To My Audience
Jul 15th, 2007 by craig
At college I took a writing course. One of the things that got drilled into me was that anytime I’m writing, foremost in my mind has to be my audience. The instructor always made us identify, to him, the audience before he would grade or evaluate anything we did. I recognize that in writing things for this blog, I have to identify and consider my audience. Today, I would like to specifically, and actually, address that audience.
I believe that you know me, and know something about my experience, background and priorities. (I know, I know, I have to get that “About Me” page done and posted sometime.…) I hope you would like to know a little more about me, but if not, that’s ok with me (see “My First Post – July 9, 2007”).
One of the most important things is that I will be making some assumptions that you know what I’m talking about. For example, if I write that “J’Neil got the Ibanez down and we played some of the songs I do with the band as well as a little bit of Rivendale” I hope you recognize that J’Neil is my daughter, that she got the Ibanez bass we have (my first bass!) and we played some songs together – songs that I play with the Four Rivers Band and a Rush song about the Lord of the Rings home of Elrond on the banks of the Loud Water. (By the way – she did very well and it’s fun jamming with her, now on the bass as well as the piano, flute or marimba!) I’m a little afraid that sometimes I may miss on that assumption and reference something you won’t follow; for that I apologize. Please ask if you feel a need for clarification. Or I’m afraid that there will be something that most of you know, but some don’t. I’ve started an upcoming post that references Geddy – I recognize that some of you may not know who that is. I’ll try to foot note some of those, but I’m sure that I’ll miss some, so again, please ask if you feel the need.
I also know that many of you in my audience will have experienced the same things as I have, or will have been there when some event I reference actually happened. And it’s so possible that you’ll say to yourself, “Wait a minute, that’s not what happened…” Alas, I’ve come to recognize that my memory is only that: my memory. (I was somewhat disappointed recently when Sam got a cd of classic Bill Cosby routines and the memory I have of one of those routines, and have told many people about, was inaccurate. Heavy sigh….). So, if you think I got something wrong, I’m sorry. Please chock it up to an old man’s misfiring brain.
Finally, I recognize that some of you see the world a little differently than I do (viva la difference!) and that sometimes you may think that I’m out in left field. If so, please remember that we all stand on our own home plate and from where I am it’s you that seem to be out in left field. I value and have utmost respect for your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, values, and opinions, and do not want, in any way, to offend anyone. (I’m such a nice guy….) So if you ever feel offended by something you come across here, stop it. (There’s a quote in the rotation about being offended, I’ll let you come across it.) (Are you starting to notice that my style (my voice, if you will) has a whole bunch of parenthesis in it?) I sincerely do not want to offend anyone. If you feel offended, again, all I can say is: stop it.
I appreciate your willingness to check in every now and then and hope you enjoy stuff I put up.