I’m a critic about quite a few things, but lately nothing has piqued my snobbery quite like blogging has. Casing the joint that is the blogosphere, I find myself screaming these questions at Bug and Cricket, who have chosen wisely to spend most of their time far from the PC.
When did the blog world turn into six degrees of craparation? I find that with almost unfailing accuracy, I can make it through only so many blogs, linking via blogroll from one to the next, until the quality of said sites plunges. I ultimately end up at a blog pimping stretch mark cream (oh yes, someone really does link to those) or another that hasn’t been updated since Mickey Rourke was attractive. Has recipro-linking gone too far?
Why do some really crappy blogs get so many readers? My sister experiences a similar phenomenon while attending our hometown church at Christmas. The girl from high school with three eyes and the one huge boob always shows up with a man on her arm, while my sister passes her single peace. One probably shouldn’t think whore so much in church, she reports back.
Why do some write about every, little, single, humdrum, minute aspect of the everyday? I don’t care about you waking up and eating Meuslix (or were they Bran Flakes?) or about you slipping off your pink slippers and then getting into the shower. Unless your Cheerios rose to the surface of your milk and spelled out “do me,” your slipper had a half-pound wolf spider in it, or you walked smack into the clear shower door, it’s just what we all live. I don’t want to see a movie about the routine parts of someone’s life. This is why I avoid Woody Allen flicks. And Seinfeld.
This is in praise of the flava you all (yes, you) bring to the experience that is blogging. I am moved in some way every time I read about you staring at the frisky grandparents in the apartment across the way, the sick joy you feel when your arch nemesis trips in the board room, and the raw emotion that envelops you when a loved one passes away.
Know that your sites make my day.
When did the blog world turn into six degrees of craparation? I find that with almost unfailing accuracy, I can make it through only so many blogs, linking via blogroll from one to the next, until the quality of said sites plunges. I ultimately end up at a blog pimping stretch mark cream (oh yes, someone really does link to those) or another that hasn’t been updated since Mickey Rourke was attractive. Has recipro-linking gone too far?
Why do some really crappy blogs get so many readers? My sister experiences a similar phenomenon while attending our hometown church at Christmas. The girl from high school with three eyes and the one huge boob always shows up with a man on her arm, while my sister passes her single peace. One probably shouldn’t think whore so much in church, she reports back.
Why do some write about every, little, single, humdrum, minute aspect of the everyday? I don’t care about you waking up and eating Meuslix (or were they Bran Flakes?) or about you slipping off your pink slippers and then getting into the shower. Unless your Cheerios rose to the surface of your milk and spelled out “do me,” your slipper had a half-pound wolf spider in it, or you walked smack into the clear shower door, it’s just what we all live. I don’t want to see a movie about the routine parts of someone’s life. This is why I avoid Woody Allen flicks. And Seinfeld.
This is in praise of the flava you all (yes, you) bring to the experience that is blogging. I am moved in some way every time I read about you staring at the frisky grandparents in the apartment across the way, the sick joy you feel when your arch nemesis trips in the board room, and the raw emotion that envelops you when a loved one passes away.
Know that your sites make my day.
Labels: Blaahging
49 Comments:
Gee thanks, I think.
Very insightful. This post is why I read you every day. Your site definitely makes mine.
"I ultimately end up at a blog pimping stretch mark cream (oh yes, someone really does link to those)"
Ugh.
Have you also been getting site meter referrals for "humping cat?"
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Hey Mama,
I guess what it all boils down to is that there are others who find this crap interesting.
Blogging seems to be an ongoing battle of evolved elitism, where people who blog about their nosehairs thing that people who blog about their armpithairs are childish, and vice versa.
Who's to say what is better than what? :)
All I know is that your blog has become a staple in my every-days. I enjoy reading it immensely, and I enjoy learning about whatever you want me to learn about.
It's intelligent and funny, and warm and inspiring. You can make the ordinary into Moose Tracks Ice Cream to me (this is a good thing, as I simply LOVE Moose Tracks Ice Cream).
You rock.
Jorge
PS: Why I had the urge to tell you something you have undoubtedly been told by countless others is beyond me. :) But I won't change my stance one bit. Nosiree..
I agree! Why do moronic people write about stupid things like what they had for breakfast!!!
