I have stupid conversations with my friends – don’t we all? At some point a couple of years ago I decided I wanted to try to find the intersection between those stupid conversations and the Internet. Podcasting is a logical choice, but I don’t think we’re quite ready for that. The next step down is blogging.

If I tried to pin this down to a particular format, it would only ensure two things: we’d become paralyzed by the constraints, not having enough natural talent to write our way out of idea block; and we’d most assuredly fail. Most likely, both will happen anyway, but we may be able to delay the inevitable artificially by not defining any parameters or goals.

We just want to write. And yes, it will be bad at times. Perhaps even all the time. But you never know until you try and so here we are.

This is is an experiment, really. It’s a prelude to the reification of taking daily one-to-one conversations between two long time friends (and possibly more later. If I’m persuasive enough) and reformulating them as a two-to-many conversation with a theoretically limitless, but realistically minuscule audience. That he is a useless knowledge sponge and lock-box of information who is moderately well-travelled and equally well-read; and that I am a web-addicted, tech-enthused recovering compete-aholic that masquerades as an outwardly disinterested blogger provide the conflict around which we pivot our conversations. Blogging – this site – is our beaker. Our ideas are our reagents – the product from which we wish to formulate a result, a reaction from you, the audience. In this experiment, we have no control.

Defining a singular purpose, or even a multi-purpose for that matter, proves difficult in our frequent conversations on the subject. We want to write about home, this place that surrounds us, that serves as the context for our lives past and present and will serve as the context for our children’s futures. We want to write about the things that have or do or may influence us – our favorite sports teams, a quote, a story, a drink, a burger. We want to watch stupid movies and then write about them. We want to make stupid jokes and hope that you get them. We just want an outlet.

The great power of the Internet is empowerment. Empowerment as a platform (EaaP if you’re looking for a buzz word). Anyone can be a writer, even if you aren’t very good. We don’t have to accept mediocrity from ourselves, but we darn-sure better brace ourselves for it. And even if mediocrity is all we get out of this, well, at least we gave it the old college try. At least we got some practice.