Read Me!

Are you reading this? If you are, first of all, thank you. The existential question of what happens when a blog falls in the forest and no one is there to receive it comes to mind. There are plenty of days that it feels as if I am shouting down a well. It gives me the satisfaction of hearing my own voice reflected back to me, but I often wonder what else is happening down there in the dark. It is always gratifying when I get those snappy comebacks or comments reminding me of the funny bit I overlooked.
A study released Wednesday by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, found that fourteen percent of Internet youths, ages twelve to seventeen, now say they blog, compared with just over a quarter who did so in 2006. Only about half in that age group say they comment on friends' blogs, down from three-quarters who did so four years ago. These are the ones who are busy Twittering and Facebooking or texting, leaving out vowels whenever possible. And that's fine. As long as they don't insist on making me interact as briefly as possible, let those kids have their fn.
But this same study had another number I was impressed by: one in ten adults blog. Thirty million of them in the United States. We are the ones prattling on and on about the elections in Iran and the births of our children and how Silly Putty doesn't pick up comics like it used to. We are the old coots who have stories to tell and experience to share, even if it ends up in the same bin as that deleted e-mail from Howgul Abul Arhu. It feels good to have it off our collective chest, and we thank you all for taking the time and energy to read about the passing of a childhood pet or our breakthrough at therapy last week. And if you're a civic-minded cyber-head, go ahead and click on that link up there at the top of the screen where it says "next blog." You'll be doing my demographic a great favor.