In hindsight, "Peak Blogging" probably happened the year before. Someone, I can't recall whom, observed that early adopters of internet platforms are a restlessly nomadic sort. Settlers in GeoCities moved on to Blogspot, to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, what have you. I wasn't on Facebook yet, and if you check the comments following some of these posts you'll encounter quite an array of characters -- some of whom have become very dear friends. Pen pals, only better -- because the exchange of reactions is so much more immediate. Anyway, swapping links and recommendations and introductions from blog to blog -- it was all very heady and stimulating.
And golly, but we loved our lists!
Movies.
- I'm listing! Fifteen Film Faves -- and they all still apply.
- Come Back, Toby Tyler -- possibly the most influential film of my Mennonite childhood.
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| "Lions! Tigers! Bears! I gotta blog about this!" |
Music.
- I'm listing! 10 Musical Heartbreakers.
- I'm listing! My Top-Five Hall of Shame.
Books.
- Whoppers vs. Fiction -- part 1.
- Whoppers vs. Fiction -- part 2. A follow-up to the first seemed in order: it was the year of James Frey -- as well as Michael Chabon, who somehow stayed in everyone's good graces.
- Tracking Identity & The Jewish Diaspora -- Philip Roth and Norman Lebrecht, contrasted.
- Taking "Buk" With A Pinch Of Salt -- I'm as fond of literary "bad boys" as the next reader. But you've got to moderate -- right?
Life.
- Centrefolds & Life -- assessing the gap.
- Kensington Market -- easy on the pop, kids.
- Personal Apocalypse -- they seem to happen with some regularity after a while.
- Addressing the Black Puppies -- I got a little moody after a visit to Manitoba, my first in several years.
- The Duties of Fall -- included the killing of hamsters that year.
- Vocation -- "So what do you do, exactly?"
- "A Long Line of Nüscht" -- more thoughts on vocation, identity, heredity. Possibly the posting closest to my own heart.
- The School Portrait -- I don't think either daughter is aware this picture is still up.
- Scary Monsters -- or this one.
- A Child's Christmas In Eaton's -- nothing but a memory.
4 comments:
Ah yes, peak blogging. I remember the years 2005 to 2006. It seemed that everyone I knew had a blog. I naively thought this was the wave of the future--the future everyone would have their own little piece of cyberspace in which they could broadcast all their opinions the world. I never anticipated that once the novelty wore off for most people, they are perfectly happy not having a platform to broadcast all their thoughts and opinions.
I miss peak blogging to be honest. I liked reading long pieces in which people got in depth into an issue. The brevity of facebook posts or twitter I've always found just frustrating.
On a completely different topic:
It's interesting to re-read some of your old posts.
When I do have occasion to re-read your posts, I often find that I completely missed the point of it on my first reading.
I'm not sure if this is unique to me, or is the story of every reader-writer interaction. But I can sometimes get so wrapped up in my own head and in my own train of thought that it makes it difficult for me to follow yours.
The comment I left at the bottom of this post is a perfect example, I think.
http://whiskyprajer.blogspot.ca/2006/11/come-back-toby-tyler.html
I got a few sentences into your post, you mentioned Disney animal films with romps through a well-stocked grocery store, that immediately set off a flood of memories and associations with my own experience with these type of Disney films. So much so that, although I read the rest of the post, I wasn't really paying attention at that point. My eyes were going over the words, but I was still thinking about the old Disney animal movies.
My problem I think is that once I get hooked in on one visual or one idea, I have a difficult time getting out of that and following your transition into the next idea. I'm off on a completely different train of thought in another direction.
This is just one example, but I think I've done this loads of times in my comments--commented on something that was peripheral to your post instead of focusing in on the main point. I'll probably continue to do it in the future, so apologies in advance.
You describe what I think is a nearly universal characteristic for internet readers. It's probably got something to do with the ease and speed of "browsing" -- everything from how-to videos to cheeky opinions to in-depth analysis. Switching internal gears to accommodate the content before us is probably trickier than most of us account for.
No need to apologise, either. It's all part of the fun.
I should add: I miss peak blogging also. Most FB and Twitter feeds have become calcified opinion aggregates -- it's really fucking depressing, especially with this current political drama. Peak blogging saw people opening up their opinions on these matters, allowing for more nuanced expression and even (occasionally) exploring alternative possibilities to preconceived convictions, often in the comments section that followed. That just ain't happening right now.
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