Reading: that David Eggers book (which is really holding up well)
Music: Motion City Soundtrack
TV/Movie: My Man Godfrey
Link o' the Day: Banjo Camp North

Yesterday's topic only spawned more thinking from me on the subject of keeping online journals.

Why do I keep a web-journal? Good question. Is it a waste of time? I don't think so. So let's see....

Well, the first and most selfish reason is that it's solely for me to keep my hand in writing--any kind of writing. It's an exercise meant to benefit mainly myself.

Second, it's somewhat gratifying to write something, anything really, and have it appear in print, even electronic print, immediately. No editors. No rejection slips. And I know that somewhere there is a Big Computer recording Everything that goes up on the web, so these little electronic signals mirroring my words and thoughts are a pathway to Immortality of sorts. So would that go under vanity? Probably.

There is also the delusion that, somehow, my thoughts and writings are of interest to others. Oh, sure. They can be kind of interesting from time to time, but who am I kidding? Do I really think my opinions on books and movies and fishing are that interesting? Do you care that I finally learned how to do the Foggy Mountain lick on the banjo? Fortunately I'm selfish and vain enough where reasons one and two are good enough so that reason three scarcely diminishes anything.

And finally, in digesting reason three, and taking reasons one and two into consideration, I can comfort myself by saying, "If I write enough, maybe it will become interesting and the sort of thing that people will seek out. Hell, maybe even pay for one day. Like, real money!"

It's kind of like learning to play an instrument. We play first for ourselves, but what keeps us from throwing in the towel is the hope that if we practice enough, other people will want to hear us play.

And then we feel like a success.

Hmmmm..... see what I mean by sometimes being kind of interesting? I won't ask if today is one of those days or not. I have my own opinion, but this time I'm keeping it to myself.

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When talking about blogs yesterday, I said I didn't scan much on livejournal. Actually, that was a mistake. Pretty Maggie keeps a livejournal which she uses, and is inhabited by a circle of friends. I _do_ check that one out regularly. I sometimes don't think of it as a blog because the topics are usually closed off to registered friends, so in my mind it's more like a family newsletter sort of thing. Trying to read other livejournal pages, though, can be frustrating. Almost as bad as MySpace. Good lord, save us from MySpace pages.

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In the category of, "why should you care?" (man, what is with me today?) I am awaiting word on two stories at two different markets which closed their reading periods at the end of March. I'm told that both are in the Maybe pile, which means nothing if it's not in the Yes pile. Still, I must bide my time and await word.

What I did get word on today was that I am officially registered at Banjo Camp North for this May! (Thank you Pretty Maggie and her cadre of conspirators!) It's going to be a blast.

Heck... let's make that the link of the day. If you're a student of the banjo living in New England, at any level of experience, then hie thee hence to Banjo Camp North which will be held this year in Groton, MA. There's a stellar selection of instructors. Some names I'm familiar with and am looking forward to meeting are Bill Keith, Janet Davis, and Bill Evans, all of whom are great instructors on DVD. Now we'll see how they do in person.