Monday, March 15, 2010

Cosby Sweaters


I noticed at the top of my blog a tab that reads 'next blog'.  I clicked it and came across the blog of someone living in Hong Kong.  To no surprise, I couldn't read it, so I clicked 'next blog' again.  This brought me to one commemorating the life of a beautiful little girl who passed away far too young.  Instantly saddened, I quickly clicked 'next blog' once more.  I was chasing curiosity and sort of searching for inspiration, I guess, so I clicked 'next blog' again, and again, and again....and obsession ensued.  It's not like I'd never read a blog before.  I've poured over plenty of creative and intriguing blogs of fashion and shopping and interiors and politics and weddings and celebrities and cooking and soccer.  I realize I may have just portrayed myself as a materialistic, cleat chasing, stepfordish intellect.  I assure you, I am not all of those things :).  But there's somethng about reading about total strangers that fascinates me.  No lie, I spent the last 2 re-runs of Friends (just sounds better than 'hour') furiously clicking through 'next blog' after 'next blog'.  There was the Mormon couple with a baby in a full body cast, the DC collegiate overly enthusiastic about DC, the mom with an adorable curly haired Molly (who'da'thunk), the stylish Nashville girl with an apparently perfect and cohesive life, and the generically named dude who hates everything.  I could go on, and after this post, I will (Friends is on again...it's on all the time on the British tele).  It's not like I read every word these complete aliens write, but there are a few things I make sure to check out.  I love blog titles.  They can be as generic as "The Jones/Smith Wedding" or as confusing as a rubix cube, but every once in a while is a true gem .  I've come across some but in an effort to certainly impress, I'll wait to fill in that blank when the rarest of them all comes along (I'm a big fan of 2 I just found titled "Cows at the Airport" and "Glitter Pissing"), so you'll just have to check back.  But how about the self proclaimed "Miasma" I stumbled upon just moments ago.  Yeah, I had to look that one up too...it's basically like a poisonous atmosphere or something.  Hey, at least my errant blog-diving is educative.  One day I'll start a blog, call it "Cosby Sweaters", and photograph the most heinous of sweaters - or jumpers as the Brits call them - wherever I go.  I could probably get a good start on that here in Europe, although a few good laps around a Walmart would yield just as many in far less time.  But that's neither here nor there...

Ultimately, these blogs are some of the finest examples of creative writing, stream of consciousness, cynicism, and real life.  They are a quick reminder of the vastness of the world wide web - something we currently expect, not meditate.  They can make you feel as normal as plain toast or as abnormal as black pudding (aka blood pudding or "dried blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled", according to wikipedia).  Trite as it sounds, its a brilliant reminder of the diversity that so many of us lack in our routine lives.  That's not a criticism, it's just reality.  I compare my current job, Unemployment, to my previous career, Baseball Ticket Peddler Extraordinaire, and I really see how mundane everyday life can be.  It's not a profound thought, just one that someone else may not have the time to cogitate (as I cogitate...).  Something about the rants and ravings of our fellow terrestrials revives in me the desire to look around a little more when I'm otherwise engaged...rather than trudge forward on whatever seemingly important mission I'm on.  Or maybe I'm just looking for an excuse for my excessive (and tactless) people watching.  Whatever it is, I think I'll shut up for a few minutes and click through a few more rando's blogs....

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