Hey everybody, Happy Friday.
As we move ever closer to completing a full year of Comma mayhem I realize that I am changing.
No, I’m not referring to my monthly lycanthropic transformation but rather something more insidious.
When I first started this fine exercise in creative drivel, I launched into every piece as if it were a humor column, dry, impersonal and self-contained. But in the months that followed I came to realize something:
It was a lot of work.
And worse, it was lonely.
Fortunately for me, due to an overburdened mental health system, the internet is filled with precisely the kind of people who not only read my scribblings, but seem to enjoy it.
Due to their continually entertaining feedback, I have come to enjoy the whole commenting exchange just as much as writing a really good post. And since comments occur on this site with far greater frequency than really good posts, that’s probably a good thing.
Anyway, the deal is this: slowly but surely I am becoming less of an author and more of a blogger. I am less interested in what I have to say than in making fun of what you say your ideas
In fact, the next post (in about 8 hours) is based on a really funny comment by Chris Not-C on my last humor piece. I thought his idea was great for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that I didn’t have to come up with it.
So this is what I want for my blog-birthday, more interaction.
I want real questions for Ask Doctor Toboggans. I wouldn’t mind doing an Ask the Author bit if there was sufficient interest. I want to know what to do with all these high school portraits. I want to know your crazy suggestions for just about anything. I want a pony.
If you want to interview me for your blog, my fees are reasonable.1
Also, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to the Comma by RSS or Email. And if you’re proud of what we’ve done here display the Comma proudly on your blogroll.
I hope that everyone has a great weekend. Be sure to congratulate Chris on his great idea.
-Brent
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Oh yeah, if your ideas don’t seem to work as a comment, you can always contact me by email.
But no canned-meat marketing please, I’m not buying anything right now.
- Brownies are the standard unit of exchange for a session of questioning. «
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Lively blog. Great touch. Much of your stuff comes through like a telepathic echo.
I’ve been blogging 8 months now, and find that finessing this is much like trying to tune a bagpipe. I see you, too, are getting bogged down by participating at length in your comments. This is a disease that has befallen me lately, as well, as I am able to boost my comments volume a bit.
It does cut down on my time to spew forth pearls of wisdom through my blog posts.
Oh, well, I guess you’ve already learned the hard way: getting adjusted to blogging is like migrant birds, having lost their homing instincts, caught in a dream of perpetual, static flight.
Guess the moral of this story is: Hang tough, it will all work out.
I remember when I celebrated my one year. I was so young and restless and free.
Happy one year. May there be many more to come (you had me at “Blogroll me”).
Wow it looks like if you dont complete the transformation on that teddy thing you can have a lumberjack werewolf siamese twin…. AWESOME!… oh were you saying something I got distracted.
A years a long time in the internet.
You honor me! I am glad you liked it, but I hope this doesn’t mean, by way of quid pro quo, that I will have to start blogging. I’m not entirely sure that my brain wont implode from the strain. Nap time!
OBTW, since it 6:28 a.m. central and I just got off of work I will have to check your post out just as soon as I recover from my chemical induced coma. Enjoy!
Maybe Dr. T. can have an affair with Dr. Venue. How’s that for interaction? She’s alone in Belize right now on vacation, drinking complicated fruity drinks by the pool, disgruntled with her overbearing husband and on the PROWL.
This is so exciting!
So should I congratulate Chris or his teacup moose? They do throw ideas around together y’know.
I love the idea of an Ask Dr. Toboggans and/or Ask the Author post.
Happy Friday to you Brent!
Chris Non-C: way to go! When my hunka hunka burnin’ love asked me what I thought about your idea, I said, “Of course, his pants would make a great kite.”
Since you have such great ideas, let me ask you a question, “Why do we need the federal government to bail us out of a recession? What are we three? (Well, Brent sometimes acts like it, but don’t tell him I said that.) Do you think that local communities should take care of their own and stop relying on people who have nothing better to do than to give themselves raises whenever the wind changes direction? Maybe we should phase politicians out of a job by taking care of some of these problems ourselves. What do you think?” Others, feel free to chime in on this as well. Thanks.
You want more interaction,eh?
I’ll give you more interaction! By interacting more often.
That sounded a lot more threatening in my head.
You are very fortunate to have such an interactive community of sarcastic commentors or is that commentators? Little commas, commettes, whatever. Early Happy Anniversary — thought you started around the same time as I did.
I can’t believe that we did not think of this before. We send the politicians to Canada. Their hearts are already so cold that they could survive up there quite nicely.
I can’t tell you enough how proud we are of our little boy. You are transforming beautifully, blue chest hair and all…wait, crap, I knew I should have told your father about that one crazy night in the Sasquatch Forest.
I would LOVE LOVE to have Dr. Toboggans visit my blog. We can do it in the form of an interview or whatever his lordship desires. Please have your people speak with Dr. Toboggans people and let’s do this thing! :)
I’ll let you know when I’m ready. Please tell Dr. T. thanks. :)
I will accept the gesture on behalf of both of us. However, that was not ideas TCM was throwing around.
Thanks HCM! Yes the kite effect was the reason I was able to achieve more than twice the distance that the trebuchet was usually capable of.
Q&A
“Why do we need the federal government to bail us out of a recession?”
Because they tend to leak…..a lot!
“What are we three?” No, we’re six!
“Do you think that local communities should take care of their own and stop relying on people who have nothing better(wow, long question) to do than to give themselves raises whenever the wind changes direction?”
How else could we maintain such a glorious deficit?
“Maybe we should phase politicians out of a job by taking care of some of these problems ourselves.”
I agree. The best way to solve all the world’s problems is a group of good friends and bottomless lattes on a Saturday afternoon. (And cheesecake!)
“What do you think?”
As for the politicians, well, the trebuchet is ready! (most of them spent the 60s in Canada anyway)
Thank you and your glorious photopopulation.
I hope to follow in the shadow of your blogeminence for some time to come.
I believe the Comma is 27 in internet years. It could probably use some Alpo.
I am feeling a little intimidated, if that helps.
“As for the politicians, well, the trebuchet is ready! (most of them spent the 60s in Canada anyway)”
Oooooh, third degree burn.
“…bottomless lattes on a Saturday afternoon.”
The best idea you’ve had yet.
Chris non-C,
Thank you so much for your most intelligent response. Brent was right in taking your Hammer advice. I love the thought of lattes and cheescake, and I adore the idea of sending the politicians on the trebuchet! You are truly a genius. Truly!
No Chris, you surely don’t have to blog if you don’t want to.
Just keep those ideas coming, submitted in writing, edited, spell-checked and ready to go, and I will handle the hard work of blogging.
Hmmmmm. I hope she has a strong stomach, the Doctor has a small problem with esophageal reflux: he inspires it in everyone he meets.
Well, if getting intelligent, witty, generally non-self-serving comments is a sickness then I am prepared to live with it.
No remission for me, bring on the sick!
Of course, I may have to write from bed. And going to work is right out.
Yes, I could definitely learn to live with this.
Holy crap that makes the Diary 54 in internet years…
Thank you HCM. I believe it takes one to know one.
Always the egotist, I know for a fact that Dr T would be more than eager to drone on endlessly after any question you might ask. An interview it is then.
And I thought I took after my mother.
There has to be some sort of treaty against that sort of thing.
Well you used to, back when you still had the facial hair and plaid lumberjack coat! Look what’s become of you…;)