Category: Weblogging

The CC wants you

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date July 15, 2002

I got to thinking about the Citizen Corps and TIPS and realized that there was something missing – there wasn’t anyone to watch the webloggers.

The truck drivers watch the freeways, the train conductors are watching the rails, the utility workers are watching the electric meters, and the postal service is watching practically everyone else while misdelivering mail, but there’s this huge gap of uncovered and potentially dangerous territory – the weblogs.

And there are so many in the weblogging world that would be so good at this type of patriotic duty. After all, they’re the ones who have already rooted out the terrorist sympathizers and the anti-Semitics and other traitors among the weblogs. Now they can do what comes naturally under official sanction.

Since the government is only providing stickers for cars, I figure the only thing missing is to provide a sticker for the weblogs of the “patriotic Americans”. Well, delay no longer – your weblog sticker is here! Feel free to copy it and display it proudly on your weblog.

And be sure to link the graphic to the CC weblog division – RATS.

Send a message to Dubya that you’re behind him, all the way.

(After all, someone has to clean up the shit.)

Weblogging

Get better

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date July 12, 2002

Per Jeneane and Ann came news that Marek was ill from unknown causes, in pain, and in the hospital. Bad news.

Tonight, we hear from David that Marek has an intestinal infection and is going home on Sunday – much better news.

Marek, this is what happens when you quit smoking – your body starts becoming a much more attractive habitat for nasties.

Weblogging Writing

The world’s smallest postings

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date July 11, 2002

Steve Himmer (or should that be Opt Himmer? 5 Himmer?) subtly started something yesterday* that was intriguing to say the least:

Is brevity really the soul of wit? Or, more precisely, am I capable of saying anything without rattling and rambling for 1000 words at a time?

Included with this paragraph is a link to a new weblog, OneWordMeal, containing one word attached to a link to another weblog:

gumshoe

Gumshoe? Gumshoe.

According to dictionary.com gumshoe is defined as:

gum·shoe (gmsh)
n.
A sneaker or rubber overshoe.
Slang. An investigator, especially a detective.

Was Steve’s use of “gumshoe” in reference to the other weblog author’s travels through Argentina (travels – walking – shoe – sneaker – gumshoe)? Or was it in reference to the term “closed room” mentioned in several of the postings (closed room – mystery – detective – gumshoe)?

Possibly it was a subtle connection to the weblog author’s literary discussions threaded throughout the weblog (literature – book – type of book – detective book – detective – gumshoe).

By linking to the weblog with the one word, Steve is pushing the limits of our ability to fill in the gaps and make the necessary connections, all within a context that lacks both shared experiences and environment.

For instance, I can point to something and say one word, and my roommate will easily deduce what I’m saying, fill in all of the verbs and adjectives and nouns, develop the appropriate mental image and link all of this back to the one word. But then, my roommate and I have both a shared history as well as home: all the ‘clues’ are in place.

Can Steve do the same in weblogging? I’m not sure, but the concept is fascinating, to say the least (pun not intended). I eagerly await the next entry in OneWordMeal.

*or Steve was in a mood of wimsey yesterday and the weblog and the posting was all a joke, using gumshoe because he stepped in some gum and got it on his shoe, but then I called the idea both intriguing and fascinating and now he has to follow through, which will teach him not to fool with Mother Blogger.

People Weblogging

Dorothea revealed

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date July 10, 2002

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Dorothea takes a moment and tells the world about herself, her husband, and her goth kitties in a new Frank Paynter interview, a blogging piece well worth the read.

Among the broad range of subjects covered in the interview was Dorothea’s experience with gaming and role playing, as well as her academic and musical experiences (hint – MP3 – hint). She also discusses an interesting time she’s had with a non-compete clause (the bane of technical/creative people everywhere), and her passion for text “artistry” – giving me an entirely different viewpoint of, and appreciation for, markup.

One item that surprised me was Dorothea stating that I remind her of herself. On further reflection, I would tend to agree. Neither of us is inherently maternal, and we both can be opinionated – at times. Additionally, I have this feeling that neither of us suffers fools gladly, which can cause trouble in the jobspace.

And we both like Ursula LeGuin and hate shopping for clothes.

In the interview, Dorothea also talks about her hubbie and his participation with the Tolkien movie, but I’ll leave her to tell this story.

From my reading, Dorothea struck me as being tenaciously strong, ultra-smart, as well as being artistically inclined and talented. And knowing Dorothea’s self-deprecating attitude (which we’re working on curing, BTW), I bet she hated that last sentence.

Weblogging

We have categories!

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date July 9, 2002

Thanks to the personal time and efforts of Ben Trott, I now have categories again!

As far as I’m concerned, Ben is a steely eyed missle man!

Now, all of you – got out and buy Movable Type.