Brain Lemon

I just updated this blog’s About page to reflect changes I have made in regards to its purpose and identity.  Much of that is still in the air, but suffice it to say, I have much in mind.  Find it on the side bar, or here.

As most readers of this blog (if there in fact are any) know a few months ago I started writing for another site, Pundit League.  Doing so has been great – it is an honor to be sharing space with many other talented people and I’ve enjoyed actually having my work read.  This past week brought another exciting opportunity to write for an influential libertarian blog, United Liberty.  Writing at this site provides yet another tremendous chance to have my pieces get some more attention.  Combined, the two blogs cover almost any blogging I want to do about politics and technology.

So what is left for this little blog?  Well, it is still going to exist, but it will have a somewhat different purpose.  I intend for this site to be where I post all the things that I don’t want to submit to the other sites.  This includes posts of a more personal nature (or as personal as I get on the Internet), as well as assorted other things that belong on my own blog.  If I ever decide to start something more, this will be where it is, but I don’t foresee that happening any time soon.  For the time, I will keep posting to the two outside blogs and to this one when appropriate, and that should handle all my needs.

All this to say, if you want to read most of what I write, check out Pundit League or United Liberty.  I will try and cross-post many of these writings here to provide a hub of sorts.  And for anything I might write about more personal things, this is where you’ll find them.  I hope you all stay tuned as I feel I finally have gotten my chance to enter the blogging world in legitimate form.

As seems to be the norm, the end of the year brought me to considering the past year’s accomplishments and failures, and what I would like to accomplish in the new year.  This is always a time that brings up disappointment and regret, but also hope and excitement for the future.

The past year brought me a couple of great opportunities, including the chance to write at a couple other blogs.  Most especially the launch of Pundit League has been a great boon and something I am excited to be a part of.  And the other blog I wrote for, Political Tavern, will hopefully pick up again in the new year.  Both provide a chance to write and be read by more people, and I don’t have to do the self-promotion I so abhor.

As for Twitter, I finally reached 1000 followers, after being on Twitter since March 2009.  It felt like a load off – for whatever reason reaching 1000 felt like a real accomplishment.  Surely some of them are not actual people (such are the realities of Twitter).  But it made me feel like I was finally in the big boy’s club after toiling for so long.  I’m still nowhere near where I want to be, but that will take time.  Improving at Twitter is a huge priority for 2011.

One thing I did start was keeping a list of great people who are producing fine Twitter content but who do not have the following they deserve.  My Underfollowed list is one of my major projects – it consists of people with under 1000 followers who continue to make good points, provide amusing banter, and engage people well.  I am thinking of how to expand this in 2011 to better help the “underfollowed” users to get some more attention.  I feel like it is my little part to help newer users out, after a number of bigger folks played a large part in getting me where I am today.

Perhaps my biggest excitement for 2011 comes in the form of CPAC, the major political conference that I have finally decided to attend.  I have never met in person any of the folks I’ve come to know on Twitter, and the opportunity to finally do so is thrilling.  My expectations are tempered, of course, but my hope is that this will provide a chance to “break out” a bit and make some connections.  Really, if nothing else I hope 2011 provides me with a better idea of how I fit into the larger political scene.  2010 may have taught me what I won’t be – maybe 2011 will teach me what I can be.

So with all of this said, I await to see what the new year shows me.  I have my own personal goals with regards to living healthier and such, but I won’t go into those.  What I will say is that, if it goes well, 2011 can be an important year.  Or it could be a disaster.  But I’m going to try and think positively for once!

I have been recruited, along with about 30 other fantastic people, to write at a new site called Pundit League.  Essentially, this is going to be a blog that covers a wide array of topics, all centered around conservative politics and geek culture.  While I am not certain exactly what I will be contributing, I will be writing at least once a week on Saturdays around one of these topics.  In addition, throughout the week many other fine folks will be writing, so this is definitely going to be one of those sites that you always have open in a browser tab or at least hooked up to your RSS reader!

Pundit League goes live on Monday, December 6.  My first post will likely be on Saturday, December 11.  But please check it out long before then, because there is some great talent involved!  Save the link right now.

UPDATE: It looks like my first post will now be on Tuesday, December 7.  Stay tuned, and check out the site today!

UPDATE 2: My main day is going to be Tuesdays.  There might be other posts, but that will be the regular one.

It looks like I will get the chance to post on another blog. I recently discovered a new political blog that just started up called Political Tavern. The aim of the site is to provide various viewpoints a chance to engage in civil, rational debate about the issues of the day – a lofty goal and one which I support wholeheartedly. One of my favorite Tweeters/bloggers is already posting on the site. So when I saw that they were asking for new “regulars”, as they call them, I jumped at the opportunity to take part in a new and exciting site.

Anyway, the format of the blog is based around a weekly topic, so I’ll be posting at least once a week. There is also room for “rants,” their term for posts unrelated to the topic of the week. I’m sure I’ll engage in those from time to time as well. The crucial thing is, it’s got to be civil, so this will surely be an excellent way to sharpen my legitimate debating tools. All in all, a good opportunity that will give me a little more exposure and will hopefully be a lot of fun!

I am currently in the process of moving my blog from a server hosted by GoDaddy to one on WordPress.com.  I’m doing this for simplicity, to save a little money, and in hopes that it will be more reliable that the GoDaddy site.  And to be honest, I wasn’t taking advantage of the other setup and all.

I migrated all my previous blogs posts/comments.  I also am going to write more often and more regularly.  I realize you have to start small before you get big, so I am going to work my way up and establish what will eventually become the “Brain Lemon brand.”  Enjoy!

I’m hoping to make this more than just a simple blog, more like a site where I can include other content.  Specifically, I’d like to put together some persistent content detailing my opinions on certain subjects and information I pick up.  This content will have its own category label, Papers.  Also, I’ve created a distinction between politics and non-politics for anyone who is sick of it.  Posts not relating to politics will be marked with category Other Things.  Stay tuned for more on what will hopefully, finally, be the actual blog I’ve been wanting to have for a while.

Thus begins, at lost last, the restart of my blog I’ve been desiring for months.  The original goal was to develop a full-blown personal website, hosted on my own, including my own custom-designed blog.  This goal still remains, however since it seems it will be quite a while before I create that, in the meantime I’m revitalizing this blog (which I’m paying for anyway).  This time I’m going to promote the thing and try to actually get some readers!