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Let’s Talk Like We Used To

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A few weeks ago someone commented on my new post, saying they had just stumbled across my blog, and that it was “very old school.”

I took that as a compliment, and got to reminiscing about what old school blogging really felt like, compared to today. Something’s definitely gone missing—some quality that made it vivid and exciting, and I want it back.

When I started in 2009, and for years afterward, I just wrote stuff, having absolutely no idea if anyone would relate. I wrote as well as I could, but there was a wonderful off-the-cuff feel to the process. If it was interesting to me, it might be to someone else. So I would write something about it. The incomparable joy of campfires. The rich history of a particular dent in my car.

I just let the ideas fly. People did relate, usually, although—importantly, I think—sometimes they didn’t. That was okay, and expected. I was just saying things.

Amidst all this vigorous saying of things, strangers appeared in the comments. You! You appeared, and you said things too, which made it a conversation. We talked about parking lots. Music. Meditation. Friendships. Kettlebells. The obscure details of being human.

The whole arrangement seemed so straightforward. We bloggers simply shared what we thought was interesting or helpful, and whoever agreed would congregate around, and we’d have a good talk about it, or maybe just think about it at work that day. The blog was just a microphone, and the internet only an aid to sharing our thoughts, like we had always done, in cars, in pubs, in school.

Somewhere along the line, at least for me, something got in the way of that straightforward sharing. If you’re a regular reader you’ve probably noticed I don’t post as often anymore.

Trepidation eventually sunk in around my writing and posting, especially when I started having mega-hits with hundreds of thousands of views. I felt pressure to follow up a hit with something just as good, so newcomers wouldn’t leave right away. It started feeling increasingly risky, even dangerous, to simply post my thoughts as I once had.

Writing time per post ballooned. For a few years I did little but try to write something profound every week. It had to be a life-changing bombshell or nothing. I stopped writing about niche topics that not everyone was into, even if they really mattered to me. I tried to please everyone, rather than just share what was in my heart that day.

Much of this complexity arose from my own neuroses and unchecked habits. But the internet itself has also changed. As one astute tweet put it, “1999: there are thousands of websites, all hyperlinked together. 2019: there are four websites, each filled with screenshots of the other three.”

I got caught up in the unimaginative tenets of the Age of Content. It’s got to land. It’s got to pull in eyeballs. It’s got to be shareable. Nothing too long, nothing too short. Nothing avant-garde. Facebook’s share count will tell you how well you did.

My process filled with doubt and overthinking, and that really suffocated any sense that I was free to share whatever moved me. Yet the site is still the same thing it ever was, mechanically at least. It’s still just a web log where I can broadcast my thoughts.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I love you, and I love how we used to just talk. I’m going to approach blogging in the free-form way I used to. That means I’m going to be saying things more often, with fewer words, and with much less hand-wringing over those words.

I’m going to try new things, and some old ones. There may be some awkwardness. Like in a real conversation.

You’ve always upheld your end of it though. I can’t believe that I can post something, on an old school WordPress blog, in 2019, and dozens of people will comment on it. Thank you for keeping it old school.

By the way, I love it when you comment. Even if you seldom or never do, I’d love it if you’d click through and just say hi to everyone today.

Long live the blog. Long live straightforwardly sharing what’s in our hearts.

***

Cafe photo by Juri Gianfrancesco (cropped from original)

ILIX July 20, 2019 at 6:07 pm

Hi, David!

Thank you for your posts! You are teaching us to enjoy life, it is very important.
It is almost 2 a.m. now.
I was in bad mood all day. I have good life, but I felt so heavy today.
So I tried to check your site with words: “Everything is ok. But I am sad. Maybe I should think simplier? Not to overcomplicate my thoughts? So who is an expert in those things and who can help me right now? David. I need new post.” :D

Keep in mind that I am reading your blog from Kazakhstan, so far away from you. So far away and I understand your thoughts, your honesty and I always checking your website for new posts.

I have been in few European and Asian countries, I heard about misconnections between US and Russian/Middle Asian people’s mentality and it is all true. Of course, we are humans with many many similarities, no matter where we are. But it is true – our priorities and world view are so different. BUT – when I read your texts, I feel that I understand you without adaptation to your mentality. That is one of the reasons why information from you is so darling – it is universal. Your words are so clear and close to me. And I am sure they are close to everyone here.

Sorry for my English.
I thought it is important to comment and let you know that man from another continent reads your posts and loves them. And also these posts are making his life better. You support us, so we should support you too.
Thank you.

David Cain July 21, 2019 at 12:22 pm

Thanks so much for sharing this ILIX. It’s really encouraging that while people’s lives differ in time and place, there are universal elements that we all know. We all have minds and bodies and we have to figure out what to do with them. It means a lot to me that you’ve found a lot of meaning in what I’ve written here, and I will share my thoughts more often :)

Ashley Kung July 20, 2019 at 6:18 pm

You’ve written posts I don’t relate to, but I stick around, because I know eventually, you’ll write one I do relate to. I don’t expect to personally relate to everything you write.

I also encourage you to write about any ideas you have that are only half-formed or incomplete, if it’s something you find interesting or feels meaningful to you. I like the sort of “thinking out loud” kind of posts and it can just be a little food for thought that sparks an engaging conversation in the comments.

Just aim to feel good about what you put out there!

Hello, fellow Raptitude readers!

David Cain July 21, 2019 at 12:24 pm

Hi Ashley. I’m glad you said that, because I do have a lot of half-formed ideas, haha. There have been so many seeds of ideas that could have been interesting (or maybe not) but I never wrote about because I was afraid it wouldn’t go anywhere clean and easy to understand. But I used to just dive into those and often something interesting would emerge. So I appreciate the encouragement to experiment and share anyway.

Chris July 20, 2019 at 7:08 pm

I’ve been reading for long enough that I now forgot when I subscribed, and always love your posts. Even though I’ve only had something worth adding one or two times… still here listening every other time! Keep on keeping :)

meredith July 20, 2019 at 8:03 pm

beautiful human, I see you and love you too. let it rip!!! xxx

Lisa Shoemaker July 20, 2019 at 8:55 pm

Hey David! I found your blog about 5 years ago. I was royally pissed at someone and there wasn’t much I could do about it other than get over it. I wanted some help getting over myself and so I typed “I don’t fucking care!” Into the search bar and low and behold, I found you! True story! And I loved what I read from you that day. I did help me get over myself and move out of self-centered rage. So, thanks for going back to old school rants about whatever. Some of it lands with me and some of it doesn’t but I prefer the “just David” to the “pro-David” anyday! Keep writing!

David Cain July 21, 2019 at 12:26 pm

Hahaha I love that story. Nobody could have planned that!

