meta matters: an invitation

I want to thank you for reading k/o.

I am happy with this blog, and grateful for every single one of you who read it, whether everyday, or on a more check in from time to time basis. We have a community, and that's something to be grateful for.

From the comments, the incoming and outgoing links and the way people use this site, I know that you are intelligent, savvy readers who are choosing to come here, in some cases going out of your way to find this place...ahem...and I feel privileged to know that hundreds of you read this page everyday. I am grateful for every last one of you and all of your comments, even the challenging ones.

Now, this is not an audience of tens of thousands like other sites, and it won't be...even as this site inevitably grows a bit. Writing as if I had that kind audience doesn't fit here. So, as you may or may not have noticed, when I feel the need to wonk out, I am still writing occasional pieces elsewhere: dKos, MyDD, BooMan, that don't appear here. I am still looking for a community blog that "feels just right"...I am sure when I find it, I will write there too.

Frankly, this is a small blog that, for now, runs within the limits of the blogspot template....it's not a scoop or soapblox community and it was never intended to be. What I'm doing here is smaller, more intimate, and hopefully more focused and richer because of that. That's what I set out to do, for political and creative reasons. You see, in my view, we ALL should be doing this...adding to the gumbo, and the richness of blogs..by letting a thousand voices bloom.

In my view, there are things I can do here that I can't do anywhere else:

provide links to what I'm reading or listening to online

write from a personal angle, and not worry about doing so

give a "heads up" to friends and readers about something political or cultural that I think you might want to know about

write pieces that are about thoughts that are more tentative, experimental, sketch-like, creative....ie. blog.

and someday, I hope, link this work more closely with everything I do creatively and intellectually...and have this be a kind of "open workshop"...a window on what I'm up to and thinking. If you've noticed, I try to link to folks who do this now...

Admitting that I look forward to making alliance with many other small blogs like this...and do tell me if you have one or know of one I'd be interested in....I would like to invite you to use this blog as a place where you can freely comment and work in the above manner too. This is not a "formal place"...your comments, links, shout outs, and self-promotion are welcome here. If folks are interested, I'll post open threads...but as far as I'm concerned...use any thread as an open thread if you've got something to add.

In a nutshell, while I admit the layout and design could use a boost, and, yes, I may migrate this place off the blogspot platform someday...this is a home base for me for the short and long term. Hopefully you feel comfortable touching base here from time to time, if not getting to know your neighbors. Know that you are all most welcome.