Snark Time

 The Thrifty Rocketeer blog continues...

As I close in on the 200th entry for this continuing blog, I have to admit that I am especially pleased with the release that it gives me.  And I want to thank all of you who regularly at least click on the link to skim the blog and see if this week's topic appeals to you.  Thank you.

However, there's at least one person who got on my nerve this week, and I'll bet you can guess who that is.


I decided to try something new this week, and borrowed a page from another continuing blog on how they promote their show.  It seems to work well for them, and several have adopted it.  It involves pre-selling or teasing the coming release of a new episode.

Now, the producer knows what the content is, and so, fashions a simple graphic that is representative of the topic or sure to draw someone in.  It should be fair and above board, not frustrating or deceptive.

The graphic gets posted around on various similar or supportive pages on Facebook or elsewhere, but contains no link, cause the show isn't published yet.

On the day of release, the producer goes back and adds the link to the posting, and those who are interested can follow it to the blog, and enjoy it.  This process tends to increase awareness and participation.  It's called "teasing" in the industry, and need not aggravate a potential reader.

So, my last topic was a step away from model rocketry, and I knew it. So when it came to selecting a graphic to promote it, I did an internet search and found a very clear, effective graphic that showed the offshoot hobby that I was going to discuss.  I clicked on it and made it the tease graphic.

No sooner than I had done that, than I realized I had already received a comment from a viewer. I went to look at it.

It was a one line "correction" to me, explaining how  that other hobby worked...despite the fact that the blog had  not yet posted. That is, he could not possibly have known what I was going to say, or discuss, or the link between to the two hobbies.  And he ended the line by insulting me as "Fool".

I thought about responding, and thought of several snarky responses that I could post.  But again, I remembered that the blog post hadn't dropped yet, and as soon as it did, the person's error in leaping to a conclusion would be obvious to anyone who saw it. And that's what happened.

A little while later, once the blog HAD dropped, I saw there were a few comments on another page, and went to look at them. The very first one took me by surprise.

No, it wasn't Robert blasting me again.  It was Jeremy, who started with a  simple compliment that means so much to me..... "Good blog".      And then he went on to describe his experience in that hobby and how much enjoyment he had gotten out of it.  No comment about being off-topic or wrong in any way.

And then I read the three other comments below it. They also were supportive or at least neutral. 

It made me feel good to have at least some people who enjoy the blog and are moved to respond.  Just two little words turned my attitude around and  pleased me once again.

It's not easy coming up with regular topics that appeal to everyone.  Sometimes it's stream of consciousness, and sometimes its what shinny thing runs across my path.  But I always try to be entertaining.

And after 200 entries, I thank you for coming along. It  means a lot to me. 

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