Big Top Bits to Go or Toss: ... "Please Do Stop Blogging," Exhorts a Frustrated Follower, Unable to Stay Away ; My Exit Advice ...

It's a twittery feel, this being back in Oakland, Covington connected, though it was fun sitting in train stations and blogging, even if I didn't thrill everyone or even a few ... Well, I had fun, and that's what this here thing is all about.

What I do for this prolonged passion or addiction of habit of mine, watching circuses and each time hoping for a transcendental experience, having to settle for popcorn at $4 a box, not bad that, at the Big Apple, where getting a concession is such a breeze, they've got you picking up what you want from one wagon and moving to the cash guy and his box in a tent, and, remarkably, it goes fast. Not so on the technologically constipated ticket wagon, about which, oh heck, let me rant about that at a later date. Let's keep the upbeat upbeat, I had such a glorious day at the Big Apple Circus.

I see here that in Atlantic City there's to be a "mostly" Naked Circus at the Resorts Casino Hotel, the strippery taking place in a parking lot tent, come July. Gals to wear pasties and G-strings. The shindig designed to "win back millions" lost under previous ownership ... Down came the Lewis and Clark tent during a storm in or around Pittsburg, and how eerie -- Pittsburgh, where Ringling's tent fell for the last time in '56. Among a crowd of "dozens" unable to get out before the storm attacked, one patron was left seriously injured, other suffering minor cuts.

Kelly-Miller's music man "Lucky" Eddie Straeffer, interviewed in a news story in Sugarcreek, Ohio (love the name), telling how, fifty years ago, he ran away to join the Ringling-Barnum circus; he was good friend's with John Ringling North II. When North II bought Kelly-Miller five years ago, he called up Straeffer and offered him the musical post. In retirement at the time, Straeffer had served as superintendent of a historical museum. He's also a sculptor, and is not above doing cherry pie; on Kelly Miller he also manages the ticket department ...

Felds Fail to Move a Jury. In court over cross allegations about nasty family squabbles (a reality show here?), one being that Kenneth Feld hired security guards to assault his sis Karen during a memorial service for their late aunt. Kenneth's complaint was that his sister made an awful ruckus at a shiva in 2007 by poisoning the atmosphere with "anti-Semitic obscenities." Neither side proved its case, concluded the jury. Kenneth told the media he was "happy with the outcome," but sorry the ugliness advanced this far ... Ho, hum.

UK says yes to circus animals. The right of circuses to feature those four-egged hoofers upheld. "This is a great day for classical circus," said Urs Pilz, president of the European Circus Association (ECA), noting that London is the birthplace of the circus as we know it, or knew it ..

Finally, I get nice comments and not-nice comments, and here's an inbetweener from Jeff Swanson which I did not post, griping about how "wordy" and "verbose" I am (well, that might be; haven't I said I feel like a writer trying to be a writer?), wishing I would fit myself better into proper circus blogging, whatever that might be. Jeff rues all of the looking-back pieces I am posting -- Actually, only one per week, in the Sunday slot once handed over to philosopher Krishnamurti, whose ideas that so intrigue me never once, to my recollection, produced a single comment. Jeff finds that 70% of my blog "has no substantive news or information". Could be. Worse yet, most of what appears here, says he, has already been covered on the other blogs. Gosh, I go at my own pace, hardly expecting ever to generate any ad revenue.

Now, here's what puzzles me, Jeff. You say you've been following me for three years, and I have to wonder, why? When I get bored or irked by a radio talk show host, for example, and it doesn't take three years, I just turn off the radio. In a way, I feel flattered that you have hung around. You say my blog "has a place along with other circus blogs," that it could "be so much better and worthwhile." Yeah, I think I know what I could do to give you what you may think you want, but giving it to you would, sorry to say, bore me to death, and I'd shut this thing down in a few weeks.

OK, a brief primer on why I pitched this little tent in the first place. (Is anybody still there?) I never set out to be the most popular or I would have done a number of things such as posting daily. I go with my own flow, having resolved at the outset never to bind myself into any one particular voice or type of article, etc. The moment I feel imprisoned in a straitjacket, pandering to perceived expectations, is the moment I'm out of here.

What's a little baffling is that, even though traffic has increased, those who leave comments do not amount to even half a percent of the traffic. And I value getting comments, for from some, I learn. I'll say this, Jeff, you did make me laugh, your opening was clever:

What set Jeff off was the ending to a recent post, in which I declared, "I can't stop blogging." Responded Jeff, "David, Oh David, please do stop blogging."

I'm smiling again. Even laughing.

Sorry, Jeff, doing it my way, I have fun. Interesting that, last month, I pulled in the most visits and more importantly, the most page views ever -- for my blog. And I have no illusions that I can match a few of the big ones like Buckles or Pat (I assume they are big). And this month will top last.

You are, of course, free to exit, and I'd be happy to give you your money back, except that, oops, I think you got in for free.

May all your days be less boring than those you spend letting me frustrate you ...