Twenty-two years ago in this month of March I started my newspaper column “The Bluegrass Connection” in The Ohio County Messenger. I wrote that column through the rest of 2003 and barely into 2004 before life took me in another direction.
In the long years since then, I’ve often wished I could start up writing those articles again. But something would always come along to hinder that.
Well, this time nothing came along, so, better late than never, here we go!
But wait! This isn’t a newspaper. And I do love reading the newspaper. Let’s consider this an electronic newspaper.
The world is changing just as it has throughout history. Folks who know me very well know that I am not a fan of technology. I fear where it is leading human civilization. So, this endeavor is a major leap of faith for me.
Please bear with me as I try to make these tools, like Chromebook, Bluehost and WordPress, work for me. They say I can reach my audience better in this day and age by letting go the pen and paper.
You may wonder why I am not using “The Bluegrass Connection” name this time around. It’s because I easily discovered that it was being used by a bluegrass band or two and another publication as well. Why not start fresh anyway?
So my first task was coming up with a new name, which would also be what the blog and internet world refers to as my domain. My brother Kevin helped me come up with Notes of Blue. I love it!
Just as my 2003 column was about topics connected to Bluegrass, so too will this blog. What does that include?
Primarily, I’ll be writing about things closely connected (sometimes perhaps not so close) to the world of Bluegrass music, such as artists, instruments, songs, songwriting, festivals, events, etc.
But I won’t stop there! You see there will be loose connections, too. My great state of Kentucky is the Bluegrass State. I will be writing about life here, particularly rural life. I might even write about a particular shade of blue—UK blue!
Along with the writing, I plan to include pics and videos, assuming I can decipher the tech.
For now, in the beginning, you’re going to see the tech kick my hind end. For example, in the post Macon, Georgia, I couldn’t figure out how to double space lines and group stanzas and change margins, so it looks awful.
Please bear with, and together we’ll see this thing grow for the better.
I’m going into this with eyes wide open, letting the journey go wherever it needs to —and in its own time. The blog experts say to post to your blog on a regular schedule. About the best I can do there is to say my plan is to have posted material each Monday.
Some writers are disciplined enough to produce daily amounts of words. I’m not one of those. I can go days without so much as a word. But I can go the other direction, also. For instance, there are days when I feverishly write three or four songs. And the next day the same. Days like that can go on for a week or so before falling off to a lighter output.
I tell you this so you will know that, yes, there will be a blog post each Monday; however, don’t be surprised if you find more than one, many more even.
You’ll see weeks when I post everyday. And there will be weeks when I post only on Monday. For those who desire a tighter, more regular schedule, I apologize in advance.
When I was an English/Language Arts teacher (retired in 2021), I taught my students the writing process—and that each writer must find his or her own process, one that works for them.
I suppose this whole blog thing is just another process, much the same as communicating through the newspaper. When you get right down to it, it’s just communication, only it wears a different suit.
I look forward dearly to the opportunity to communicate with you , to “blog” for you, for ever how long this journey lasts. Here we go!
Leave a Reply