I had a strange thought.  That I should sell MadOgre.com and start a new Blog afresh.

Update:
Okay, so…. no… I’m not going to sell MadOgre.com.

Sorry for the Down Time, Guys.  
My Host suffered a massive failure in a Blade Server Stack that brought down all the servers, including MadOgre.com and a bunch of commercial clients.  A pretty expensive event there.  This happened last Sunday afternoon about 4 PM and it’s been down all week.  It’s now Thursday, 2:23PM and it looks like we’re back up.

I’ve been offered hosting by about four different sources…. But it would be hard to change.  Since I registered MadOgre.com, I’ve used the same host.   I pay a very reasonable fee quarterly and I pretty much get away with whatever the hell I want.  So I am reluctant to make a switch as many of you  have been encouraging me to do.  I was freaked out like crazy just changing over to Word Press.  I did NOTEPAD for years and then used MS FrontPage for years after… and now Word Press.  I take a long time to get comfortable changing anything. 

Anyways, for you MadOgre.com readers, most any time MO is down, I’m found on Facebook under my real name, or I’m on WeTheArmed.com.  

If you think you want to Blog… Go for it.  Just do it.  Its easy.
Oh, wait… you want to have a successful blog?  Define successful first.
First thing you need though, is something to say.  If you just want to run your mouth, use Twitter or Facebook. If you want to really publish your words, then Blog.
The best way to do it is to pick a topic or two, or even three. These are you main subjects and stick to those.  These should be subjects you are knowledgeable about.
Blog regularly, but make sure you have a point.
Blog for yourself.  If you have an audience then great.
Don’t look at Blog Stats.  Just do what you do.
If you don’t suck, people will dig it.  If they don’t, who care? You blog for yourself.  If you stay true to this, people will dig it.

I am considering, very strongly, starting a new blog.  This would be a Food/Road/Character blog.  A division of MadOgre.com.  Not a replacement.  If/When I do that, I’m going to kill my Facebook Account and just concentrate on my blogs and WTA.

I’ve been “Blogging” for a very long time.  Even before there was even a term for it.  Blogging and Gun Blogging are terms the newer blogs have thrown out there into the Interwebs in the classic human condition of Mandatory Classification.  Humans have to have everything Labeled for them to be comfortable.  So they can easily Accept or Dismiss something based solely on that label.  I’ve seen many a Blog come and go.

I’m not the oldest blog on the internet, but I’m one of them.  One of the oldest Continuing blogs certainly.   I’ve been called “The Blogfather” by a great many.  I just smile, and nod, say “Thank You”, and then delete their blog from my list when they stop blogging and vanish into the internet ether.  Too many to count.  When I started this, it was called a Home Page hosted by HOTBOT.  Remember that?  Wired Magazine’s search engine page?  Then it was switched to Lycos when they bought out Hotbot.   The stuff I had back then is still found here… I don’t remember when I got the MadOgre.com Domain.  a decade ago?  More?  I can’t remember.   In internet years, that was back when the Myans were carving rock calendars.

So it’s with great amusement when I see something like this:  “Is Truth about Guns killing Gun Blogging?”  As if what one new start up blog does is going to effect me.   Seems a lot of people have made cries of Shark Jumping.   Come on, that blog is what, 2, 3 years old?  I don’t know.  Hard to pay attention to so many coming and going.  Only really pay attention to those bloggers who are friends any more.
I’ve considered doing collaborative blogging.  Bringing in guys to guest blog.  I’ve accepted many guest posts for sure.  But really, MadOgre.com is just me.  It’s me venting my spleen.  Getting stuff off my chest.  Spouting my opinions to a brick wall… or in this case an LCD Screen.  Sometimes it gets read.  Great.  At one point my readership swelled to greater than that of the New York Times printed newspaper.  That made me smile.  Then made me think.  Then I stopped thinking (read that how you will) and just did what I have continued to do.  Write about whatever the hell I damn well feel like.  Because I am beholden to none.  I tried taking advertising.  Some money coming in was all groovy, but it felt like I all the sudden had a leash.  It was uncomfortable and took away the fun of doing this in the first place… so I stopped Advertising.  I’ve also pretty much stopped using Ogre located at this Domain for any serious communication.  Facebook and a Gmail is used for that now.  Of course now that MadOgre.com has this slick Comments widget, direct email is not as important.

Anyways.  So I’m going to continue to do what I do.  Spout my unwanted opinions and criticisms.  Jump the Shark?   It’s my Shark.  Go make your own.

I forgot to add our friend Jim’s blog to the Big Fat Blogroll.  Gas and Lead. Bookmark it!   Jim is talking about some cool guns, and he’s got a couple cool new guns coming… so check in on them.

The Huff Post got bought out for 315 Million dollars?
Hey, AOL… You can buy MadOgre.com for just 10 Million!