Power of Cheese Burgers

Last Updated on June 23, 2012 by John Morehouse

I went to lunch the other day with an esteemed colleague, Ken (Blog | Twitter) and the topic of blogging came up.

We were discussing the fact that blogging is harder than it looks.  I know for myself, at least, trying to come up with interesting useful topics can be difficult.  I know that some of you out there has tons of ideas flowing like water and while I have ideas as well, I also have a 5 month old son at home who isn’t sleeping through the night yet.  So sometimes my ideas get put on the back burner until I can find some quiet time to expound on them.  Even when I do find some quiet time to work on them, of late I’ve been too tired to work on them.

Do you want fries with that?

As we munched on our cheese burgers, we also both reflected on that blogging doesn’t necessarily have to provide technical content, but rather just relative content of some sort.  As a reader of blogs, I get enjoyment of reading the thoughts (philosophical views are content right?) of other individuals, even if they are not SQL geeks like myself. Now, don’t get me wrong.  I can’t just type out garbage and call it content.  Well, I could but that would defeat the purpose I think.  Anyway, I think that the content of the posting has to have some meat to it, some sort of end of goal.

In hindsight, I think that I fail to remember that blogging is really about me writing down my thoughts on various topics, even if on occasion the topic of choice isn’t about SQL Server.  I need to remember that my blogging is a way to force myself outside of my comfort zone and I am on the only one that can define what the “zone” is.   Writing these philosophical type of posts helps to push me a little further out of that zone so I think that they are in fact good posts.  Of course, you welcomed reader, can certainly disagree and I invite you to leave me your thoughts on whether or not these types of post bring value.

Granted, since my blog is named “SQL-R-Us” the population of the intertubes would expect most topics to be SQL related so I’ve been trying to keep them at least “SQL” oriented.  So, here’s some of my blogging philosophy:

Blog Like No One is Watching

If you tune out your audience a bit (don’t tune them out all the way!), the writing seems to flow a little easier.  If you don’t focus on the delivery of the content but rather the content itself, it’ll come together.

See how short, sweet and simple that philosophy is?  But just as simple that is, it’s just as simple to loose sight of that.

Of late, I’ve been more worried about making the posts “pop” rather than what’s in the post itself.  I forgot that I’m new to this and that I have to be patient with myself as I learn new things and improve on my blogging.  I think that in time, with practice, some “learn as I go” education, and some patience, the “pop” will come.

Sometimes I am amazed on how a simple conversation over some cheese burgers will remind me of what’s really important.    Even if it’s about simple thing like blogging.

As always, your comments are welcome!!

© 2011 – 2012, John Morehouse. All rights reserved.

2 Replies to “Power of Cheese Burgers”

Hey you! Leave me a comment and start a discussion!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.