Wednesday, May 7, 2008

The Thinking Blogger...

Sometimes I think I'm behind the curve, because I find things long after other people have thought them through. But, like seventies fashion, lol--bell bottoms always come back. Once in awhile, I do an Alice.

When we first met, she was tweaking her blog for better traffic, and I've been thinking about it for years--not traffic per se, but the tweaking bit.

Sometimes I adjust my post-titles, although yeah--it's not much of a tweak. I'd join memes, but, I'm not a fan of Tag.

When Kaige did a post on Technorati, I made a happy discovery. It costs nothing, takes little energy, and suits my casual once a month strafing run. This month, I buzzed the tower and found Deanna. For some reason, and whatever it is--I'm very grateful--she added me to her blog roll. I love blog rolls because they're a snapshot of the inside of people's heads. My roll changes as I change, because the person I was yesterday isn't the person I am today.

Deanna's blog has this nifty award on it, and maybe I do have LiveJournal tendencies because I wanted one. I didn't know they were a prize for playing tag---you'll have to cut and paste again--because my links aren't working again.

www.thethinkingblog.com/2007/02/thinking-blogger-awards_11.html/


It's a cool post and I'm pretty behind, but blogger-land is like the real world. People stick with their own kind. It's rare that crossovers happen. We--the people who write, rarely visit "them" the people who read. There's a whole society of readers out there involved in reading challenges, and casual review work. The cyberspace equivalent of a coffee shop. And then it breaks down even more, into different kinds of writers or readers, or hell--just people who like horses. I see a lot of horse blogs in the course of my wanderings.

So...I'm going to start this up again, with many thanks to the good people on The Thinking Blog. Maybe I'm not really a meme person, because I can never get the links right. But the rules say to nominate five people whose blogs make you think. Then they get to abscond with the nifty "thinking plaque". I'm pretty sure they're supposed to roll it on, but--hate tag, so maybe this is just my way of saying "thank you".

...uhm, and unfortunately, when I went to link into the award, someone had tagged "it" with an obscene flag. No clue why, since it was just a plaque with the words "thinking blogger". Oh well--virtual awards=imaginary awards, at least I don't have to create another link. :)

My nominees are (drum roll please...)

--- stillunhinged.blogspot.com

...because I think when I visit Unhingey's blog. I think about how looking at life with one eye squeezed shut and a case of the giggles can make anything--even a cubicle job, better.

--- impulsivehearts.wordpress.com

...because Kaige is just that cool. She makes me think and wonder, and analyze my stuff--and everyone should know a person like her. She comes at writing from a whole different angle, sometimes parallel to established craft theory--and sometimes using non-related disciplines.

--- sevencamels.blogspot.com

...I found Mark a few weeks back, and I've been reading his explanations as fast as I can. He comes at storytelling from a storyboarding philosophy, and he does pictures! I can never just read his blog, I have to stop and take notes.

--- writerjoshuajames.com/dailydojo

...Joshua James is a play wright. I've studied writing and screenwriting, and did little side trips, but he's a "good" play wright, and his explanations are like Mark's. He's got to be one of the most centered individuals I've ever had the pleasure to read. Reading his blog is like a session with Obi-wan.

--- marfisk.blogspot.com

...the last one, and the one I read simply for pleasure. Margaret reviews books. Not every book, and not all the time--but once in awhile and sometimes in little spurts. Her dissection is always dead-on, and she's hooked me at least twice since I started reading her because she doesn't blurb, she gives solid info. Sometimes she talks about random stuff, but it always makes me think.

Congratulations!! You have won a virtual-totally invisible, can't access it anyway, "thinking blogger" award. I hope you continue to make people think for many years to come.

7 comments:

Kaige said...

Ok, so I may be silly, but I find this completely and utterly squee-worthy. :) *hugs her invisible plaque*

Thanks Jodi! And look! New sites to explore! I can see the procrastination already.

Seriously, there aren't enough thinking bloggers in the world. We gotta stick together!

Unknown said...

You're very welcome--if I could have given you the plaque, I'd have felt better, but the thought is there. :)

Unhinged said...

Hey, how'd YOU know I do the Popeye eye in the face of life?

Thanks for the thought, Jodi! It's nice to be appreciated...

Man, I really hope I don't like those other sites you mentioned, dang it.

deanna said...

You've made me smile, Jodi. Thank you. Also you have nearly solved one of the mysteries of blogging for me. I've wondered what magic people invoke to discover when another site links to theirs. I now know it's something to do with Technorati. Could you tell me which of Kaige's posts gives those details? Plus, I'm sorry you can't get the plaque. I was kinda proud of myself to get it to show up!

Kaige said...

You know, Deanna? I don't remember blogging about Technorati and the only search results I could find on my site were for the Thursday Thirteen memes that point to it.

Basically, you can go to www.technorati.com and set up an account. You can then "claim" your blog and if you click on the authority or view all for Blog Reactions, you'll see incoming links from other blogs.

If you need more info, just yell.

Unknown said...

Deanna--Kaige is a nice person, she's also a tech-wiz and cyber guru. Maybe it wasn't a post, but sort of an accumulation of all of her Technorati posts. But--hey, it got me thinking, and it takes a little time to percolate on down.

Thanks for the help, Kaige :)

Unhingey--what? You mean you don't need more sites to cruise? lol...

deanna said...

Thanks, Kaige. (I searched your blog, too.) That sounds easy enough for me to try. You and Jodi and Unhingey and everyone seem to have a neat space in which to carry on a joyful romance-writing adventure.

I looked at your website, Jodi. A published book, the beginning of a series, very cool. :o)

I'm a mom with kids now fluttering off the nest, and I find myself churning out creative nonfiction essays at the blinding rate of one a year. Meanwhile, I post unpolished blog ramblings and have found a neat sort of community. It reminds me of being on a telephone party line, from days living in the back country of Oregon. Anyway, it's fun. Thanks again.