"Oh if there's an original thought out there, I could use it right now"

-- B. Dylan, "Brownsville Girl"

Although I've only been at it for a few weeks, blogging has changed me in some significant ways, and not all of them positive. For instance, I used to read solely for learning or entertainment, but now I find myself reading for blog material. I "talk back" to the page, formulating little essays in my in head instead of truly listening to the writer. I've essentially become a desperate columnist, always searching for controversy and "angles". Of course, this is attitude is ridiculous, as the meager amount of traffic my site attracts means that I'm primarily talking into an abyss, with my words rarely seen by anyone but myself. But I still have this irrational urge to produce.

Regardless, there are real benefits to blogging. It has allowed me to sort-out my thinking on various matters, as writing always provides clarity. Most importantly, it has forced me to consider what other people might consider interesting and meaningful. I now realize that my early posts were too long and bookish - mere regurgitations of stuff that I had read. I've tried to be more concise and topical recently, and to provide something original. But as Dylan's quote suggests, originality is not always easy to come by, even for a genius like himself.