17 December 2008

"I couldn't close my eyes 'cause you were on my mind" -- 5th Dimension

I have a confession. I think of you sometimes late at night. Not every night. Just some nights. When I'm in bed. It's late and I'm trying to go to sleep but you're in my head. TMI?*

That is to say, while you are getting a bad case of pillowface, I am thinking of an idea to post about that may amuse you. Then, I wonder if I'll remember it in the morning. So, I reach for the pad and pen that are on my night table for just this purpose and, in the dark, I jot down a few key words. So, come morning, it'll trigger bleary-eyed me to remember what I was thinking about as I was drifting off.

Here's last night's gems:


Yeah, that's a great big FAIL. Make sure your pen is actually writing before you trust your midnight squiggles to it.

So, if this post isn't all it should be, let's agree to blame the pen, shall we?**

I think what I wanted to say was that reading a blog is like taking ice core samples. (You probably already got that from my notes.) And by "ice core samples", I mean what I make up about taking ice core samples because I know nothing about taking ice core samples. Maybe less than nothing. But why mess up a perfectly good analogy with pesky facts?

[Don't get nervous, I will not be taking out my ruler.]

You're still here? Huh. That's nice. And always a little surprising.

Anyway, here's what I was thinking...

When you read someone's blog regularly you get samples of them. Core samples. They're deep but not broad.

You don't really know much about what's happening on the surface. You don't see the animal tracks. You don't know how many acres the ice is covering. You just know a few random deep drills where you get a keen insight on what's happening at the core and maybe some of the layers in between.

So it's more biopsy than plain old microscope viewing. Maybe, over time, you get enough samples to put together a little kaleidoscope.*** And you get a little intimacy and a little connection with people you may have absolutely nothing else in common with and with whom you would have no other way of knowing about their really nice cores. And that can be quite beautiful.


****


* Sometimes I dress you in funny outfits. Is that wrong?

** Note to self: Astronaut pen real?

*** I'll bet you thought I couldn't get there.


**** Ice art credit: Dr. Peter Wasilewski.

21 comments:

Fearless in Toronto said...

I couldn't agree more.

brad said...

yup, kinda genius.

and if reading a blog is like performing a biopsy, then writing one must be like wondering if the readers will find tissue failure or that screw a former doctor once left in you..

Cyndy said...

That's an excellent analogy! Even with all of the oh-so-enlightening TMI posts that I've read there's still plenty that is left to the imagination, I would imagine.

On the other hand, it probably really depends on the blog. The only blogger I've ever met in person was exactly like her blog. That was kind of cool.

Mike said...

I have a notepad and 'pencil' on my nightstand.

fiona said...

Couldn't have put it better myself...even on a lucid day!
Great post!

Kate said...

I like it. I like it alot. It makes me wonder what samples people are getting from me and if they match up with how my core really feels.

Gilahi said...

This explains why I read blogs, drift off somewhere, and say, "Ooooh... the colors, the colors."

Of course I do that when I'm reading a book, eating ice cream, showering, or getting a haircut.

Ibid said...

I've had those notes. I get up in the morning and see "goldfish hate jello".
I have a vague idea that I might have had a story about a goldfish whose water got jello added to it since I thought it might like a change in diet but the water set up and the fish screamed at me.

Rahul said...

I don't know how to write.

Anonymous said...

I'm totally impressed. When I read "ice core" I was wondering where kaleidoscope was going to come in. Very nicely done.

Anonymous said...

I love your metaphors. I wish you'd pursued the ice samples some more, because I like the idea of having this little prism of samples of a person's being-- and of this being a kaleidoscope (part real, part mirror) of the person. Lovely.

Barbara said...

Maybe more like a smorgasbord than a kaleidoscope. But, yes, you do need to read a while to get a sense of the whole person. But after reading certain Blogs for a year or so, I have a pretty good idea of what their authors are like, especially those who write regularly. Good idea with the pad of paper. Some of my most creative thoughts are at night and my memory sucks!

Reya Mellicker said...

I like to say I'm not as funny or concise as my blog, and my life is a lot more boring than my blog.

It is a nice view through the eyes of blogfellows, though, isn't it?

lacochran said...

Fearless in Toronto: :) Thanks for weighing in.

f.B: Thanks and good, but disturbing, add!

Cyndy: Thanks and yes, that is pretty cool when it works.

Mike: Leave it to you to have a lower tech upgrade.

Fiona: Thanks!

Kate: I'm glad you like it. Interesting question to ponder.

Gilahi: Yes, this or the meds.

Ibid: I'll bet goldfish do hate jello.

Rs27: Not true, Sir! But maybe you can't handle the truth?

Liebchen: Thanks! :)

Madame Meow: Thanks. Sorry it felt lacking. Feel free to riff on it all you like.

Barbara: I've had to many smorgasbords lately with the holiday season so I wasn't thinking food analogies. :)

Reya: I'd disagree. I'd say your even more interesting in person. There's a real vitality that comes through in person that's a little tamped down on the blog.

rachaelgking said...

That's why I love when I actually get to meet someone... you get to compare the actual with your impression. Tre fun!

lacochran's evil twin said...

LiLu: Tre true!

Erin said...

I thought I was the only one who did that.

I love blogging as group therapy!

:)

lacochran said...

Erin/LoCo Loca: You dress people in funny outfits, too?

Leisha Camden said...

As others have already said, v. good analogy. :-)

lacochran said...

Leisha Camden: Well aren't you sweet. :)

Mr. J said...

Well said. A close friend of mine, upon reading some of my scribbles once, told me, "I have never been that deep inside your head before. It's a scary place." His first ice core I guess even though he'd been my roommate for 3 years in college...