Hette July 20, 2019 at 9:31 pm

Your blog is one of my favourites because you say important things! Yes, we all need to work harder to connect – in person or over the net…

Emma July 21, 2019 at 12:23 am

The blogs I stick with long term are the ones that talk about different things or contain unique perspectives. I usually find that blogs start to get very repetitive for the sake of maintaining an online presence instead of only writing when they have something to say. I love raw unpolished thoughts. I look forward to your new posts.

JO-ANNE July 20, 2019 at 10:29 pm

I have next to nothing of an online presence. This is my first online contribution ever. And I’m only doing it because you are worth it and I’d be incredibly sad if you didn’t stick around.
Your post about going deeper rather than wider appeared just before I retired and the concept became my action plan for year one. I felt such a freedom in not adding to my “stuff” during that period. Thank you so much for that.
I hope to hear more from you – on whatever topic you choose, whenever you’re able to post.

David Cain July 21, 2019 at 12:28 pm

Thank you for speaking up Jo-Anne. I appreciate your online contribution today :)

Vivienne Sayers July 21, 2019 at 3:40 am

Thank you David for this post. I’ve written a blog for years, just me rambling about my cats as a way of putting my writing out there, and only for me. I recently stopped posting because I was going off tangent, and what if anyone who read it didn’t like it? Thank you for making me realise as long as I write from my heart and stay true to myself it will be the right thing to write. Keep posting.

Lisa July 21, 2019 at 5:44 am

I have loved many of your posts but the one that comes back to me most often is the one about going deeper, reading the books you own again, trying harder at the hobby you already have. It’s guided me …thankyou

Daron Larson July 21, 2019 at 7:06 am

Hi everyone,

Yes. Please keep writing. I love reading what’s on your heart and mind. It always resonates. Give me earnestness over brand management any day.

When I get caught up in all the advice out there about building an audience, it’s voices like yours and Seth Godin and Matthew Dicks that remind me to cultivate the smallest possible following that allows me to share what’s important to me.

This is an awkward work in progress. I’m glad to have you as a colleague and kindred spirit.

Daron

David Cain July 21, 2019 at 12:34 pm

Hi Daron! May I never forget that what I’m trying to do is exactly that: write what’s in my heart. It’s simple if I think of it that way, so complicated if I lose track of that and latch onto other motivations.

I’m glad to have connected with you (and so many others, both inside and outside this comment section) by doing that straightforward sharing.

Nathan Kendrick July 21, 2019 at 8:00 am

Of the many blogs that I’ve come and gone from, I still check yours (and a few others) because I usually find something worth reading.

It’s not so simple when someone has to make a living, or a profit, that’s why click-bait, but however you put food on the table, I hope you’re able to keep writing in the same thoughtful, personal way.

Rachel July 21, 2019 at 8:37 am

Thank you so much for this. It’s funny that I actually really relate to what you just wrote. I had a zine I made go viral about three years ago and it totally killed the joy of making art for me – I got hung up in the same neuroses. My answer was to give up and start doing other things that were just mine, but I’m glad you’re finding your way forward and sticking with it. Good luck. I love your writing and can’t wait to see what you do next.

Kendra July 21, 2019 at 9:20 am

Hi Everyone,
Always enjoy what you have to say, keep up the great work.

Victor July 21, 2019 at 10:00 am

Hi David,

i haven’t really found you hand-wringing, but pretty enlightened and insightful.

I like your content sometimes for the fact it doesn’t always come everyday or every week, instead I find this gem in my inbox that, I don’t know.. I can like.

I like talking to you when you write, it totally doesn’t feel like talking to thousands of people when I write this comment to you.

peace

Jan Ross July 21, 2019 at 10:46 am

You know David it is all about connection and community (being) and creating (being and doing). I am struck by the thought that we are hungry for those things. Our culture is changing too fast and we are slipping and sliding away from the qualities in life that keep us sane and healthy.
I, like so many others commenting here, value your voice. you so often hellp to clarify and give voice to those vague and disorientating feelings of imbalance and distress that so many of us feel in this communal frankly, insane and headlong slide into god-knows-what.
I wrote a poem about you where i alluded to you as a very interesting neighbour whom I often hope to bump into on my lunchtime walk and it highlights for me the pure magic and yet ultimately frustratingexperience of internet communication. A conversation needs to be back and forth to be satisfying, each conversation is a journey after all..
keep on doing and being you..we love you for i.t

David Cain July 21, 2019 at 12:37 pm

Aw thanks Jan. This “being human” trip is a weird and disorienting one, and if I could do anything with my life I’d want to help people navigate that, or even just think about it a little differently sometimes.

Brian July 21, 2019 at 11:02 am

“Old school” eh? No wonder I like it, being a card-carrying old schooler myself. I realized the difference with your writing is that YOU are speaking YOUR truth rather than the author of so many blogs who speak to ME, trying to engage ME. You’re genuine, authentic. Thank you, I value your vulnerability and honesty.
I came to your blog through Rob Carrick, a financial columnist in The Globe and Mail, who referred to your project of nothing new for a year. I took that on for this year: I’ve saved a lot of money and read a lot more books. (OK, so I’ve fallen down in the “no new books” department: I could’ve read a lot more books reading what I already had, but I’m pursuing a new passion, so that’s my rationalization.) Reading a lot more has put a serious dent in my Netflix watching–another good thing.
As for new things, I keep a list of things I “want” (as opposed to need.) My rule is I have to wait till this year is over before I can buy any of them–if I still want any. It’s amazing how quickly those “wants” wilt with time.

David Cain July 21, 2019 at 12:41 pm

Thanks Brian. You’ve given me something to think about — I do just want to share truths about human life as I see them, rather than trying to see it the way everyone sees it and conform to that. The thing I have been averse to — writing about things that don’t jive with everyone — has really been a strength of this blog.

Jennifer Waters July 21, 2019 at 11:33 am

Hey!
I’ve subscribed for so long that I can’t remember what brought me here. I love reading your insights, particularly on mindfulness, and I love the way a younger man doing life experiments in Winnipeg could help an older woman in Southern California navigate the ups and downs of daily life. I recommended your blog to many of my students and hope your words helped them as well. Thank you! And hello, fellow readers!

Julie Patterson July 21, 2019 at 3:07 pm

Hi David, I always mean to write to you after a blog post to thank you for your thoughts and mind experiments and experiential insights. So thank you. Thank you!

And hi everybody!

Rebecca July 21, 2019 at 5:07 pm

Hi!

