when i post to BlueOregon, i hope, of course, for positive feedback. i hope a few people tell me "great post" or "well said" or something like that. and i do get those frequently. now and then, i expect i'll get just the opposite; there are trolls and Rs who hang out in the site, and they get their jollies acting like 7-year-olds (i'm not talking about constructive critiques here; i'm talking the equivalent of "your post sucks liberals suck you suck"). sometimes my posts generate converation, and sometimes only a few people find it worth their time to post a reply. i take each as it comes.

i wrote a piece a few weeks back that sounded to most readers like i was saying "our schools need a lot more money, and i'm mad cuz they're not getting it". it was not my point, but it did result in dozens of replies (and a very long convo between 2 or 3 people on obscure tax-related issues; the final tally was around 100 comments). i wrote a follow-up piece to say, no it's not about money -- and i think i got 6 or 7 comments. go figure; i guess money issues stir people up a lot more than strategic or philosophic.

yesterday i posted about how, with the nov 2nd house parties, the 2006 political campaign can be reckoned officially in progress. there have been 11 comments, and the only one that replied to me was someone who still wanted to vent his spleen on kerry. wtf? everyone else, including a couple of people from DFO, a group i don't trust any further than i can spit a mouthful of hydrochloric acid, had their own little chat about portland and other topics. in short, my post was ignored. just a handy spot for a few people to have their own little chin wag (and without so much as a thank-you-very-much).

ah yes, the life of the blogger. these are among the risks (possibly being arrested for terrorist activity may be one of the risks at some point, but so far the constitution seems to be in force, although scalito could help change that). i want to be loved and admired, i want my words to change the world, but sometimes i have to accept being hated, being ignored, and being abused. blogging isn't a means to develop self-esteem, after all; it's a way to add to the conversation, to defuse destructive rage by speaking out.

blogging. it's good for your soul.