Hello friends.
I love blogging on JoeUser. I enjoy seeing "hits" and "comments" go up whenever I write a compelling article. For about as long as I have been using JoeUser, my blog has been in the top-ten.
I really like being in the top-ten. Being there means that a lot of people who wouldn't normally read my articles can read them.
With the ranking however, comes responsibility. If I want to maintain a top-ten ranking I had better not miss a day of blogging. All day long I am compelled to think of something to write in this space. Some days the topics come easier than others. I find myself getting a little worried when one of my daily articles gets few "hits." Slow days may inspire more than one entry!
Wanting to have a popular site comes in conflict with my desire to keep to writing what is on my mind.
In the final analysis: ranking and the point system create a powerful incentive for me to "stay interesting." I think that motivation is important. Desire to earn points is a good motivation to continue blogging, while making topics and individual articles as interesting as possible.
****************************************************************
One aside: As I write this, I am listening to the cassette "Keep your Hands off my Power Supply," by the British band SLADE (are they Irish?). If you have never heard a SLADE CD, cassette, or LP, let me recommend them to you. Their music is super-cool.
Word to the wise: avert your eyes when you see their faces though. Their look kind of kills their music.