Big Honking Announcement
A funny thing has happened here, well, actually it’s not too funny unless you’re a sadist, and even I’m not quite that twisted. But what’s happened is, I’ve lost a good portion of the audience I had a week ago. Here’s what happened: Last Wednesday I announced the new blog, Tripping With Marty and I got a great response from people and was really excited. The numbers were really big, I got a ton of hits, so I was off and running. The next day was the first day I live-blogged and I did it from McSorley’s and the numbers were even bigger! I was really happy and thought I had discovered something that was going to be huge. Then Friday came and the numbers started to decline.
“No big deal,” I thought to myself, “Friday’s usually slow down as people start gearing up for the weekend. And then the weekend came and weekend’s usually are kind of slow as well, but it was slower than usual.
“Don’t worry,” I said to myself, “It’ll pick up on Monday.
Then Monday came and it got even worse. Then I started worrying, Monday’s and Tuesday’s are usually the biggest days of the week. Oh speaking of Tuesday, that was yesterday and the number of hits continues in a downward spiral. Then I thought about it and realized maybe people don’t like this new live format. Some people have told me they don’t like commenting on older posts and that while they like what I’m doing, the number of posts is a little overwhelming.
I thought live-blogging would be a great idea, but you live and you learn. Some people really got into it, but the majority has spoken and I’m not too proud to listen. Maybe it’s not that great of an idea. I’ve deccided to with the advice that my old co-pilot Al tried to give me, and I’m going to start doing this blog the way I did 365 Bars and MAD. That is one post a day from whatever I did the day before. And I’ll post it around noon.
I still like the idea of Tripping With Marty and now this opens up even more doors to the idea. I can go out in the afternoon, early evening or late at night. Sometimes good things come out of mistakes and I think that’s going to be the case here.
So this is the only post for today, I have to go out and do something I can post tomorrow. Here’s hoping people give me a second chance with this idea!
If you’re reading this, I thank you and I’ll be back tomorrow at noon with a new TWM post. Just once per day! Cheers and beers to you all!
Tomorrow.
Surprise link, click on it...I dare you!
Blogging, Take Two, Tripping With Marty Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 9:34AM
Reader Comments (43)
TWM will be like MAD on steroids ... you'll have many more options for posts -- I think it will be great !
The world is your oyster, Wombacher!
Marty--I like all your blogs!!! A blog takes on a life when people relate to it..Bob A told me the comment section is as important..may I suggest you do both--ahh multi-tasking!!Keep on tripping Marty.
AWWWWWW SHIIIIIIIIIT. I was loving the new style. Gives me something to do all day at work, besides actually working.
@GENE: Thanks, I appreciate it!
@Biff: Thanks, I'll get cracking!
@Melanie: Thank you, The tripping will continue tomorrow, in one post!
@Reggie Thistleton: Glad you liked the new style, but a lot of people found it overwhelming, so it's time to go back to the old school way of doing this. I hope you continue to read it, tomorrow's post will be up around noon. Thanks for chiming in.
I agree with Gene, and now on to the daily play. BTW did you see that article about my friend down here? I'm still pissed off that he could do something that stupid.
Some people just don't like change I reckon'. I like both formats, but the new way is a bit more work for the reader (and a shitload more for you probably). So maybe this is best...? I think you should push your twitters more. They're hi-larry-ous. A unique and often frightening look at whats going on in your head at a given moment!
@Al: You called it, I wanted to try something new, but sometimes I guess you should just stick to what's working. I saw that article about your friend, what a horrible way to go! Sorry for your and his family's loss!
@Spike: People told me it was kind of fun in the beginning but it got to be overwhelming to try and keep up, so it's back to the old way. It will allow me to go out late night again, so in the long run, I think it'll work out for the best. And if anyone wants to follow me on Twitter and read my sometime insane Tweets, just click on the button and follow me and I'll follow you back. Thanks for the mention!
I have just been leaving your website up and refreshing it occasionally. So, even though I have been checking it frequently over the last week, it might look like just one hit
@MikeyC: Thanks, my friend, I appreciate you following along. I think the live posts were just a bit overwhelming to some. The once a day posts seemed to work better, so I'm going to be trying that tomorrow. Please tune back at noon!
These things grow organically - I'm sure you'll find your groove!