Jenn Crandall July 21, 2019 at 5:25 pm

Hi David,
How to walk across a parking lot was my start here. I work in a borderline toxic workplace that is worth it due to loving the job and how soon the toxic element will retire! After particularly sharp days I will pop in and pick a random post of yours to read and it soothes. Perspective comes back into focus and mountains will return to molehills. Even if the post topic isn’t what *I* needed to hear that day the tone always is. You have a gift and I thank you for sharing it with us.

Linda Myers July 21, 2019 at 6:07 pm

Good! Let’s do the good old days again!

m2bees July 21, 2019 at 6:29 pm

This was a very nice post! Thank you. A simple conversation is hard to come by these days. :)

Annie July 21, 2019 at 9:46 pm

Your blog is the only one I’ve managed to read long-term. Your thoughts and insights actually provide value and make me think.

Jerome Rosset July 22, 2019 at 1:02 am

Every raptitude post is new way of thinking. Do stay and write, c’est précieux.

António Bastos July 22, 2019 at 4:17 am

Dear David,
I am not sure what “very old school” means but I really resonate with your posts.
They have helped me put many things in my life into perspective.
I look forward to many more “very old school” posts and discussions.

Martin July 22, 2019 at 4:56 am

I really like what you wrote in how things have changed and not necessarily in a good way. I think that people’s mindsets are also changing. This whole content thing is being seen for what it is – just another shallow marketing system. Facebook and Google are becoming less popular due to the invasions of our privacy and the relentless death by a thousand cuts method of making everything less unique and more generic. This is my very long-winded way of saying: You’re not alone. A lot of people are feeling this and I think things will change and improve.

Shannon July 22, 2019 at 7:34 am

Keep the “old school” however you want to interpret it, lol
I love and appreciate your blogs/comments/conversatons. Yes , that’s how I like to call them. Conversations. I feel like your engaged with all of us who read your posts. I enjoy the simplicity, the honesty and clarity you write. I feel like we are having an actual old fashion convo! Keep being you, thank you

Lizzie Hough July 22, 2019 at 8:20 am

When your posts pop up in my hotmail account, I am always excited to read them and certainly enjoy the contemplative way you post. Though not always in agreement (why should we be?), your thoughts prompt me to THINK…inside, outside, on top of, below, or all around a “box”… and they sure beat crossword puzzles (at least in my life).

b July 22, 2019 at 10:43 am

hello

I understand. sometimes we lost track of your real intentions and something start to change, not always in the directions.
Then, if I acknowledge that, I stop. Back to basics again and start over.

Carla July 22, 2019 at 11:03 am

Great post! Heartwarming and truthful. Keep up the great work!

Izzy July 22, 2019 at 12:05 pm

David,

Thank you very much for this post. I have followed your blog for many years, starting back when I was in college. Your posts have always brought a little (or a lot) of insight into my days, and it’s nice to know that I can identify with someone so far away in Winnipeg, Canada! (The Internet is an amazing communication tool.)

I look forward to what ever you post, whether that’s a “hard-hitting” piece every 2-3 months, or less intense pieces more frequently. Though I may not feel the same about every piece, I eventually read all of them, because I enjoy your writing style, and the insight into your attempts to live life with more grace are admirable, either way.

Thank you for being you!

MK July 22, 2019 at 12:45 pm

Been a subscriber since 2012ish. Not sure that I’ve ever commented. It’s funny, because I couldn’t put my finger on it, but my interest in your posts dropped when I noticed that change- they often seemed more forced and generic. Yours reasons behind that are totally understandable- I think many of us would have found ourselves reacting similarly under that pressure. That being said, I’m so glad the old ways are making a comeback. I haven’t stopped reading for 6ish years, and certainly don’t plan on stopping now! Thanks for being loyal to us on your end, despite the ebbs and flows of life and its pressures.

Chris July 22, 2019 at 12:50 pm

Hi! Keep it old school and keep doing what you do. I appreciate your emails and reading your words. Btw I’ve never commented before.

Amelia Shannon July 22, 2019 at 12:58 pm

I LOVE this post. It’s very timely for me. I’m about to launch my own blog, a complete newbie, and I was starting to get caught up with all that content anxiety you described. This was such a nice reminder to just write and let the chips fall where they may. Thank you!

Agustin July 22, 2019 at 1:04 pm

Hey David,

I love that the blog is “old school”! I think I’ve been visiting the blog for about 5 years or so. I always gravitated to your content because it came from a very humble place, and you didn’t try to sell me anything. Even now, you mentioned Camp Calm after the post, not embedded within as a sales tactic which I truly appreciate. And maybe it’s a self fulfilling prophecy but almost every time the blog has related to something I am going through, and at times it really helped me with just chilling the heck out and relaxing, and not letting my mind get the best of me while I did some life experiments of my own.

This particular post, reminded me of a long free form conversation I had with a friend of mine yesterday. There were a few moments of silence, then the convo continued, neither one of us was trying to wrap up the conversation and many topics were shared.

So long live the “old-school” approach to things. Back when interactions were more genuine and as a result exciting. And long live the blog!

Thanks for this post, the old posts, and to many more more!

Rich July 22, 2019 at 2:53 pm

Hey David, you and your thoughts matter. Your off the cuff thoughts about your niche interests are what make you YOU, and that’s in fact the thing that keeps me interested and engaged.

I see you, and I’m glad you’re doing what you do. With much gratitude!

Christine Bell July 22, 2019 at 3:11 pm

I miss when you dont post regularly. There is that indefinable thing with who we like that we just like them. If it was all content we would hunt around. But it is community and people we like. It is not what you say (orr not completely) but that you say it. As i began following when this was not your day job I wondered – had you reached a point where you were not living with the day-to-day hum drum life where you needed to find techniques of coping and needed to blog. It seemed to me this was possible. I would love to hear about this. Is life easier now? Are you ‘living the dream’ and is it? I also LOVED the experiments!!!

Natalie July 22, 2019 at 4:23 pm

Hi David

I have only ever once posted to a blog and that was yours some years ago. My 2nd time is today to let you know I’m still listening and enjoying your conversation I hope you do too!

Dayle July 22, 2019 at 6:16 pm

Hi!

I enjoy reading your posts each time you share one.
I rarely “click through” rather leaving the post in my inbox until I have some time to read it – hence why I’m just getting to this one now!
I have been reading your blog for quite awhile, originally having found it via our mutual friend Cait!

Have a wonderful day!
Dayle

Kim July 22, 2019 at 8:05 pm

Long time reader, never a commenter. I clicked through because you asked on your post, simple as that. The simplicity of your blog in increasingly complicated times is what keeps me reading. You seem genuine and your posts exude peace. I have a friend I recommended Raptitude to, she is of a similar mind as me and faces some of the same struggles with anxiety, overthinking, and imposter syndrome. Without fail, whenever you post, she will text me, or I will text her, and say: “Did you read David? He was so on point today!” Your topics and words resonate with those of us who are yearning for something meaningful in a throw-away culture.

