matt.makalumedia.com by Matt Henderson

Daring Fireball, and the interesting state of social affairs

I just paid $35 for a t-shirt and one-year membership to help John Gruber realize his dream of working full-time on his weblog, Daring Fireball, and now I find myself gazing out the window asking why.

Although I’ve been reading John’s weblog for the past few years, I’ve never personally met him and I don’t think we’ve even emailed each other. And although I like his weblog, especially his linklog, it’s not something I’m even particularly crazy about. There’s a lot of other weblogs that I equally enjoy and look forward to reading.

So I know I didn’t pay because Daring Fireball is something I can’t live without.

Oddly enough, through the regular — granted one-way — dialog, I think I’ve come to feel some sort of odd friendship with him. And so I think I paid $35 to John in the same way I’d be happy to, based on nothing more than a request, help out a friend. Like, “No problem, man, anytime.”

The inevitable response:

Please send me $35. I’ll be happy to consider our friendship odd(er).

I happily bought myself one Daring Fireball subscription. I just looked at it as an expensive t-shirt purchase. Re-subscribing for a second year was harder. I don’t really want a second shirt, so I have to think about what I’m getting from the site itself.

I really like Daring Fireball, but compared to the thirty bucks I spend for a year of Salon or Suicide Girls, DF isn’t giving me much content for the money.

Still, I think Markdown is really great and I’d like to keep supporting Mr Gruber’s efforts. I just haven’t quite mustered up the will to get back on the wagon.