Category: Weblogging

I wonder what ever happened to debate? Or disagreement? Or even getting pissed at another person and coming out swinging — in writing that is.

Weblogging is a natural forum for debate: Person A says something that person B doesn’t like, Person B responds, Person A counter-responds, and the weblog readers add comments or sit on the sidelines, rooting for the champion of preference.

This type of communication isn’t bad. It isn’t evil. It isn’t even counterproductive, particularly if both participants care deeply about what they’re saying and it shows in the thrust and counter-thrust of exchange.

Yeah, I like to debate, and I like to argue, and occasionally, I even like to agree. Regardless, I find it stimulating to get into a written exchange with someone who will give as good as they get, who won’t back down, who will argue passionately about their beliefs or views or opinions. And even tell me to go to hell, as long as the “go to hell” is well written. If they’re a better writer or debater than I am, so much the better.

I search the weblogs seeking Rousseau and Descartes and instead I find Casper Milquetoast.

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Another blogger bites the dust — Time for your Meds left weblogging abruptly, posting a note today that she won’t be writing to the weblog…or writing at all. A loss to the weblogging community because Tracy’s writing was always fresh, insightful, and interesting.

I think that weblogging can become such an intensely personal experience at times, that you have to take a break from it or become lost within the postings. Sometimes the break is temporary; sometimes it’s permanent. Regardless, it comes suddenly, leading the weblog readers to wonder at the story behind the end. Whoever said there’s no mystery in life, has never spent time on the weblogging circuit.

The O’Reilly Book Cover Designer is really making the rounds, lately. Well, I had to try it. My results are:

Wait a sec? This isn’t from the generator. This is…this is… this is from my book, Developing ASP Components!

The Designer is fun…but does it have to have an option showing an eagle kicking my asp?

Waeguk is not soup had bondaeggi for Christmas dinner. I won’t tell you what it is other than it’s Korean, and I admire him for having it, and I wouldn’t have it if you paid me my weight in gold. And I ain’t small..

I hope it’s safe to come out — there’s been a lot of wasps flying around lately, and I don’t want to get stung.

I also hope everyone enjoyed my faithless annotation of the classic “The Night Before Christmas”. As a close friend said, it won’t be tops on any parent’s to read lists.

It’s the end of the year, and time to make sweeping life decisions: After a very careful examination of the technology contracting situation here in San Francisco, especially in comparison with the high cost of living which is actually increasing, I’ve decided I’m going to have to bail on the good life here in sunny California. There are contracting jobs in San Fran; however, the rates are dropping, too much to allow a person to keep up with housing and other costs. Add to this San Francisco’s 6.9 unemployment rate, and nuff’s enough.

I really like San Francisco, but I sure moved here at the worst damn time.

I’m not moving necessarily quickly — I have a lease. However, I will be making the preparations to move as soon as a I can. New destination? St. Louis, where I’ll be sharing expenses with my best friend (who also happens to be my ex-husband). Rates are low there, also, but so’s the cost of living.

However, I’m going to miss the ocean. And the Northern California hiking trails. And the Embarcadero. And the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges. And the Bay. And the pelicans.

However, I’m not going to miss going to an SD Forum meeting, chatting with people reluctant to even tell you the name of the company they work for, because they don’t want to be inundated with resumes or cards of people looking for work.

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Sharon, an artist, single mom, and baker of biscotti as well as the author of Absolute (a terrific weblog BTW, go read it) has been having a tough time this month.

I had repeated a short essay I wrote earlier in the year, to cheer Sharon up. However, later in the day, after reviewing it in a fevered state, I noticed that it was a bit fatalistic. So I pulled it. Instead, all I can say is: Merry Christmas, Sharon. I do hope things turn around for you.

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Last night, Dave Winer had a chance to try out the Segway, the new personal transport device that’s causing all sorts of excitement. In his writeup, he said the following:

“The one negative of the evening was Kamen’s hubris, which he can be forgiven for. I’d like him to be serious, not self-indulgent, if his invention is to have the chance it deserves, he’ll have to get over himself, at least a little.”

How I found out about the writeup is that Dave was complaining in Scripting News that his piece hadn’t been slashdotted by now. Let’s see, now, what was the operative phrase? Was it “…he’ll have to get over himself, at least a little”? Too juicy, man. Just too damn juicy. I love crap like this in the morning.