Sonia Chauhan July 22, 2019 at 9:25 pm

Recently I wrote about the same pressure on one of my Quora answers. What happened was, I found a beautiful answer that I had written way back in 2015. I was stunned by how difficult it was for me to match this quality now. I had begun second guessing my words soon after my content became popular. I felt that everything I wrote should be super amazing. The pressure ofcourse bites the creativity into half.

My question is – how do you plan to go back to the old school world? You mention through your blog but could you please explain how? I know for a fact that you can help me. Your blog posts have solved many of my issues in the past.

David Cain July 23, 2019 at 10:44 am

Old school is a pretty vague term I guess. It can mean a lot of things. But I mean it mostly in the specific sense of what it was like to blog ten years ago. They were more personal, more idiosyncratic (rather than fitting into a “genre”), and the mentality behind it was a lot more simple. You were just expressing what you thought about something, and people either would or wouldn’t relate to it. I got away from that straightforward way of seeing it and the result was that I didn’t express much at all.

Kaz July 22, 2019 at 10:01 pm

Hi David, I never comment, but I was inspired by your call to ‘click through and say hi’ :) I love your blog and have read many of the posts here. The ones about procrastination and life dilemmas like that really resonate with me. I only don’t comment because I felt as if it wouldn’t really add value. But anyway, here I am. Thanks for what you do for us. -Kaz

David Cain July 23, 2019 at 10:45 am

Thanks Kaz. Certainly never a requirement to comment but your remarks here today did bring value to me :)

Sandy July 22, 2019 at 11:58 pm

Hi David. A few years back you asked us to give feedback about what we’d like to read about. I responded – it’s the only time I’ve ever “chatted’ with you. I remember saying something like “write about what interests you – I like hearing about what you are interested in”. And today, here I am with my second conversation with you. Hi!

Looking back at my journey so far, I’ve come to hear my voice – and your conversations have played a part in that. I suppose in my last chat with you, I was saying to both of us ” it’s all unknown, but if we keep listening to what interests us, then we’ll keep the journey of being human real.”

Thank you for being on this journey with us all.

David Cain July 23, 2019 at 10:40 am

Yes! That’s the spirit :) Thanks Sandy.

Pipsterate July 23, 2019 at 1:09 am

There definitely is something about the oldschool internet spirit that’s worth preserving. I’ve got my own tiny webpage with lots of links, and Raptitude is one of them.

The one small part I don’t agree with here:

“That means I’m going to be saying things more often, with fewer words, and with much less hand-wringing over those words.”

I think that sometimes, the less hand-wringing someone does, the longer their writing comes out, and that’s not always a bad thing. One of the things I dislike about the modern internet is the intense pressure to fit everything you say into bite sized chunks, to make it easy to read, and to make it look easy to write, even if it wasn’t.

I’ve heard that Mark Twain once said “I’m sorry I wrote you a long letter, I didn’t have time to write a short one,” and I wonder, if he’d lived in modern times, whether he might have ever said something like “I’m sorry I wrote a blog post, I didn’t have time to write a tweet.”

Bottom line is, more Raptitude posts sounds like a great thing, no matter if they’re long or short. Just relax and write what you want, and you can be sure plenty of us will stick around and read it.

Gunnar Pedersen July 23, 2019 at 2:14 am

Hello David!

First – THANK YOU for sticking with it and keeping it old school. You write the way I like to, speaking to and from the heart. Some will recognize, others won’t. The importance is not whether it resonates with everyone, it’s that it may resonate with someone. Or, sometimes just the process of putting your own thoughts and feelings into words. It does affect you, the writing. It makes you think, wonder and appreciate.

Thanks again, I’d write more but now the kids are waking up. Gotta be there. ❤️

Stick to being you. We love it.

Best regards,
Gunnar, Sweden.

Ben July 23, 2019 at 6:48 am

Clicking through to say ‘Hi.’ I’ve been reading you for years. I now write down my thoughts, I was afraid to for a long time. I find it a soothing and cathartic exploration of myself. Thanks for the words.
-B

Karen July 23, 2019 at 8:52 am

David, thank you for this post. It was something I really needed to hear at this moment. I have a very off-again-on-again blog that I started a year or so ago. It has very few posts on it because I almost immediately became consumed with performance anxiety and self doubt. Who would ever want to read what I have to say? Do I have anything worth saying? Am I a decent enough writer to pull this off? Worrying about lack of response. And when I got a few compliments, I worried that I would not be able to keep up with the quality of what I had previously written. You have reminded me that I have forgotten my original intention of just putting my thoughts out there, sharing things I like and am interested in, hoping to find like-minded people.
So, thank you! I always enjoy reading what you have to say, and you always give me something to think about. Be yourself, as so many other readers have said. That’s what we all come here for! That connection with another good-hearted and thoughtful person.

David Cain July 23, 2019 at 10:52 am

Apparently this is common! I had the same intention, and lost sight of it for the same reasons. Let’s just say what’s on our minds again :)

David Howie July 23, 2019 at 9:21 am

David,

Your earnest striving to be a better human being—and sharing it with us—is what has kept me a reader for years. I value being in your circle of friends. Thank you for being a part in keeping me grounded.

Karen Weissert July 23, 2019 at 10:56 am

“You do you,” as the saying goes. And we’ll all be better for it.

:)

Karine July 23, 2019 at 12:29 pm

I stumbled on your blog years ago by chance (I had googled something about stress). I’ve always loved it since then. I read every entry. Like you said, you didn’t write for content or for clicks. Reading you is like having a conversation with an old friend. I don’t know why, but I can always relate to your posts. They just speak to me. I’m a woman in my 40s, my first language is French, but what you write as a young anglophone man is so human that I can always relate or at least understand what you are saying :) Thanks for posting your thoughts and keep doing it! I would feel like I lost a good friend if I didn’t have a post from Raptitude once in a while (even if it just a few times a year, don’t pressure yourself!)

Alisa July 23, 2019 at 1:52 pm

Hi David and fellow Raptituders,
I have nothing to add other than to tell you how much I love your posts. When I see a new post in my inbox, I feel that giddy excitement like when I was a kid opening presents on my birthday. That’s the perfect metaphor for your blog…it is a gift. Just being able to share in your thoughts and know that I am not alone when I do relate to them, or maybe see things from a perspective that hadn’t occurred to me when I don’t relate is such a precious thing. I think your openness and vulnerability gives your unique voice a gentleness that makes the content such a joy to read. So to read that you will be posting more often and with less of a filter is a very exciting prospect. Can’t wait to see whatever comes next.

