Have been on the web realized for over 20 years, and realization kind of surprised me to some extent. But started over two decades ago in the 90's when wanted to talk some of my amateur math ideas. As the years have gone by, have found what was really a hobby gained a visibility that I didn't for quite a time fully understand which was worth figuring out.
Like over a decade ago found out that a blog talking my math ideas was getting visitors from 125 countries/territories is how Google Analytics put it. Was stunned and then looking for other things to happen that did not. And went on with my life including working a regular job.
Have talked work much on this blog, and noted that to me work is when a person provides a service under some kind of contract to some entity.
Where acting in good faith one should provide necessary information to someone who might want to hire you, but how do you talk POTENTIALLY being known in over 100 countries to a potential employer?
Early on was not a problem as did not realize and had a job when that data was made available to me. Where were SO many questions in my mind regardless. Like was the attention real? Or did most blogs get visits from all over?
Blogs were not that old back then and so much was new. And was lucky for me that I've had more than one blog to focus my interests so could compare across them. Like here, visits were only from around a dozen countries. (It dawns on me that is still actually remarkable.)
Looking elsewhere to where people I knew of, worked with high attention levels did not help me much! And only now with much time, and as the web becomes less novel, feel like am making progress with getting better answers. And yeah, is no more easy for me to have a regular job than for any person with things that pull global attention, even though would like one! Problem is not with me, but with the implications for a business.
Wryly have noted to myself when have a bigger global footprint than an employer. Reality is that comes with a certain amount of influence.
And guess what? Is the kind of information that people get whether you give it or not. Is about being MASSIVELY public and the web tells. (Have had some weird conversations with people on that subject.)
Besides am sure there are ways to properly leverage global attention for work and income, where why should I not maximize that income? But I have to figure it out, which I say, is like working for a law degree while law is continually changing on you, where replace law with web, which is an analogy brought up in post where talked business professionalism.
Also it DOES take effort to maintain that global presence. (How does anyone do it?) There is a LOT of competition for attention in our world, and have been surprised to realize am doing things to maintain, where only more recently have felt the strain at times. Have talked some of where things stand now on this blog. But making the money has been where there is a problem still.
Have had a LOT to absorb, where now with years to ponder am appreciating much. And yeah can be hard to keep the ego in check with certain information, while the money struggles definitely help with that one. Am forced to ponder how can have so much one way, and so little another.
Feel like is helping me be a better person. May as well get something positive out of it.
Thankfully have been able to rely on community support including my status as a military veteran for help but has been challenging. Like when try to bring up the web to a government worker who then proceeds as if that information is not pertinent. Is weird.
Web is so new though. So many procedures in place were about the world that was. Now there are people like myself who are pathfinders in the new world that is, where more and more, web rules.
So am figuring out best I can, where is a struggle, so for now, what work? Remains an open question.
After over two decades on the web have learned that attention reality is what I have, and am better staying meta as needed. Sure would love to get some good explanations for important things from others, but often have found am better off, with what I figure out for myself.
Like, who else do I know as well who knows from objective sources that interest from 100+ countries is just an annual thing, held for over a decade? Um should answer that, no one.
Am stuck with me as my best information source about what it is like to be global in the web age.
Well yeah, with objective data from data providers about attention drawn to content I've put on the web like here. And yeah that is very important to emphasize, as can only know best from what am told from objective sources. Depend on that being accurate information as do people all over the globe now.
James Harris
