If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
That’s what the counter staff shout at you at the Varsity, an Atlanta landmark restaurant.
You’re standing there at a 500-foot-long counter (at least that’s the way I remember it…), with 92 counter staff. And every one of them who makes eye contact with you shouts, “What’ll ya have?!”
I’ll tell you, it’s intimidating while you’re trying to figure out your order. Even if they pretty much offer only hot dogs.
Anyway.
Imagine that I am one order-taker in this infinite blogosphere, and I’m shouting that at YOU.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been pondering something. It’s not a complicated question, but it seems to have an infinite number of answers:
What kind of blog do I want this to be?
See, when I started blogging, the only thing clear was that I was supposed to do it. Mostly because I knew I needed to start writing on a regular basis, and a blog was an immediate way to do that.
That was last July, and a lot has happened since then. I’ve written a lot of posts, and I’ve made a lot of friends.
(I think I say “a lot” a lot.)
A blog, which kind of started as a means to an end (writing practice), has turned into an end in itself. I don’t think that’s bad, but I’d hate to just assume that blogging is my “thing” for the next 5 years and dive into it without any thought.
I don’t intend to stop blogging, but I’ll also continue to wrestle with the bigger-picture question.
***
Back to the blog itself. This is where I hope that YOU come in…
Because I find myself wondering, “What KIND of blog should this be?”
So. What’ll ya have?
What kinds of posts do you like to read here? What do you want more of? Less of?
Some bloggers do reviews and giveaways, others do devotions.
Want to win stuff here?
Looking for deep spiritual insights?
Have a burning desire for travelogues?
My favorite recipes?
(BBWAH! Sorry, couldn’t say that one with a straight face.)
Cooking tips from Chef Charlie?
(Shh! I haven’t asked him yet. Oh, here he is! Hey Baby! Wanna blog for me?)
OR …
Have I already found my niche, with my crazy posts about dog hair, my goth kindergartener, science projects gone wrong, and huge international faux pas?
Insanity – if it’s not a blog category, it should be…
***
I truly DO want your feedback. What do you look for when you read my Red Clay Diaries?
22 responses so far ↓
1 katdish // Mar 12, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Dude. Is this another alternate universe thing, or did you read my blog before you typed this? Personally, I’d like to hear more voodoo chicken necklace stories.
You’re a writer, Steph. Come from your heart. I’m guessing people read your blog for the same reason I read your blog — because it is a reflection of you, and people dig you. Now, go read my post today. I have another one ready to post, but I’m not gonna post it until I get comments from you and the rest of the bunch. But I’ll tell you what the title is for the next one. But first, I’ll tell you that one of your posts, plus another post by Mandy Thompson were the inspiration. Title: The ABC’s of Crap in my Purse. (It will be delightful, I’m sure.)
katdish’s last blog post..Blogging: We’re going to need more monkeys
2 katdish // Mar 12, 2009 at 10:00 pm
I started 2 sentences in a row with “but”. Did I mention that I was on a ladder 20 ft off the ground and hung onto it all the way to the floor? Not as fun as you might imagine…
I really need to get my prescription renewed.
katdish’s last blog post..Blogging: We’re going to need more monkeys
3 Candy // Mar 12, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Steph, If I say what I want then it would be my blog. And if you get 50 people saying what they want then….well, you get the picture. (Actually, I can’t get the picture of Katdish slo-mo-ing down to the ground on that ladder out of my mind). What I’m trying to say is WHAT DO YOU WANT? It’s your blog, not ours. You are here to be you, not please us. So to that end, I came here for YOUR blog, not a free Snuggie or a review of “Wuthering Heights.”. Just keep doing what got us all here in the first place – being Steph.
But I’ll take a hot dog with sauerkraut and hot mustard, thankyouverymuch.
Candy’s last blog post..The Lost Generation
4 Helen // Mar 12, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Steph, we love this blog the way it is because you put yourself into it. Keep doing that. If the blog changes because you change, Hace es la vida….but (cue Piano Man) Dont go changin’, to try and please us, you never let us down before……We just want someone….that we can blog with…..with love you just the way you are…..(I think that would be more rhumba than salsa…)
Helen’s last blog post..Joke Sharing Time
5 faemom // Mar 12, 2009 at 11:59 pm
I, for one, love your blog the way it is. Though life pulled me away from it, I must have told half a dozen people about your goth teenager. I still laugh at the post about your dog terroizing chickens when ever I see a live chicken. So I say, keep up the good work. Now back to reading more posts I’ve missed
faemom’s last blog post..P2: The New Prologue
6 Joyce // Mar 13, 2009 at 3:11 am
I love the way you write and your humor..the topic doesn’t really matter. Your writing makes me feel like I know you and blogs that manage that are the ones I like to read.
I will add that I tend to stay away from blogs that are always all about the give aways.
