Sunday, December 17th, 2006...9:31 pm
Something a little bit different
I just started to write a post in response to the call at Club Troppo to develop a list of the best of the year’s “essay style post” to be republished via Online Opinion. I agree that there are brilliant essays published in blog form – but I love what’s different about blogging.
So as not to be a whinger putting down people who are going to considerable effort for no reward by criticising them for something they never set out to do in the first place, I shall offer up an old post of mine that I’m fond of, and a few more that give you a flavour of some bloggers that I really admire for their originality:
Mine is from Australia Day (which was a long time ago, wasn’t it?)
ThirdCat – the Lavender Lady. I love her acuteness; there’s almost no other form of writing where an observation or a single sentence can be so powerful – graffiti maybe? But look what happens when she stretches out a little.
Ms Fits – it’s not just teh rude, people, although I do love the rude. The woman exploits the blogging form beautifully – just see this. Although you might want to see it at home unless you have a very open minded IT policy at work.
I would like to bask slightly here, having encouraged the lovely Ampersand Duck to post about printing and bookbinding, which she thought would be boring. She was wrong. And here she is having a weekend away .
I used to live near Meredith, and I love her photos of the Fedeterranea of Marrickville.
Laura – pretty much any post at all at Sorrow at Sills Bend will do you, but this one is a real fave.
Tim Sterne – on citizenship, and the thrust taken by Victorian cops. Tim and Jon’s blog was also host to one of the bestest comments threads all year, the hijack by illiterate slagging schoolboys which I could not find. Please leave link if you can remember where it was! (Yay! Thanks to Tim, it’s here. LOL111!)
The comments thread on Teh LP Feminist Hivemind does chicks with guns may melt dial-up connections, but is worth it.
Also, Scott, to be Certain is the best blogger on Australian Idol bar none, and Ken Parish is right to call Sublimely Gothic Cowgirl a black belt in photoshop.
It’s not just the pictures or the pithy, of course – Cristy from two peas no pod has reminded me of the intricate webs of friendship we weave through our blogging – the way that Kate riffs off Duck’s post about her furry parts is an example.
To really see a community knitting itself together, read the beautiful post and links list at Pavlov’s Cat. Then read Cristy’s, then Georg’s … it keeps growing, you see.
This post was supposed to be about how I am so enormously tired and vastly pregnant I probably won’t be around much for a while. Instead, I shall make this my excuse for stopping here, well before I’ve mentioned all the things I’ve loved reading and looking at this year (why is there no Jellyfish! Or Mel? Or TJ Gah!!).
Help me out and leave some links to your own favourite bloggers/posts of innovation and connectivity in the comments.
Had to update to add – go read Audrey’s continuing campaign to make Caroline Overington see some sense.
26 Comments
December 18th, 2006 at 7:46 am
It’s a tough call. I struggle to remember what we’ve posted, let alone anybody else. That’s not a reflection on the quality of posts, more of the ephemeral nature of blogging. (Had to work that cliche in somewhere.) The other thing is, while I certainly appreciated “essay style” posts, it’s often the briefer, less crafted ones that stick in my mind. Like the one of your husband pretending to be Jean-Luc Ponty. Classic.
The comments thread you’re seeking is here.
December 18th, 2006 at 8:01 am
Good work Zoe. I have big reservations about the troppo project (not least, why the hurry?) & I reckon this is a good response. I agree with Tim’s points too.
I don’t have time unfortunately to find links now but recently I’ve really enjoyed meme-but-not-meme type posts – all the Agricultural Show posts, like yours, various people explaining how they made amazing things (Duck’s bookbinding & Fluffy’s stairs), reminiscences about terrible old bosses and dreadful jobs of the past, okra….
December 18th, 2006 at 10:14 am
Must… resist… urge… to… link… whore…
Hmm, I like some of the posts Kate is doing lately, especially this one on LP:
http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/13/so-just-what-is-political-anyway/
The letter by Liam from the ‘Individual’ to ‘Society’ is worth scrolling down for.
The Sterne thread was hilarious, like a RWDB forum, only a little more civilised. Being a sometime-RWDB myself, I say that with *love* …
December 18th, 2006 at 10:20 am
Oh, whore away, TimT. No point hiding your light, etc, etc.
And TimS, did you know he also does Herbie Hancock?
(See, TimT?)
December 18th, 2006 at 10:45 am
Hello
Your first link is bust. You have http twice.
Some classic pieces here.
Thanks, all sorted – Zoe
December 18th, 2006 at 11:00 am
Cheers, TimT, flattery will get you everywhere.
December 18th, 2006 at 11:29 am
This is great Zoe. I want to do my own, but my brain is too addled at the moment.
Maybe it will be my retrospective project for the new year…
December 18th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
Hey thanks TimT and of course the lovely Zoe.
Though hopefully if one — ie, me — does make a contribution to the wonders of the blogosphere, it will be for something more substanial than discussing one’s leg hair.
As for my favourite blog essays of the year it’s a tough thing to say. Cripes. There’s been so much awesomeness I just don’t know where to start. I’m not sure ‘stuff I like’ is the same as ‘best’ anyway.
December 18th, 2006 at 1:12 pm
Kate, give me an essay on leg hair over yet ANOTHER damned analysis of Howardbeazleyruddcostellogeorgebushadinfinitumetceterablablabla anyday. The first is original and interesting, the second is neither.
