I thought I’d just take a day today;
Such a lazy day…
It’s been fabulous; just spent it drinking tea and reading— watched a film on the other screen; managed a few emails; brushed the cat, twice; considered the weather with an eye on cutting the lawns. I thought about eating a chocolate bar at one point but decided against it. I did take a phone-call though— it’s been like a month of those irritating social-media status updates all rolled into one lazy day— I’ve really enjoyed it too. It’s given me the chance digest my first couple of weeks on this site.
It’s been a few years since I blogged regularly. Some things have changed, some haven’t— there’s a far greater seriousness in the tone of the average blogger than I remember, there are certainly many, many more than there ever were. I’ve certainly found some gems— some just bewildering, but in my experience that’s how most things appear to me: like gems or just bewildering.
One thing that hasn’t changed and I doubt is likely to in the immediate future, is that there are still smart people who cannot write and the not-so-smart who are just delicious to read. It’s the way it ought to be— ought, is— it doesn’t matter: writing isn’t a competition, like thinking isn’t exclusive to those who do it best. The two are separate animals thank goodness.
Perhaps we should all just check the egos at the door, because everyone’s doing exactly the same thing: having thoughts, making meaning, stringing-words— trying to make something happen, to inspire, react, create. Some are just trying to learn, to teach— but for a lot of guys it’s just about trying to understand themselves and the world around them. And it’s hard for them to find the words, but they try and you can read how difficult it is for them to do— but they do it anyway. There’s something wonderful in that.
For all the perfectly clipped and presented prose and essays and advice blogs and experts; there are a hundred of these guys; a hundred experiences, a hundred opinions and thoughts and expressions and feelings that’ve been agonised over just that little more than the rest.
I’m glad that not everything has changed.
Image: my nephew winning 1st prize for his creation…
Just a Little Background Noise 2.0 
yes, there is something wonderful in that.
I think so. After all, I’ve always thought the blog should be comfortable in its own skin – I have very particular thoughts as to appropriate discourse conventions; which are in themselves a form of phatic communication – you see a structure of text, and you immediately have a notion as to its content; and this is before seeing the text: that’s phatic communication – the same as small talk…
Because the blog is informal and access for creating one is open, by definition the form is not exclusive; therefore the restrictions and conventions which govern other texts do not apply: the received impression of the blog is also not exclusive – when you talk about register, exclusive lexis or occupational specific lexis: jargon is used to distinguish between those in the know and those not so much… The same rules apply to blogging – except there’s no such restriction – as such the manner in which personal expression is presented isn’t constrained by the exclusivity of other literary forms and conventions. And nor should it. The blog is genuinely democratic in that sense…
I did a lot of work on the tense appropriateness, content and the stylistics of the blog as a counter-point to various types of print-media years ago, so I have a working paradigm that I think is a blog is at its happiest. A happy blog is a _______ blog – still haven’t got that one worked out mind :p
a blog is a living, breathing, ever evolving thing. (at least in my world)
Absolutely. That’s exactly my point – they aren’t confined by traditional rules! You’ve certainly carved yourself out a little niche 😀 MORE please 😀
thank you, and i don’t know exactly what that niche is, but it is comfortable and i am enjoying it.
You’ll know it when you see it. Half the fun is in the wondering I reckon. I just make it up as I go! One pointless post to the next!
exactly my approach to, and philosophy of it all
I think if you can wing it and look convincing, there’s not much more to be done. I’m just gonna plod merrily along – hopefully pleasing more than I upset 🙂
oops, just saw my ‘to’ instead of ‘too’, and now i’ve blown it all out of the water. so much for looking convincing.
It’s a comment-box, not a thesis – and it was clearly a typo not an example of imbecility. Besides, I think people who’d mention such a thing are assholes :p
And haven’t you had quite enough of blowing things up today *eyebrow*
thank you and i suppose i should just take it down a notch and sit quietly, staring into the vista of my living room.
It shouldn’t be too hard to take it down a notch from The Guns of the Navarone! but I agree – it’s Sunday. You should be ‘crastonatin’! :p
Very well said. I’d rather read the posts that have been agonised over, than the perfect essays.
Me too 😀 not everytime – but I believe the hard fought post is more at home here than the essay. Essays at least have other places to go!