I got an email from Robin today saying that my two days of blogging silence had not gone unnoticed, and would be going on my permanent record. (I intend to appeal this ruling, as I never received my first or final warnings.)
However. In the meantime I feel compelled to think of something – anything – to blog about. As I alluded to in my previous post, the Ottawa blogging community has been remarkably uninspired lately. With the exception of a few determined die-hards, the bloggers have either been in transition or too weary or too depleted or too busy to blog.
I counted myself among the determined die-hards up until a couple of days ago when I abruptly ran out of things to blog about. (Your suggestions are most welcome.)
I can still think of things for other bloggers to blog about. For example, I had lunch with one of the Elgin Street Irregulars today and I had a brilliant idea for a series of posts for them. I don’t want to give it all away, but it would start with an official ESI policy statement on chocha shaving.
XUP and Jo Stockton and Em and Robin and Hella Stella and Milan are among the die-hards and they’re doing just fine without me, so I have no suggestions for them. Just kudos and thanks.
Nik’s bucking the blogging ennui trend and is on a bit of a relative upswing lately, what with single-handedly taking on Turkey and his multimedia insight into the workings of Satan’s mind. Go Nik go!
Aggie declared this International No Bogging Month. Don’t get me wrong, I love Aggie, truly I do, but this is just irresponsible. I mean, what if everybody did that? The blogosphere would lose all its momentum, the feeds would starve, and that would be the end of blogging as we know it. Aggie, I urge you to do the responsible thing. Stop Aggie Stop!
A & J have been blogging pretty regularly, but I’m concerned they’re going to run out of things to buy. This is clearly Buy Everything Month at Chez A & J. I think someone should blog up a supplemental shopping list for A&J, just in case. Shop J Shop!
As for Megan, I have to admit I was in a coffee shop with another blogger on Saturday and the other blogger mused, “I wonder what Megan’s doing right now,” and we both burst out laughing because we both knew what Megan and her angry red poon were doing at that very moment. Go Megan go!
Sassy Redhead just had a baby so she’s allowed to post pictures of baby puke for a little while longer. (Not a lot longer though.)
AndrewXUPZRX just had a motorcycle, so he’s allowed to talk about first gear for a little while longer. (Not a lot longer though.)
Mayor Larry just milked a cow, so he’s allowed to talk about what a great City Ottawa is for a little while longer. Go Larry go.
Okay, this is just Part I. Part II will follow. (Which reminds me…didn’t Skylark promise us a Part II of the Fringe Festival blog series?)
Hey.. we always love to hear about Duncan’s exploits and a picture’s apparently worth a thousand words…
One thing I am often tempted to do when the flow of blogging ideas slows down is this:
1) Look at my Google Analytics data to see what searches people have found my site through.
2) If the topic is one I could reasonably write about, but have not yet dealt with properly, I try to write something more substantial about it.
Blogging as driven by Google demand seems more productive than just making fun of the truly crazy searches that lead odd denizens of the internet to one place or another.
I also vote for some Duncan.
I also vote for some Duncan.
You have friends who notice when you haven’t blogged in two days? I feel lucky if my family and friends recognize me on the street…
Something I do is aim for something easy. Like, what have you Googled this week? I keep a notebook around me so when something on TV interests me I can keep track of keywords that I can use in Google to find out about whatever. Last week it was about the Atlantis myth, and how the very first mention of it is in Egyptian hieroglyphs from like 2000 BC… Google: “Minoan Egypt”.
If I’m having problems sorting out ideas I’ll make a list and just write, in a few lines, what I want to say. What I suggest to people who are REALLY stuck for an idea is just post a YouTube of a song you like and write a couple of lines on why, who, where, what and when.
Or take a picture of your feet, post it and add the caption “here are my feet”.
Funny:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiH7pkCObdA
One of my favourite things:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nahiIXwqNHg
Andrew *who*?
Ya, did Andrew Zrx and I get married without anyone telling me or something? And, Zoom — this is just cheating. First you do a post giving everyone hell for not blogging enough; then you don’t blog; then you blog about how everyone else is supposed to be blogging. I’m going to be writing this up as a misdemenor for now to add to the permanent record Robin is keeping, but Part II better have some meat to it.
Thanks for the mention zoom. Yeah. I guess we have been doing a bit of a spending spree. Just catching up on things we needed. (expect for the iphone, thats just for me)
Thanks!
J.
Can’t help ya. I have been in a blogging slump for some time. Meh. When does Mayor Larry’s trial start????? Let’s get on with it!
Well zoom, concerned readers are wondering if Duncan is still pissing on your gentleman caller. With pictures please.
Zoom, I enjoyed our lunch yesterday…Seems that you have roused one of the ESIs so far!
Nice to have you back Zoom!
I for one hope that Duncan did get that lion cut…and I’d like to see pictures iof him, lion cut or not.
If you’re looking for a new swapbox, there’s one up by Elgin Bridgehead.
So, Zoom, what are you doing right now?
Milan and Gabriel – thank you for those suggestions – I’m going to try them.
Kahh and Re – don’t you people ever get tired of that cat?? (Me neither.)
ZRX and XUP: Oops! I don’t know what happened there. All I can think of is you have X’s in common.
XUP: Meat? Now I’m scared to do Part II.
J: I need to catch up on my toilet decals too 😉
Miss Vicky – Do you really think the mayor will step aside like he promised during his trial? Or will he say he surveyed the citizens of Ottawa and they want him to stay?
Robin – I trust Duncan has answered your question to your satisfaction. I’ll try to get some pictures of him not peeing on GC.
Woodsy! I enjoyed lunch too. I trust you’ll convey the rest of my brilliant idea to your colleagues over at the ESI blog. (As for your second comment: you were absolutely correct.)
Elmaks – thanks for the heads up! I just went over there and took pictures and got a dragonfly necklace and left a gummy bear hamburger. I haven’t made it down to Bank & Second yet, but I’m looking forward to checking it out soon.
suggestions? you can do no wrong, Zoom.
back to my isolation chamber now!