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At some point I will actually write a real blog post. I just so have not been in the mood.

posted by Patia  1:32 PM 1 Comments

I'm not sure what is going on with this guy's outfit, but his rap is awesome!

(Thanks to Neva for reminding me that I meant to post this.)

posted by Patia  9:51 AM 3 Comments

Common blogging wisdom says that you should blog every day or run the risk of losing your audience's attention. Do you think that's true?

I don't think it is. NaBloPoMo aside, I know that I'm inclined to unsubscribe from any personal blog whose owner seems to blog mainly for the sake of hearing (reading?) herself blog. Even when the posts are well-written and entertaining. Especially when the posts are well-written and entertaining. Because then I feel obligated to leave a comment, and that makes me feel overwhelmed.

I do think some consistency is called for, like blogging at least once a week or once a month, just so people don't think you've fallen off the map. (And unsubscribe, the horror!)

OTOH, I find it annoying when people save up a week's worth of thoughts and blog them all at once in one great big spew of a post. I end up reading the post, then scrolling back up to remember which thought(s) I wanted to respond to, scrolling down to write in the comment box, then scrolling back up, then back down .... It gets confusing.

I don't know about you, but the Internet has whittled my attention span down to roughly that of an air molecule. I'm inclined to either skim or skip blog posts that take more than about two minutes to read in full. Unless they're really well-written and fascinating. Which, no offense, but they're probably not.

Finally, my biggest blogging pet peeve is headlines that don't provide so much as a clue about the content of the post that follows. Titles like "This week" or "Hooray" are only interesting to your mother. And she's probably faking it.

[sarcasm] Of course, I am never guilty of these crimes. No, not me. [/sarcasm]

I realize now that this is all just a roundabout way of deflecting my own feelings of inferiority for my recent lackluster blogging. Truth is, I've been tired, lazy, busy, and/or preoccupied with other things.

I have a camera review to go finish writing right now, but I promise I will be back soon with another hilarious installment of responses to my personal ads. You won't want to miss it.

posted by Patia  9:03 PM 15 Comments

posted by Patia  11:02 PM 4 Comments

I've sort of been in a daze since last night. I wasn't prepared for such an early and clear Obama victory. After having my hopes sorely dashed in the last several elections, I was afraid to get them up again, so I didn't. I steeled myself for loss, for recounts and court challenges. I assumed we'd go to bed Tuesday night still unsure who our next president would be.




So when I was sitting in the Elks Lodge -- Dem central in downtown Missoula last night -- and the crowd started cheering and hollering wildly, I stood up on my barstool to get a better view of the big screen. I vaguely remember seeing and hearing the words "Obama" and "won" and although I was screaming at the top of my lungs, I couldn't really believe it. I thought, "What if they're wrong? What if they're calling it too early?" But I saw Katie Couric's face and I thought, "Katie wouldn't get it wrong, would she?" And I turned to my friend Rebecca and saw that she was bawling her eyes out.

But I still didn't quite believe it.




After the initial shouting died down, we walked down the block to the Wilma and entered the crowded theater to the sound of champagne corks popping and John McCain giving his concession speech on the big screen. (Very graciously, I might add.) Finally, I started really believing it.





I didn't cry until Barack Obama came on stage with Michelle and their girls before his acceptance speech. There is something about Michelle Obama that resonates with me. Maybe it's that she's a strong woman who has endured the attacks on her character with grace and dignity. Maybe it's because of the sacrifices she has made and will continue to make so that her husband and the father of her children can be President of the United States. Maybe it's just that it's about time there was a black family in the White House.

Let the healing begin.

posted by Patia  8:36 PM 2 Comments

(Not my picture! Original here in Barack Obama's photostream. It's such a lovely shot, I couldn't resist cleaning it up a little in Photoshop.)

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

Exercise your right and responsibility as an American citizen and VOTE!!!

posted by Patia  12:08 AM 2 Comments

posted by Patia  7:10 PM 0 Comments

posted by Patia  2:32 PM 8 Comments