Banzaifly July 23, 2019 at 8:26 pm

I’m new here after listening to your post regarding wise people having rules, as read on Optimal Living Daily. (Love that post, by the way.)

Grateful to discover your blog; you have a straightforward and direct way of communicating that feels very real and honest. It lends itself to genuine insights and helps me put my own behaviors into perspective. I’m working hard to change some habits that hold me back, and I know that the underlying cause of these behaviors is exactly what you’ve alluded to in this post, which is the suffocation that comes from doubt and overthinking.

I guess I just want to say that your words are not falling on deaf ears. To the contrary, they help me and they encourage me to let my own guard down and write my own words, regardless of whether anyone will care to read them. Thanks! Keep up the great work.

David Cain July 24, 2019 at 9:32 pm

Thanks so much. It’s amazing people are still discovering this DECADE old blog and I’m so glad you’re liking it. O.L.D. podcast is awesome.

devo July 23, 2019 at 10:48 pm

i kinda liked the old description: “a street level look…”

walkwithme July 23, 2019 at 11:40 pm

I’ve been an avid reader of blogs since 2005 but this is the only blog that I visit now. Hi David!

Mysoulitude July 24, 2019 at 4:15 am

Hi David!

I am a first-timer on your blog. I stumbled upon it from Cait Flander’s blog, whom I started reading recently. And I must say, I absolutely absolutely loved both the blogs, primarily for their innate honesty and a whole lot of many other things. I have read only this post of yours and will take my time to devour other posts too.
What you are saying resonated so well with me. When I started my blog, I simply wanted to document my life and general observations about life. Soon, I realised people were judging me from those posts and it somewhere forced me to put stop. Then, I started writing thinking what others want me to write and it became meaningless. As a temporary solution, I now write bog posts but don’t promote them on social media. I just write thinking no one may be reading me (which is true too as I don’t have many readers). Success adds to performance pressure and takes away the undiluted charm of writing.
I love old school and miss old school. Kudos to you again for your writing. Good Luck!

David Cain July 24, 2019 at 9:36 pm

That is definitely a common thread in these comments — it gets harder to share freely when it feels like there are scrutinous eyeballs on what we’re saying. But it’s still possible. I hope you can find a way again to write and share freely.

BTW Cait is the best :)

Robin July 24, 2019 at 4:59 am

Hi David! I very much like your message in this post. I’ve been blogging since before they called it blogging (1999) and had to write my own code. My blog has had several incarnations but one of the best things about the early days was the conversation and community. It was easier because there were fewer connections to be made, but I think there is still much of that to be found, places where people create their own little coffee shops, park benches, and kitchen tables where we can sit around and talk about whatever comes to mind. I think I forgot that until I read your blog post today. Thank you for the reminder. :)

Reto (from Switzerland) July 24, 2019 at 5:37 am

More vor less a silence reader since years this text got me thinking (as almost every text of yours is doing, David). I noticed that the quality oft your writing changed two years ago (can’t exactly tell when). I missed something but was not able to see what. This post is different. More honest. Rawer. More from the heart.

I started blogging myself around 2006. And stopped 2009/2010. After having said what I had so say. After having lost the sense of it. I went through a phase of reaching out, getting more readers. Tried to monetized it. Now your writing gives me a better understanding what it was about: making my own thoughts visible. Doing parts of my internal processes in public. Writing about it was part of this processes. Giving people out there the chance to resonate with it (or not). Get in touch. Maybe even have conversations.

During scrolling trough the comments I was touched. Touched to tears. So many people who resonate to similar things as me. Then I read your comment “Aww you guys are making me cry …”. It feels like connection. And being seen.

Thanks for asking to comment. And being part of this conversation.

Jennifer July 24, 2019 at 6:32 am

Hi David! I too blogged in a stream of consciousness way in 2008-10 era. I called what I did largely “mind vomit” bc I was just blathering on about whatever I felt. I never had many followers, but i was religious about it until I realized that the internet was getting… different.

I love your writing, please do continue!!!

Haley July 24, 2019 at 7:50 am

Hi David!

I don’t think I’ve ever commented on here, but I’ve been following your blog for about ten years now (initially because my friend shared your “9 Mind-Bending Epiphanies” post, which he had found via StumbleUpon…another remnant of the Old School…). Just wanted to say that all of your posts, old and new, have provided me with much mental/emotional relief (many of them, repeatedly). Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and I look forward to future posts (as per usual).

Natasha July 24, 2019 at 3:27 pm

Hello World!

Hi to David…sending back some love. I never comment either, but I recently finished reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert…and your post echoed some of the things from that book that I brought forward into my own world. I always admire how, after such a huge hit, she continues to do her work.

Every time I see your post in my inbox, I save it for a time when I can actually focus on it, read it, re-read it, think about it, linger. I sometimes make a coffee, or even wait till I have a moment for a quiet cafe. My point is, no matter the clicks, comments or shares, by my definition, that’s some genuine engagement. Thank you for giving me that.

David Cain July 24, 2019 at 9:46 pm

Yes, that is the best engagement a creator could hope for. Thanks Natasha.

Lyssa July 24, 2019 at 4:48 pm

100% to this. I’ve been blogging since 2006 and feel your evolution completely! Thanks for sharing, and love your work, new and old.

Adam T July 25, 2019 at 9:25 am

I’m liking the sound of this… more posts, more often. :D

John Riley July 24, 2019 at 5:11 pm

Hi all! I’m a Raptitude fan from Atlanta, GA. Appreciate all of your interesting and thought provoking posts, David. I’m grateful for this little haven on the otherwise chaotic web. :)

September July 24, 2019 at 5:14 pm

Hi! I’m a new follower this year from the Cait Flanders blog. I enjoy your writing! I’ve been blogging since 2006 but it’s locked so I can say whatever. Each year I print a hardcover version of it at lulu.com and its a wonderful record of the trivia of my life.
I’m so looking forward to your new type of posts. Sounds like my kind of blogging and it’s rare these days!
Happy Wednesday!!!

Andrew Wade July 24, 2019 at 5:33 pm

Looking forward to reading what you post next!

Cameron Black July 25, 2019 at 4:08 am

Hi David,

I’ve been reading your blog for at least eight years, but don’t think I’ve ever commented. Thanks for all the thought-provoking posts over the years. I have enjoyed practising some of the mindfulness techniques you’ve shared, like how to be good stranger. Please keep writing while however and whenever you want.

Cheers from Australia,
Cameron

Girt July 25, 2019 at 7:21 am

Heaps and heaps of love from me to you. You’ve given me so many profound gifts over many years. Thank you for all the effort, creativity and connection. Niche, broad, profound, shallow it’s all raptitude to me.

