On Becoming Part Of The Problem

[alexsarll]

When people insist that there must be some job I'd actually enjoy, I will occasionally, eventually and grudgingly concede that I'd quite like to be a columnist. After all, they say, it's pretty much what you already do with the blog, isn't it? On days like this, I'm reminded why really, I wouldn't even want to be a columnist. Because then today I'd probably be obliged to write something pseudo-meaningful about a man who'd already made clear that he'd be quitting soon, announcing the date he'd be quitting. It's the worst-spoilered reveal since Blue Beetle died, and it's not as if June 27th is exactly a resonant date. There's probably been enough waffle about Blair's Legacy uploaded to the web today almost to rival the amount of new pornography, and maybe five of those ruminations will actually say anything worth saying, tops. And this hot on the heels of the Scottish/local and French elections, two other issues where even as an intellectual exercise I can scarcely bring myself to form an opinion. Seriously, there's more of my brain currently trying to work out why the young folk buy Maximo Park records than is running all three of those Major Issues together, and even on the Maximo issue it's not going much past 'W.T.F?'
The world is drowning in opinion pieces. And of course, even by saying that, I'm pouring on my cupful.
The compact under which I'm pledged to update regularly seeming in any case to have lapsed, I'm thinking I might withdraw a little, only post when something needs to be posted, rather than because I need to post.

Comments

[ex-stephmog743.livejournal.com]

Of course you'd be in trouble if this went to press for missing out the Welsh election... that's another problem with writing for a living, far too easy to offend!

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Wales is not muttering about secession, and has an assembly with fewer powers anyway. Thus, it is covered by 'local'.

[ex-stephmog743.livejournal.com]

Uh, I think the Welsh would disagree. Our 'local' (ie council) elections are next year. the Welsh Assembly is really quite a big political animal, with powers over the NHS and education, for example, that far exceed any English local body.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

If the Welsh would disagree then they should have held out until they could get their own Act of Union equivalent, rather than falling to conquest and incorporation centuries earlier...

I'm aware the assembly does have more powers than a local council - which of course raises its own version of the West Lothian Question whenever Welsh MPs vote on those matters as they affect England - but nobody could claim it's the equal of Scotland's.

[suicideally.livejournal.com]

Whether you think you have anything to add to the greater blogging world (I can't bring myself to use the loathsome word 'blogosphere') is another matter I suppose, but from my personal perspective I still like to read posts from people I like. It helps redress the balance.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Yeah, me too, but...I don't know, some people can do general cuteness or whatever, but I feel slightly dubious unless I have *content*.

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

I'm still wincing over 'blogging,' never mind blogoshpere. But yes, I have an automatic skim mindset for overly political commenting, so would rather like to read alternative things. It's also quite tedious to read the day's headline news in every Livejournal entry on your friends list.

(With the disclaimer being that the first I knew about the 7/7 bombings was in fact via Livejournal.)

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

Blogoshpere? Love it. I have about two units of alcohol a week these days, so my typos are now officially drunker than I am.

The Computer Has Been Drinking (Not Me)

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

As in all things, I think it's largely about finding a balance, making sure one is bringing news (or comment) that is actually *new*, providing a service rather than me-too-ing. As regards the broader observations on life...well, I may attempt to capture the bizarreness of BubblePopElectric later if one of the others doesn't do it first. Meanwhile, a question - do you remember seeing flyers for BPE at any of yr electro nights (and this would be going back to at least February)? Because the place was awash with them and none of us had ever seen one before!

Re: The Computer Has Been Drinking (Not Me)

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

No, I have never seen any flyers, and in fact wasn't even aware of the night until Livejournal mentions this week.

Re: The Computer Has Been Drinking (Not Me)

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Right. Because there were these huge heaps of flyers around and we were all saying we'd never seen any about, anywhere, but because Tracy and some of her lot were out, we thought maybe they'd been distributed at the electro-type nights.

[beingjdc.livejournal.com]

Not significant? It's the 40th anniversary of the installation of the first cashpoint!

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Maybe he went with a nice blank day in the hope that he could claim it for the future as We Miss You Mr Tony Day.

[verlaine.livejournal.com]

I'm coming to the conclusion there is no job I could possibly enjoy either, at the moment. Why don't lots of people like us team up and start a company? Our profit margins might not be spectacular or indeed existent, but I reckon between us we could blag enough venture capital to pay us to sit on the internet all day for about 5 years...

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Perhaps in the first dotcom boom, but these days I reckon at the very least we'd need a camera involved for that all-important Web 2.0 appeal. And I for one don't much fancy having the world look over my shoulder while I type...

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I've often seen people say stuff along these lines, but tbh I don't understand how it would feel different from the need to make rent.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Go to Thailand and sit on a ladyboy beach, you say?

I guess that makes sense, yes. Certainly the repairs issue is a boon.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, at least it is a specific figure, decreasing (albeit obviously very slowly).