Blogola and Me

There are two questions about blogging that I am sometimes asked, and I have never found a satisfactory answer for; "What is your blog about?", and "When are you going to start making some money at this?". A blank stare is my usual answer. I'm 54 years old and no single subject has ever held my interest from one day to the next, nor have I ever made much money at anything. Why should my blog be any different?

What brought this up was an article in the recent Forbes Magazine marketing section entitled "Blogola". It seems there's a guy named Ted Murphy, whose business is paying bloggers, up to $3,000, to write nice things about various corporations. Recently, several bloggers earned a $500 credit from K-Mart for their posts. Was it the WW II era linoleum floor that they so admired? Was it the screaming kids, drowning out the mind-numbing Muzak that turned their heads? Was it the creatively arranged fertilizer display in the gardening section that caught their eye? Sadly, I'll never know. The article didn't say.

I do know one thing though. If I ever start a sentence with, "I had the most wonderful shopping experience...", then one of three things has happened. In descending probability they are:

1) I have completely lost my mind.
2) I'm being held hostage by corporate terrorists and forced to write blog posts against my will.
3) I really, really, really needed some new bath towels.

On some level, this is a serious subject. After all, the Federal Trade Commission is keeping an eye on Mr. Murphy and his ilk. There are some truth in advertising rules that could use a little tightening. There are people whose livelihood depend on a bold line between journalism and advertising. As for me, I'm content to meander along, like a lazy flowing river, curious to see what's around the next bend. Who knows, maybe I'll find a purpose for my blog there, or maybe even a way to make some real money without selling my soul to the Devil.