Eddie at Kouya Chronicle gave me a little pat on the back for being a “Think Blog.” I’m flattered but curious, is it really Eddie? He misspelled my name which he’s never done before and in an earlier post called Peter Kirk “Peter Kirke.” This makes me suspect that Kouya Chronicle has been taken over by an imposter. Bassam, if you’re reading this will you please give the guy sitting at the desk a sniff and see if it’s really your master? If not, sick ‘em, boy!
I have never been mentioned in a meme-tag-kinda-thing before. And I have always openly confessed to hating the whole idea of “meme-tag.” Memes are a beautiful thing. Contriving some system to create buzz or get people linking to your blog is sooooo tacky! (Quit your snickering, you in the back!). Like I said, a meme is a beautiful thing. It is an idea that comes from your heart or your head or a caffeine-induced sleep-deprived rant and it touches a lot of people. They care, and they share and pretty soon your idea is bouncing all over the blogosphere. The only undeniable meme that was ever birthed on this blog was The Bible wasn’t written to you mentioned by Eddie in his post. Wayne mentioned it on Better Bibles Blog (Bless his heart) and pretty soon it was getting mentioned all over the place. Sometimes I think I’d like to be as popular as Scot McKnight but then I look at his posts and he’s getting sometimes 80 comments on every post. Is that thoughtful dialogue or the madding crowd? Scratch that. Forget I said that. Let’s move on, shall we?
“This world is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel.” (Horace Walpole in a letter to Anne, Countess of Upper Ossory.)
So back to the subject of Think Blogs. Seth Godin talks about Cat Blogs, Boss Blogs and Viral Blogs (Download his free e-book “Who’s there?” Google it, buddy. You can find it-I know you can). All these thinkers are aspiring to write viral blogs. A viral blog is basically a platform for inoculating the largest possible population with your ideas, that is, memes. But it’s a funny thing. Thinkers being real people tend to trip up and start writing a Cat Blog from time to time. A Cat Blog talks about your life. Your kids. Your cat and a new litter of kittens. It’s the stuff paradoxically makes your blog more interesting and more boring. It’s interesting if you can riff on that litter of kittens and help me to see an aspect of life from a new and meaningful angle. It’s boring if it’s just a picture of your cats. Thinkers write a Boss Blog from time to time as well and that is a strong temptation for those of us attached to huge religious, academic or professional organizations. There is a huge pressure to spout the party line because you’re afraid of being labeled a heretic or getting fired. Boss Blogs are boring. Did I mention that?
Back to that quote by Horace Walpole. Thinkers laugh at the most inappropriate moments. Philosophically they see so much futility, banality and absurdity that they can’t help laughing. That’s why their blogs are fun to read. But there are some blogs out there that make me think because they feel. They torture me in fact because they write feelingly, passionately about the things around them and their rants have more power than the most carefully constructed essay. I wish I could be more like these folks. Their vulnerability reveals my own lack of honesty. With you. And with myself.
I’d like to give you a list of five, but I have only two examples in mind at the moment. I wanted to mention Marc at purgatorio, but I just discovered that Marc has decided to take an indefinite hiatus. That’s no laughing matter.
1. Michael Spencer, the Internet Monk
2. rhymes with kerouac at Daily Life in a Homeless Shelter
Bloggers like these two make me want to spend less time in front of my computer and more time on my knees. They make me want to get out of my nest and “go into all the world.”
Well, thank you, Eddie, or whoever you really are, for the mention. This has been a refreshing break from my Dinthi Day posts.
Thanks for the break from your Cat Blog, I mean, your Dinthi Days series. Well, it started with your life. But the last post is more about your wife and children. Will the next one be about your kittens? If so, I’m sure you’ll riff on them, whatever that means. It’s great to have a blog to read which gives me a break from thinking! And encourages me to feel for you, your family and your work.
My ancestors were called Kirke. Yours may well have been called Kerr, the commoner Scottish spelling. Or maybe they were Kirke too and someone dropped the final “k” sound. Perhaps Eddie has been replaced by one of his ancestors.
So true, Peter. I’ve noticed all my normal commenters have been more than usually quiet during this series. But I promise it will end this month and then I can get back to the kinds of things Greek geeks like such as the intricacies of the Greek present participle.
Hailing, as I do, from close to the Scottish border, I have a tendency to lapse into Scots spelling. Add that to my usual chaotic spelling and you have all sorts of trouble.
I’m starting to regret putting you in my list.
Oh, I won’t mention that BBB didn’t pick up on your ‘Bible wasn’t written to you’ post till I picked up on it first. I’d hate to look as if I was trying to get some credit!
You could try taking me off your list but I have two advocates at your house that won’t let you.
“Thinkers laugh at the most inappropriate moments.”
David, in my own internal philosophy, I can’t figure out if that quote is an insult or a compliment–for you or for me. Because your blog makes me laugh my head off. So, is that because you are a great thinker, which makes your blog fun to read. Or because I’m a great thinker, laughing at the most inappropriate moments?
Well, a piece of Dove chocolate I ate a little while back had this written inside it’s wrapper, “Don’t think about it so much.” It’s been sitting by my computer now for an appropriate moment to apply it. So I’ll apply it now and stop thinking about it.
Because, regardless of who the great thinker is here, I thoroughly enjoy your blog. The thinking stuff AND the family updates. I love it how you can take serious stuff seriously, but still make it seem funny.
I loved the Hilary’s kitchen post. I’m a kitchen geek.
Peter wrote, “I’m sure you’ll riff on them, whatever that means.”
Here’s someone else that riffs besides me”
As a linguist you can tease out the compenential analysis of this lovely term. And then riff on it.
Good Article
Keep up the good work
really impressed