CALL ME SNAKE

Many people out there in the “blogosphere” seem obsessed with one question: Why do you do this? (Brief clarification and upfront apology to sensitive readers, if this sounds too blunt: By “you,” I mean ME, not YOU.) I could answer it the way Bill Clinton replied to a similar question: “I did it for the worst possible reason–because I could.” Although that would be true, technically speaking, I doubt it would satisfy my burgeoning readership (whom I cherish, though at times find burdensome–a weighty charge that places constant pressure on my time, energy, and attention). So let me give you the full story. Many months ago, an editor of a prestigious magazine (I won’t mention the name, though any sane person would be honored to see his or her words in it) asked me to consider writing a feature article about blogging. “Does that sound interesting?” she asked. “Yes,” I riposted cagily, “in the sense that I would be writing about something I never thought could possibly be interesting.” In the course of writing that “piece” (a technical term in the journalistic trade that I won’t try to define for a lay audience), I spoke to several people, including one real live blogger. She told me about a website I could go to and set up a blog in three easy steps. Best of all, it was free. At the time, I thought, nah. Not for me. I’m way too busy. And besides, it’s a complete waste of time. But later that night, I got curious. I went to this site (i.e., blog.com) and was off and running after a painful hour or so. Later I realized this was not the site she’d sent me to, but by then it was too late: I was already in too deep to back out. It was free, though, like the site she’d recommended, so at least I didn’t have to dip into my children’s educational IRAs for a second time that week. But getting back to that original question, after a discussion that was fascinating though admittedly digressive, I won’t just say: “because I could.” The more precise answer would be (and this is a response Clinton could have truthfully used as well): “because I could afford it.”