Jul 24 2008
Social Experiment continued…
My husband is of the opinion that my blog is a combination of utter nonsense mixed in with a never-ending whine-fest. Seriously. He tells me this the other night, much to my chagrin! Of course, we have to admit that my husband never actually READS my blog (except when I force him to— usually at gun-point…) but still, I got to thinking about it. Is it nonsense? Then I got to thinking, what if I were to write nonsense on purpose? Would my friends still comment? Would strangers comment? And if so, what would they say?
And so, yesterday’s post was born. In 30 seconds, a few sentences of nonsense rushed from my fingertips. Easiest blog post I ever wrote!
And what happened? How did the experiment go?
Well, some of you (possibly to your horror) thought that I was serious— that this was really part of a book that I was writing. You were very encouraging… but I now know to NEVER trust your comments about something I’ve written. Hahahaha.
I loved how Heffalump continued the story for me. That was awesome, girl! Haha. We should collaborate on nonsense together more often!
Then there were the more daring of you— those of you who, in your own words, basically said, “what in the crap what that?” You, especially Holly (whose comment KILLED me), get a sticker for being so honest.
There was only a handful of comments all together— 15 at last count. Not a slap in the face, exactly, but certainly not a “successful” post. And no strangers, only dedicated friends. Hahaha. You ladies are the best.
Anyway, this was fun. That’s all it was really supposed to be. Thanks for playing along.
It did, however, cause me to ponder the idea of an Austenian/Dickinsian parody— something I’d never really considered until I read some of your comments yesterday. What do you think? I’m considering two ideas— either starting a new blog, or going for the gusto and writing a book. It’s NOT the sort of book I’m supposed to be writing right now and I really should wait until I finish (read: re-start) the book I’m working on right now. But… I think it has potential…
By the way, when I told Brian what I’d done yesterday, he rolled his eyes and said, “has it REALLY come to that? You have nothing to say and so you write nonsense on PURPOSE?” At which point, I patted him on the head and told him how sorry I am that he doesn’t have any friends.
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I thought it was so funny that I REALLY was intrigued : ) I mean who wouldn’t be intrigued by a dart in a bum? I think those kind of posts are the best! I just wish my brain worked like that so that I could spew out something random and insane…alas, I’d probably go back and rewrite and rewrite all the funniness right out of it.
Alas, I, too, have a husband who does not appreciate my writing. I wrote a book about my family that everybody thought was hilarious, except for him. When I finally let him read it, I watched as he finished the book. He set it down and walked away without a single word. Nothing! Everyone else was chortling their way through, and I get nada from him. Very sad. That’s why we need writer girlfriends. (And no, this book has not been published as I don’t even have an agent or time to try to find one. Plus, if I ever did get published, I would be obligated to write more, and what if I don’t have anything else to say?)
You goon. On a couple of levels.
But trust me–if that was nonsense spewed out in 30 seconds, then you have no idea what nonsense and bad writing is. I’ve read a LOT of manuscripts as an editor, and I’m always brutal. I’ve made best-selling writers cringe with the blood I draw.
I’d tell you if something was crap (although maybe not in a public comment).
So sorry, lady–you’ll just have to try harder to write poorly.
I read yesterday’s post, scratched my head, said WTF? and went on with my day!
Glad to know you weren’t losing it.
LOL, I read the first part first and now feel I’ve been “gotcha’d!” You can see what my reaction was, though.
That is hillarious! I stopped writting my blog stuff and started blogging about my past. Sort of a non-stop Soap Opera Sunday. My comments dropped dramatically but I’m having fun with it.
I could have a lot of fun with nonsense too.
I support you however I can, and I figured since I didn’t know what you wanted, I would just join you…and it was fun!
well you sure tricked me yesterday. When that showed up on my feeder I thought “what the hell,….I must probably be the stupid foreigner again who has no clue what this is about”….but since I am way behind on my feedreader, it was the cue for me to quickly move on to another blog post that did make sense to me.
So hey, since I do still read your blog and comment now and then, it can’t be all nonsense because apparently I don’t comment to nonsense
I figured you were probably joking. But only probably. And I kind of like it! For serious!
If I knew how to give out those cute little award things I would give you the “Most Random and Creative Idea for a Post about Nothing” Award. Hands down. You rock that party.
AWWW I thought you were going to tell us a story. I was hoping there was another installment.
That’s when you tell him “YOU DO YOU AND I’LL DO ME….. FOR THE NEXT MONTH!!”
lol I’m sure that will shut him up real quick lol
thank bob. my life is all about the pursuit of stickers, i’ll have you know, so this makes me happy.
but since i now have credibility (cough cough), i will go on to say that i think that parody is an absolute corker (yes, i said ‘corker’, i live in britain) of an idea. i knew you were yanking our chains yesterday, but i also know that you could do it. that’s not an ego-stroke. that just *is*.
But there is a woeful absence of library books that detail a good buttocks stabbing.
I’m thinking the Bulwer Lytton Fiction contest is in your future.
It was intriguing. And how funny that you were messing with us.