December 18th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
I gave my favoritest TeeJay link to the Troppos but then realised that they wanted essays (tuh!) so I’ll give it to you here since you only had a broad sweep of the brush for her.
There are so many other good ones, on so many good blogs, but my poor little brain is so overloaded at the moment that I can’t dredge any up. All those Show posts were gold. Mine is here, and I include it only because I knew where it was. I encourage anyone else who has written one to add it to these comments so that we have a Show repository.
I reckon this overview is a ripper, good for you for remembering/bookmarking so efficiently!
December 18th, 2006 at 4:09 pm
Oh that post by TJ is AWESOME. But probably not Ken Parish’s cup of tea. Just sayin.
December 18th, 2006 at 5:48 pm
I’m fairly pleased with this, one of the more recent posts of mine, being mainly concerned with potatoes. I had some wonderful contributions by readers on that thread too, so that’s a bonus.
December 18th, 2006 at 6:55 pm
That is a great comments thread at Sterne. I particularly love
Late 20′s? Oh sweetheart if only you knew. I forgot how when you are 17, the late 20′s seem so very old.
December 18th, 2006 at 9:06 pm
This is my favourite of Laura’s posts, and one of the reasons that I love Teh Hivemind.
December 19th, 2006 at 9:57 am
There have been a couple of really touching posts on motherhood (and why people have chosen not to do it) by a few of my favourite bloggers lately. I’ve really enjoyed the very personal nature of the posts, yet the seriously clever and insightful observations have really contributed good things to these posts. I’ve also really liked the way these posts became meme-not-memes (to steal Laura’s term).
In fact, the meme-not-meme stuff is what I enjoy most about blogging. I really like the way little ‘groups’ of bloggers are inspired by each other’s writing and add the odd idea or complete ‘essays’, creating a kind of cooperative discussion or discourse. For me, it’s the clever/creative thinking by these sorts of awesome bloggers that inspires me. And has provided a modicum of ‘thinking community’ for me while in the relative isolation of working at home on my PhD.
I’ll have a look for actual links a bit later – I’m super busy right now. But if anyone else can find them…
December 19th, 2006 at 10:20 am
Thinking ahead, I’m going to keep track of excellent posts in delicious next year.
If you find one that is particularly good, or an “informal” meme develops (there’s a paper in that, isn’t there?), tag it for:crazybrave in your delicious or email to crazybrave at gmail dot com
In fact I could set up a little sidebar dooby like Flute used to have (might still) of posts he likes, couldn’t I?
December 19th, 2006 at 11:34 am
Oh, Anna, thank you — I had been searching, so far in vain, for that sublime post of Laura’s so I could link to it here.
And here’s my show post.
Galaxy has a great Show Post about the Ekka somewhere in the early days of Sarsaparilla, but I’m not going to push my luck and put two links in one comment.
December 19th, 2006 at 11:35 am
Oh poop, let my try that show post again …
And here’s Galaxy’s show post at Sarsaparilla. Will hunt down ones by Fluffy and ThirdCat that I remember. And Pav, two links per comment is fine – any more than that gets you sniffed suspiciously – Zoe
December 19th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
Thirdcat at the Adelaide Show, and Fluffy in Melbourne – on arrival home, and later.
December 19th, 2006 at 4:19 pm
The meme-not-meme of motherhood/work/not motherhood has been really interesting for me too. Partly because I’m also ‘vastly pregnant’ (which is a perfect way to describe a state where someone feels like they’re resting their feet between your ribs) and partly for an essay I’m trying (and failing) to write. All the posts do give me the impetus to keep chugging away at my ideas though.
Also, Jelly’s post about her Nanna’s funeral was one of the funniest things I’ve read in ages.
Kate, was it this one?
December 19th, 2006 at 5:11 pm
More Show posts: start here and go through the next five “Newer Posts” – David seems to like the Melbourne Show so much he posts about it in five or six overexcited instalments. And why shouldn’t he.
December 19th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
I thought for a good few minutes about how I could possibly link-whore in a subtle fashion that didn’t reek of desperation.
I got nuthin’
So here’s a link to my blog. No particular post. It’s all superficial glib floss with a twist of onanism. Enjoy!
whale sushi
It’s very, very funny and you should go read it. Nick has started up again after a bit of a rest just in time to give us all some Christmas cheer – you can start here, if you like – Zoe.
December 20th, 2006 at 7:50 am
Catching up on my reading this morning I came across this one at TOA. I’d love to know the back story.
link
December 21st, 2006 at 12:13 am
How about nominating that other post of yours Zoe?
Y’know the funny one about that funny stuff. C’mon you know the one I mean. All about stuff and all.
December 21st, 2006 at 9:04 am
I refuse to do essays on general principles anymore, considering I’m going to be drowning in the fuckers next year.
Thanks for the compliments though guys. You’ve all kept me very entertained through my ongoing apathetic moments this year.
Zoe, your writing has been fantastic this year. You just keep getting better and better.
December 21st, 2006 at 9:16 am
Sheesh, Teej, I feel like I haven’t written bloody anything.
And next year’s just going to be pictures of my lunch, I think. (I am not kidding, I’ve already started at my flickr. )
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