@Goggla: Thanks, just need to do a little restructuring and go back to what was working!
I enjoyed the format but I can understand what people are saying. While I didn't comment on every post I did check in several times a day and read each post. I'll still be checking in and making inane comments.
P.S. - If you looking for something to do, let's meet for a beer sometime during the week after I get off work.
@Jason: Glad you understand, I think you and most people will enjoy the old format combined with the TMW concept even better! And meeting for a beer sounds like a great idea! I'll send you an email.
@MAD: Thank God, the whole new format made me incredibly nervous. - Love your not meant to be that portable laptop computer.
@csp: Ha ha ha! I just gave the laptop two valiums and put it to bed for awhile!
The live format made me very hyper & anxious too! But that might be my own problem ... Anyway, TWM is going to turn out just great. Enjoy the tripping, & have some fun with your newly freed-up time - we all love reading yr. stuff ...
@onemorefoldedsunset: I heard that from other people, so I decided I should switch formats. I'm still really excited about this blog and look forward tripping around town! Thanks for the nice words!
I liked the format, but since I don't have a boring desk job that mostly consists of clicking back and forth between browser tabs all day to see what's changed in the last 15 minutes, I probably screwed up your traffic stats. I was totally fine with checking in was a day, later after you were all done, but admittedly, have not gotten completely into the habit yet.
People are funny, so many prescribe to "TLDR" whether something is interesting or not.
But, what the shit do I know? Nobody reads any of my blogs :P
Maybe you can through in a random live blog every now and then to shake things up.
Damn. I think I'm having a bad trip.
"checking in ONCE a day"
and
"THROW in a random live blog".
@Isabella: You didn't screw up the hits at all and I heard from people that they preferred the once a day format, so I decided that's what I've decided to stick with. I think I will throw out a a random live blog once in a while, I think people like the novelty of it now and again, just not on a daily basis. And don't worry about the typos!
No matter if it was one post or twenty, I always seemed to check on you twice a day, Marty. Your wacky hijinks put a smile on a lot of people's faces. Keep on fighting the good fight and keep us abreast of your adventures!.
Ah, well. Yes, it was a little overwhelming. And it wasn't going to be easy to maintain if you got a day job.
@Al Czrervik: Thanks, Al, I appreciate the nice words and you checking in! Tomorrow's post will be up at noon!
@BabyDave: Exactly! Well, you live and you learn! One post a day from here on in! Thanks for sticking with me!
Whatever it takes Daddio. I'm here for the duration.
My schedule keeps me from commenting on each post/update, but I'm along for the ride.
It's still in it's infancy, but it's going to be great and even bigger and better!
Traffic stats be damned, full speed ahead. Looking forward to your next entry/article.
@"Boris:" I know you have a crazy schedule, so I appreciate the comments that you leave. Thanks for the words of encouragement and friendship on and off the internet, Daddio!
@DaveW: Thank you, sir! It'll be up at noon, I'm working on it right now!
hell's bells...just wanna say whatever route TWM takes i'm along for the "trip"...damn the naysayers full speed ahead...
“Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it."
George Halas
rr
@rr: Always happy to have you on the ride! Beautiful quote, as always!
"I will follow him.....wherever he may go....there isn't a mountain so HIGH......".......oh,....um.....errrr......sorry, just havin' a Senior DavidLetterman/DenzelWashington Moment when thinking of you.
I'm just tossin' a few things out there to see how they sound :
1) Remember I told 'ya about being in NoNetLand for awhile. That means I been reading what you have been doing lately in bigger chunks than I used to.......and sumptin' didn't seem quite right. Something just a little off.....and it hit me.....TOO MUCH F#CKIN" DAYLIGHT ! And I really think I'm onto something here......'member how YOU hate places that are too bright.....too many noisy/cheery/yuppyscummin' cretins, etc.....so I think maybe that's part of it. (And think of all the rock and roll references here: Spirits in the night.....the sunshine bores the daylights out of me......the NIGHTtime is the RIGHT time.....'nuff said.)
2) And in a related way.....just about EVERYBODY in the known universe, unless they are brain-dead and/or boring or too rich , WANTS DESPERATELY to live in NYC...and further, they want to live in Gotham so that they can GO OUT AT NIGHT and see what's happenin', trippin' around town to see what's going to make them feel ALIVE, or at least BETTER about their lives. What else is the Capitol of the World for if not for gettin' your ya-yas OUT! (And you have proven yourself over and over again as a PROFESSIONAL in this regard.)
