Wednesday, June 25, 2008

A personal history of blogging


When I first started this blog I could not make up my mind as to which language I was going to use (although I decided against Chinese pretty early on).
French? Well, it was the obvious choice, wasn’t it ? After all I tend to be seriously French (a mix of arrogance and mesmerizing beauty that gives me away every time).
But, what about English, I thought in the bathroom (a room where I make all the big decisions in my life)? A large part of my life takes place in English. My love life. For instance, I use English to say things like “Madame Red, can you pass me the salt, please?” or other statements that make our couple a successful one day after day . I could not discard English, then, I thought, still in the bathroom (a place where I spend, now that I think about it, a lot of my time).

And so I had this flash: a bilingual blog. I could picture readers marvelling at my style all over the world (French is still spoken in some remote areas such as Canada and Switzerland, where I have checked, people are also blessed with broadband acces to the internet).

I then proceeded to find a name to my blog (I do not need to tell you at this point where in the flat I was) while writing my resignation letter (who needs a job when they have a bilingual blog?).
“Major” was taken. So was “The Major”. What the fuck, I wondered. After this initial blow it took me a while a while to come out with the brilliant Frenchmajor, which means I get googled about once a year by the only 2 people who actually want to major in French in an American college.

And then I sarted to publish my posts ( I still get a kick of using this word, publish – as in “So, Major, have you published anything lately?”).
Success was, I must say, immediate. Madame Red’s entire family read my blog in English (a rather large family, if you want my opinion). Then my family read it too in French (a very small, nuclear family, unfortunately).

And then, one day, it happened. My stats went crazy and since then it has never stopped. Today, 10 months after my first post, it’s almost 15 people who rush everyday to find out the story that will make their day.

Think about it.

15 people. Everyday.

I’m glad I kept my job.
I’m glad I write in two languages.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you could stretch to a third language, you would then reach 22.5 people. That would be novel.

Anonymous said...

15 people? Every day?

I only dream of such heady heights!

Rosie said...

i've always been in awe of your dedication to bilingualism, i would love to do the same with my blog but am far too lazy. i am also in awe of your precise, easy and good-humoured prose but i've been too lazy to imitate that as well.

Crystal said...

but why is it that the english are winning 78-76?
;-)
Crys

The Major said...

Oz: I might try it for a while and see if it's worth it. 22 readers must be a lot of pressure though.

Nuttycow: I know, but believe me, success comes with a price and it's not easy everyday.

Rosie: Thank you very much. Bizarrely enough it's not that long or difficult to do. As for my prose I really don't see that you have anything to imitate.

Crys: Yes I know it really bothers me too and I have no rational exlanation.

Caro said...

Damn! You're beating me by about five readers a day.

Must try harder.

The Major said...

Caro: I can give you a few if you'd like.

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