Last Twitter:

From: Leslie Walker
To: Alex Shaffer

Hello there. I'm writing about Web logs this week in The Washington Post. I saw your web log at nosuch.org--and the reference to it on blogger.com--and wondered if you'd like to say a word about your experience publishing online.

I'm especially interested in why you started it, how much time you've invested in updating your blog, as well as how it's evolved or changed. Can you tell me what it's done for you, and anything you've learned that's surprised you from keeping a web log?

I'm also interested in whether it led to your meeting and dating the woman named Conny mentioned on the blogger web site.

Any thoughts appreciated. If you'd like to be quoted, I would need your name, age, occupation and city of residence (nyc?)

thanks,

Leslie Walker
Internet Columnist
The Washington Post

To: Leslie Walker
From: Alex Shaffer

Ms. Walker:

Well, I can point you to a wise-ass profile I did of my site in my endless whoring for more traffic. That might make you chuckle. However, in the interest of fine journalism, I'll give you non-stupid answers to your questions. Or try, anyway.

I started the blog because I love writing, but I've got zero discipline. Doing it openly adds a level of accountability that I need. I've also always been a bit of a clown, loving to play to an audience. But, really, the deep dark psychological motive was to just be a more open, honest person. So that meant turning my weird little life into a welcome mat on the Internet.

I've invested too much time in it, really. It's turned into a little outpost in a community of friends blogs. So, between writing my own little tracts, I have to read the tracts of my mates, then post clever and witty things on their sites, and then respond to their attempts to be witty and clever on my own site... Getting tired yet? It's a huge time suck. I probably spend at least an hour a day on it. Every day. Isn't that insane? I'm an addict.

Without the blog, Conny and I would never have met. Some people might pull your leg on this, but seeing as she lives in Munich, and I live in New York, the odds of a chance encounter are pretty slim. Conny used to run an online game, Alchera which was a German license of a game called Clan Lord. Being a frustrated game designer, I write a lot about Clan Lord from a design standpoint on my blog. The people working with Conny found my site, and told her about it. They then asked me to join them as a volunteer. Then Conny and I started using ICQ to piss away the evening hours. The rest, well, it's on the blog.

Unfortunately, Alchera ran out of cash and ran aground on too many other problems, and has since closed. Breaks both our hearts, especially since that gig gave Conny the freedom to be in the U.S. for a few weeks at a time. Now we're not sure how much we'll be able to be together, at least in the short term.

For me, Conny is like hitting the jackpot. I'm a weird creature. I'm a sociable geek guy, who loves online communities/games, and who is a card-carrying S&M pervert. What are the odds of finding a woman who is a perfect fit? I owe Evan at Blogger a lobster dinner for the happiness I found.

As far as quoting, knock yourself out. Legal name is Michael Shaffer, but everyone now calls me Alex, and I'm sticking to that, so Alex Shaffer is good in print. I live in New York City, and I'm a ripe old 32. I've been doing computer consulting for almost 16 years (yes, I started at 15, instead of a paper route, I wrote dBase III code.) Right now the paychecks come from Wall Street as I do database coding for them. The company is never you mind, if you must know, but feel free to neglect that detail, since I often update the blog on company time. If you print that, I'll openly flog you as libelous on my own site, so you've been duly warned. The long term goal is make some web gig a full time thing, but not blogging, mind you. No money in that, obviously.

Feel free to follow up with specific questions, and you can always use ICQ (53312467) too. My website has changed my life for the better, and it's a story I'm delighted to share. Given enough time, I can bore anyone to tears with it.