I’ve now been writing this site for the better part of four years. I registered the domain in March of 2000 and wrote for two months until I moved over to Blogger and then wouldn’t stop writing. I remember the initial days of looking through other people’s blogs and their links. It took only a few days to notice that everyone linked to the same people and, four years later, it’s no different. Some of the sites have disappeared and there are new popular ones. All in all, we have a list of twenty that’s linked by a majority of the people I visit.
I used to think that was a blogger problem. That everyone linked to the same people, etc. Two days ago, I decided that it was really my fault. There are millions of bloggers out there and many of them have never even heard of the list of twenty and do not link to any of the sites. The links they have are also interesting and refreshing new voices that I am delighted to read.
Another major change in the last four years has been in “topical” blogging. There are many blogs out there that are centered around a certain interest, philosophy, or area of expertise. These are fantastically interesting to me. Someone’s already doing all the research and showing me the latest and most interesting information on a subject matter. For some reason, I never went out there to look for these sites before but I must say that I absolutely love them.
So I’ve spent the last few days looking all over the net and trying to find new sites. I am interested in new voices, thought-provoking entries. I have a varied set of interests: anywhere from art to linguistics to physics to just about anything you can imagine. And of course books and photography.
I’ve updated my other places page to include a lot more places. Some of which I’ve read consistently, some of which are brand new to me and might or might not stay on the page. I am actively soliciting other sites. Is there a place you visit that you like? Is there a site you think I might like? If so, please add a comment below and I promise I will give each site a chance. Pretty please?
just added factcheck and swingstatesproject and finding some other science ones as well.
I love this picture. Don’t know what else to say I just love it, well observed. Great effort on 4 years of blogging as well.
I can’t believe four years have passed! WOW!
I’ve always known you’ve had an eye for detail…this picture confirms it.
Well said, and quite true. Everyone is linking the “popular” sites, although I’m not sure what exactly makes them popular. Granted, they are generally excellent sites, but so are hundreds of others that aren’t on everyone’s A list.
I’ve gone through several iterations now of my list of links, always with the popularity contest in mind. I used to link the sites I like, the sits of my friends, and the sites of anyone who took the time to visit me and introduce themselves. After a while I felt like all that linking was just me participating in the popularity game, trying to get reciprocity by being linked on other sites. Eventually I stopped. Now I only link those people who I actually know and consider friends in real life; every link on my site is a real human who I am privileged to call friend. In that way, my photoblog remains 100% an extension of my real life.
another shot from one of my favorite neighborhoods in brooklyn. 🙂
Williamsburg … my friend Hari has been trying to get me to move out there with him for weeks. Sounds like the new hip spot in the city?
Anyway, I really like the color contrast between the green and clay. Great photo.