Joyce’s last blog post..Tour Guiding is not for wimps
7 Annie K // Mar 13, 2009 at 7:48 am
If it aint broke don’t fix it.
Annie K’s last blog post..You’re Off The Ranthook
8 Beth // Mar 13, 2009 at 8:43 am
I’m about to bestow a big compliment….
Hilarious, and stuff that I can really relate to and it has a strong spiritual backbone that encourages me. Now, I know that you are YEARS and YEARS younger than my mom, so don’t take offense at that!
Your “insanity” as you call it…reminds me a lot of the way my Mom writes, who is my favorite writer.
That’s what first drew me into reading your blog (along with all the hilarious comments I kept seeing from you everywhere else!).
But like everyone else, I keep reading because I like to see what’s going on with YOU. So keep writing what God gives you, Steph!
Beth’s last blog post..A Short Beth Post
9 sherri // Mar 13, 2009 at 8:49 am
Insanity is a perfect catagory for this blog.
Insane blogs are underrated!
This insane blog is perfect. Don’t change a thing!
sherri’s last blog post..Friendly Friday- One Minute Writer
10 Nina in Portugal // Mar 13, 2009 at 9:01 am
Oh, heck…I’ll read anything you write.
You’re funny, live in Georgia and have a gothic Kindergartener…..what could be better?
Ever had on of those orange thingy’s from Varsity?? They rock!!
Nina in Portugal’s last blog post..I’m Famous!
11 justanotherdayinparadise // Mar 13, 2009 at 9:02 am
we like you (and your blog) just the way you are. We like the quirkiness and everyday craziness you detail.
justanotherdayinparadise’s last blog post..In Appreciation of the Less Smart Four-Legged Friends
12 Rachel@Grasping... // Mar 13, 2009 at 9:07 am
I am personally a fan of your crazy, wacky, humorous stuff. Now obviously that’s my preference in bloggyworld in general, so I suppose I’m biased, but as an editor of a humor column, I get a LOT of submissions, and so therefore I think that I can say with some modicum of pretended authority that you really do have a gift at writing that style, and do it much better than most people.
Wow that was a run-on sentence. But that’s my opinion and I’m stickin’ to it! Don’t waste your gift!
13 Charlie // Mar 13, 2009 at 1:03 pm
LOL. Yeah, I’d be willing to share a recipe. But as you can see, that’s not why anybody’s reading your blog. Which means . . . I’ll give you a recipe to post, and you can mock it!
14 Helen // Mar 13, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Excellent idea, Charlie! I had a recipe for Mock Escargot….I’ll see if I can find it.
Helen’s last blog post..Anyone Out There Got Any Duck Food?
15 Wendy // Mar 13, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Yeah, I’ll have a chili cheese dog with no onions, some chili cheese fries and a Diet Coke.
And I think you should keep writing about insanity.
And making Katdish blog about hot monkey sex.
Wendy’s last blog post..Just put the cereal down. Trust me on this one.
16 thefarmerfiles // Mar 13, 2009 at 2:51 pm
LOL I will take an order of the laughs.
Oh and I like the occasional exposition on your political/pop culture views.
thefarmerfiles’s last blog post..What I Could Not See Then
17 Grace // Mar 13, 2009 at 4:26 pm
You’ve already (underlined) zeroed in on the kind of blog you should have, you talented lady! Keep it up. And maybe visit my post titled, “Writing for the Soul;” I’d love to meet you there next Feb.
Grace’s last blog post..Invisible Hero
18 Jo@Mylestones // Mar 13, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Just keep on doing what you’re doing. I found you fairly recently, (got pulled in with your post about WDWFMW-microwave cleaning) and I laughed out loud and wished I knew you IRL. Katdish is right–all this stuff you share is (as it should be) a reflection of you and we all dig YOU.
19 Jenn Calling Home // Mar 13, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Seriously, do you not know that you are a humor blogger?
I enjoy reading about your funny, crazy, goofy and/or random thoughts on life.
Jenn Calling Home’s last blog post..Long Journey to Love – Part 2
20 Steph at the Red Clay Diaries // Mar 13, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Okay you guys. Now I feel all silly. I hope you know I didn’t ask all this to fish for compliments. (But I’ll take ‘em!)
Thank you for all your input. I’ll probably post a follow-up or two, along with what it was like to watch a movie that terrified me as a teenager again today – with my 4yo nephew. Yeah. He let me hold his blankie.
21 @ngie // Mar 14, 2009 at 7:12 am
So. What’ll ya have?
Why do I keep coming back:
You.
Unclear? How about in Español?
Tu.
@ngie’s last blog post..So Far
22 the domestic fringe // Mar 14, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Insanity works for me!
-FringeGirl
the domestic fringe’s last blog post..Remember When?
Leave a Comment