I'm a writer—nothing more, nothing less

Writing isn’t simply a hobby for me; it’s not even a passion—it’s a lifestyle.  I have half a dozen notebooks filled with poems, blogposts, business ideas, you name it.  So, when my dad says one of his all-time favorite lines, “stop talking and start doing something,” I never know how to respond.  The fact of the matter, is that I’m a writer.  When I write a blog post, that is me doing something—I’m not sure if he gets that, or anyone does, for that matter.

To me, there’s a fine line between a lazy, passive-aggressive Facebook comment, and a well-articulated post.  Every single time I produce a piece, I’m putting my opinions and emotions in a public forum and am usually more than willing to accept any and all critiques.  Today, I broke my own rule.  I took the low-road, and lashed out on Facebook.  This post is an attempt to capture the sentiment that I was truly going for in my offhanded response.

The truth is, Student Parking Only is my life.  For better, or for worse—through all the ups and downs—this blog has captured the last 5 years of my life.  Not all my posts are my best—they can’t be—but that’s okay.  For The Boys is an example of an innocuous post gone horribly wrong.  I wrote a short piece to honor my closest friends, and unintentionally alienated a large body of readers as a result.  It wasn’t my best post, but, it certainly wasn’t my worst either.

In a culture dominated by retweets and Facebook comments, likes, ups, and diggs, I honestly believe that when I take the time to fully articulate a thought and post it to the public eye, I’m doing the internet (and my readers) a unique service.  I assume a huge amount of risk when I post my honest opinions and qualms online, but I’m okay with that.  I’m not asking for everyone to agree with me, or even anyone for that matter.  My blog is my outlet, and a handful of devoted readers genuinely seem to enjoy it.

When I receive backhanded jibes on Facebook, while the controversy indubitably brings in new readers and views, it still hurts me deep down.  I guess, my point is that I put a lot of time and effort into these posts, whether you like them or not.  I do my best to respect my audience, but often, I sense an overwhelming lack of respect the other way.  So, don’t just throw links and buzzwords and trash talk on Facebook if you’re truly interested in making a meaningful critique.  Email me: maxcommajake@gmail.com.  Call me: 4439558365.  I want to hear what you have to say.  But, please, do not undermine my life’s work with half-hearted jabs and lackluster attempts at social media humor.

I’m a person, too, believe it or not.  I’m doing my best to keep producing content for students, by students, for a few more months.  It’s been a pleasure so far, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it half as much as I have along the way.