CONFESSION

Thanks to all who have welcomed me as a blogger. I would like to express special appreciation to Cowtown Pattie who helped me get the second installment of the story of my "Seduction" published, after a glitch (that means I messed something up) prevented me from doing so. She herded me Texas style, into the right pen, helping with so much more. Actually, now I'm supposed to know how to create links in my posts, but I'm too tired and it's too late at night to risk messing up everything with what would be my first independent effort to provide a link in my post. Please don't tell her, 'cause she really did teach me well, it's just me. So, I'll just say, visit her at http://www.texastrifles.blogspot.com. I think you'll enjoy yourself.


CONFESSION is good for the soul, I'm told. With that in mind I will now tell you that I didn't really intend to start that blog or publish that first post when I did, the day of PhoneCon. I began creation of a blog with a different title, from the one I have now, in early October. I typed a very very very long post which I saved as a draft. The night before PhoneCon I decided to work on my blog since there were numerous technical term choices I had yet to consider. Quite frankly I didn't understand some of the terms. so accepted what was already marked.

I then thought I would like to see my written piece on my new blog. I expected to be able to preview on the actual blog what I had written a couple of weeks earlier and saved as that now edited draft. I had already concluded the piece was much too long, needing to be divided into parts. But I still hadn't established what I might want on my blog's sidebars, what information to mention about me, background color, and other possible features.

The time had come to preview this blog. I'm sure no one has ever done this except me, but I clicked on the wrong instruction. The full impact of the fact my blog was actually "out there" hit me full force. I then discovered after my blog was in the blogosphere, my original research on the name I had selected had been inadequate. I won't go into all the details regarding unearthing that bit of knowledge. Let me just say, there are more blogs out there with that name than I want to think about.

I was furious this blog and piece were published; even more furious that so many other blogs existed with the same name. I stayed up much too late, into the wee hours, when I had a busy day ahead of me, perusing the Blogger site and helps, but I could not figure out how to get the blog off the Internet, change the post, even locate an email address, much less a phone number, to which I could ask a human being how to accomplish these things. The "help" section was useless to me. I tried it, but couldn't find anything remotely close to my problem. I needed help ... NOW!

I even sent irate emails to Blogger at email addresses I just pulled out of the blue, like at Google, asking them to remove the blog and cancel my affiliation with Blogger. Of course, my emails were instantly returned to me as undeliverable. I wasn't surprised, but that did little for my disposition. There was more I did in anger, but I won't even talk about that, except to say, I did not inflict violence on any animate creatures, or inanimate objects. I did not turn to vices to assuage my frustration...but it was tempting!

I then concluded I must create a new blog, a new name, edit my piece and post it immediately before anyone found the other one. By that time it was PhoneCon Day! So, I did all that, having learned to not make the same mistake again. I felt quite proud when my new blog, with a new name (which many others may be using, too, but I don't care) appeared in the blogosphere. I did it all myself! But...my blog's appearance was missing so much I had expected it to have before I took up part time residence in the blogosphere with all of those other really classy looking blogs listing so many links and much information on the sidebars, even pictures, and more.

I managed to get a few hours sleep before phoning in to PhoneCon. My morale was boosted when my self-installed Skype audio system worked perfectly. As bloggers and readers phoned in on the special number, the comradery of the experience was palpable with warmth and good humor, even when serious topics sometimes were discussed. In this etheral atmosphere I spontaneously announced that I had a confession to make; that I had started a blog.

Of course, that's not the end of the story, but rather just the beginning. The next night when I confidently expected to post Part II of my blog, there was a glitch, but I've already hit the highlights on that topic at the beginning of this piece.

In time, I have come to adopt a philosophical accepting attitude that this blog with all its warts is now mine. I hope to gradually turn the appearance into more than what is here. I hadn't had the courage to tell any bloggers about this, but finally confessed to a few who offered to help me. At this point, I figure if somebody accidentally finds that first blog out there, then so be it. If not, this is my secret ... and yours.