Maybe Dad Ought To Buy Facebook Fans & A Life

I would tell you to go read The Lazy Guardian Angel but I don’t think that would be any more effective in making you point and click your way over than just asking.

Ask me why I wouldn’t start by asking and I’d probably say that I am skeptical about whether you would do so and that led to the more aggressive request.

Reminds me that I have always said that true influence in social media comes from those whose readers/followers respond to their requests.

Doesn’t matter if you have a million if they don’t respond to your call-to-action.

Since I have been doing such a piss poor job of commenting and engaging elsewhere I have noticed a drop in traffic and commenting.

It is not the only reason(s) for that but it is the most obvious one nonetheless I thought it might be interesting to see if more interesting headlines like Confessions of Sexual Conquests In Social Media pulled in more people.

Thus far it has done as I expected and traffic has increased but I haven’t seen a significant difference in comments.

Maybe Dad Ought To Buy Facebook Fans & A Life

If you have been following the wall scribblings in this joint and paying attention you know I write first for me and then for you.

You also know I go through periods of time where I wrestle with whether I want to invest more time and energy in marketing this blog so that I have more readers and gain all of the benefits that come with that.

Ask me if I know how to market myself and this place and I’ll tell you I know a bunch of tricks and tools I can use.

There are resources available but I haven’t been real aggressive about using them. It is kind of similar to how I diet.

I see myself in the mirror and think “FUCK! That can’t be right” and decide I am going to fix it and for a while I am good about it.

Better diet, more exercise and all that jazz lead to pants that feel better and a happier Jack.

For a while all is good and than some mishap comes along and mucks up my progress and I figure eating 98 pizzas, 78 donuts and dozen six packs ought to be ok.

Really, instead of playing ball twice this week I’ll add a third day and lift weights longer and harder.

Sometimes it happens but usually I hit a point where work, family and life conspire against me and the exercise shrinks while the eating continues.

Not a great formula, but I accept responsibility for letting some of that go/happen.

And I accept responsibility for not doing more to promote this place, for not pushing to get published in more places and for not spending more engaging with  the hoity-toity popular bloggers who could help pull or push me along.

The bottom line is if it is really important than dear old dad will do what he needs to do to make it happen.

When I choose to stay focused and be relentless that is exactly what happens.

I tell my kids to remember this.

I tell them to not think about being lost but of being in a place where they are learning how to create themselves and remind them I am still doing it.

If dear old dad is still doing it at 47 they shouldn’t feel discouraged or disappointed about not knowing precisely what they want or who they are.

Confession: I know a boatload more about who I am, what I want and what I need than I let on with them.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t portray myself as a complete misfit or fool because I am neither of those things.

I might share parts and pieces of them, but I am certainly not a fool or misfit. Outsider maybe, but not the latter.

Anyhoo the point of not telling them how close I am to having figured it out is I’ll have to tell them that I am 98.5% focused on getting a job out of state and I expect it is going to happen soon.

It is not because I dislike living here, but because it is cheaper to live elsewhere and I see that as providing more opportunity.

Can’t turn my nose up at that and ignore it.

Did I mention my landlord decided he needs my place?

I have been month-to-month for a long time now so I can’t say I am really suprised, just that this is the universe pushing me to find that job and to grab it elsewhere.

I would have preferred if I had more time to work on finding that perfect position and didn’t have to deal with moving but I can roll with this.

Dad is a ordinary man trying to play hero and heroes know how to make the best out of any situation.

What I think/Feel

If you believe me when I say I can picture some of what is to come and that I feel these things then you might appreciate some more details.

I see myself making good money using my creativity and writing while living somewhere with a higher quality of life.

When I close my eyes I always picture the way I looked at 25 or younger.

I can see myself busting my ass to get that body back  not because of vanity (well, maybe a little) but because I know I will feel better.

I know it will be helpful personally and professionally for now and the future.

So if what I see is real I expect that in a short time I’ll find myself scratching my head and wondering what took it so long to happen but very grateful that it did.

The best is yet to come not because I am lost but because I am in the process of creating that space and the elements that are needed to make it into reality.

Watch and see.