So there I was, at the Friday night pizza joint with Kevin, nursing a third Pinot Grigio, flirting with the cute Albanian bartender, and discussing the state of the world. Kevin has been a long-time regular visitor of this blog, but has always hesitated to comment – ‘specially since he and I are at opposite ends of the political spectrum. Not that he’s much of a Obama guy – he isn’t – but, tellingly, while he enthusiastically voted for Barack Obama in 2008 there’s no way (in his words) on God’s green earth he’d ever vote for him again. And this is from a guy heavily involved with unions and union contracts.
What Kevin took exception to in our discussion – this occurring interspersed with my trying to convince the cute Albanian bartender that the Atomic Mosquitos (a new discovery!) were one helluva surf band – was the fact that I blog (and, in his view, hide) behind the pseudonym of The Great White Shank. His feeling being, if you don’t have the courage to use your real name when you opinionate about someone who has set out to destroy this country as those of my generation have come to know and love it, your opinions somehow lose their authenticity.
I mentioned to Kevin that anyone who wants to click on the “All About The Great White Shank” link will discover I’m not hiding behind anything. I write what I feel, and I feel what I write. This is all about full disclosure. Bloggers like my good friends Rob and Dave E will tell you, it’s one thing to blog, it’s a whole ‘nuther thing to blog about things and topics interesting enough to make people want to check in on a regular basis. The challenge of blogging, more than anything, is to be interesting. I try on some occasions to be at least that.
The Beach Boys’ Dennis Wilson once wrote, “if you want to know me, listen to my music“. As The Great White Shank, I say, if you want to know what is going on in my life, check out Goodboys Nation weblog. In the coming days and weeks you’ll learn about a certain treasure hunt I have embarked on, an India business trip rapidly approaching, and the treatment involving my prostate cancer. Sure, not all of my posts will be the most riveting, but no one will be able to question my integrity. Not that Kevin was – I just think that every now and then it’s a good thing to remind everyone that me and The Great White Shank are pretty close to one in the same – not exact copies, to be sure – but close enough to be at least kissin’ cousins.
Speaking of Dennis Wilson, this is arguably Dennis’ greatest composition. Enjoy!
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Pool temp: 93 degrees
I always thought it was a nickname, not a pseudonym. 🙂
I had no particular reason for starting a blog. They were still fairly new in 2003. Decided to do it just to see where it would take me. Here I am 7 years later. I’m lost but I don’t mind.
Comment by Rob — July 25, 2010 @ 6:03 pm
Actually, Rob, I guess it’s both. The only people who call me The Great White Shank are the Goodboys. As for blogging, the same here. If I wasn’t blogging who would know what I’m going out here in AZ except the rabbits? And as long as we feed them and change their litters I don’t think even they care. 🙂
Blogging is about to get easier for you now that football season is around the corner!
Comment by The Great White Shank — July 25, 2010 @ 10:59 pm
I really had no intention of making a football blog out of it but last season for Saints fans was similar to that 2004 season for Red Sox fans and I was caught up in it.
Comment by Rob — July 27, 2010 @ 4:23 am
Reminds me of another comment Kevin made to me at the pizza joint on Friday. We started talking about passion and what we were pasionate about. The interesting blogs out there (and I include you and Dave E in that) are where you can tell where the blogger’s passions lie. Whether or not you share those passions doesn’t matter, because it still makes for interesting reading. That why mine can’t hold a candle to yours or Dave’s.
Comment by The Great White Shank — July 27, 2010 @ 11:52 am