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May 16, 2006
Why I write (or don't write) a blog!
I was talking to a friend of mine from Washington DC (hey there!) who is an occasional reader of this weblog. He was asking me why I don't update more often (David asked this too, thanks for the email pal!). I was wondering about that myself. Parts of it is the fact that I don't have much to say anymore. What is there to talk about? I can only write about things that concern me at the moment, and right now, that is mostly Late Antique economy!
I am also trying to produce some real academic papers and am finding out that I have several deficiencies in that aspect, most of them the result of the fact that I have worked on my own for a long time. Being an ancient/Medieval historian is a lonely job, and being a historian of ancient/Medieval West Asia is even lonlier. As a result, I have nothing to say really. My problems don't really relate to the real world. I am more worried about the religious policies of the Sasanian Empire in the third century right now than what is going on around the world.
But there is also another reason. I have used these weblogs (Persian and the English one) as a way of practicing my writing. I like writing and I often get bored of academic stuff and so try to write things that are easier and more fun. Remember the "My Uncle Osman" story intro (I am working on it, trust me)?! Well, those kind of things were a manjor part of my motivation for writing a blog.
However, lately this has been more of a case with my Persian blog. I need to practice writing Persian and speaking and thinking in it. I am surrounded by an English (and increasingly German) speaking world. I seldom speak Persian, beyond a few words with my mother. I am in the middle of Tehrangeles (formerly LA), and I don't speak Persian! Maybe because most of the Iranians are in engineering fields and history is so empty of them.
Another reason for the fact that I write my Persian blog more often than the English one is the interaction. The Persian blogosphere is huge! I know quite a lot of people in the Persian blogging world. I read their blogs and in a way, write stuff in reaction to them. But this has not been the case with this one. My English blog has never had many readers, and I am really a stranger to the English blogging world. So, in isolation, I write stuff only when I see it necessary, which is not often.
This is neither a complaint nor an excuse. This is just an exercise in self-assessment and problematisation! Maybe I can figure it out one of these days...
Posted by Khodadad at May 16, 2006 09:57 PM
Comments
You are most welcome my friend! Now, what's wrong with writing about Late Antique economy? You know I am interested in ancient cultures and archeology. If you write it, I will read it. Of course, my knowledge base is not very wide in your area of expertise, so you may have to make your posts educational. Perhaps that would be good practice for your future students! :)
Yes, I do remember Uncle Osman. I am impatient for chapter two! ;)
As there are so many Iranians in "Tehranangeles" there must be some places outside of the academic environment where you could practice speaking Persian. For example, are there any Iranian sports bars (don't know if you like sports)? As for engineers, I have worked with a lot of them. Its amazing how closed minded engineers can be. So, I didn't have much to talk to them about either!
In the last six months or so, I have become friends with a very interesting medical student who lives in Tehran. I really enjoy his English blog. He goes by Dr O2 (check my links). He spent years of his youth living in California, so his English is excellent.
Posted by: David at May 17, 2006 10:15 PM
your reasons of writing are very rational. it's exactly like mine in some ways, I'm practicing my English writings and I'm writing some how my dairy concerns, but you know what the problem is? In most of the cases , readers think we should write about their concerns too, and some how these commentingsare making us out of the way.
Any how,your blog is a great deal. Thank you for sharing your nice experiences,especially that parkometer one ;)
Posted by: somi at May 21, 2006 09:52 PM