Blogs, like everything else in the world, are ruled by Sturgeon's law, "90% of everything is crud." I usually take this to mean you have to wade through a lot of shit before you hit the good stuff. But eventually you do find it.
(Theodore Sturgeon (1918- 1985), by the way, was writer of science fiction. A good one, too.)
I think blogs, like many things, are going through a "flavour-of-the-week" thing where everyone and his/her brother/sister has one, posting about anything that passes through their head, and cluttering the blogosphere. But soon blogs will no longer be cool and many of these will go the way of the do-do. (Have you listened to podcasts? Geez, people ... there's a reason why they have things like acting classes, voice training and announcer schools. Learn how to speak for God's sake. And scripting your podcasts might be an idea too. Hmm????>)
Sorry ... your post seems to have hit a nerve. I'll shuttup now.
By the way, blogs have seen their day. They've peaked. I think this is true because I've seen one of the signs of the apocalypse.
"Great post," I wrote as I munched on the low-fat fig newton that I bought this afternoon at the supermarket, curious if it tasted as good as the original.
(and how snobby can a woman who expresses her hots for Colonel Sanders really be?)
I haven't had my coffee yet, so I'm just going to be utterly lame and say "what jorge said" as the extent of my comment.
Alright, I lied: I think there's an element of what you're condemning in every blog out there--not that we all chronicle how many times we pooed in a day or anything, but so many people focus on the detritus of their own lives that I'm guessing some part of this post made each and every one of your readers go "omigod, she's talking about me, I just know it. She hates me now."
You, each and every one of you, must know that I am not writing about you!
I recognize that there is a niche for everyone on the Internets. And that the folks I'm battering (pimping creams and pills and such) would VERY likely find my blog hella boring.
But if ANY ONE OF YOU is going to try to pass off your site as routine or average, you are wayyyyy off base. THAT is not your niche. Your niche, sweet strawberries and every beautiful bit of descriptive detritus included, is one of inspiration.
It was kashi and a brown recluse spider. ::sulks away::
I am so going to kick your asses! :)
I'm so writing a post about pancakes now. I'm goddamn inspired.
I'm going to go brush my teeth now. I use a Sonicare and the toothpaste is Colgate. Consider yourself updated.
I'm going to do what Megan's doing; brush my teeth, because I've been eating olives, but then I'm going to see a movie later. Just thought I'd letcha know.
;)
(I concur whole heartedly with your post, a million times over.)
I leave long stretches between posts for EXACTLY that reason; if I didn't I'd be blabbing about my Cheerios (which tend to only ever spell "ooooooo"), too. Also, I haven't recipro-linked for reasons you already eloquently noted.
Blogging can be a wildly narcissistic venture. It really IS ALL about ME! And my poop! And my breakfast! And my commute! And my kids poop! Reality television has warped us all into believing that people WANT to hear about our Cheerios and intestinal difficulties and the fact is, some do (fact is, sometimes I do, too!) . And everyone secretly believes that they're lives are WAY more interesting that those shmoes on those shows. They aren't, but they think they are.
I've given up on random blog reading, and don't link-out as often as I used to, because, well, I don't have to. Over half the stuff I keep up with I've gotten to via YOU. What can I say: we have similar tastes...and there are only so many hours in a day. I have plenty to read.
Oh yeah, I've written about poop. (sigh) I guess I fall into the "you suck" category.
This was a great post if only because it got me thinking. But I ran off at the mouth (or keyboard) so I put it in a post (it was too long for a comment). Anyway ... Can you hear me now?
(btw ... I didn't think you were talking about anyone here. And I feel the same way.)
A lot of people use their blogs as extensions of the high school lunch table; some are invited, some aren't. I almost blogged about a young lady who wrote that she didn't want anyone to read her blog unless they knew her personally. Uh, ever heard of email?
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Kris, I just had a salad at Crapplebee's and I'm going to go poop for the first time in about a week.
*snickering* Just kidding, chickie. I agree with everything you say, as per the usual.
Jurgen, you crazy cat. I LOVE YOU! And I love that Crapplebee's loves the Dub Dub.
And Bill, per usual I loved your post. I almost feel as if we get to watch you think. :)
I actually had no idea that this post would cause even a tiny stir. I found myself frustrated at the flight attendants for making me shut my cell phone off before takeoff; I wanted to take part in the discussion, dammit! (by typing in three words per hour on that damn thing, I know . . .)