Harold Jarche July 25, 2019 at 8:11 am

You are in my feed reader, so it doesn’t matter how infrequent your posts are. Yes, blogging has changed a lot over the years. I started seriously blogging in 2004. I think we will see a reversal in the next few years though, as people realize how shallow the platform monopolies are.

David Cain July 25, 2019 at 8:05 pm

I think so too. People want genuine connection again, and it is still possible on the internet.

Eric July 25, 2019 at 11:36 am

“They can’t all be zingers” was once said sometime by someone somewhere. You keep it up David and keep doing what you do. I think you’re downright brilliant more often than not.

We should all remember, as David seems to be ruminating, that we should not feel bound by any ethical, moral, or legal standard to live up to some expectation(s) placed on us by others, other than generally being decent, respectful, and productive towards the world and people in it.

David Cain July 25, 2019 at 8:06 pm

Thanks Eric! Many zingers and non-zingers on the way :)

Karen Griffin July 25, 2019 at 3:38 pm

Hi, David. I have to say that yours is one of the few blogs I read anymore because I find the content meaningful and thoughtful. This post on conversation is timely, as it dovetails with a book I just finished, Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age, by Sherry Turkel. I love when the universe brings disparate elements together like that! Thank you for continuing to share your thoughts.

Anna July 25, 2019 at 4:23 pm

Hi David,
I understand what you are saying and find it interesting how you articulate it. Personally I would like to opt out of the Internet as it has become and attempt a return to the content as it was before. I deeply resent the big sites, especially that they somehow manage to generate many billions in revenue but they fail to make the world a better place. Due to professional and social constraints it is difficult to get away from them entirely. But I appreciate what you are doing, it is a bigger step than my small step.

Shannon D. July 25, 2019 at 4:51 pm

Authenticity is so rare that when you find it is a real gift. Thank you for the gift of an authentic voice! I have loved all your posts and am looking forward to more!

Lisa Schall July 25, 2019 at 5:45 pm

David..how refreshing to see you recapture the small that connects us all. Your ability to bring into conversation what might seem mundane but is in fact is wonderfully the human in us all. I will continue to look forward like David dais to the gifts in my email box…:)

Martha Schlup July 25, 2019 at 7:44 pm

Hi, longtime reader, never commented before. My reaction on reading this post was ‘Yay!’

Michela July 25, 2019 at 9:42 pm

I’ve missed the regularity of your posts and didn’t realise anxiety was the cause! Please keep it real and old school, as you do so well :)

dinali July 25, 2019 at 11:44 pm

Hi David
I’ve only started following your blog recently and enjoy its reminders to slow down and pay attention but never commented. This one though was great because it made me pause and rethink why I blog. I’ll be interested to see how your new/old style is!
cheers
Dinali

Lori C July 26, 2019 at 5:38 am

I don’t read your blog but this post was recommended by The Shubox and I love it! I got off Facebook for many reasons, but one of them was that the carefree everyday posts were gone. Instead everyone feels like they have a “message” and it’s so boring….

David Cain July 26, 2019 at 2:21 pm

Yes something has definitely changed on FB. I think people got weirded out, or bored, and some point, and don’t share their idle thoughts in their statuses.

Sarah July 26, 2019 at 7:52 am

I love blogs that are just a window into someone’s life & thoughts. There used to be such a strong community of those, but now it seems there is such pressure to turn your blog into a money-making machine. I’ve seen way too many blogs abandoned because that pressure got to be too much. Thanks for this post!

Alyssa July 26, 2019 at 12:26 pm

Hi David!
I have never commented, but have read Raptitude since 2012. I was 22 years old and 5 years with my then boyfriend. I didn’t feel happy, but I hadn’t yet let myself really realize that. I was losing myself every single day to the point that I didn’t even know what I enjoyed anymore. I stumbled upon Raptitude and everything changed that day. I refer to 2012 as the year I learned to think differently, and that is thanks to your writing. I feel like I “get it” now, and whenever I forget it, Raptitude is here to remind me. Thank you thank you thank you.

David Cain July 26, 2019 at 2:23 pm

I don’t think I can take credit for the insights you had, but it means a lot to me that that time makes you think of this place!

Cynthia July 26, 2019 at 12:29 pm

I think it has something to do with Facebook. Starting back in 1997 or thereabouts, I had an old school ONLINE JOURNAL, hand coded in HTML, in the days before there were even blogs (migrated that sucker to Diaryland, or Diary-X, or whatever before finally getting Wordpress). Many of my Facebook friends are also oldschool online journalers. And somehow, in about 2009 when lots of people in my generation finally bothered themselves with Facebook regularly, long-form journal writing kinda dropped off across the board. We could medium-form to ourselves and our friends on FB very easily, and then we could shortform on Twitter, and there was Instagram for our photos. But recently people are talking about going back to writing the old school online journals again. There’s something in the air. I’ve been making myself write daily on 750words.com, which is like an old school online journal that only the writer can read.

David Cain July 26, 2019 at 2:25 pm

I really hope the trend bounces back to individuals sharing their thoughts online. The big platforms figured out how to grab our attention, and they don’t have that much to offer (IMO) that attention compared to individuals sharing unbridled thoughts.

Rebecca B July 27, 2019 at 11:18 am

I agree with this. I found (pre-FB), that I’d think of what I’d want to share or journal and then write about it – for myself, or for all eight readers I’ve had over the decade I’ve been blogging, and then suddenly (especially once you could post photos to FB) I didn’t have anything BIG to share because I’d microblogged about it already on FB.

Debbi July 26, 2019 at 1:34 pm

Hi David,
I love some of the quirky posts the best of all. It feels more like a relationship, albeit a very different one than a face-to-face friendship, when not every post is perfectly crafted or part of a cohesive whole. Many blogs are starting feel more like marketing engines than relationships, even when the author’s only product is his or her self. I am so glad that yours feels more like a conversation than a product. I will try to comment more often – I tend to worry that my thoughts are not worthy of a reader’s time – but I can see where blogging into thin air would not be terribly satisfying. I am looking forward to seeing you in my inbox more often (and I say this as a person who invites very few bloggers into her inbox). Thank you for keeping it simple, sane, and interesting.

