I have become moderately famous among my fellow Markeroons for my snarf maps. So for their (and your) edification and entertainment, I have created a complete, step-by-step tutorial of how I make them. This is very probably not the smartest/fastest/bestest way of doing things, but it’s the way I do them, and that’s really all I know. Click here for the tutorial and happy snarfing!
From time to time I get into a certain mood and decide to send a bunch of mail, mostly in the form of postcards. I also answer mail art calls on occasion, but in general I just like writing letters to people. Receiving them, too. Alas, I don’t have many people to whom to write, so I tend to just browse mail-fan blogs and see who has their address posted publicly. If you’d like to receive a random postcard from me every so often, let me know.
So, in the grand tradition of snail mail bloggers everywhere, I’ve finally decided to add my address to the sidebar. Feel free to write anytime. I promise to write back.
Just a quick note to let y’all know that we’re switching webhosting services this weekend, so things may get a little weird over the next few days. More information here: http://www.bsodcomic.net/2011/12/30/time-to-switch/
(And in case you’re confused, this affects my blog, zoiks.org, BS/OD, BCinDC, and Pure Shift Productions, but NOT The Glue Stick Tourist or Sine Fine Films.)
Thank you for your patience.
A little over a month ago, I posted a survey asking what people would like to see and not see on this here blog. The responses were interesting. In general, people seem to want more of everything and less of nothing. But here are some bits that particularly interested me:
Thanks for participating; I really appreciate it. As always, comments are welcome. This summer may be a little sparse in terms of non-book-review content, but I’m looking forward to Good Things for this Fall.
This summer is going to be extremely busy, so I have decided not to accept any new books to review between now and September 1, 2011. I will, of course, read and review the books currently in my possession, but I simply cannot accept any new ones for the time being. If you have any questions, comments, or really good jokes, please don’t hesitate to contact me. There’s a form on the About page. Thanks!
On August 22, this blog will turn 8 years old. Well, technically, I started on Blogger and didn’t migrate everything over to Zoiks until 2009, but my blogging went uninterrupted, so I’m counting it as one continuous span of time. Don’t be too impressed – I’ve already hit a decade over at LiveJournal, and have been using “melydia” as my primary online handle since 1993. This all makes me something like 237 in Internet Years. (Get off my lawn!)
Despite all this, I’ve never really been part of the blogging community. I read a lot of blogs, sure, but it took me ages to bother with things like Google Friend Connect, BlogHer, or Ning communities. My site design is intentionally sparse. I don’t hold giveaways or host interviews or blog tours. Then again, I also don’t need to have a good cry if no one comments on my posts – that is, blogging has never been a purely social activity for me. It’s enough that it’s out there and being appreciated, whether or not folks are being vocal about it. (Don’t get me wrong: comments totally make my day.)
That said, if I had no interest whatsoever in what my readers thought, I would keep all this stuff to myself rather than posting it where the world can see. Once in a blue moon I look at my blog and I think, “I wonder if there’s something different I could be doing with this.” That’s where you come in. In the past I’ve invited people to comment on what they’d like to see, but I think there are probably a fair number of lurkers who don’t feel comfortable making suggestions on a blog written by someone who doesn’t know them from Adam.
Aside: the internet is funny about lopsided friendships. Take Cleolinda Jones, for example. I read her blog regularly, to the point where my sister commented that she kept forgetting I’d never met Cleolinda in person. On the flip side, I am 99% sure that Cleolinda has absolutely no idea who I am.
As I was saying, a lot of people are timid about leaving their first comment on a blog, so I decided to experiment with an alternate method of getting feedback: an anonymous poll. Fill it out, have your friends fill it out, fill it out multiple times, whatever, just please spread the word. I’m looking for a general consensus, and the more data points the better. Keep in mind that I won’t know who you are unless you tell me in the comment field.
One last thing before we get started: the fact of the matter is that I’m not going to reduce the number of book reviews. It is what it is. However, I’d like to sprinkle in a fair number of posts on other things, too. So if you’d like to help me decide what those things should be (please please please!), then click this link:
(Thank you!)
As promised, the 2011 BookCrossing Convention is over and my blog hiatus has come to an end. Didja miss me? :)
Photo copyright thebiblioholic
Okay, this is getting out of hand. I hereby declare a blogging vacation until after the BookCrossing Convention. If I review any books, the posts will be scheduled for after I get back on April 18. If you are waiting for a review by me, I will email you when I finish it, since all my reviews end up on GoodReads and LibraryThing as soon as they’re written (as opposed to being scheduled so I only have one post per day, like on this here blog). If there’s anything especially timely I want to post, I’ll post it, but for the time being don’t expect anything new here until mid-April.
For those of you still on the fence about the BookCrossing Convention, we’re now offering day passes. It’s going to be so much fun – you don’t want to miss it!
To tide you over, I have a meme: a list of speculative fiction reviewer blogs. Yes, I’m listed. To add your own blog, visit Grasping for the Wind.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Romanian French Chinese Danish Portuguese German
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Romanian French Chinese Danish Portuguese German
Hat tip to On a Pale Star.
That’s right, kiddos, it’s Bloggiesta! Most of the mini-challenges don’t really apply to me this time around, so instead I’ve made a list of tasks I’d like to tackle this weekend. I don’t expect to get all of them done, but it’s nice to have ideas. I have a number of sites and pretty much all of them need attending in some fashion or another.
This here blog
And no, I don’t expect most people to understand what all of these tasks actually mean. Don’t worry, I’m on top of that. :) I have no idea how much of this I’ll actually achieve, but I’ll check back in again on Sunday. Happy blogging!
This week’s a wash. I’ll be back Monday, probably. Maybe not, but probably.
Nothing momentous or tragic has occurred; I’m just really worn out and in need of a break. I’ll be back when I’m feeling better.
Edit: Okay, I’ll probably be back for Bloggiesta, provided I get some more sleep between now and then.
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