3)Not too sure about this one....buy I'll bet dollars to donuts (or cheeseburgers) that the great majority of your readers saved their visit to your site to at least the end of the day, or even into the NIGHT. For example, I usually saved your post along with evgrieve, goggla, melanie, jonathan, pablum, etc (the usual gang of suspects) to later in the eve so I kinda "felt" that I was back in The city experiencing what was still cool about being there (although evgrieve's posts sometimes makes me want to smash up my computer in anger about how Bloombergification is destroyin' the town.)
4) But striking to the HEART of the matter buddy is that it has been FAR too long without a feature post on that HUBBA-HUBBA HOT MAMA of yours.....yep, mmmore MARTY MAMA and all your troubles are over. Jeez, shoulda thought of that one first and saved the verbal runs.
Keep on chooglin'!
@Dr. Bop: I hear you loud and clear and appreciate your sentiments more than you know! It's also great that you keep up with my friends blogs, too cool for school! Check out the next post tomorrow at noon, my friend, I appreciate you following along more than you know!
Hey Marty...the only problem I have with the live stuff is that I can't check in that much during work, and I'm really afraid of missing something cool! and I can see where I would want to comment on something, but it was like 3 blogs ago, so not quite as relevant. Whatever you choose to do, just never stop rocking, my friend!
@Rick: It was an experiment, but ultimately I learned the old lesson, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" So it's back to the once a day around noon posts, which seem like a much better idea in retrospect. And I will NEVER stop rocking, unless you do first!
Marty, totally agree with the old format. Just one post a day. Good tripping.
@mattyanza: We're back to the old format, thanks for hanging in there while I experimented!
It's not your fault. And maybe it's not the format. It's just that daytime sucks. Darkness made everything more alluring for voyeurs. And maybe the bar crawl is boring IRL just like Bob Arihood complained about waiting hours for anything new to happen on avenue A. But that interesting moment makes the wait worthwhile. OTOH, live blogging the wait doesn't really work.
P.S. I bought your Firetruck book and loved it. I discovered it it on Amazon for maybe $13 (current price is $18.99 for some reason). I thought it's probably worth it, but maybe I could buy it a dollar cheaper at another site so I googled and discovered I could buy a digital copy from lulu for ... $1. Well then I figured if it was being sold for $1 then it must suck, but after considerable delay I cautiously clicked my approval for the $1 charge. ......... AND IT WAS TOTALLY AWESOME. I can't believe you're selling this gold for a buck. And the book says each buyer is entitled to a free beer .. . So if you sell the book for a buck and lulu takes 33 cents or whatever and a beer costs $3 then what kind of scam are you running? Anyway, the book was awesome and you should have a link to sell it for a fair price of 9.99 or whatever. I'd gladly pay the same for a best of fishwrap/natalieword. And maybe you can package your other blogs into ebooks too.
Anyway, I figure I owe you a few free beers in exchange for that incredible lulu bargain. You live quite close to me so I should be able to spontaneously grab you on the street sometime. Be wary.
@Hugh G Rection: Thanks for buying the book! I'm really glad you enjoyed it and believe it or not, I make more off the one buck purchase that if you buy the book from Lulu or Amazon due to the profit structure thingy. And I'm glad you're enjoying the blog, let me know when you want to go out for a beer or six!
Late to the party and sorry to be absent, but I have to sheepishly admit to being happy to hear you're going back to the one post a day. Even though my commenting has slowed, I'll always follow whatever you're doing.
@kari: No need to be sheepish about it, I found out that people like the one post a day, so I'm happy to go back to doing what people want. No worries about the comments, I'm happy you're still following the blog!
I'll follow no matter what format you use. In my mind content is king, and your content is great.
@DeWayne: Thank you sir, I truly appreciate it!
My work schedule combined with my my wife's midterm domination of the PC have had me catching up once a week, but I also realized that I had not liked the page on Facebook, which meant less spontaneous visits. Sorry the live format didn't work out, but we'll take you any way we can get you.
@Marty in Montreal: Thanks! I think the once a day format has worked out better for everyone and I thank you for visiting the blog when you can!