Linda July 27, 2019 at 1:36 am

Hi David,
I get so excited when an email from you shows up- I always know I will enjoy reading it and have something to ponder over afterwards.
Thanks, from Australia

Fran July 27, 2019 at 7:50 am

Been following your blog for what feels like forever, usually just lurking though. Love your plan to go back to more random posts! Less polished, more personal – I like it! Also yay for keeping one decentralized part of the web alive :)

Rebecca B. July 27, 2019 at 11:13 am

Greetings! This is one of my favorite blogs, and I’m also happy when I see a post. Some resonate more than others, for sure, but I find value in what I read, always. My favorite post of all time remains “Your Lifestyle Has Already Been Designed” (2010) and a close second is “The Only Thing We Need to Get Good At” (2017), in that I mentally and socially reference them ALL THE TIME. Please continue to share and keep thinking – but don’t overthink. :)

Eric July 27, 2019 at 12:26 pm

Hello all!

David, I should reach out to you again. On your site many moons ago you had a list of personal goals, one of which was to learn to drive manual transmission. I offered, since I’m a fellow Winnipegger, to give you a tutorial in my old ’82 Datsun pickup but it has since died. I’ve got a slightly newer Outback with a brand new clutch so if you’re still in need of learning stick, the offer still stands.

Love all of your posts.

David Cain July 27, 2019 at 4:31 pm

Hah wow! That was a while ago. I do appreciate the offer — I would still love to learn, I just hope I don’t harm your truck in some way. Shoot me an email and we’ll talk!

Rebecca July 28, 2019 at 7:21 am

Thanks for sharing. I love old school blogs and am old school myself (despite being a millennial)… RSS feeds, zero social media. Love that you’re headed back to the roots of why I started reading — and kept coming back — in the first place!

David July 28, 2019 at 11:58 pm

I never comment. But I just wanted to say thanks for writing. I really love your posts.

Kathy Johnson July 29, 2019 at 7:06 am

I’ve read your blog for quite a while, but rarely (if ever?) comment, despite how much I’ve enjoyed your thoughts–and linked to your posts. I’ve been blogging for nearly 10 years, and I’ve had the same experience you’ve had: at first, it was a joy to share my thoughts, almost at random. Then came the dreaded “building a platform” and “build an email list” concepts–and *poof* went 90 percent of my enjoyment. I started my blog in order to play with words–to have an outlet for a more personal style of writing than my “day job” of freelance writing.

I look forward to more frequent posts from you!

Marsha July 29, 2019 at 10:50 am

David, I love your blog. The fact that it has held on to some of that “old school” feel is one of the things that has kept me reading for 7+ years. Well, that and the thought-provoking things you write about. You’ve helped me put words to my thoughts so many times over the years. I love that you aren’t afraid to change and grow in this space and look forward to seeing what that means for you.

Christina July 29, 2019 at 3:47 pm

Simple well stated truth. I’m new here but looking forward to more simple truth. Loving what I’ve read in the free How to Save the World book so far.

Thank you for sharing. I’ve been agonizing over what my next blog post will be and now I feel inspired to stop overthinking it and write on the topic that’s been consuming me but somehow didn’t seem blog worthy.

Natascha July 29, 2019 at 8:37 pm

Hi David!
I love your blog! It is full of emotions, interesting thoughts and love!
Many thanks from Brazil!

Darren July 30, 2019 at 12:46 am

Hey David, glad to hear it :D

Björn July 30, 2019 at 2:29 am

Long time listener, first time caller. Just want to say I really appreciate what you write. I turn to it when I feel the need to get back to calmness again. :)

Joanna Schoff July 30, 2019 at 8:11 am

Love this blog and the human experience that is shared. It does not matter to me how often someone posts on their blog. I quite like how its in infrequent.
You are a great writer but would hate to think you feel you need to people please. Keep on writing.

Randy Hendrix July 31, 2019 at 6:36 am

Still lovin it after all these years! Like others commented…”it’s like a gift when you see a new post in your inbox”! Don’t comment as often as I used to but always reading. Don’t change a thing David…I’ll always read whatever you write!

Shohna August 1, 2019 at 7:31 am

Hi David,

Wow! Hundreds of comments! I wanted to add one as well.

I have been following your blog ever since I StumbleUpon’d one of your “Important Truths” lists while procrastinating in class studying for final exams in 2017. I have avidly read each of your posts since, and have recommended your stuff to countless friends – what you write about mindfulness, new angles of looking at life, de-stressing – your posts blow my mind. So good. All of them. No matter what they’re about.

I also did experiment No. 26 with you in real time, making my smartphone boring from May to the end of June. I took Youtube and Quora off my phone (Facebook, the last of my big 3 social media, I had already banned in both app and website). I had roughly the same experience you did – like, odd, and I am way more addicted than I thought, but it’s refreshing to not use this stuff on my phone. I am now reading Digital Minimalism as well per your not-technically-a-recommendation (but rather a mention). I was surprised at how many good insights it’s had.

Thanks for being the mentor/guru/wise older acquaintance who seems to know everything and is really nice – that you are! Your blog is awesome. I count you, Tidying Lady (Marie Kondo), Jordan Peterson, and Dushka Zapata (from Quora) among some of my prime positive influences in my life. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Shohna

David Cain August 1, 2019 at 12:08 pm

Thanks Shohna. It’s especially encouraging for you to say that you appreciate them whatever the topic. I am already noticing the self-consciousness created by posting more frequently and more off-the-cuff, and I’m determined not write through it until it’s gone.

StumbleUpon brought so many people here. I wish it was still around!

Tony August 1, 2019 at 3:08 pm

Just dropping a comment to let you know I love what you put out, and enjoy your stuff. Looking forward to thinking while I read future posts.

Becky Brophy August 2, 2019 at 8:44 am

Hi David! I love your blog and your posts are always very thought provoking. I found you by Mr. Money Mustache and Get Rich Slowly (JD Roth). Keep doing what you do – your thoughts and attitude are great and reminds each of us that there’s more to life than Facebook, smartphones, clickbait, news, and all the “troubles” people think of. Power on!

Michelle August 3, 2019 at 3:17 am

Hello!

Always a pleasure reading your blog and your well penned-down thoughts. As usual, ‘Let’s talk like we used to’ gave me an extra on my personal to-do list for the rest of the year I’m devising this Saturday, and that for me is in ‘Let’s write like we used to’. I want to write like I used to, in my journal, in my multiple notebooks, to write everything and anything, just like I did when I was young. I don’t know why I stopped doing it. Perhaps life (it’s the easiest nondirective thing to pinpoint). I’m sure we’ll come across each other again. So thank you, for this post. And have a lovely rest of the year.

Natasa August 3, 2019 at 4:42 am

Thanks David.
Just keep on writing whatever and whenever you feel like!
I’m enjoying it every time since 2013 ;)

❤️

Dan August 3, 2019 at 9:50 am

Hi David,
Longtime reader, first-time commenter. I’ve enjoyed your writing for years and have always found it insightful and illuminating; I’m sorry that the metrics became overwhelming, but I’m happy to hear you’ve decided to ignore them. Bring on the awkwardness!

