An Open Letter to Blog Troll Seneca Griggs

This is an open letter to blog troll Seneca Griggs. I got an email and decided it was best to write about this blog running its course here. Yes, there are challenges, but other bloggers and people on social media are also dealing with those problems. Thanks for the email Seneca.

“I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.”

George Best 

 

Dear Seneca-

In 1897 a journalist from the New York Journal contacted Mark Twain about rumors that he was deeply ill, or worse that he had died. Twain’s response was published in the newspaper on June 2, 1897. He said he did not know if he should be annoyed or amused. But he talked about a cousin of his in London was seriously ill for two to three weeks, but he had recovered. Twain said the following, “The report of my illness, grew out of his illness. The report of my death is an exaggeration.” 

(Grin) 

You have been quite the troll. I will always allow you to hang around here, but your email to me the other day deserved a response. So you are getting your own blog post. You should feel honored. You wrote about how this blog has run its course. And that I have lost passion about writing. What I am actually struggling with instead is balancing the needs of a career, and a very active social life. Success in a career is good, but the downside is that a person is tasked to take on more and more. And that leads to later nights and longer days. Its also led to getting to the gym later as well. Yes, you may not know but I go and swim about 2 to 3 times a week. I do that for cardio and my doctor has also asked me to get into weight lifting as well, to build muscle mass. The last time I lifted seriously was when I played football. 

There are challenges with the internet, as I have written about them in the past. Plus I have also been in contact with other bloggers as well. But the difference between this blog and others is that I am not narcisstic where I have to be driven by aggressive stats and numbers. Other blogs fall into that territory. My reaction is “meh.” Last Saturday I grabbed a beer with someone who has a long history in evangelicalism and we met to discuss some aspects of it. And before your email popped up in my box, I was trying to figure out how to respond to several other emails. Yes, there are challenges with algorithms on Google, and I am seeking out advice. But even Warren Throckmorton who I consider to be the gold standard also struggles with some of these issues. That’s why some people have migrated to Substack, which as a platform has its own challenges. 

There are other concerns that exist. For example do blogs like this penetrate some of the scandal plagued schools, churches or ministries? That can be a post by itself in exploring cognitive dissonance. But issues like that can be more concerning. .But when I struggle with issues like that, then I get that one email by someone saying, “I read your post, and me and my family decided not to get involved.” For me that stirs the soul mightily.  And the beauty rest that this blog kept someone from a fraudulent church or ministry can’t be described in words. 

In Warren’s blogging career there have been times that he has not blogged for months, and then becomes active again. If you want to know which blogger I look up to and the one who inspires me the most its actually Throckmorton. But a number of bloggers struggle with these challenges. 

But I have an active social life in the D.C. area. Happy hours with professionals here in Washington, D.C.. Beers with friends, and the growth of friendships which comes about from this blog. I’m also active in a model railroad club which keeps me busy at least 1 to 2 weekends a month. But the point that I am saying is that I have many investments of time. While it can be a challenge to balance all of it, I have no plans to walk away from any of it. This blog is not my defining feature in life. And that is how I want it. But I also plan to carry a blog like this forward long term. But there may be some changes, as I try and figure out how to face these challenges. But its something that I am trying to find a way forward. 

And as for your suggestion to marry, I’ve also been working on that as well. There may yet be a future Ms. Eagle, who may be secular in her outlook in life. But I am also weary in dating because religion has been a painful topic. And I don’t want to be a kool aid drinker. But I thought I would send you a response in this fashion. (Grin) 

That’s it! 

David Bonner