Guess I'd better renew my license to write
I have no idea at all why I feel I need to defend the act of blogging, but I will anyway. I read somewhere today (see "The Industry" link at left) a piece in which somebody denigrates weblogs as places "where no thought goes unpublished."

To that I say: So?

I find it annoying when people believe that writing -- or drawing, or photography, or playing music, or any other art -- is best left to "trained professionals." Coincidentally, it's usually these trained professionals expressing such thoughts. Maybe people write or draw or take pictures or play music just because they like to do so, or because it makes them feel good, and maybe they don't give a shit what anybody else thinks about it.

There is a place -- and a need -- for heavily edited publications, for writing which actually provides information. You're not going to find it here, and I'd hope you wouldn't expect to. I'm annoyed at myself for feeling the need to join in the hand-wringing at all. But since I did, I say to the hand-wringers: Chill.