Maya August 4, 2019 at 9:16 am

I’m glad you’re still blogging. So many of my old favorites have abandoned the medium.

Gayle August 5, 2019 at 11:52 am

David
I look forward to ever email I get from you. We need you, just as you are

c August 7, 2019 at 8:47 am

That tweet is too accurate. I’ve enjoyed your writing for a really long time and look forward to what’s to come :)

Emily Halgrimson August 7, 2019 at 10:07 am

Hi David!
Your blog is great, so authentic. Keep going, and keep doing you. :)
Emily

Brian August 7, 2019 at 1:38 pm

I have actually been thinking about this here recently as well. I am rather new to reading blogs but I like to start at the beginning and work my way through the entire catalog of content chronologically. I can feel the difference as time goes on.

I feel like one main reason for it is the desire to monetize a blog. When the focus shifts from making a few bucks while talking about what is on your mind to a community of like-minded individuals to cultivating a group of like minded-individuals in order to create a money stream while talking about things on your mind, the entire tone of the writing shifts with it. No longer can you write what come naturally, instead you are writing to capture eyeballs for the adsense revenue or referral links. Everything has to be very polished in order to stand out as a thought leader in the space.

I wish you my sincerest best wishes in reverting back to the old ways after what I am sure have become habits have been ingrained.

Cheers,

P.S. this theory has nothing to do with your site except in relation to this post. I have yet to delve into the depths of Raptitude in fear of the sheer amount of brain space that this level of personal development would necessitate. It is on top of my short list though!

Nicole August 7, 2019 at 2:03 pm

I am a newcomer, I only found you a few months ago, but I am hooked and would love more, if awkward, conversations.
Thank you for sharing.

Laura August 8, 2019 at 10:43 am

I got a lot of email from blogs. Yours are the only ones that make me excited to see what you have to say today.
Thank you :)

Anthony Chevalier August 8, 2019 at 11:04 am

I usually don’t read your blog right away. I save them and wait for a few days or weeks until I feel I need something insightful to digest. Keep ’em coming!

Matt August 8, 2019 at 7:39 pm

dude. thanks for asking how much of my life i was selling off. (cuz the answer at the time was “all of it, with no end in sight.”) and then thanks for backing that up with plenty of other eye-opening thoughts about doing the dishes and being kind to my future self.
i usually don’t write comments for the same self-critical reasons that limited your output… but i’ll accept being one of the many voices with not too much to add if it helps support the ideal of open discourse & mutual support.
thanks for letting us hang out on your porch.

Jasper Wentzel August 10, 2019 at 8:47 am

Well then David, you convinced me to do it. Reading your articles for a few years, and I’m loving them as ever. This is my first comment, and perhaps more will follow. I can see how the dialogue matters a lot to you as the author, and can bring engagement to the readers as well!

Ann August 10, 2019 at 8:09 pm

Hello David!

I’m another long-time reader, first-time poster. When I saw the title in my feed reader a few weeks ago I got excited, because I had a feeling I would like what you had to say… and boy, do I feel like you hit the nail on the head. I’m looking forward to reading more of what’s in your heart and mind. Thank you!

Ellet August 11, 2019 at 5:09 am

I’m on a quest to find old-school bloggers because that realm of the internet is what I miss. Social media and fast clips and kind-of making a point in 140 characters isn’t for me. I want the random silly storytelling. Found this post by googling old-school blogging, so I’m gonna stick around and check things out. Added to Feedly!

Heather Folsom August 13, 2019 at 2:45 pm

Hi! New reader here. I think it’s kind of great that I found you through this particular post! So, hi.

David Cain August 13, 2019 at 3:05 pm

Welcome Heather!

Deborah Rolston August 16, 2019 at 7:40 am

I’ve gained so much wisdom through your writing, David. I still prefer blogs to Facebook or Instagram – scrolling just does me in. The only thing that blogs don’t give me is the sense that I can communicate back, not only with you, but with the other commenters. I guess the tool to facilitate that in long form hasn’t been invented yet. Robert Wringham wrote an article about how we should go back to internet 1.0 – I don’t think I’ve found 2.0 satisfying, so maybe he has a point.

Vlad August 16, 2019 at 10:52 am

Hi David, I’m following your blog in my old-time rss reader since 2013. I rarely read comments and that is probably my first one here.

Please post your thoughts even when you’re feeling they are not so important or profound. I’ve also started to expect those deep posts from you, and delay reading the blog till I have more time to read slowly and think about it. But it should not be that way, let’s hear more often!

Mindy Johnson August 17, 2019 at 9:22 am

Your writings are what WE/SOCIETY need. Thank you so much David

David Cain August 17, 2019 at 9:42 am

I just want to say I appreciate each and every comment that is still coming in on this post :)

Suzanne August 18, 2019 at 11:37 pm

However you feel like showing up David, I will be here reading it. Just like I’ve been doing since at least July 2009—according to notes on my blog about following your blog.

http://www.tcoyou.com/2009/07/sharing-my-blog-reader-with-my-blog.html

You were still there (and moving up in priority toward the “Every Day” folder) during the blog clean-out of Nov. 2009—which is a post of mine that made Lisis of Quest for Balance cry!

http://www.tcoyou.com/2009/11/sharing-my-blog-reader-update-1.html

Duncan August 19, 2019 at 6:58 pm

I don’t think I’ve ever shared a post (from here or otherwhere) on Facebook, so definitely don’t let that be a defining metric for yourself! Don’t rely on the ends to justify the means; they’re valid already.

Enjoy what you write, when you write, as you write.

Kathleen Dauz August 23, 2019 at 4:18 pm

I found your words so powerful in high school. I still do now. I figured it would be time to comment and herald the fact that you still post quality content. Get back to your roots and enjoy. We’re all right behind you.

Emilie August 24, 2019 at 2:13 am

Hi from France,
Thanks David for this post ! I seldom post comments for fear it will not be interesting. I will do now.
Have a nice day.

Shea August 29, 2019 at 4:33 pm

Thanks mate.
Can you recommend any one else writing in this genuine style?
Cheers.

Jason September 2, 2019 at 1:18 pm

Long time reader and first time commenter as well. Your blog is amazing, and I come back to it for perspective and thought provocation from time to time. Don’t know you and you don’t know me and we’ll most likely never meet but I fell it’s worth saying that what you are saying has worth.
Long time reader from Texas

Donna September 8, 2019 at 6:16 pm

I love your thought-provoking words. I’d even read a post about Kettlebells (which I have no interest in) just because I like the way you write… AND because annoying ads don’t pop up on your website and distract me.

Donna from Virginia

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