer monitor’s screen or his or her general posture during screen times.

 The blogging addict’s gluteus maximus, or rear end, may seem to have increased in size. The region’s muscle tone may be diminished from lack of exercise.

 

Blogging Addiction: Psychological Symptoms

 Blogging addiction also exhibits several psychological symptoms, which may be more difficult to diagnose. Generally speaking, however, the blogging addict will demonstrate an overall withdrawal from interpersonal contact, social participation, and spontaneity.

 In fact, an electrical power outage, a modem mishap, or any other loss of Wi-Fi or signal, may send the blogging addict into a full-blown panic attack. Of course, the best remedy for this is to restore the all-important internet connection as soon as possible.

 Overall, however, blogging addiction presents no threat to life or limb. The most dangerous and contagious complication of blogging addiction is generally blogarrhea.

 

Beware of Blogarrhea

 What is blogarrhea? Blogarrhea is a now-epidemic condition (most often found among blogging addicts) with several symptoms. The most common manifestation is this: a constant need to express minute and inconsequential details of daily existence into the blogosphere. This expression is often accompanied by blog photographs.

 Blogging addicts may, out of interest for the general welfare, monitor their own output to avoid blogarrhea.

 In the most severe cases, a physician may prescribe Im-modem-um for blogging addicts with chronic blogarrhea. This medication seems to shut down the disorder completely, at least, for a time.

 

Daily Therapy

 Blogging addicts often benefit from daily writing exercises. If you are a blogging addict, then you need to know that the first step towards recovery is to recognize your addiction. Next, you will want to join other blogging addicts for frequent therapy. Blog prompt sites like The Meme Express and Simply Snickers are ready to help.

 

All together now:

 “Hello. My name is _______, and I am a blogging addict.”

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PURPOSE: 6 reasons writers write

Why does a writer write? Maybe this is the question of the ages, when it comes to putting life into words. Is it fortune and glory?

“Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory.”
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Um, no.

C’mon, we’re not trying to play Indiana Jones here. Besides, most of us don’t look that good in fedoras.

And it can take a world of words and an ocean of ink (proverbially speaking) to make a genuine splash in the publishing world.

Nope.

Those who are born to write don’t generally do it to be known or recognized or even read. If that were our aim, we’d probably run for office instead. (Forgive me. I digress.)

Real writers have altogether different reasons for sticking to the wordsmithing craft, come heck or high water.

1. We write because we have something to say.
2. We write because we just might be pretty good at saying it.
3. We write because we hope to make people think.
4. We write because our words might make someone feel something.
5. We write because something simply needs to be said.
6. We write because we are compelled internally to do so.

Even if our words do not change the world, we write. It’s what we do. and if we are fortunate, we may even make a living doing it.

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Proofing, Goofing or Spoofing?

Once in a while, a typo is downright funny, and a mixed-up headline can be a humdinger. Ask Emily Maynard of “The Bachelorette” and her fiance Jef Holm.

Writing for the internet often means flying without a net, so to speak. Immediate publishing and instant posting usually bypasses the proofreading stage. The traditional editorial desk doesn’t exist for most bloggers and web writers.

And we all make “misteaks.” No one’s “purrfect.”

As a freelancer, usually working independently, I’ve created some doozies. Far too often, online publishing site staffs have changed headlines on my articles, leading to spellings worth spoofing.

Still, sometimes goofs can be glaring gaffes. Occasionally, a particularly poignant or hilarious faux pax makes it onto the front page.

Here’s today’s double-entendre, brought to us by AOL/RoadRunner.

Who’s being altered (or not) on the way to the altar? Maybe Miss Emily Maynard would like to disavow this news in an altogether different sort of surgical strike than the headline suggests. Or was the “Bachelorette” star actually intending to wear more than a white dress to her wedding?

This headline, perhaps unwittingly, suggests her intended bridegroom Jef Holm may have been in for quite a surprise, if the bride didn’t make it to the “alter” in time.

Scratch that.

Really, RoadRunner?

We can only assume such a sizable organization still boasts an editorial checkpoint. OK, perhaps not.

Actually, this example contains two writing errors. Can you find both? 

Here's a hint at the second one. 

When does casting off have nothing to do with knitting? Why would a castoff be cast off, earning castoff status from the cast? Would such a break require a plaster cast, or simply recasting of talent?

Maybe we all need proofreaders, now and then, to catch us before the unintentionally racy or ridiculous rumors fly.

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