Saturday, November 26, 2005

Saturday Morning Ravings

I really thought I'd cooked up a storm for T-Day. And I did. It's just that last night, we were so low on food that we ordered pizza. Oh well. I guess feeding 2 people for almost 4 meals is a lot of food, but I'd had visions of not cooking again for.... years, I guess.

One of my main activities yesterday was blog surfing - checking out a friend's blog, then heading to a linked blog, then another linked blog, etc. When I do this, I hope to A) be amused and B) find some sort of inspiration for my blog (this isn't as easy as it looks people! Do you realize that I've been doing this for almost 4 months, and yesterday is one of the first days I didn't blog?). Unfortunately, inspiration was not to be found - but I did find several things that other people do on their blogs that I am actively avoiding - and wish others would, too:

1) Songs. That automatically play. Now, let's forget about the part where most of these songs I despise, and the blogger's poor choice of song makes me less likely to stay around and read. I do not need my blogging experience to be a multimedia one. What if I was at work, and I didn't have my headphones plugged in or my sound off? And I click over to your site, and... music blasts! Not only would I bother the people around me, but what if someone superior to me were in the area? And then I'd get fired for reading your blog. Because of the damn song. That you felt should be shared with the world. And when I'm at home and I'm reading blogs, I'm generally listening to my own music. Music that I like. Music that I don't like to be layered with "My Heart Will Go On" or some other shit... Frankly, I don't care if your heart will go on. I kind of don't want it to.

2) Turning one's blog into such a form that there is Work Musings on Monday, Baby Pictures Tuesday, Vomit Wednesday, etc... basically taking one's original, fun creation and turning it into a form that practically requires no creativity, and then BRAGGING ABOUT IT. I can't stand that. I know that some of my posts are slightly repetitive - I do those "Facts about [cute animal here]" but... I try not to do that on a regular basis. In fact, I don't do it nearly as often as I would like, because, well, I find it amusing, but... just because I like it doesn't mean anything. Sometimes I have Horrendous Taste. I do own 4 pairs of gaucho pants. And I love them and I'm not ashamed of them.

3) Misspellings and grammar mix ups. Now, a few here and there are
fine - I run all my posts through a spell checker, and try to read them over a few times before posting, but... sometimes I miss something. Which my eagle-eyed husband immediately brings to my attention. And I then immediately change. But posts that are FULL of errors... I wonder what care these people are putting into the work that they are putting on display for all the world. And that makes me want to leave their site and never come back. I'm fickle like that.

4) Posts that are long and boring and uninviting. Probably like this one is. Sorry. I'll stop now.

14 comments:

utenzi said...

Michele sent me to see you, Marcia.

I am 100% with you on the automatic songs or even worse, music videos. There's two people who I really like but I rarely go to their blogs because they have those GD things on there.

I don't mind day-themes as long as it's not every day. Once or twice a week isn't bad. I don't do them on a regular basis but they can be interesting.

Good suggestions, Marcia. I'll try to be more succinct in the future (I sure hope that's spelled right!)

Anonymous said...

Marcia, this is an excellent post. (No, Michele did not send me.) I especially agree with the music thing. I hate it when music automatically starts when you load a page! At least give your visitor the option of turning it on at his own discretion.

"Frankly, I don't care if your heart will go on. I kind of don't want it to." Without a doubt, the most hilarious sentence EVER.

The Mistress of the Dark said...

I hate when I end up at any website that starts with music that's unexpected. Ususally scares the bejeebus out of me.

Here via Michele's

kenju said...

Not boring at all. I agree with most of your complaints, especially the music automatically playing. I hate that. I don't mind the theme things if they are not all the time.

Michele sent me.

craziequeen said...

[gulp] hope mine passed the Mar-see-ah test..as I have now blogrolled the Pink Shoe!

cq :-)

Michele sent me - this time

Dawn said...

Hi Marcia, I don't like songs on blogs either... I only do one meme thing Thursday Thirteen. :)

Your Thanksgiving Dinner could have been mine, except we do a mandarin orange salad and pumpkin pie.

Here via my comments.

Jsto said...

Not running mine through spell checker... i refuse. sorry

Marisa said...

I second that list!

Thanks for your visit today. Let me just say now that my spell check hasn't been working for weeks and I doubt I spelled rutabega right but...

HRH Courtney, Queen of Everything said...

Well, I hope you enjoyed your stroll over to my place, which I just redecorated.

I agree about songs and video; the reader should be able to choose whether they play or not, and not be blasted out of his or her chair with crap.

Michele sent me this time.

aprilbapryll said...

All those bother me as well, but I think what bothers me the absolute most when people purposely shorten words -- ppl, u, ur (I think I just alienated one of your commenters there) ... things like that. Bothers the heck out of me.

Oh, here from Michele's!

Janey said...

Well I agree with you here even though I bet I'm guilty of one or 2. Michele sent tonight.

WendyWings said...

I hate music that starts up automatically on blogs grrrr
Michele sent me back today :)

blackbird said...

I'm glad you mentioned a couple of these things...

There is a wonderful song called c'est la vie and I have considered putting on my blog -- but you are so right, and I will not.

2, while I do do (doodoo!) show and tell on fridays, it does seem easy to slip into certain posts on certain days of the week...ooooh, like survivor posts, must watch that.

3, what the hell is up with the people, some of whom are loyal and devoted readers, who DON'T CHECK THEIR SPELLING?! gah.

okay.
I think I am done now too.

carmilevy said...

Amen to that. Taking your long-and-boring-post thought a step further, I just LOVE the ones that go on for screens and screens. Eventually, the verbiage gets sooooo boring that you find yourself frantically spinning the mouse wheel to find the end....but it won't appear.

It's somewhere waaaay down there, but the endless prattling by the too-much-time-on-his/her-hands blogger keeps it from appearing until the last bit of adrenalin exits your body in a sweaty, pulpy mess.

Ick!