“Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” -Theodore Roosevelt
Just over three months ago, I started this website and blog to have a platform to publish my own work. I wanted that platform to be under my direct control, with as little outside influence or oversight as possible. Bear in mind that I came to this decision after much deliberation, and fully knowing that I lacked the technical skills to quickly and efficiently build this platform. Thanks in large part to the input I have received from others, manufacturingreality.org is already beginning to evolve into something greater than I had intended. That, to me, appears to be an excellent opportunity for reflection.
Originally, I expected that this site would serve as my own personal platform to publish my own work. As time has progressed, new ideas have presented themselves to allow this blog to grow beyond the constraints of my written words. Some of those ideas are currently being fleshed out. The Memory Hole is an example of one of those ideas. This idea, which started as a repository for links to the content of other independent media creators, is only now revealing that I may be just scratching the surface of its potential. I may be able to share more details about that evolution soon.
The connections that I have been able to make on my own between various data points is also just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. It is becoming clear to me that limiting the scope of this blog to only what I am able to deduce on my own may not be the highest and best possible use of this platform. That is where you come in. If you are reading this, then I would guess it is likely you have also had some serious questions about your own observations of the world, and events happening around you. Maybe you choose to share those observations with others. And if you choose not to, maybe it’s because you have concerns about how that information will be perceived by others; and how that perception holds the potential for creating increased discomfort and frustration in your own life.
The good news that I can share with you is that I can provide a solution for this particular problem. As you may have already observed, I choose to write under a pseudonym. I have my reasons for this, which I may choose to expand on at some point in the future. If you feel that you have something of value to share with the rest of the world, then there is no good reason you cannot follow the same formula. Now, I am not saying that you need to immediately begin a crash course on website construction so you can build your own platform. I can report that this is not the easiest of undertakings.
What I am directly saying is that I can offer the platform I have created, and continue to refine over time. I make this offer in order to allow you to take advantage of the opportunities you would like to pursue, but may not possess the requisite technical expertise to feel confident enough to start. Whether you write words that sound good together, create music intended to inspire, or produce videos or podcasts that attempt to cut through the insanity of our shared current times. Or any combination of these skills that are meant to entertain and distract, even if only for a moment, from the clownish antics that we are all subject to on a daily basis.
So this is my offer to you. I see this as the next necessary evolution for the continued growth of this platform. As I state in the intro to the Memory Hole, not a single one of us manufactures reality on our own. There will always be occasions where we must rely on information that others can provide so that we may be certain that our own perception is not leading us astray. This is your opportunity to be a part of that conversation, if you so choose. Drawing from my own experience, I can tell you that the most difficult part of all this for me was to make that decision, and then start the building process. Moving forward becomes easier once you are already in motion. If you feel so inclined, all you need to do is reach out to me in whatever manner makes you most comfortable. We can figure out how to move forward together from there. I assure you that at no time will your participation ever be considered mandatory… unless you want it to be that way.
So there it is, my offer to you. You can take as much time as you need to consider this offer. But again, from my own experience, the sooner you direct attention to the goals you want to achieve, the likelihood of enjoying that achievement increases exponentially with each step you take. I would call this the first step, and I am willing to share what I have already mapped out with you. I’m familiar with some of the terrain.
To wrap up this inaugural state of the blog address, I am aware that comments are currently broken. They may remain in that state for some time. I am looking at some other options for community participation. So it may ultimately come down to the most effective solution for solving that problem. That could mean that comments never get fixed. If you happen to be proficient with code and the inner workings of WordPress and website construction, that could also be an area where you could provide value; should you feel the desire to do so. I certainly welcome any assistance that can be provided in these areas. I am already well aware of the limits of my own knowledge.
Alright, I’m calling a lid on this post. It’s already gone well beyond the five paragraph outline I had in mind when I sat down to bang this out. And there’s no good reason either of us should be subject to my stream-of-consciousness ramblings any longer than absolutely necessary. The next chapter that I am currently researching may be ready in about a week or so, depending upon how many deviations from this particular rabbit hole I encounter between now and then. Until that time, if you desire to provide value outside of the creative and technical realms outlined above, then you can click this link and choose from among the options presented. I am always immensely appreciative of value returned.
Oh, I almost forgot: I will continue with the policy not allowing Google ads on this platform for the time being. Because fuck them.
So there you have it; that’s where we are right now. The foundation appears to be setting up nicely, and I’m excited for what the future will allow us to build on top of it. Until next time, keep your head up high and keep thinking critically. I have a feeling we’re in for one hell of a summer, and it’s just getting started.