(I wish my husband was a bit more nonchalant about my blog. About every 3 weeks he’ll call me while I’m grocery shopping and say “I’m reading your blog, and you got _______ wrong.”)
The hubby reads my blog too, but then since it’s mostly about the antics of our son and for the benefit of far flung family I guess he thinks it’s okay!
It would be interesting to post something truly random like this!
I love you both when you make perfect sense and at your most nonsensical. (Can you tell I’m commenting one-handed?)
Oh good. I wasn’t quite sure what was going on with that last post but figured you’d tell us all in due time. And what do you know? You did!
My husband reads my blog and now I’m wondering what he would say if I wrote a nonsense post.
Whew, ok. I thought maybe you were trying some other way of keeping the blog going during moving stuff and hadn’t made the rest of us privvy yet or something.
And I’m just going to make people a bit jealous by saying that my boyfriend reads my blog every day and often coaxes me to write if I haven’t posted in a few days. Want me to come kick your hubby?
Hahaha. Only you could ATTEMPT to write pure nonsense and actually create these terrific characters with excellent names and comedic actions, leaving readers wanting more…oh, just sort of by accident. Silly girl!
I’m probably the only one who KNEW FOR SURE this wasn’t your book.
Doesn’t Brian know you have a devoted audience, hungry for your words? In any form. Because they are important. Even if only to make us laugh. But they move and inspire us too. And they’re our connection to the very essence of you. Bright, wonderful Brillig.
Yeah, well, I don’t think Jeff even read the Father’s Day post I essentially wrote FOR HIM.
And I have THIS to say about the “whine-fest”: Just the other day I was telling Jeff that one thing that makes your blog so amazingly successful is how entirely POSITIVE you are, virtually all the time. (Miserable moving? Write a sonnet!) You literally laugh in the face of adversity all the time. And you lift people up. Here, and in your comments. Brian probably has NO IDEA how much good you do every day, right from your keyboard.
LOL…wasn’t around yesterday, but now I’m intrigued…
Husbands just don’t understand the blogging connection with women. Probably because it involves words and relationship details, and not some electronic representation of grunts and butt slaps.
Just kidding, men - we know there is more to you than that….maybe.
You last sentence just made me snort with laughter. Hahaha.
Oh yes, patronizing (read: PAY-trun-ay-zing) husbands is always good fun, isn’t it? Contempt just draws love, affection, and esteem right out of them.
But, to be fair, he was asking for it.
I suppose a man who tells his wife that her labors are useless and inane can’t then be cross with his wife when she points out his lameness. Well, no, I take that back. He CAN be cross–they both can (I’ve looked it up, and there’s no rule against it). He just shouldn’t be surprised that his wife responded counteroffensively, rather than thank him graciously for his helpful remarks.
By the way, my sympathy goes out to Brian. I tend to think the social uprooting caused by moves tends to last a little longer for some husbands. I’ve moved out of state a few times in the last five years and my wife always acquires her new group of (local) friends much faster than me. Once I’ve gotten like 2, I know it’s probably time to move again.
Hi there! I’m new! And my husband thinks my blog is a funny little thing, too, like ‘aren’t you cute’. Screw him. Of course, men also don’t understand the importance of interpersonal issues, period, so I shouldn’t be surprised.
I like your blog!
I only found you tonight, but we have soo much to talk about. (My first comment was on your post about your husband’s reaction to your blog title.) My husband is amazed that my blog finds readers — yet he can’t get the impetus to start his for his Online.Business. Hello!! Get with the program!! Anyway.
Book idea! Book ideas! Re-starts! Can we just, *sniff*, pause in memory of the book I was cranking away on until my Palm (remember them, way back when?) ran out of bloody memory and LOST it all?? I am with you on that.
I like the parody idea. And I was just reading that Wall-E was written, started anyway, when the guy was stalling on what he was supposed to be working on, which was some other hit Disney/Pixar movie. The point being, it may not be stalling, it just may be something you need to work on first before you can go back to the other.
I did not think about myself from these ideas. So it is very nice article for the beginning of a new day, I couldnt come across this article at the better time. Thanks!
I knew there had to be some sort of back story–and yes, you should go into P&P parody!
same case with me
my friends read my blogs when I force them else
they just sit back and relax plus pass comments
they just don’t understand the love which I have towards my blogs
I assumed that there was some sort of deeper meaning to your post. I spent several minutes analyzing the characters, drawing diagrams of how each one related to each other. I had started to leave a rather intelligent comment when my three year old came from playing outside and announced to me that he had pooped in his underwear.
I just looked through the comments for your last post, and apparently, (due to the fact that I had other more fragrant matters to take care of) I didn’t post my fabulous comment, and now I can’t for the life of me, remember what it was. But I’m quite sure it was amazingly fabulous. And intelligent.
Potty training stinks (sometimes literally)
My husband doesn’t read my blog either.
That there was a dart in the bum was damn funny enough for me. I don’t think what you share here is either nonsense or whining.
Tell Bryan to put that in his pipe and smoke it.
Oh, wait, no pipe…. uh… tell him to pour that in his coffee and drink it.
Ah, crap, no coffee… well, um… tell him that I said so, okay?