Yesterday, in a post I wrote concerning the HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelias , I was described by resident leftroll hyberbolist as "a horrible blogger".

All I can say is "Thanks, hyper!"

Not because I care what a dunce like you thinks of a goof like me, but you've given me a reason to think about what it means to be a blogger.

There are so many different bloggers out there, with just as many styles of blogging.

People with journalism experience like Michelle Malkin, like Jay Tea, who is my personal blogging favorite due to his seemingly endless supply of intellectual thought (and time to put it all down). There's even some great bloggers on those icky lefty sites, which, even though their thoughts are vacuous and loony, can still put together a great piece.

Really, I don't consider myself a "blogger". I'm just some schlep who was fortunate enough to get in a great spot at the right time with some of my written musings. I have no formal background in writing, journalism, etc., but, I do like to contribute my written thoughts on things with other people.

It doesn't really come naturally to me either. Usually, I get home too late to be the first to write of an important event that's happened during the day, or I find one of my ideas already written about by someone far superior to my own ability. But, I try, take a chance, and no matter what happens, it is something that I thoroughly enjoy.

One of my mentors (who hates when I say that) once told me, "you just write it, throw it out there for people, and see what happens. And if they hate it, then so what?"

And that's pretty much how I approach things.

If you like it, God love you.
If you hate it, God love you.

That's the key to building a tough skin around here. Caring enough to want to put out your work for others to see, but not caring so much that your self worth (at least at this venture) is determined by others.

I figure, if people agree with me all the time, then there's something wrong. A gaggle of mindless automatons is not what one wants as his "audience".

The most addictive thing about blogging is experiencing the reactions from others. Good, bad, or indifferent, it is always an education. Especially with our readership. I've said before, we have one of the most intelligent group of readers around, and in every piece I've every constructed, I have always come out learning more or appreciating other viewpoints from what is written in response.

And that is the goal: To get people to think. Hear what others have to say. Obtain different viewpoints that may not change your outlook, but may inform you of the views of others in a way that you hadn't thought.

This past piece in question was a tricky one. Some empathized with it, others didn't. But it created such a dynamic interplay between people of profound intellect that it didn't matter if it was "liked". It did what I hoped it would: Sparked interest and debate. Not between myself and others, but between the readers themselves. To me, that is success.

There's going to be posts I write that some like, some will hate, and some won't give a damn one way or the other.

And, you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way.

So, to you hyperbolist, I say "thanks" for the inspiration.

And I formally give you the New Jersey State Bird.

And it ain't the Goldfinch..