Here I sit, at a hotel business center in Pennsylvania, wanting to add more to this.
If I had the brainpower right now, I could easily go through post after Kris post that focuses on KING BEDS, MY CATS, TRAFFIC, MY HAIR . . . and the list goes on. My hope with this site is to, as I see every blogger I regularly read do, attach some meaning to those everyday details.
I want to know why you eat those damn Cheerios at the same time in the same bowl everyday. Who bought you those pink slippers? And why do you spend 25 minutes in the shower each morning? (That last one would be me.)
The point is that I love to learn about the point. And that's why I read you.
When does your business in the intellectual side of chemistry and electromicroorganic biology going to bring you to Ann Arbor? We have an AMAZING electromicroorganic biology program, AND several professors from your hometown of Zambia. U of Z in da hizzy!
I HATE SEINFELD TOO!!!!!!!!!!
(insert gleeful laughter here)
Blogs are measured by quality, not quantity..
and you girl, kick ass..
thank you for making my life fun...
Is it odd that I wondered how big the boob is on the girl with 3 eyes? Perhaps I need more sleep, and less wine?
I´m with you. Though we all suck from time to time.
Crapplebee's! That never fails to crack me up.
I don't blog but love reading the good ones I've found and have links set up so that I visit them every day. Yours is one of those links. Love your writing, love the randomness, love the honesty, but mostly love the humor. If it's not funny, why bother!
Damn. I was just about to write a post about shopping.
I agree though, I don't need to read about what someone had for breakfast and/or dinner and/or their 450 thread count sheets. Just don't care. Although I did just write about my obsession for S&V chips. Oh well.
Sometimes you got it, sometimes you don't. The inspiration may be there, or you may be stuck. I try not to write about what I had for breakfast - but hey, sometimes someone cares. :)
First, I'm going to take the compliment and say "Thank You."
Second, a lot of it is in the eye of the beholder, no? Some blogs I read I don't love the writing, but I'm interested in the story. Others, it wouldn't matter what was written because the writing is so good. The best ones have great writing and great content.
Third, glad your meeting with bloggers was fun!
Great post. I love your blog.
I'm going to Lows.
:oP
Unless your Cheerios rose to the surface of your milk and spelled out "do me"
I don't know where exactly in my kitchen the camera is but if you don't get it the hell out RIGHT now, there will be trouble! No one spies on my Cheerio tea-leaf readings!
does this mean i am, like, in the "in crowd?"
sweeeeeeeeeeet!
;) sizz
What do you mean, "since Mickey Rourke was attractive"?
Mickey Rourke is a stone cold fox. In that his face appears to have turned to stone. And he is likely cold as it is my belief that he actually died several years ago and is now the walking undead. Fox? Undeniably.
BTW, lunch was a cup of spicy potato soup and small Caesar salad with grilled salmon. I'll post my mid-day snack later.
But then, crappy blogs just make yours just that much more fabulous...
Oh, and if I'm spending 25 minutes in the shower, you're not getting the details.
You crack me up Kris! I especially enjoyed the cheerios spelling out do me.
If I haven't been posting it's because I've been too busy bagging Mickey Rourke lookalikes. Some of us have lives.
hmmm i really hope i am not a carp blogger. I hope I pass the blob test. So this morning I ate some oatmeal...
Sometimes, only sometimes, I try not to suck so hard but it just comes so naturally.
I love you so much for this post. I had to read it again just to savor the punches thrown... like watching reruns of Tyson biting Holyfield's ear.. You rock!
Your blog rules! Woooo! I love it, you ROCK!
*snickering*
HAHAHA! You totally crack me up!!!!
Delurking to say you make me laugh, mostly at myself, but laugh nonetheless. I write about serious crap and I need blogs like yours to make blogs like mine bearble. I love a good turn of phrase and you do it well. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there may be indeed a new battle of the bangs. Sadly, I'm a shoe in.
your site makes my day!!
I echo Sub Girl! Yay to the Clever McCleversons!
I think I need to check the air in my right front tire. I can direct you to a blog with 213 comments on breastfeeding if you are REALLY bored.
Psst. Love your blog.
Hey, if you want to check out a blog that REALLY SUCKS, go to mine. I thought I coined the term comment whore too, but oh well..... Me likey your post!
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