If loving Blog A Thons is wrong, I don't wanna be a right

First, let me say thanks to all who participated and who submitted their reviews to the John Carpenter Effect: A Blog-A-Thon (and to all who helped spread the word). And a really special thanks to Lucas at 100 films. It was through him that I was introduced to Blog-A-Thons and he gave me honest feedback when I was trying to land on my subject.

As Adam at DVD Panache pointed out, Carpenter had one hell of a decade. Man, looking at his films as an overview, the 80's were really amazing for him. But in looking back with excitement, you can't help but look at his career now and and not be depressed. Carpenter is a bit too willing to sit back and collect checks (and even help out) as his movies get remade over and over again. And unlike Romero and Craven and Cronenberg, it seems that he really has no desire to keep his hat in the ring. But nonetheless, I found a lot of John Carpenter lovers out there, and that's like one big warm blanket to me. And I hope that posting here was able to bring a little traffic to your blogs as well and introduce you to new bloggers sharing the same ideas as yours.

Now let me break for a moment with some thoughts regarding Blog-A-Thons in general. I love them. Why? Because they make me a better blogger. With Blog-A-Thons:

1) I'm more thoughtful in my writing. I find myself spend more time to get my posts right. I think that's good for the few readers I have or think I have.

2) I get to experience new and different opinions and new and different blogs. And once I read those opinions and blogs, I can share my ideas with them. Isn't this in essence what blogs are all about? I am not one who is happy with high traffic and no comments. If I receive no comments, then in my opinion I did not pick the right subject matter, or the right point to make. To me the point of a blog is to engage and cause interaction. If I'm not doing that, then I think Wal-Mart is having a sale on journals and I might as well be picking up one of those.

3) And finally for purely selfish reasons, Blog-A-Thons draw new traffic to your blog.

So I say keep the Blog-A-Thons coming. Please. I will participate when I can and as often as I can. And I already have another Blog-A-Thon subject in the hamper which I want to host at summer's end.

So here's a complete list of Blog-A-Thons that are coming up (I also list them in my sidebar). And if you've got one and want to promote it, then e-mail me at ppiper@barkleyus.com because I willingly want to be the Blog-A-Thon Daddy to all of you. I got this list from Edward Copeland. So maybe that makes him the Daddy and me the Mommy. Or at least the dirty little tramp he has on the side.

June 21-25

The Filmmusic Blog-a-Thon at Windmills of my Mind

July 7

"The performance that changed your life" Blog-a-Thon at All About My Movies

July 13

Friday The 13th Blog-a-Thon at Final Girl

August 5

The John Huston Blog-a-Thon at TheSophmoreCritic

August 27-29

The Bizarro Blog-a-Thon right frickin here.