Diary of a Network Geek

Ah, the age old question!

So, I’ve been working on a blog in secret. No, dear readers, I haven’t been two-timing you like a cad, I promise. What I have been doing is working on a more professional blog that’s more focused than this one. And, therein lies the rub. I have a topic in mind and I originally had a goal of writing 52 posts before launching. That’d be one post a week already on the shelf just waiting for me to roll it live as the mood struck me. One whole year of weekly posts about this one, particular topic.

Now, I meant that as a base, a starting point. I was going at it like starting a business and gathering more than enough assets together before going live so as not to disappoint later. But, now, I’m thinking it may be too much.
You see, dear readers, I’m having bit of trouble writing all 52 of these little devils. It doesn’t seem like much of a task, at first, writing 52 short essays on a single, rather broad, topic. But, with a full-time gig and another blog and all that Lost to watch on DVD, well, it’s gotten far more difficult that I could have imagined. Also, I’m starting to think I may have been a little too ambitious. For example, I stumbled across Scott Berkun’s site, which has an Essay section, and he has 60 essays spread out over about ten years. Ten years! Holy Flying Spaghetti Monster! That’s far, far less than I thought I should have.

So, I put the question to you, faithful readers, how many and how often should a focused blog post long, brilliant, insightful essays on topic? Is once a week too often? Not often enough? Just right? Or, perhaps, is once every two weeks more reasonable, with smaller bits in between?
Vote in the poll and let me know! (Also, feel free to comment!)

I have two criteria I measure all potential posts against.

Before I post anything even remotely questionable, I ask myself three questions. First, do I care if my ex-wife knows about it? I always assume she’s reading, whether she is or not. It’s easier than obsessing over all the thousand of visitors I get and ways to conceal one’s identity when browsing. So, before I post something about my personal life, I always consider whether or not I’d care if she knew. Mostly, I don’t care, but, every once in awhile, there’s something that I’d rather not have her repeat to her daughter, who already hates me, thanks to my ex-wife’s tall tales. Honestly, there’s not much and it doesn’t happen very often, but, still, I occasionally don’t post things because I’d rather she not know about it.

The second question I ask is whether or not a potential employer or date shouldn’t know what I’m thinking of posting. If I suspect that I might post something that would put off the kind of person I’d really want to be involved with for a long period of time, I don’t post it. And, really, I spend about as much time with an employer as I do a significant other, not including time actually sleeping, so the question is the same. Also, I think the same things that would irritate a potential spouse would probably irritate a potential employer.

The last gauge I use is whether or not I’d tell my mother. In theory, she does read this blog now and again, so she might actually learn something about my life here that I’d rather she not know. Granted, there’s not much that comes to mind that wouldn’t already fall under one of the first two categories, but it is a final check that occasionally rules out a post. For instance, I don’t talk about sex much on this blog not only because it might be off-putting to an employer, but because I’m sure my mother thinks of me as a pre-adolescent, virginal, church-going, innocent boy.
I’m not, of course, but I see no need to disabuse her of that endearing misconception.

What criteria do you all use regarding posting material?
Oh, and don’t tell my mother that I grew up a long, long time ago, okay? Thanks.

Advice from your Uncle Jim:
"Love is that condition where someone else’s happiness is necessary to your own."
   --Robert Heinlein