Monday 14 November 2011

Wandering old git talks to self

I am out-of-things, disjointed, dislocated. Unhooked by time.

Probably post-viral.

That, and fell off the chain-end of a pointless what-is-the-point bloggery thinking, beginning from my sick bed.

Regretfully, I clicked the monthly stats. I see the numbers of happy grit's day readers took a nose dive, lifted only by a popular post on SEN kids who look like truants, and the ever-popular search, naked men in Bali.

But don't get me wrong. I am not particularly sad, nor especially surprised by sinking stats.

I am not very friendly, not at the best of times. I have a terrible record of visiting blogs, even ones I like. And my record for actually commenting when I get there is even worse.

And I already totally failed on the marketing. Wrapping a short skirt and false eyelashes on this blog and putting it out about the virtual world, touting for readership, is not something I can do.

Worse, I am not even on Facebook!

NO WAY can I give up my identity on there. What if I want to conduct an affair? By Thursday everyone would know about it and someone would be trying to flog me lubricant jelly.

Deliberately, I used to hang about the mummy blogs - probably much in the spirit of a miserable ghost who rattles its chains on the landing - where I could catch people unawares with my whiny plea, there is another way, or jump in whenever some misguided parent wrote something foolish, like 'better get used to it, school is compulsory'.

They ignored me. But maybe I somehow believed that positioning myself on the fringes of the home ed/normal world would help.

That place probably did bring up a few readers; those up for a laugh at the misfortunes of others, or the morbidly curious, like people who stare at a car crash.

But now I can't even be bothered with that role. The final bell was when the Britmums thing became a forum with an underlying agenda of whipping up enthusiasm for flogging each other stuff to sell it back to PRs. Beyond the idea there is another way, I have nothing to sell.

So I wondered where to position this blog next. A place that needs little effort. I could hang the blog about home ed land, and tackle home ed politics issues.

That would be okay, but home ed politics isn't that interesting, even to me. I would have to be all polemic, and is my heart in it? At some point I would just say, Oh I don't give a damn about the funding. Call yourselves what you want, EOTAS, AE, EO, WOTSITS. Basically I'm faithless and loyal to my own kids.

That's not a useful position to take if you're looking for a wide and provoked readership.

So I came to the same conclusion I always do when I'm idle. I shall keep the slog for my educational record. Something practical. Even though it feels like a bit of a sad and lonely space for an old hippie preparing to fight a battle with a local authority, when the local authority doesn't know they're at war.

Now, in this newly-found resolute mood, here is today's educational record. We visited the fantastic Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Gallery to talk about settlements and land use for the IGCSE Geography syllabus! Yippee!





There. And please don't feel the need to say anything nice. I won't sniff much about declining stats. I always think positive. Eric and his chums might stop calling.

19 comments:

Betty said...

Hi Grit, it's rubbish when people read and don't comment isn't it? I've been doing it for months to you now, so here's a comment. And some ice cream.

Grit said...

hi liz, and thank you for the ice cream!

Blue Dragonfly said...

Hi Grit, shame faced skulking blog reader here.
I read your blog, have done for a long time, I never miss it.
I just never get around to commenting, I can never find anything witty or relevant to say.
But I shall try much harder in future.

I have just the 1 anarchist here not 3 but I find your musings very heartening, especially on a day filled with overly loud child revolution, maths refusal and flying glitter glue.
Kath

home-ed mummy said...

I am a terrible blog voyeur, I hardly ever comment even when people do on my own blog. I read my way around the web feeling comforted that other people have the same take on life as me or laughing along with them without ever letting them know how much their writing has cheered me up.

Your blog always makes me smile and is often bloomin helpful too! Thanks, Emma.

Helen of SJ said...

Hi Grit, I'm still here. I love your ramblings. But like Blue Dragonfly, I usually can't think of anything witty to say. Anyway, I think you're an amazing writer. Keep it up!

And oh, your blog usually tells me what I just missed in the last field trip, so yeah, it's very helpful in that way. ;)

Big mamma frog said...

I'm still here.
In body, at least.

kelly said...

I just spent half a bloody hour walking around a field in the dark, trying to work out what the hell the light was at the top of the hill. It was the SODDING MOON.

Your blog keeps me sane, or least gives me a kick up the backside when I'm sliding into chaos and contemplating whether HE is a good idea. I especially love your new curriculum blogs...have you a stat reader on there? If so then you'll know you're also educating my daughter too.....no pressure.

Deb said...

I just spit my tea out at Kelly's comment (sweet iced tea, not that hot swill with milk you Brits drink).

I love grouchy grit. If I provided society with triplets, I'd figure that was the end of my future obligations for....well, anything, really.

Irene said...

I always read and comment often. Sometimes I'm at a loss for words. You can be so sharp witted that I don't know what to say. Anything would pale in comparison. But I do my best. XOX

peapod said...

I read everything you post but rarely comment because, as others have said, being erudite and witty is quite often a stretch for me!
I think also that my feedback would always be fawning and then I would seem a bit creepy :$

Clare said...

Aww Grit, we love you, ignore stats (plus some don't even include RSS feeds). They don't tell you who is reading and what they are getting out of it - in my case a much-needed antidote to all those "everything's perfect" HE blogs that can be inspiring and discouraging in equal measure. Your honesty is refreshing and sometimes astonishing, always hilarious. Please keep telling the truth, so we can keep going "yes! It's like that for other people too? Thank God."

(Lol, that's all quite gushy, isn't it? Am a proper stalker, even tracked you down on twitter, but don't think you've ever posted ;-)

Lins said...

I think you are just too witty. My comments just shouldn't be on the same page. You make me laugh and feel good about being a home edder and I find your recent educational websites for the gritlets inspiring. Mine are on board too!
Ignore stats. Do it for meeee!

Grit said...

oh now look, i'm getting all shy and stuff and soon will get a bit weepy. i think we should have a GROUP HUG.

but remember i must keep my reputation as mean ole grit intact. i feel i should burst out my front door, all clattery teeth and grizzled hair like a proper bonkers old woman waving a broom at the postman.

shush now, you will have me all teary. someone call me a miserable old bastard, quick.

Michelle said...

tch i read from phone and its tricky commenting from there. Always read tho. xx

Green V-Neck said...

Grit, I read every post, but I don't think I'm counted because your posts arrive in my Google Reader. I bet you have many more readers who are in the same position; unless we click on a specific blog post title and comment, you will never know we're reading.

If it helps, your blog is in my Top Five that I must check every day. Please keep it up!

Angela said...

Me too, I love your blog and your wit and your honesty, and I keep telling others of it. In Germany home schooling is not allowed, or I would have done it. Now I am a private teacher and try to repair what public schools (and bored, uninspired teachers) have spoiled. You always make me laugh, and think. Please keep it up.

Maire said...

Aww, I like to think that you have an incognito presence on Facebook!

Grit said...

people, you are writing such kind things. You have to be mean to me now.

anyway, i have got over my post viral moment of misery feel-sorry-for-self; i already have recovered my windmilling arms going at full pelt towards mr. chang who sold me a bag of vegetables and put them in a plastic bag EVEN THOUGH i slapped down my morally superior home-made cloth contraption with one handle.

it is such hard work fighting all of china, but of course i am not giving up.

Helen P said...

I adore your blog but I am totally rubbish for your stats because I nearly always read it in my Google Reader.

But don't change! We love you just the way you are!