I just wanted to take a few moments tonight to say a few personal thoughts. Avoid the Clap has been operating now for two weeks. It has been a truly wonderful experience. Some of you knew me from elsewhere, while others are just getting to know me now, but know this – I love to write, and without having an audience and the feedback I have received, I likely would drop off on writing things nightly or almost every night.
As I mentioned, the blog has only been operating for two weeks so far, but you, the readers, have contributed to 3700 views and over 300 comments. Unreal.
Obviously I am the primary author, but we’ve also got Griggsy and hopefully a few other guest posts coming up as time marches on. If it weren’t for all of you commenting and reading and spreading the word about the blog I likely would have packed it in after the experiment failed. I am here to write both for myself and for all of you. You may not agree with what I have to say, and I can’t promise I won’t say something that won’t rankle some feathers, but I like to hear all views, even if they are different from mine.
I write for you as much as I write for myself. This couldn’t have happened without the encouragement of a few others and I certainly wouldn’t be so committed to keeping the posts coming as regularly as possible. I now spend time thinking about what I want to write about and working on ideas for stories I want to write, knowing I have an audience.
This is for you. I’d be nothing without you.
Let the good times roll.
I will likely be out of commission for the next day or two, so there may not be new posts, but I can tell you I want to get the next Pens Preview up before the week is out and we’ll have a new installment of Griggsy’s Gripes for the weekend.
“The good old days weren’t always good and tomorrow ain’t as bad as it seems.” – Billy Joel, “Keeping the Faith”
Thank you. From the bottom. Tomorrow? It ain’t as bad as it seems.
-Walt
Avoid the Clap 
I love the Monty Python reference. It’s been a good two weeks. Keep it up.
I couldn’t resist getting a Python reference in there somewhere. I am honestly humbled by the response so far. I figured it would be 20-30 hits a day from some of the regulars on the other blog…I had no idea it would blow up to almost 4000 hits in 2 weeks. 4000 hits isn’t blow-your-pants-off good, but for a personal blog, I’d say it’s pretty solid.
The big thing, and it’s hard to do so without sounding needy or like I’m hounding people, is getting the name and the address out there. I keep doing the Twitter thing and people like Stoosh and LGP_Netwolf RTing the articles has helped greatly, but I still need to get the name out there. Thankfully it comes up in the top-10 if you Google “avoid the clap.”
For realz, though, this has been successful because of all of you. Having an audience has given me the reason to write again. I love to write. It is one of the few things in this world I am skilled at and this provides me some guidance and routine to my life during a time when I need to be able to express myself and have some type of outreach beyond my nearly non-existent social life.
I spend my time at work on the weekends coming up with ideas for micro-fiction (not even full-on short stories, but maybe 3000-5000 word stories) and things like that.
For realz, it means the world to me.
You built a strong following in tPb, got banished, and write solid stuff every time. The peons are doing (our) job, but you are the one posting hits every time.
Keep up the good work pal.
this calls for americat!
I support Americat.
Also how is it that I check ATC just before you announce a new post, but the post it already up.
Great minds think alike? Or, was it simply a matter of chance
can only you embed youtube videos in the comments section, or can we as well?
No idea. I just leave space between whatever text I type and the link. So, it works for me when I do this:
Talk message typed stuff goes here oh I have a video
[link]
Give it a try. See what happens.
in keeping with the python theme
did it work?
wooo
Yessssssssssssssss
First to – WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
I am truly humbled by the response. This is far greater than I expected.
Just want to point out that “packing it in” after a mere two weeks would’ve earned the typical amount of scorn from yours truly.
And I would have expected nothing less from you. After, what, 10+ years of knowing me you know pretty darn well how to give me the business.
Well I’m in business. Business of kicking your ass. And let me tell you, business is booming. I’m open for business. (http://www.mcpeepants.com/sounds/041thecloning/thecloning6.mp3)
My god yes. I’m always good for an ATHF reference.
Late to reply:
Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
thank you too walt
assisting dappa on the woooo.
You are welcome, sir. Keep it up. As Shoeless Joe Jackson said: “If you [post] it, they will come.”
Lovin your work so far Walt, you write like a boss. I miss the hell outta ya over at tPB so I’m glad you’ve got this blog. It means we can all still get a little bit of Walt in our lives. Stay up playa.
Ride on, Lemmy.
“We fed the world when the politicians wouldn’t do it . . . so fuck you, politics, fuck you, the new age.”
Time-stamps don’t like Lemmy. Jump in at 12m 50s.