Is a personal blog or general-purpose more like a small shop or your local garage?
They’re a bit of a calm business.
A corner store with a friendly owner/operator. Never grows beyond its means. Operates at relatively-human scale. Greet every customer, have a nice conversation, send them away with something interesting. Aims for an infinite game, not limitless growth. It may not ever turn a profit, but that’s okay; neither do most restaurants or start-ups.
A good neighborhood store might make me think, “I wonder if Sam has anything interest in stock this week?” A good blog should make me hope Sam has new posts, with confidence that they’re probably pretty good.
But, a personal web space is a bit of a sports car in a workshop too.
It’s meant to enjoy, for driving. But also for nostalgia, for looking and remembering. Showing it off is important! It’s not quite as good as what you could go out and buy new, but that’s most of the charm. Working on it is part of the fun, but often a source of frustration and expense.
An interesting garage might make me think, “Hey I wonder what car Hank is working on this week?” A good blog makes me think, Hank’s site is so fascinating, I should go talk to him about it or make my own.
A lovely thing, personal websites are!
