Blog-istential Crisis
Every time I have to explain to a newbie what a “blog” is, the conversation goes something like this:
“Well, you see, it’s sort of like a diary. But on the internet!”
“Huh? Why in the world would you want everyone you know to read your diary?”
“Well, maybe diary’s the wrong word. It doesn’t have to be a diary. But it can be a diary. Maybe it’s more like a column. With ideas. And musings. On the internet.”
“A… column?”
“Well, no. Maybe that’s the wrong word too. You see, it’s less formal than a column. Although it can be equally as formal as a column. Blogs should be taken seriously. But you’re not bound by the rules of a column. Blog posts can be long or short.”
“Ooo…kay.”
“And it’s on the internet. And then other people can comment. And you can link to things…”
At this point I get the dreaded Nod & Smile.
In case you’re not familiar, the Nod & Smile indicates that the listener has given up all interest in listening. She is now thinking about what bills she has to pay that evening. And she now considers anything remotely related to what you were just talking about both lame and boring beyond belief. I utilize the Nod & Smile regularly whenever someone starts talking about baseball.
So I guess I’m kinda, sorta a blogger. But I don’t really have any clear idea what exactly a blog is. I wonder if this is what it feels like to be a Scientologist.
“Well, you see, it’s sort of like a diary. But on the internet!”
“Huh? Why in the world would you want everyone you know to read your diary?”
“Well, maybe diary’s the wrong word. It doesn’t have to be a diary. But it can be a diary. Maybe it’s more like a column. With ideas. And musings. On the internet.”
“A… column?”
“Well, no. Maybe that’s the wrong word too. You see, it’s less formal than a column. Although it can be equally as formal as a column. Blogs should be taken seriously. But you’re not bound by the rules of a column. Blog posts can be long or short.”
“Ooo…kay.”
“And it’s on the internet. And then other people can comment. And you can link to things…”
At this point I get the dreaded Nod & Smile.
In case you’re not familiar, the Nod & Smile indicates that the listener has given up all interest in listening. She is now thinking about what bills she has to pay that evening. And she now considers anything remotely related to what you were just talking about both lame and boring beyond belief. I utilize the Nod & Smile regularly whenever someone starts talking about baseball.
So I guess I’m kinda, sorta a blogger. But I don’t really have any clear idea what exactly a blog is. I wonder if this is what it feels like to be a Scientologist.
posted by OleNelson at 1:09 AM
3 Comments:
When I know someone has no idea, I just call it my "website" and let them figure out for themselves that it's a weird format for a website.
But my mom prints out e-mail forwards and mails them to me, so she may not even realize that not all websites look like mine.
I love that your mom snail-mails e-mails to you, J. Bro. That is super cute.
I think the most accurate definition of blogging I've seen is the subhead to Sophist's blog...
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