Thursday, February 7, 2008

Bloggers Without Borders

Thanks to NPW for the merit badge you see in the sidebar to the right. I'm so good I'm excellent, and now I'm not the only one who thinks so.

Actually, Courtney got one too, so now I'm left wondering if NPW really only wanted to honor one of us but didn't want to make the other feel bad and cause any domestic strife. Courtney's post yesterday was stellar, so maybe I'm the charity case.

On second thought, NPW strikes me as a pretty cutthroat individual. Charity's probably not her style.

Either way, and despite the fact that I believe the quality of this blog has deteriorated significantly of late (no, I'm not fishing for compliments here), I've been reflecting on the state of our blog union and want to share my thoughts. I was going to wait to write a post like this until my one-hundredth, which should be in about another month or so, but in the span of a few minutes this morning I left comments in Russia, South Africa, and various locations in the eastern US. I think that's pretty cool.

That's three continents, people. Moscow, Russia is my friend Emily (Traveling Em), who teaches math at an international school. Her posts are rather sporadic and she hasn't been around the Waitress lately, but I attribute that to the cosmopolitan diversions of a city of nine million vodka-swilling Russians. She is not to be confused with just plain Em, who is the only commenter and member of my blogroll who lives in the same area code as me but doesn't leave dishes in my sink. You'd think I'd start local and work my way out, but it's only been fairly recently that I've intersected the orbits of other Knox bloggers.

And then there's Sid. I don't know where she came from (aside from Capetown), but she just showed up in the comments of some of my friends' blogs and we took it from there. She's stuck around and I've noticed some other folks have found her blog as well. She's funny and irreverent (two things that mean nearly the same thing to me) and if you haven't gotten past the revolting name of her blog and visited her at the Cape, you should. I'm joking; I think Verbal Diarrhoea is a great name.

Of course, most of my blog friends (outside of the Georgia crowd, who I'm bound to read regardless of quality, though they do all happen to be solid, witty writers), come from the northeast. I don't know how Courtney came to read NPW, but that was my source for all the Yankee blogs I've made a habit of checking on a daily basis. I know those folks in the Boston area (not to mention the owner of a certain Mr. Met) won't appreciate being called Yankees, but that's how they roll down here in the South. They still call the Civil War the "War of Northern Aggression," although much of east Tennessee was actually pro-Union.

Anyway, this wasn't a post meant to single out specific blogs by merit. Rather, I just wanted to point out the growing geographical diversity of our little blogiverse. If anybody reads any cool blogs from South America, Asia, or Australia, let me know. Or if you know any scientists blogging from the South Pole, we can try to score all seven continents! Quality first though, people. I don't want to be reading about some dickhead climatologist's latest ice-core findings unless it's in the next issue of National Geographic.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like some of the blogs in your "nice blogs for good people" list. I read them from time to time, on days that I more than particularly don't give a shit about my job.

Also, I dont even leave dishes in my own sink. I am a compulsive dish doer. This may or may not have anything to do with the fact that my kitchen is the size of a thumbtack.

shelleycoughlin said...

I have no idea how either you or Courtney came to read my blog (probably NaBloPoMo?), but I'm sure glad you found it. I don't know how I'd make it through the day without tales from your ICW.

Congrats on your very special award. Use it wisely.

Meaghan said...

Congrats on being eegggcellent. I agree!

Chris said...

Are you trying to be like one of those cheesy entertainers who runs off a roll call of all the states represented in the crowd tonight? And when you name our locations of origin we're supposed to cheer like maniacs?

Just asking, because that's what I did when I saw the word "Georgia."

Courtney said...

Dude. Any opportunity to remind me to do the dishes, you take.

I'm also enjoying our growing circle of cyber-friends. Today, I made a new friend in England. Perhaps one day we'll do a world tour to actually meet all these people.

Anonymous said...

I think you came to NPW through me, but that's just because I like to think of myself as the origin of all things.

I don't mind being called a Yankee at all. What I mind are the Yankees stealing our good name for themselves.

When I started my blog, I thought I was going to get a slew of Hudson Valley readers, but I've only got the one, and she only reads it because we know each other in real life. It's actually easier to reach people outside the local area than in the zip code.

Courtney said...

Sorry, Noelle, but I actually found NPW through Postcards from Kate. But I'm glad we found both of you!

Mickey said...

em- I'm glad to provide you with occasional workplace diversion. You return the favor nicely.

npw- I had no idea (until now) how Courtney found you, but she was my hook-up to the NPW sphere of influence (I may trademark that term.)

meaghan- Thank you.

chris- It sort of does read like that, doesn't it? I'm pleased to have given you something to cheer about.

courtney- Sweet. That dude sounds smart.

noelle- Sorry, you were sloppy seconds. That's why I keep referring to it as NPW's sphere. Okay, sloppy's not the right word. Your writing is actually very neat and tidy, but not too much so. But you have been my bridge to some further blog excellence, if it makes you feel better.

Jacob said...

You're right, Mickey. Your quality of posting has seen a bit of a dip lately. Of course, I apparently peaked with my tales of being hit on by a cat and a hippy and haven't put up anything worth reading since.

Jacob said...

And dammit, you would just stab the dagger, tweak it a touch, and leave it at that. I had to plunge the dagger in and then took it out to draw my own blood just to show you I was just kidding. I'm too damn nice.

Sid said...

How'd I find you? I think it's pretty obvious. The universe wants to us to be together. FOREVER!

Mickey said...

sid- Whoa there, cowgirl! Courtney's always said she wants to visit South Africa, but I'd rather it not be in order to track down my internet stalker and have it out!

Allie said...

Noelle was my bridge to everyone else's blogs. But I can't remember how I found her blog. It is funny how that happens, isn't it?