When attention is challenging

Over two decades ago I found myself working at some problems for fun, with the general desire to keep the mind exercised, and in time found myself certain that some things I discovered were a BIG DEAL where so much of what happens next is about others, if that is true. Luckily for me the web was in the process of becoming a big deal during that time.

If I understood earlier things I know now could have processed attention I found myself receiving in a different way. But my perspective was 20th century, so when I finally got Google Analytics on my blogs, including this one back in 2007, was a shock to see visits from lots of countries. Actually that's when I first looked up how many countries there were, as hadn't really wondered before.

Problem though was, besides those web analytics numbers I really didn't have much of an indication.

So imagine you have some ideas, where mainly I had some math, and you're trying to see where that can go, where yeah can put things out on the web! Like in the movies they do that all the time. And finally you see web data and it shows visits from MOST of the countries in the world, and you're like, huh?

For a bit was looking around trying to see if I was missing something. Then was wondering if the data was just wrong. Then got back to figuring I was missing something, and in many ways it's been like that ever since.

Now though I accept that yes, I have been getting visits from people from all over the world, where use a lot of techniques now to check, including cross-checking against 4 blogs, and trying to find other ways to measure and other companies besides Google.

So how is it possible though? And how to handle the emotional challenges?

Apparently it is possible because the web not only makes it possible it enables people like me in situations like mine. Web actually may in some sense be intrigued by my situation.

And I'm making up the questions for me to answer so wanted to point out emotional challenges must exist! Like were times I felt cheated. Where have worked through much of how have handled on this blog. But yeah got motivated to understand how the world worked, not surprisingly.

There were times really got frustrated too, should admit, and that spilled over into public things. Where it did not work well. For me there were disappointments in terms of my expectations I had to work through.

I learned.

So what can you do with global attention? Lots, but carefully.

Years ago was much more gleeful in testing all kinds of ways. And learned, be careful. I have responsibilities to my world, and myself of course. I think as the years go by, more and more appreciate the situation and recognize people have a right to expect certain things.

As humanity progresses and science and technology advance, things actually always shift in ways that people can't predict before. Then it is just the new normal. It can be hard to get perspective on just how much the 21st century is already different from the 20th, but I DO try.

And I have LOTS of motivation.


James Harris

My attention reality and commerce musings

The idea that where people direct attention can be related to commerce isn't at all new. While I've enjoyed for quite some time what I recognized as a sharing reality with what I put up public. Which here continues. But I finally decided to try and go commercial with a blog which is in the process, which I decided to call Seriously Commercial so I'd stay focused.

But I can't just set out to do things like they've been done, as for one thing I think that's less effective and also, it makes me feel uncomfortable. For instance I've noted that I don't get paid to talk anything, and have a position that if that changes I would inform where I put a page on Seriously Commercial to keep up with such things. Now of course notes no paid endorsements.

To some extent it feels odd to note such things but then again I do talk about global reach which potentially could be used for moneymaking purposes, I'd think. Have thought such things before! And finally interested enough to work at it a bit.

However, I believe that directing attention works best if done best as great referral.

Which to me is a very different way from like, a television show which will take ads with whatever system they use for picking them and I don't know. Do know have seen plenty of commercials where am like, oh no.

There are areas where I've focused more objectively like noting areas where I have measures from others showing interest, various things I've done have pulled from quite a few countries. It makes sense that with that information I have some ideas about what it takes to interest my fellow human beings all over planet Earth. So kind of convoluted.

Well at least that seems logical to me!

So yeah, I haven't done anything paid to direct attention, and created a blog to handle that kind of thing, which means other areas like here remain free to just do like I've been doing. Will note that am thinking of my Facebook page as a place to support the commercial blog, so it links to it.

To me it's really cool as to be someone who has demonstrated can get global attention for over a decade who has been very careful to be very wary on the money-side is comforting to me now.

SO many convoluted sentences in this post! But subject area makes me way uncomfortable.

My focus on sharing information as I have has been pragmatic to me.

And more than likely? Is how I got to learn so much. If I had been money focused earlier it's probable that would have changed lots and even now am not really money focused as sharing interesting things is so much more fun.


James Harris

Reads great on mobile

Posts here will format for your mobile device, like your smartphone. And reads well! Just checked it myself. So yeah you can read posts here easily enough, on your smartphone or other mobile device.

If you can do voice search, just say: beyond mundane

Yuck, only got #2 when did that search! Hey, if lots of people click on the blog...maybe we can get #1. Really like having that position.

But yeah, will format for your mobile device and I say, why not check it out?

One of those nice things that Blogger can do.


James

One way you can help

One way you can help me, is if people are talking entertainment, and if you believe it should add, can casually state: well entertainment really is just a way people use to safely control mood.

Or something like that. Just two important elements: control of mood and safety

And that's it!

Executive summary of my situation

Discovered some important and powerful things including important ideas in several areas. However ran into a silent treatment from established experts. Also struggled with anxiety with the attention I found I was getting primarily from analytics provided by Google, which for years questioned.

But also for years I reacted by discovering more, and branching out into different areas, which became immensely satisfying. However, I also discovered the difficulty with leveraging the attention for monetary purposes, without credibility from established sources. Which means have struggled financially. And have had very little money for long periods of time, relying on family and community help.

Turning my curiosity and analytic techniques on to the problem simply defined money, monetary systems and attention reality to understand celebrity and promotion.

Now having finally convinced myself of the validity of my ideas with my own techniques am turning my attention to resolving the situation.

However, simple conclusion now is: need to make relevant contacts who will accept the above and help me. There is only so much can do on my own.

The entertainment industry I've realized offers a possible way to more easily show value to others, escape needing experts, break the silent treatment tactics that have worked surprisingly well for certain ones of them, and move forward.

It is not clear however how well this path will work compared to others so uncertainty for me continues.


James Harris