BURNINGBIRD
a node at the edge  


May 04, 2002
MetabloggingDishma-what?

I was catching up on all my weblog reading when I noticed the photos of dishwashing aids at Mr. Delacour's home. At first, I didn't think anything of it until I realized that the photos were taken by Jeff Cheney here in San Francisco. In fact, there's a good chance I've passed these same little scrubbers in my own Safeway trips.

And then it hit me -- not only is weblogging changing the way we write, it's changing the way we behave.

Think about it. Jeff reads Jonathon's posting on Dishmatiques, notices something similar at his local store, captures said images with a digital camera to forward to Jonathon. We as webloggers see nothing out of the ordinary in this.

However, to the average Man or Woman on the street, here is this guy with a camera standing in the middle of a Safeway store taking photos of scrubbing brushes. To them, this is not normal behavior. Not even in San Francisco.

Continuing this same theme: How many of us go out for a dinner, movie, walk, or trip and come rushing home at the end of the experience knocking kid and cat out of the way so that we can get to our computers and record the event?

Now confess, when you're out and about in your "day life", don't you find yourself reacting to events throughout the day with thoughts about how you're going to write about said event in your weblog?

How many of us own a weblogging related mug? How many of us have our own little Cafe Press stores featuring our own little *weblogging mugs?

Then there's weblog speak, such as:

"Oh yeah? Well Dvorak's your mother!"

"Wear that dress and you'll get a lot of buzz."

"Come on, baby. Link to me!"

I was talking to my ex-husband on the phone, jabbering on about this weblogger and that weblogger and dropping terms such as blogging, buzz, Daypop, and Google, when I realized that Rob had absolutely no idea what I was talking about.

I was no longer speaking English.

One day people will be able to pick webloggers out in a crowd because we all share the burden of the Weblogger Mark -- looking deep into the eyes of a friend or loved one while saying the deceptively simple words designed to lure them into the silken threads of the trap:

"You should get a weblog, you'll really have fun."

We're a virus, and there's no cure.

*BTW, anyone want a Burningbird weblogging mug?



Posted by Bb at May 04, 2002 10:56 AM




Comments

You're absolutely right. It's weird; it is, in some cases, a new breed of geek. But PseudoGeeks, such as myself (people who have absolutely no idea why things pop up on that webpage, but they do and so we're considered geeks by the general public).

And you would not believe how many times I hear, "That'd better be a journal entry!" It's kind of bizarre sometimes, especially when you have to turn to the non-initiated and say, "What's a blog? It's this thing..." and then watch their eyes glaze over.

Posted by: Shannon on May 4, 2002 02:44 PM

I'm surprised you're out visiting with your hang over ;-)

Posted by: Bb aka Shelley aka Weblog Bosswoman on May 4, 2002 08:12 PM

Just what does a Burningbird weblogging mug look like? Having arrived soooo late on the blog scene I missed entirely two phenomena - blogstickers and mugs...

PS: Why don't you capitalise the second 'b' in Burningbird

Posted by: Victor Zalakos on May 4, 2002 10:09 PM

Shelley, I'm hardcore.

Posted by: Shannon on May 4, 2002 10:12 PM

Victor, we have to get you a mug. As for name, officially my company is The Burning Bird Corporation, but I kind of like Burningbird, with Bb for short. Same as ShellEy. If you think about it, the second 'e' is redundant....

Shannon, you is the party woman!

Posted by: Bb aka Shelley aka Weblog Bosswoman on May 4, 2002 10:18 PM

How many of us have our own little Cafe Press stores featuring our own little weblogging mugs?


*reluctantly raises his hand*

Posted by: stavrosthewonderchicken on May 5, 2002 12:48 AM

*reluctantly raises his hand*

I'm not guilty. Yet. :-)

Posted by: Rogi on May 5, 2002 12:12 PM

Hmmm. . . . I've got to look into that. If wonderchicken does it, there must be something to it.

Posted by: AKMA on May 5, 2002 07:41 PM

Who ever has a weblog mug, I want one. My new collection, to confuse my heirs someday when I kick the bucket.

Posted by: Bb aka Shelley aka Weblog Bosswoman on May 5, 2002 07:44 PM


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