Splotchy: What is your blog?

CupOfCoffey: A Cup of Coffey

S: When and why did you start blogging?

CoC: I started blogging in March 2006 because I thought it would be a fun way to stay connected with my friends. I never imagined folks outside my group of friends would read it! I learned so much about life and music and people during my three blogging years. I really miss that connection.

S: Did you stop blogging?

CoC: I did.

S: When did you stop blogging?

CoC: April 2009.

S: What were any factors that contributed to stopping?

CoC: I just couldn’t find the time to write a decent post anymore — and joining Facebook allowed me to keep up with those in our blogworld. Facebook is great for lazy interactions.

S: Do you ever miss it?

CoC: All the time! It was a great way to share my life with others and learn about their lives — and I loved doing the Mix Tape Friday posts! There was this lovely intimacy among our blogworld — and yet I’d never seen their faces or heard their voices. It was a lovely connection, wasn’t it? I couldn’t wait to dive into those posts every day. I often think of the stories and the laughter and the tears those posts brought me. So many good, honest writers out there. I learned so much — and I valued the takedowns I got when needed (I’m thinking of you, Coaster Punchman, and still feel filthy shame).

I made so many true friends through our blogworld, just some of the coolest people around. I’ve met a few in person — C.K. Baxter, Thomas Houck, Chris Hull, Jenny Shaw Kessler and Dax Kessler, Grant Miller, Joe O’Sullivan, Fran Szpylczyn, Lisa Williams, and Doug Golden — and I wish I could meet more of y’all. I also met some of my now-dearest friends through A Cup of Coffey, non-bloggers who read my posts.

There was one blogger, Mike Kascynski, who became a dear, dear friend, though we never met. I had planned to meet up with him in Chicago during the summer of 2022, but he died suddenly nearly two years ago. I miss him desperately and regret never seeing him face to face. Y’all get out there and meet people!

It was a beautiful, unique world.

S: Do you think you’ll ever pick it up again? Why or why not?

CoC: I do consider it on occasion. Maybe once I retire in 2025!

S: How do you feel about social media? Does it give you the same feelings as blogging? Why or why not?

CoC: I think of social media as lazy blogging. You don’t
need to spend time thinking of a good post idea, then writing and polishing it, then posting it. I can post a photo and I’m done. But what does that say about me? How am I learning about others? I know the foods they like and the books they read, but there’s so much more. I’m a bit more protective of myself on Facebook and Instagram.

S: How do you feel about the state of the internet in general? This is a very broad question, so feel free how to answer as you see fit.

CoC: The internet has opened up so much of our world for me. And it’s made my life so much easier. I bank online. Shop online. Travel via apps. Watch movies and shows. Discover music. But I do miss the connection of talking to a bookseller instead of ordering it online (we go to locally owned bookstores, but not as much as we should). I met my husband via Facebook (or re-met; we grew up together, but never really hung out), so that’s wonderful. There is so much good — political organizing, sharing secrets, tracking down that new band. But it breeds so much hatred. I find I’m following news less than I ever have because of that hatred and all the untruths out there.

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Thanks for the interview. It is so wonderful to hear your thoughts!

Oh man, your last post was for the Green Monkey Music Project. When I first announced the GMMP, I said it was inspired by your mixtape Fridays.

By the way, you dropped this, queen: