Who does one write a blog for? Or more to the point - how does one decide? Is it important?

It is. The written word can be a satisfying thing, for both the reader and the writer. I take a lot of personal pleasure in constructing simple sentences that I believe accurately convey my intended meaning. I really enjoy letting my mind run stupid with inappropriate metaphors and grotesque imagery.

It is more personal than that though - as I've mentioned in the past, and as anyone who knows me will attest, my memory is a thing of legend[1]. Much of my primary school years are lost to me because I have always gone through life in a fuzzy, book-reading, introspective daze. The only reason I recall much of my University years is because of the hundreds of anecdotes that I've carefully constructed and endlessly recount[2]. It's kinda like the Guy Pearce's character from Memento's Sammy Jenkis story. So I feel that I really need a written record of my past, or I'll end up a billionaire playboy who cannot pass on the pearls of wisdom that led to his good fortune (is there any sadder person? No.)

So why is it important to decide on an audience, or a topic? Here's why: without direction I know I'll lose interest. If I put any random crap up that I feel merits documenting there will be no intrinsic value in the blog, because I won't be able to imagine it being interesting to myself or anyone else. It'll be like the big fat notebook I have sitting near my keyboard at work - I jot down everything in it, so if I ever need anything it's practically useless.

This is why every time I read an interesting technical article or a good book I have to resist the urge to plonk a steaming pile of analysis in this here blog. Because there's a time and place, and I've decided that this is not to be the place for serious technical analysis.

So what constitutes a useful entry? I don't really know yet, but after writing what became a Firefox etymology I decided news articles just won't cut it. I don't mind a little news parody but thats what The Onion is for. Meta rants get old fast, and aren't really that interesting.

On the other hand if I only put up personal shit about how I hate this or that, or which foods I enjoy, or personal aspirations and the like, I'll have to start kicking my own ass, because I quickly find that boring to read. In the end I believe one must have a point, and if possible, a conclusion.

So it'll be a mix of things[3], but probably no news-like stories. Not focusing on any particular facet, but broadly canvasing the things on which I muse in daily life. I also want to create another page just for technical (computer programming) rants, because I don't want those to drown out all the non-technical stuff on this page.

I'll probably start putting more half-baked rants up as well. I have a few draft rants that probably won't ever see the light of day because I didn't publish them when I wrote them, and now can't be bothered finishing them off.

Footnotes
[1] Legendary, if things that truly suck can be said to be legendary.
[2] Schmee has recently had the tenacity to challenge many of these anecdotes I so dearly cling to. Perhaps the Sammy Jenkis analogy is more apt than I dare realise...
[3] Nothing too risque - my girlfriend's parents (and perhaps even my own) have been know to read this site.